So I'm about ready to start looking for a ball python. The enclosure I had made is 24x24, and it should be arriving in the next few days. Hoping to have a snake here sometime in mid-March (fingers crossed).

I was noticing, the overall square inch footprint of this enclosure is slightly smaller than the 36x18 most people seem to shoot for (which doesn't surprise me, given that's the standard dimensions for an aquarium, and thus readily available).

Would I perhaps be wise to limit my search to males who don't have the potential to grow to the same size as a female? Or would this enclosure be suitable for even a large female?

Thanks in advance.