Quote Originally Posted by Derteufel View Post
Bruce, since you seem to be very familiar and are in a loft (or anyoen else) if I get the suggested 36x18x12 enclosure for a baby BP, that wil eventually become an adult will that be ok? Do they tend to prefer smaller areas when they are smaller? Im kind of worried that glass might get cold well be hard to keep warm? Ill get what you recommended if you think that it right for my place as Ive described it.


Oh ya, also where do you all suggest I get the snake from?
I personally would not put a baby bp in an enclosure that size. I keep my babies in plastic shoeboxes... see the pic.



And that shoebox is sitting in this rack... where I keep most of the snakes.



This is the quarantine rack in my office... opposite end of the loft from the rest of the snakes.



I keep all the snakes in tubs. I would never use a tank with a bp. Tanks have too many open sides, especailly if you are in a large open space, the snake is not in a separate room and will be exposed to every stressor, vibration, noise, and activity in your apt.

They are impossible to maintain proper humidity in... I had one with my first BP and I would never do it again. The only things I keep in tanks are my bearded dragon and my African Soft-Furred Rats.

Also they lose heat on all 4 sides... so it makes your heating pad run at a higher rate and at all times (means you'll be replacing it more often). Plastic tubs do not cool as fast, or transfer as much heat to the surrounding environment. Probably not a real big deal in the summer... but come winter, if you space gets really cold, even with a UTH running full blast, you could risk the snake getting too cold. (Or the temp spiking and worse... ending up with a burned snake).

I never let my temps drop below 80 degrees.

I cannot remember the member that suggested a plastic display viv... but I would say that that, or something similar would be your best bet. Only has an open window on one spot and will not transfer our heat and/or humidity.

Your snake does not care if it is in a plastic or glass viv... what it cares about is having proper temps, humidity, and feeling secure.

Meeting those are critical if you want a snake that is eating, shedding, and defecating with consistency.

My suggestion... would be to start with a tub... and once you have a really good grasp of husbandry, and if your snake is thriving... then if you are comfortable and feel you can manage to meet its needs (and know what its needs are). Then try and move it into a tank.

Too many people start with tanks before they understand what they need to give the snake, then get invested in them and they seem to be a really hard thing to give up.

He does not need a big enclosure as a babe. So get him started in an appropriate tub, cheap and easy to change as he gets bigger. And then once you decide on a final size for him, then invest in a larger enclosure.

Another huge mistake people make... thinking they can set a baby up in the size that it will need as an adult. A one-stop setup and shopping idea.

It simply does not work with BPs. They will not thrive in that sort of environment.

Hope that helps,
Bruce