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  1. #1
    Registered User YungRasputin's Avatar
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    Adult Enclosure Size

    so i’m thinking i might have to tweak my plans after some recent discussions here on the forum because in my head i had always assumed the BP females get 6 ft and that my Angolan python would probably get to 4 feet, so they would do fine in the 6 foot tank rack system i’m currently saving up for but now i am wondering, would this be to big? i have heard here and there that bigger enclosures could make some snakes more defensive or something but don’t know how true this is?
    het for nothing but groovy

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    BPnet Veteran Homebody's Avatar
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    Re: Adult Enclosure Size

    Quote Originally Posted by YungRasputin View Post
    so i’m thinking i might have to tweak my plans after some recent discussions here on the forum because in my head i had always assumed the BP females get 6 ft and that my Angolan python would probably get to 4 feet, so they would do fine in the 6 foot tank rack system i’m currently saving up for but now i am wondering, would this be to big? i have heard here and there that bigger enclosures could make some snakes more defensive or something but don’t know how true this is?
    Care to share the specs on this 6 foot rack system? Sounds interesting and it'll help us answer your question.

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  4. #3
    Registered User YungRasputin's Avatar
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    Re: Adult Enclosure Size

    Quote Originally Posted by Homebody View Post
    Care to share the specs on this 6 foot rack system? Sounds interesting and it'll help us answer your question.
    its the Vision Cage Model 600 5 tank rack system - each tank is 6 feet long by 2 feet deep by 16 inches tall
    het for nothing but groovy

  5. #4
    Registered User YungRasputin's Avatar
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    i didn’t think anything of it at first because “bigger is better” is usually the model with exotics keeping but now i am second guessing myself and want to be sure - they’re PVC enclosures with 2 sliding glass front panels that could be outfitted with all sorts of coverage, etc to fill up space? would this compensation negate the aforementioned negative side effects of larger enclosures?
    het for nothing but groovy

  6. #5
    BPnet Lifer dakski's Avatar
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    Re: Adult Enclosure Size

    My two cents.

    I think if you clutter up a tank enough, and the snake in question feels safe, there shouldn't be an issue. I've had good experience with this putting my young boas in their adult enclosures (6X2X1') once established. The same for my Carpet Python (4X2X1.5') and my corn snakes (4X2X1'). When the snakes are young, I clutter up the tank with many appropriate sized hides and I've not had an issue. As they get older and bigger, I start reducing hides. My female BI who is now 6FT has two hides - 1 on each side of the tank (warm side and cool side) and my younger male Boas (2) have 4 hides, down from 6 when they were young. Yafe, my 6FT CP, has two hides as well now, down from 4 when he was younger and smaller.

    Now, BP's are a more shy species than all those I've mentioned. Having said that, once established and eating regularly, I moved Shayna (my female BP) into a 4X2. She was probably about 500g when I did this and had eaten 10-15 meals in a smaller quarantine tank. She still has 3 hides and a big water bowl in her tank and it's definitely more cluttered than any of the other larger snakes I have. The corns have 3 hides as well in their 4X2's.

    I've heard, but never kept them, that Angolans are better about not going off feed like BP's can. I would still clutter up the tank as you've mentioned to make sure the animal feels secure.

    That's the biggest issue; a scared snake won't eat. As long as they feel safe they should eat and that has a lot more to do with the environment you create than the size of the tank. This includes temps and humidity being correct, as well as proper hides and enough of them.

    I will also reiterate that your snake should be established before moving into a larger enclosure. If you have other reptiles, you should be quarantining any new addition anyway, and that's usually easier to do in a smaller tank. Once the snake is off quarantine and has eaten for a bit, I think you would be okay with the larger enclosure.

    If you are going bigger because you want other larger species down the road, or have them now, then you can make it work. If, however, you are going bigger just to go bigger, that's a personal choice. I don't think a 4FT, or 6FT python like a BP or Angolan, would be unhappy in a 4X2'. I am also not sure where you are getting 6FT for an adult female BP. I think that would be a large specimen. Shayna is 9 years old and about 2kg, and just over 4FT. She's very "happy" in her 4X2'.

    Remember, larger enclosures will cost a little more to heat and take longer to clean if using substrate other than paper (which I use for sanitary reasons and for ease). I do not find it more difficult to clean a 6X2' with printless newspaper than the 4X2's I have other than that the larger tanks have bigger snakes and they make more waste. However, if using another substrate, that would mean more substrate (cost) and would take longer and more effort to clean out, etc.

    Bottom line, a bigger tank should work fine, but you probably do not need it.

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  8. #6
    Registered User YungRasputin's Avatar
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    thank you so v much for the detailed explanation! that was a big help! so far (*knock on wood*) my BP has only refused 1 meal whereas my AP will literally eat anything you put in front of it, big or small, he eats it all haha

    the way i found VC was i was trying to find the most professional PVC enclosure for my RTB that i could find, then i thought it would be good for scrubs too and then also, i really liked how it would centralize all the enclosures into one system much like i have for my arachnids who are all housed on a 6 foot shelf system so it all sort of came together that way - the future of my collection is definitely in big snakes so it seems like the best option for me

    my plan is: i want to save up and acquire the whole tank system, have it set up, and have all terrarium parameters dialed in so by the time i get all that set up they would be established and ready for it

    idk why i keep saying 6 feet for the BP females, mine is currently about 2 feet long, my AP is a bit bigger, maybe 2.5-3 feet long and thicc lol
    het for nothing but groovy

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  10. #7
    Registered User YungRasputin's Avatar
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    my back up plan is: if i run into any problems i will take them out of the system and put them into smaller enclosure like the Model 400s and make a separate 2 tier system for them
    het for nothing but groovy

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  12. #8
    BPnet Veteran Homebody's Avatar
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    Re: Adult Enclosure Size

    Quote Originally Posted by YungRasputin View Post
    its the Vision Cage Model 600 5 tank rack system - each tank is 6 feet long by 2 feet deep by 16 inches tall

    Awesome set up! What's that going to set you back, $5000? I suppose it's cheaper than a trip to the Alps.

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    YungRasputin (06-09-2022)

  14. #9
    Registered User YungRasputin's Avatar
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    Re: Adult Enclosure Size

    Quote Originally Posted by Homebody View Post

    Awesome set up! What's that going to set you back, $5000? I suppose it's cheaper than a trip to the Alps.
    around about there yes but the cool thing is you can buy everything in pieces so i can buy the shelf system first, then buy each enclosure 1 by 1 which i plan to prioritize housing by growth rate - i tend to go all out when it comes to enclosures because I’ve found if you invest in a good one it eliminates so many troubles down the line - that’s why i have all my arachnids in Exo Terras - Vision Cages seemed the snake of equivalent of this
    het for nothing but groovy

  15. #10
    BPnet Veteran Homebody's Avatar
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    Re: Adult Enclosure Size

    Quote Originally Posted by YungRasputin View Post
    around about there yes but the cool thing is you can buy everything in pieces so i can buy the shelf system first, then buy each enclosure 1 by 1 which i plan to prioritize housing by growth rate - i tend to go all out when it comes to enclosures because I’ve found if you invest in a good one it eliminates so many troubles down the line - that’s why i have all my arachnids in Exo Terras - Vision Cages seemed the snake of equivalent of this
    I love the simple seamless design. No cracks or corners for substrate, urates or feces to get stuck in. It's gotta make cleaning and sanitizing the enclosure a breeze. With so few parts to the enclosure, there's really nothing to break. That tempered glass would be tough to break and easy to replace if it did. The only drawback I see is the price.

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