New twist on cage sizes (opinions?)

Greetings,

I realize this has been hashed out before, but I'm wondering about adult cage sizes. I've commonly seen cage sizes expressed in gallons rather than actual dimensions. I've read that a 30 gallon cage is a good size and this has lead me to think about caging options. I'm interested in picking up a couple of Vision cages this summer as permanent homes for our two Corns.

Because Corns are typically terrestrial critters the height of a cage is of little concern, therefore the surface area of the cage is what I am focusing on. Here are three Vision cages in my price range:

Model 221: 28x22x12 (~32 gallons) $95.00 <--no lighting option - retro fit?)
Model 215: 28x14x20 (~34 gallons) $135.00
Model 332: 36x28x18 (~78.5 gallons) $180.00

*Note: I arrived at the gallons by multiplying LxWxH and dividing the total by 231 which I believe is accurate.

I'm looking for a cage which is a nice compromise between size and comfort. I don't really want cages that are so large it's difficult to clean and sanitize them, but at the same time I don't want our snakes to be cramped in small cages either.

The third factor is that I'm a cheap SOB but that's another story.

For me the question is whether or not to spend the difference between model 221 or 332? Model 215 is just too small in my opinion. Here is what the total floor space looks like expressed in inches by multiplying length times width.

Model 221: 616 inch. floor space
Model 215: 392 inch. floor space
Model 322: 1008 inch. floor space

If I purchased model 221 I would have to modify the cage to add a lighting option. I don't think this is too big of a deal but it does add a little hassle. At the same time it's a lot easier for me to part with $200 USD rather than $360 (plus freight charges).

Here is some information I would like to help better make a decision:

1) what is more important, the length of a cage or the total available floor space?

2) What are the cage dimensions that you use to house your adult Corns?

3) General opinions?

Thanks.


Cheers,
Jason

Your volume estimates are correct, but the correct divisor is 231. Typos

Why not get the model# 211? Looks like the best deal to me.

starwarsdad said:

Your volume estimates are correct, but the correct divisor is 231. Typos

Click to expand...

Thanks starwarsdad- I'm the typo king. I fixed it. :awcrap:

I've read a rule that says the floor dimensions (LxW) should be equal to or greater than the maximum length of the snake. Since the $100 Vision cages are 28x22 (50") that should be more then enough space for an average sized adult corn. I just like to get as many opinions as possible from folks with more experience than myself.

Cheers,
Jason

The LxW of my containers are 30x17. The snakes do realy well in them, there's enough room for them to move stretch and thermoregulate.
I would go for the 221 model, but they would like the 332 more I suppose, in theory
You say that corns are mostly terestrial, before I got the snake bug I used to have a corn in a 3'L x2'W x4'H home made viv it had shelving and boxes up near the top. Heated by heat pads in half the bottom and a spot shinning onto one of the shelves, the corn hardly ever went down to the floor .Also if a corn is threatened and given a chance it will go up a tree to get out of the way.
So I don't think corns are as terrestrial as some may say.:cheers:

Those vision cages are nice looking, but I can get a 30 gl. viv aquarium with a locking screen lid for $45.00 at my local pet store. The dimensions are 31X22X12. So in essence, I could get two for the price of one vision cage. .That means, one more corn than I have now !

Yeah, I'll probably go for a glass aquarium when I need to buy a bigger one.

I do think those are nice looking, but a little pricey. I wish they were more detailed in their description, does that mean they have the UTH built in already?

Though I think for multiple snakes, they are a lot better looking than a rack system, though WAY more expensive. I don't think I'll ever have enough snakes for a rack system, but later in life, I might look into getting a few of those and a few snakes.

They are nice looking! Maybe in a few years, I'll have a couple of those, and some more variations of corns. First I'll worry about graduating college and getting a real job

fatso said:

I would go for the 221 model, but they would like the 332 more I suppose, in theory

Click to expand...

I'm also considering model 332. It's a very nice cage setup. It isn't the cost of the cages that scares me away ($180 USD) as much the freight charges to Alaska. We pay a premium to have items shipped here and the 332 cage is just about double the weight of the 221. My wallet frowns at excessive shipping charges.

On the other hand, as my wife poined out, they're going to be spending the next 10+ years in those cages so we have an obligation to try and make them as comfortable as possible.


Cheers,
Jason

Hi Neumann,

There are many rules that people use for justifying how much space a snake needs. Some people go for a cage length that is 1/2 the length of the snake, some 2/3.

Some people say the length plus the width must be no less than the length of the snake.

You can even work out how much space the snake takes up when it is coiled and have this area multiplied by 8 (for example).

There is no right or wrong.

My personal opinion is to give more space. I use the last model you mention, and I have been very happy with them. The snakes use all the space at different times, and during breeding season the males roam every inch every day. I have posted this picture many times before, and it is not all of the cages I use, but a rack of 9 of them.



I use a 5.5 inch dome light with an incandescent bulb (wattage varies depending on time of year) for a basking spot which is utilized and I like to watch them lying in the "sun". I also have UTHs on the same end which remain on when the light goes off at night to continue to provide a thermal gradient. Of course, all the snakes except one (bottom left hand cage) are hiding, and the one you can see is heading up towards the light dome.

I have a number of corns that are about 5ft or over and I wouldn't want to put them in any smaller space.
The only fact stated for larger cage size is that there is evidence of some females being more prone to egg-binding if they have poor muscle tone from lack of exercise.

Visions are light and so easy to move about, can be stacked, and are very easy to clean with no sharp corners of edges. There are also some other very good manufacturers out there these days.

Skye

fatso,

I agree with you about the not-purely-terrestrial thing - that's why I like to provide climbing branches. Corns definitely like to climb.

Skye

WOW! Skye that is a beautiful set up! I am jealous.

yep - I love my snakes!

Skye :spinner:

Skye said:

yep - I love my snakes!

Skye :spinner:

Click to expand...

That's a really nice setup Skye! I'm wondering, since the cages are stackable, why do you have wooden blocks between them in the stack?

Also, could you post a closeup pic of a single cage with an adult Corn in the open so I can get a feel for the space? Thanks.


Cheers,
Jason

I was wondering the same thing about the stacking, because I thought they had open vented areas on the back, which stick out at an angle beyond the flat part.

My guess is still something to do with ventelation, or so the lights don't heat up too much.

Yes, it is exactly to do with ventilation.

The cages do have a ventilation screen at an angle all along the top of the back as described by leia. My cages also have an additional flat screen along the top which is an optional extra I had put in in case I decided to use UV fluorescent bulbs.

However, with the UTH I don't want to sit the cages directly on top of on another since then there would be a double heating effect with each mat heating the floor of the cage above, and the ceiling of the cage below. I use the wood to give a 3.5 inch gap for air flow beneath the tank.

Also, a problem with using lights with visions is that the bulbs are not accessable from inside the cage, and if you just stack all your visions directly on top of one another and a bulb burns out (which always happens to be the bottom bulb) then you have to unstack each cage to get to the bulb to replace it. This way I can reach in, between the cages and change the bulb without having to move anything.

Finally I should note that even with these airgaps, the top cages get significantly hotter than the bottom cages and so their UTHs are on different rheostats at a lower setting, and they have different (lower) wattage bulbs.

Finally, I can't post a close-up of one cage as I don't have one right now, but I'll see if I can take one soon and post that for you.

Skye

Skye

My guess is that has something to do the UTH's?

other options

Plan on keeping adults in 4x2 cages for the same reasons as Skye - mine move about and use branches quite a bit.
Animal Plastics has 4x2x15" cage starting at 225 (no heat). these are heavy duty.
Barrs cages has 4x2x12" for $180 and much lighter weight (cheaper to ship). Both of these companies ship unassembled to reduce shipping costs. Assembly is supposed to be a no-brainer.

With all of my scaled <strike>children</strike> pets I keep to the guideline that the length of the snake should be equal to the length+width of the tank. I don't really take height into consideration. [Well, if I had arboreal snakes I would, but it might be a whole different equation for size of tank then... hmmmm]

On that note, does anyone have any opinions on putting a neonate into a tank that's big enough for an adult? Like Chameleons [or so I read before] is it better to keep them in a smaller space or go all the way? Or does it even matter?

And Skye, I love your set up. How handy, having so many snakes in a small area! [versus spread out in tanks all over the room]

dialicious,
I put my keepers into there adult boxes as soon as I relize that thats the one for me.
This is one of mt 03 butters.

Good to know!