Enclosure size for snakes?

[lovespunaround]

100% incorrect.
The minimum cage size gets smaller for some species because keepers out there are realizing that in captivity, some species benefit from the security of smaller enclosures. Among these species are borneo/blood pythons, ball pythons, angolan pythons, etc.

Exactly. These aren't animals that are prone to lying out in the open, going on a stroll around the block or anything. Very few of them are at the tops of their food chains, and most of them are pretty slow-moving, so they'd rather hide in a tight, secure place rather than roam around and expose themselves.

A common problem is that people assume that snakes think like we do and that they want lots of space and that they care about frou-frou cage decorations like we do. I don't want to spend most of my time half-covered in sphagnum moss, sitting in the dark, in a plastic box, but does that mean that my Borneo and blood pythons don't enjoy it? Because snakes don't enjoy the same things we do: snakes want to feel safe, eat, then go back to feeling safe.

 

[elevatethis]

A common problem is that people assume that snakes think like we do and that they want lots of space and that they care about frou-frou cage decorations like we do. I don't want to spend most of my time half-covered in sphagnum moss, sitting in the dark, in a plastic box, but does that mean that my Borneo and blood pythons don't enjoy it? Because snakes don't enjoy the same things we do: snakes want to feel safe, eat, then go back to feeling safe.

Yes! I think that's called personification, something that inexperienced keepers tend to do to their animals. To assume that snakes have the same needs as people. I've argued till blue in the face to people about how keeping two snakes in the same enclosure on a permanent basis is bad - they reply with a question like, "ok if that's so then why do the snakes 'cuddle'?" No cuddling, and if that person knew anything about snakes, it would be obvious that is in fact a dominance display of one over the other.

There's still many many myths out there about reptile husbandry that are perpetuated in pet stores and message boards, but progress is being made and a lot of people are starting to re-learn what they been told by misinformed pet store clerks or read on message boards in posts made by strong egos with weak sources of information.

 

[KenyanSandBoa]

Exactly. These aren't animals that are prone to lying out in the open, going on a stroll around the block or anything. Very few of them are at the tops of their food chains, and most of them are pretty slow-moving, so they'd rather hide in a tight, secure place rather than roam around and expose themselves.

A common problem is that people assume that snakes think like we do and that they want lots of space and that they care about frou-frou cage decorations like we do. I don't want to spend most of my time half-covered in sphagnum moss, sitting in the dark, in a plastic box, but does that mean that my Borneo and blood pythons don't enjoy it? Because snakes don't enjoy the same things we do: snakes want to feel safe, eat, then go back to feeling safe.

Great Point. There is no way to apply a mathematical equation to the size of a snake tank. You have to consider the animals behavior. For example, my sand boas barely ever have their heads exposed above the substrate unless they're being fed...and guess where they go after they ate...right back under the substrate. If they were out in the open in Kenya, I'm sure something would gladly feast on what little meat there is.

If I had them in a large elaborate enclosure, people would think I was keeping plastic plants for the ambiance of it all. (To quote the great Jerry Seinfeld: "Not bloody likely")