Upgrading my boa cage, help me choose!

[Solidsnek]

So I’m still working, I’m “essential” and also still getting one of them stimulus checks, I know it’s a pandemic, but I need to provide my larger ball python a larger enclosure then the 20l she’s in.

So here’s where I’m at. I have one ball (low grade pastel I believe) in a 20L from a rub, so he’s set. My biggest ball python (female coral glow blast, 1245g or so) has in my opinion outgrown her 20l, and I’m a fan of “display cages” so for me it’s too cramped. My BCI is happily living life in an exoterra 40b front opening cage, and I love it, no complaints. I can either get another of those, and build a stand to have the two stacked (snakes were quarantined when new and now housed in same room). I like the exoterra, except for the doors, they seem fragile but it’s not bad imo.
The other cage I’m looking at is getting an animal plastics t8, with basking shelf, glass doors
And the lock. That would be sufficient for the bci for Likely the rest of his life, correct? I will be flexwat tape for heat, and want the basking shelf simply
So can climb if he feels like it. Will also get the led lights, although with fluorescent I could go UVB, not needed but wouldn’t hurt and possibly have some benefits, my balls have them and I catch them basking in the no heat uvb day after a meal some times.
My questions, with the ap cage, is the fluorescent in a cage, is it ok not in a cage if not? Is the cage thin enough that heat tape just underneath is fine? Should I get the next size up that’s 15”tall?
Can you recommend a better cage for the price range, as a final setup for my bci? I will move the ball into the 40b for now, and if I really love the ap I will get 5 and stack all my reptiles up over time.
Thanks for reading this!


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Edit* idk why the pictures loaded in the text so my bad. Those are the 2 noodles I’m trying to cage up.