Are we keeping our snakes improperly, a study on snake housing.

[Skyrivers]

Also REALLY didn't like the little quip about how "the government should step in and mandate regulations" because we have enough of that garbage going on in the reptile hobby as it is, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms. I think the common rule of "enough size for a snake to fully extend itself in two directions" is adequate personally, but there can always be exceptions on a species or even individual basis.

If anything, I'm more interested in the study of enrichment that was barely touched upon in the article. How much value do snakes place on environmental enrichment? If and how does it vary between species (notably sedentary vs more active groups)? What do snakes consider as enrichment and how does it differentiate among species (not only sedentary vs active but also burrowing/terrestrial vs semi/fully arboreal)?

I agree. Herp fans and keepers suffer enough from government regulations. More regulations equals less people who can enjoy the ownership of animals because of the licensing that would grow in price as the regulations do. The answer is simple. Be responsible to the animals you care for. I always tried to give my animals as much room and as natural as possible but it is difficult to provide a space that is large enough for a 15-20+ Ft snake. In the wild they have a territory and they have a way of life that would prove almost impossible without a zoo quality enclosure. We do need to keep in mind that they think and adapt to what is available. Sure my experience is some what limited. My Rainbow was 18ft at age 6 and I often wished her 8ft X 4ft X 4ft cage was larger. It did however have a cave with proper heat, A warm swimming area large enough to get all the way in and submerge when she so desired and she was also allowed time to roam the living room under controlled conditions. Was this adequate? She seamed to enjoy her enclosure. She would go back to it once she was done roaming the living room and curl up after having some time to explore. Keep in mind she was pet quality from birth and was also used for educational shows. We (herp) owners all do our best. Should we? That is a moral issue and I feel we all have to answer that on a personal level.

I agree the article is limited in sample size and the way it was presented seamed bias.