What's With Keeping Snakes In Racks Small Without Hides?

[MD_Pythons]

Now before I get started let me just say I don't have anything against keeping snakes in racks or tubs. They can be great enclosures and they hold humidity better than the traditional tank with a mesh lid. Nor Is this intended as an attack on another forum member. I just happen to disagree with this method of keeping reptiles.

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Now, as I stated before I don't have anything against racks but keeping your reptiles seems downright cruel to me. They don't even have enough space to stretch out. Which is how I go about picking enclosures. If they eat, sleep, breed and poop I guess they're fine but that doesn't seem like any way to live. I consider the minimum a water bowl of some sort, a hide, and a enclosure large enough for the snake to fully stretch out in. As far as I'm concerned if those are met and humidity and temperatures are correct than it doesn't matter what enclosures you keep them in.

[PythonBabes]

I actually brought this subject up and every one wanted to be soo against me. But like I said on my thread, surviving is NOT thriving. Thriving is absolutely not eating, breeding, and pooping. And yes, just surviving animals will breed and eat.

I myself keep my snake in a tub but he has multiple hides, plants, stuff to climb around on and can stretch out fully and still have space to spare. People who keep their snakes like that are not thinking of enrichment and the well-being of the snakes, they are thinking of what is time, effort, and cost effective for them, and that definitely doesn't excuse what they are doing.
Just because snakes are of lesser intelligence than say, a cat or a dog, does not mean they should be subjected to life in a plastic tub with substrate, a water bowl and MAYBE a single hide.

[SDA]

Rack housing is pretty much one large hide so no really need to add a hide if the entire enclosure is a hide

[Sunnieskys]

If you are a breeder then racks are a must. You can't have tubs and tanks everywhere. Also, if you do have racks and you handle your snakes daily there is not harm either and that is thriving since they come out and roam the house. I don't like racks either, however to each their own and I'm not here to say it's cruel. On an average day boople is in her hide 23 hours out of that day. So honestly I don't see a difference other than I can see her in her hide 23 hours out of 24.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I always love when people (with 3 snakes first one acquired in June) disagree with or pass judgement on others that have been keeping snakes SUCCESSFULLY for years sometime, decades or more.

The bottom line there is more than one way to skin a cat, if what works for you works for you then GREAT, not sure why you feel compel to disagree or making judgement such as

keeping your reptiles seems downright cruel to me

but yeah like you said

I don't have anything against keeping snakes in racks or tubs.

It's not about being a breeder or pet owner it's about providing the proper environment for your snake, now tell me how many people using tanks or large enclosure do you see all the time on forums with the following issue.

My animal is stressed, it won't eat, it has a RI etc.

An enclosure, any enclosure whether it's a tub or a tank or a cage can be wrong if it does not meet the animal's need and vice versa.

[MD_Pythons]

Rack housing is pretty much one large hide so no really need to add a hide if the entire enclosure is a hide

I do disagree with that, it always can be fitted with clearer tubs. And I don't see why you would't give the snake a hide you can always make one..

[oodaT]

Guess it all comes down to how many you have, i myself have 4 bp's atm, but plans for more. Just waiting on another rack to get here. I mean if you only have a couple of BP's then sure have them in tanks but people that have more than a couple probably dont want that many tanks(i myself dont). Tubs/racks are so much simpler, take less space and easier to clean. I can clean my 4 tubs in my small rack quicker than i could my 1 tank.

[Sunnieskys]

Omg deb, I love you so much!

[tegu]

Well if you're specifically talking ball pythons then no racks aren't even anywhere close to cruel. Thats similar to where they'd spend the vast majority of their time in the wild anyway. I do wonder though to what extent a snake would feel "enrichment" or if they benefit more from just the excersize.

[SDA]

Oh my God humans are nomadic long distance runners with multiple mates that roam great distances but we keep them in small cubicles, sterile apartments, and automobiles and only allow one spouse. How inhumane!

See things can be argued against any type of confinement. One could say keeping snakes period is cruel but we do and those who are responsible caregivers do so in all sorts of mediums. If you are against tubs (I am too) then don't use tubs but don't knock the people that do and keep healthy snakes.