• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

Housing Romantic???

J

Jimmy C.

New member
Hi Everyone,
Here is my problem. I am of the firm belief that you should ALWAYS give the animals in your care the very best life possible. I try to put myself in the animals place and give them what I would need to lead a somewhat happy and healthy life.
So, about 2 years ago I got into Corn Snakes. I just LOVE them. I am now only up to 25.
I have been keeping 2 of similar size to an aquarium.
I have been buying 33,20,and 10 gallon aquariums depending on the size and age of the snake. I also use the aquariums because the snakes will have a clear view of the outside world and this would add something to their lives. I have 2 hides and a climbing branch, water container, aspen bedding and a nice backdrop in each aquarium.
Now, as my snakes grow I have to upgrade the size of their homes. Not only are the aquariums expensive but they take up alot more room. I am in a bachelor apt ( one room ):D
The thing is that since I joined this forum about 2 months ago I have read that I should not have more than one snake to an aquarium and I see that most people house their snakes in those tupawear (plastic) containers.
Am I being too Romantic about the living conditions of my snakes? Do they care? Are they happy in those tupperwear containers?
Help, Help, Help, I would to do the rack thing,it would give me more space but I am thinking about my snakes.
Sorry if I was rambling.
Thanks,
Jimmy C. I want to do the best thing
 
hi

imho

i think snakes like small spaces as they spend most of the time in hides think that vivs are for a pleasure not the snakes. i have 4 vivs to lived in and two just goto finish off but as i want more corns i have decided to build a rack. as long as snakes are looked after well dont think they mind.

cheers
 
It seems to be a personal preference Jimmy. Corns won't eat or breed if they're stressed and plenty of people use rack/Rubbermaid systems and get fine results.

Having said that, I wouldn't do it myself. I keep groups of two or three together. The minimum size of viv that I have at the moment is 3' wide x 15" deep x 18" high. I'm about to move a couple of groups into new vivs 3' and 4' wide and 3' high with shelves, so that they have even more floor area and the opportunity to climb.

I'm having to keep one male in "batchelor quarters" of a plastic tub 18" wide x 15" deep x 1' high. He seems to be stressed by the move from the bigger viv (much jumpier to handle & isn't eating as well as he was) but I don't know if this would be the case had he lived in that container all his life. I really don't like it.

Overall, I'm with you - I buy the largest vivs I can afford and fit into my home and my Corns seem to prefer it that way. Just my perspective !

Cheers
Kel
 
Well I personalyy would not like to live in a clowdy plastic box. But then again I am not a snake. It in no way resembles nature and is not even remotly pleasent to look at. IMHO i think if you can not afford or do not have the room to have nice cages for all of your animals then you do not need to have animals. Get a book...or go to the zoo! Anyways My husband and I are going to build a rack system they will be albeit a bit bigger but will be solid plexiglass and can taken apart. But dont use other peopes ideas except as a way to help boost you to do better. Everyone uses rubbermade boxes or VERY expensive manufactured vivs because they have limited themselves to that and it is the "common" thing to do. Just put yourself in your snakes place and ask the question again. The goal is not to get as many as you can, but to get as many as you can afford and love. I could easily turn an entire backyard into a corn habitat full of containers and eventually have to money to fill it all, but do you REALLY think in mine or their life time I could spend as much time as I need to with them? Raising and loving animals involves more then just throwing a mouse in once or twice a week.

Hope I didnt tick anyone off that is just my opinion take it with a grain of salt.
 
I started with just aquariums, but switched to rubbermaid containers because my snakes were having trouble shedding. I couldn't keep the humidity high enough in the aquariums...even with covering a large portion of the screened top. So for me, the plastic tubs work best. By the way, they make almost clear tubs...my snakes can see out of them. They follow my movements if I move my hand in front of their cages (tubs). I do not see a problem with using rack systems. I personally like them.
 
We seem to be fairly well split down the middle on this one, boys & girls :D For what it is worth, here is my opinion. I have four corns and for vivariums. To keep the costs down, I made the last two. I prefer them as the are a attractive feature in the house (in my opinion). I would have more snakes but I dont really have the room for anymore vivs so I will stick with four for the time being. My snakes seem to like the room. They climb on the plastic greenery I have attached to the back of the vivs and I would not think of restricting the space they have because they are now used to having it. I think it boils down to what works best for you. If your snakes have only known racks then I see no reason why they should be stressed.
 
Snakes really don't care one ay or the other how aesthetically pleasing their enclosure is. Once their basic needs are met, they're happy. Naturalistic vivaria benefit the keeper more than they do the kept.

Since zoos were mentioned, I'll touch on them for a brief moment. Animals on display are kept in naturalistic displays for the benefit of zoo guests because people find those types of displays to be appealing. Behind the scenes, most reptiles are kept in utilitarian set-ups.
 
i agree snakes do prefer small space,hence hides,
some warm,dark and safe pl,only coming out to feed,drink,breed,and dump.
and learn to tolarate gentle handling,with time,
so viv or tubs the choice is down to owners,
i honestly belive the snakes dont care so long as the above is catered for....
 
Ooohh-Touchy subject!
I also am faced with the same issues, I have all of my corns in tanks now, but when you look around my room, you can count one too many tanks. I suggested racks as it would give me a lot more room, but moving these snakes to these little boxes after giving them the big tanks for two years seems a little cruel. I'd like to hear some more opinions, but I have a feeling that they will all be split down the middle: those who have racks and those who don't...
 
Well,well,well. How do I respond ? Thanks to all those who responded.
If certain people would read my entire post carefully I stated that I want to do whats best for my snakes. The animals health and well being is the most important thing to me.
There are many opinions as to whats the correct thing to do and I wanted to hear as many as possible so I can make the right decisions.
I guess that certain people think that all the big Breeders out there and on this forum who use the rack system because of the space issue should be flogged in the city square for cruelty.

What I was getting at by saying that the aquariums are expensive was, I have to upgrade soon and why should I spend money on something that is not the best for the snake

With all the sites I have looked at, books that I have read ( yes, I have Kathy Love's book and 2 other Corn Snake Books before I bought my first snake) and the breeders that I have spoken to. Everyone uses the rack system. Thats why I asked if I was being a bit "romantic" with my housing issues.

Once again, thanks to ALL those who replied.
Jimmy C.
 
i have found that fishtanks dont hold the heat very well,and weigh quite abit aswell,esp when you get a few,
but give excel veiws...each to there own
 
housing romantic

Hi Jimmy.

When i kept my snakes indoors (they r now in garden shed) i went to my local diy superstore and purchased a 4 tier book cabinet,each shelf space was 40in long,15in high and 18in front to back,it cost less than 50 pound all i did was fit some plastic runners and glass doors,hey presto, 4 vivs not using too much space, pleasant to look at and most important of all the snakes were very happy and healthy.


HOPE THIS IS OF ASSISTANCE..................STEVE
 
Rubbermaid now sells a tub that is 33"L x 13"W x 12"H. That is a little bigger then a 20 gallon tank. Thats what I just upgraded to from my tanks. They have their hides, good heat gradient, room to climb and strech out, and it is light and easy to clean. By the way, they can see out just fine. As I'm typing this, my Okeetee has come out of his hide to watch.
 
What we do is ~~~~~~~:~

We use tupperware, viv both glass and screen (soft plastic) for sun. We rotate depending on the needs of each snake, feeding, shedding, socializing, playing etc. Seems to work at our house so far. Sam ~~~~~~~~:~
 
o I like that idea about the book shelving

snakemanone, did you have any leak problems, or did you seal off the whole thing? and what about heating and humidity what did you do for that? (or did you even need to worry about heat, I know some of us live in warm places and don't need heating, I however live in Wisconsin, and it gets really cold here) Was the shelving laminated, and did you have any problems with poo stains or anything like that?

I am thinking that I could do some sort of a shelving unit and make it blend into my decor, much nicer than a large aquarium which hogs up alot of a one bedroom apartment. It sounds like a neat idea, I hadn't thought of that...
 
HOUSING ROMANTIC

HIYA MISSY.
Had no probs sealing the joints as i used a good wood glue when i assembled the unit, heating was not a factor as it was in my living room and was at room temp, (the snakes seemed happy enough) the unit was laminated which meant that it wiped clean with a warm cloth, my substrate was pine chippings which i replaced every other week,dont have any pics but will take some and try to post.

happy herping.................................steve
 
Thanks, I would love pics, I may just try to rig something up like that, I am a crafty person, I think I could do it
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top