Moving GTP into a larger enclosure a little early

[user 29560]

Hey guys. I have a yearling GTP. He/She is about 16 months old or so and so still pretty tiny. I have it currently living in an Exo-Terra 12x12x18"H (roughly 30x30x45cm) enclosure. Maintaining humidity in this enclosure is a bit of a nuisance and, while I manage, I am quite keen to get the snake moved into a better enclosure. I am planning to order a custom-build PVC enclosure to be the permanent home for this snake, but of course I've been trying to hold out until she's large enough to warrant a 2'x2'x2' sized enclosure. I have an automated misting system I'll be able to employ once I have a better enclosure and, more importantly, the new PVC enclosure will retain the humidity MUCH better anyway.

My plan, which I submit to you guys for opinions, is to order the large cube for the snake now (it will take a month or two to get delivered). Once the enclosure shows up, I was going to fill it very densely with fake plants along all of the walls so that the actual open area inside the enclosure is greatly reduced by the amount of foliage around the walls. I am doing this based on the common belief that putting a small snake into too large an enclosure is not beneficial and can possibly contribute towards stress. I'm more interested in the opinions of people who subscribe that belief. If you believe that enclosure size should be limited during the growth stages, do you feel this is a suitable way to work around having to stage up my enclosures in a number of steps? As the snake grows, I will simply reduce the amount of foliage to create more usable area for her to wander (the container will have three perches at varying heights running across the width as it is, with an overhead heat panel).

Thanks,
Justin

 

[Waterrat]

Hi Justin,

the "believe" you're referring to is true when people put a small, young GTP into a large, bare, white plastic tub with nothing in it but PVC pipe or a plastic straw for a perch and water bowl. In such environment, the snake feels the same way you would if locked in a white room smelling of plastic with nothing in it. GTPs don't use hides, so the exposure being on a perch day and night with nothing around them must be intimidating, insecure and bloody unnatural to them.

I am sure if you decorate your enclosure the way you have described it, your snake will not have any problems. It will choose its favorite spot to which it will return every morning but that doesn't mean that the snake "doesn't like" the rest of the large enclosure.

Good luck with it.

M

 

[NathanBennett]

Agreed! I have seen small GTPs kept in larger enclosures then that, but they were fully decked out with plants, perches, etc and they look very happy. (From what I could tell by there facial expressions )

 

[user 29560]

Cool. I thought I was on track but wanted to hear some confirming opinions to make me feel better about it.

I do know for sure that when the lights are all out and everyone's in bed, my GTP does a lot of exploring and rooting around. I've walked into the rep. room in the middle of the night to find her on the floor of her enclosure and climbing around inside the plastic plants, etc. You'll NEVER catch her off her perch in the day or early evening (while luring), but late at night she's very active indeed. Hopefully the new environment will only be better for her.

 

[Waterrat]

Justin, you probably know this ...... plastic or silk plants are usually impregnated with insecticide chemicals. Give them a good hosedown before installing them in your enclosure.

 

[user 29560]

Cheers, waterrat. I'd never considered that, but as a habit I always clean new items before installing them into enclosures. Do you think a quick dip in some boiling water followed by a fresh water rinse would be adequate.

 

[NathanBennett]

I once dipped a fake fern in boiling water and needles to say, it no longer looks like a fern. The damn thing melted. Now I just use a disinfectant like f10 and hot tap water and rinse well.

 

[Waterrat]

I just hang them on the fence and blast them with a hose. Silk plants are worse than plastic ones, you see a kind of soapy water running down from them.

 

[DanNG]

How about a 3month old hatchy? Ok in a black 24x24x20 with lots of branches and cover?

 

[DanNG]

had a look at the neonate yesterday... didn't realise they were so tiny. Pretty much answers my question...

 

[briiiziii]

jrebelo do you mind if i could see a pic of your little gtp?