I'm thinking about purchasing a Red Tail in a month or two and was wondering about enclosure size.

I've read that larger females are kept in a 6x2x2 tank, but how quickly do they reach that size? I know that growth rate and size varies from snake to snake - but as a general rule of thumb, what kind of housing can I keep the snake in, and for how long? I want to keep this as simple and inexpensive as possible (aiming to keep this in a tub for as long as I can), while taking up as little space as I possibly can for the next 10 months or so, until I move to another apartment with a bit more space.

I'm looking to get a female, as I would like for a slightly larger snake in the long run, but like I said - space is an issue for the time being. Is there any way to work around this or would I be better off looking into getting a male or even a smaller snake (not looking for another normal BP and can't afford any of the morphs I find attractive).

Thanks