Snake Size / Enclosure Size

[SnakeWrangler]

Hey again,

Sorry for asking so many (probably annoying) questions but I have read all about what is "supposed" to be done when keeping snakes, now I am trying to learn what "is" done.

So the question I'm asking this time is how big is your snake(s) and how big are the enclosure(s) they are being kept in?

Of course if you have a huge collection, just give a general idea or rule that you follow when housing a snake.

Cheers.

[Fuscus]

Don't apolgise for asking questions. My biggest snake is 2.3 meters and lives in a 1200 x 1200 X 550 cage with branches

[kerry]

i keep my maccie (just over 1m - still growing) in a 4ft long, 2ft high, 1 ft deep tank with heaps of branches and hides.

[ashley_morris22]

i keep my maccies (1 is 2years i is 9 months) in 3.5 foot by 1.5 foot by 2 foot (LXWXH) each and my murray in a 4 foot my 2 foot by 4 foot (LXWXH) enclosure lots of branches nad hids for all.

[Sdaji]

SnakeWranger, I'm sure you'll find that when you ask that question, the people most keen to answer are the ones with snakes in the larger enclosures. Many people keep their snakes in very small ones, and the snakes often don't mind at all. I had a bredli in a small (about 20x25-30cm) plastic tub until it was about 8 months and probably too big for it, but when I placed it into a 4ft enclosure (I put the old tub into the new cage with the snake in it) she stayed in there. She stayed in that little tub always, until she became too big to share the tub with the water bowl, at that point I only saw her leave it a couple of times, to drink. When she was a little over 5ft in length, she could hardly fit in the little tub and started to explore her larger enclosure. She's now about 2.5 years old and about 7ft, and lives happily in a 4ft enclosure. I don't know what she would have done if I'd dumped her in the big enclosure without the option of going back into the original one, but I figured I'd give her the choice.

I know a guy who couldn't breed his brown tree snakes (about 4.5-5ft) until he started keeping them in shoe box sized tubs (after being in tall enclosures with branches etc) possibly coincidence. A friend of mine put his 12 foot olive python in a 6 ft enclosure and it freaked out and stopped feeding until it was put back into its old one metre enclosure. Generally, if I can help it, I don't like going much less than half the length of the snake, but examples like the brown trees and olive show that each snake needs to be considered individually.

If you want to know what "is" done, see if you can visit some of the keepers with larger collections, you'll see things in some which you may not hear about first hand.

As Fuscus said, don't appologise for asking questions, the worst I'd do is not respond

[Fuscus]

Sdaji, most of my enclosures are large (1200x1200x550 or 1800 x 550x 550) but your point on smaller cages are valid. I have a 3yo Jungle who has been in a 600x300x300 for the past 4 months and seems happy there. Also I'm using another 600x300x300 as a hospital cage and that currently has a 1.8 meter coastal who seems comfortable in it, but looks like she will be placed back into a big cage on the weekend.

[SnakeWrangler]

Thanks for the replies guys. Very helpful indeed.

[lutzd]

My limited experience is that :

1. My olive (a bit over 6' now - a guess) doesn't care what size enclosure he's in, as longas he's fed regularly. Currently in an enclosure 95cm wide x 40 cm high x 60 cm deep, but about to get a slightly larger one.
2. My diamond is REALLY happy now that I have turned her enclosure on it's side and given her something to climb on. She's a bit shorter than the olive. It's now 95cm high x 40 cm wide by 60 cm deep. And she's happy, as long as I feed her regularly.
3. my two spotted pythons live in the same enclosure - same dimensions as item 1. They were moved into that one from a smaller enclosure, and hid for a couple of days, but now happily explore all over the place. And they're quite happy - as long as I feed them regularly. ;-)

Go here if you want a look : http://www.aussiepythons.com/modules...view_album.php

[sxereturn]

I am a huge advocate for big enclosures. Obviously you're not going to put a hatchling Maccie in a 12 foot long enclosure etc. I keep my big carpets outside, hatchlings in 600x600x300 enclosures, Black snakes in 4 foot long (trio in 6 foot long) enclosures...from my experience it encourages activity, especially the carpets that are outside...

[Nicole]

Just more data for you, these seem to work for us:

Coastal and a Diamond each have a 1200h x 800w x 650d
Olive has 1200h x 1500w x 650d

Macs are still easily happy in converted plastic tubs for now

Here are some plans:

[Nicole]

D@mned attachments

[lutzd]

Should show some actual photos, Nicole! They are GREAT looking enclosures, and the snakes love them! ;-)