tank sizes and whatnot

[captain shiner]

first post!

i am planning on buying a bp as soon as i can scrounge up the money

with all that i've read here, i keep seeing people talking about moving up in cage size as the snake grows.

my question is, could i just beat all that out and go ahead and buy a 30 or 40 gallon cage to keep the snake in for his entire life? or is it really necessary that i give him a small tank to grow out of and move up?

[Argentra]

Sorry, no. Ball pythons are a snake that live in small tight spaces in the wild and prefer small snug enclosures in captivity. For a baby, a 10gal tank or 12qt tub is needed. For a young adult, a 20long tank or 15-32qt tub, and a full grown adult would need a 30gal breeder tank or 41qt tub.

If you want to use a tank or display cage when the snake has grown, use a tub or two until they reach a good size to have them in the large display home. Tubs are cheap to upgrade.

You CAN get a 20long tank now that will last at least a year, but if you get a baby BP you'll need to put LOTS of hides, greenery, and other things to fill the open space and make the snake feel more secure.

[Schlyne]

If you are not opposed to tub keeping, it may be cheaper for you to move up with plastic tubs and then go to display tank, although you may have more problems getting the tank set corrrectly.

If you are set on a tank, I'd go with a 20 long. I started out my first 2 balls (not together!) in a 20 long before I went to racks and had no problems.