Adult Enclosure Size

[dakski]

My two cents.

I think if you clutter up a tank enough, and the snake in question feels safe, there shouldn't be an issue. I've had good experience with this putting my young boas in their adult enclosures (6X2X1') once established. The same for my Carpet Python (4X2X1.5') and my corn snakes (4X2X1'). When the snakes are young, I clutter up the tank with many appropriate sized hides and I've not had an issue. As they get older and bigger, I start reducing hides. My female BI who is now 6FT has two hides - 1 on each side of the tank (warm side and cool side) and my younger male Boas (2) have 4 hides, down from 6 when they were young. Yafe, my 6FT CP, has two hides as well now, down from 4 when he was younger and smaller.

Now, BP's are a more shy species than all those I've mentioned. Having said that, once established and eating regularly, I moved Shayna (my female BP) into a 4X2. She was probably about 500g when I did this and had eaten 10-15 meals in a smaller quarantine tank. She still has 3 hides and a big water bowl in her tank and it's definitely more cluttered than any of the other larger snakes I have. The corns have 3 hides as well in their 4X2's.

I've heard, but never kept them, that Angolans are better about not going off feed like BP's can. I would still clutter up the tank as you've mentioned to make sure the animal feels secure.

That's the biggest issue; a scared snake won't eat. As long as they feel safe they should eat and that has a lot more to do with the environment you create than the size of the tank. This includes temps and humidity being correct, as well as proper hides and enough of them.

I will also reiterate that your snake should be established before moving into a larger enclosure. If you have other reptiles, you should be quarantining any new addition anyway, and that's usually easier to do in a smaller tank. Once the snake is off quarantine and has eaten for a bit, I think you would be okay with the larger enclosure.

If you are going bigger because you want other larger species down the road, or have them now, then you can make it work. If, however, you are going bigger just to go bigger, that's a personal choice. I don't think a 4FT, or 6FT python like a BP or Angolan, would be unhappy in a 4X2'. I am also not sure where you are getting 6FT for an adult female BP. I think that would be a large specimen. Shayna is 9 years old and about 2kg, and just over 4FT. She's very "happy" in her 4X2'.

Remember, larger enclosures will cost a little more to heat and take longer to clean if using substrate other than paper (which I use for sanitary reasons and for ease). I do not find it more difficult to clean a 6X2' with printless newspaper than the 4X2's I have other than that the larger tanks have bigger snakes and they make more waste. However, if using another substrate, that would mean more substrate (cost) and would take longer and more effort to clean out, etc.

Bottom line, a bigger tank should work fine, but you probably do not need it.