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

[dylan815]

This may or may not add to the theme of the thread, though just an interesting observation. I've only had my beep for 3 months, so I'm far from an expert. A close friend of mine got a banana ball python from a PetCo last year and has some good knowledge on reptiles. I fell in love with his beep and a couple months later, I got my beep, Coco, from a reputable breeder.

The husbandry for my snake is different than his and this is where things get interesting, and would probably make some people here antsy. He uses an unregulated heat source with a heat lamp on the hot side of his snake's hide. He uses the dreaded stick on hygrometers and thermometers. His snake only has one hide on the hot side, a branch to climb, aspen bedding, and is kept in a big glass viv. She's misted daily, likes to soak in her water dish (she may be hot, but who knows) and is kept in a bright, high traffic room, with a dog and cat running around. Though his beep is thriving. She sheds like clockwork, always eats, poops, has a sweet temperament, is growing, and content. He wouldn't be happy if I wagged my finger at him, especially since I'm a newbie with reptiles. I say this in the nicest way, he knows it all, and he wouldn't listen to someone like a Vin Russo or Justin K. about keeping boas or ball pythons.

Though Coco, my beep, eats like a champ, sheds, poops, sleeps, hides, drinks her water and likes being handled, and is kept in a basic tub. She's next to me in my in-home studio, which is like a giant cave to begin with, and is near the hum and soft light of my computers. She was a hatchling when I got her and I started her with a tub based on all the research I had done here talking to breeders, and other online resources. This was a good starter set up for my situation. My friend may say "She's going to be small because she's in a small tub. Why aren't you using a heat lamp, a thermostat is not necessary". I have no idea how big she'll get. Sure a 5'+ white snake with blue eyes would be awesome, but I want a sweet, healthy girl more.

Most of my money went to a good thermostat, heat pad, gauges, hides, a scale and the morph I wanted. I do have a big ol' glass Vivarium that my above friend sweetly sold to me for a ridiculously low price that I will try in a few months. If it sucks for Coco, I'll get an AP enclosure .

Interesting to me that two snakes of the same species kept in two very different ways are thriving.

Your friend is playing a risky game..... It's not if something will go wrong, its a when..... Your friend may have been okay with his set up but he will eventually run into problems. that heat source needs to regulated immediately. Belly burns are a nasty and expensive thing. Best of luck to your friend.