bull/gopher snake

[akane]

I think this goes here after checking wikipedia for the classification.

I'm probably getting my bull snake. A mix of a Wisconsin and a Texas parent. Have to wait until they precautionary treat him for mites due to some new snakes but I wasn't ready this week anyway. I'm thinking of using an old 55gallon with a melted center brace from using it as a chick brooder. He's a 2016 baby. I saw pegboard tops mentioned elsewhere and that it increased humidity but I do not know if they make a good lid. First I know bullsnakes are all over the place so are there any humidity or temp requirements? 2nd is pegboard aeration enough in a semi tall tank? Is there any other cheap material? Otherwise unless we can build something like we did the gerbil tanks it would be cheaper to buy a 40breeder than a 55g screen lid since I have a 40b lid. I figured in the future I'd move him to the squarer tank or pick up a leaky 75g so it's cheaper.

[akane]

Cancel that. I had a lightbulb moment and remembered I have a 90gallon in storage that broke a panel and I have the screen lid for it I think on the porch. I could just slap something on the missing panel space, use that as the back, and my snake gets a 90. Now all the things I could do with it since I like native looking bio-active.... (my head is going to explode).

[Minkness]

Well....you'll probably want to start it off in a tub first as it will be TINY.

[akane]

A bull snake a year old is easily a foot and could be pushing 2. I looked up growth rate studies and they hatch around 12" and double that in the first year. There is variation in localities. The main study was done in nebraska with some in kansas. The girth might not be there but the length is. I did debate the 90 might still be a bit big for starting out. I'm on the fence of buying another 20gallon if petco is having a $1/gallon sale. I want 2 more for fish and 2 more for rosy or sand boas in the future anyway.

[Minkness]

Well, you said 2016 whoch for all I know could have beennlast week. But tubs are always a good start to a new addition. Good luck though!

[Andy_G]

Hatchling bulls are about the same size as a corn snake of 4 to 6 months old. They hatch out large enough for fuzzie or hopper mice. Bulls do best in the low to mid 70's with a low to mid 80's hot spot. Cooler or warmer and they won't thrive as well. They don't require much humidity and too much can cause scale rot. They are very forgiving of keeper mistakes. They have an extrmely fast metabolism and can/should be fed often in their first year of growth or you'll probably have a nose rubber. They can easily reach 3 or 4 feet and be on small adult rats or bigger at a year of age. I would recommend starting with a small cage size just like most species as stress will also cause them to nose rub as well as make them nervous, but it depends on the size of the one you're getting as to what you should use. They seem to love pooping on cage decorations and they do so often so I would recommend against cluttering a cage up too much. For reference, my male that was hatched the end of May is right around 200 grams, 2.5 feet long and almost ready (if not already ready) for weanlings, he is in a rubbermaid 23"x16"×7" and he'll be going into a 4x2 foot cage at a year old. The studies you read sound off. :)

[akane]

They said 18-20" long, eating fuzzies, and looks about the size of my 3year rosy boa. Which is right on the studies I read. They did say variation was found in different localities and only had a large test population for Nebraska so several inches either direction is not outside the study.

It seems I will probably need heat for how cool we keep the house and I was told humidity up to 60% but in summer even with one dehumidifier already that can sometimes be difficult to keep down. Winter it's the opposite with 10% outside right now so everything is needing more water instead. Fun state. You get nearly every type of weather in the US if you just wait long enough.

[EL Ziggy]

Andy was spot on with the husbandry requirements. I keep my bulls with the same temps and ambient humidity is just fine for them. They're very hardy snakes and a lot of fun to keep. They're also beasts at feeding time and as Andy said should be fed generously for their first year or two. Hope you'll share pics when you get the new critter. :)

[akane]

I have a 2gallon rectangle container stacked full of adult gerbils, about 1.5x adult mouse size, that I was wondering what to do with since they are slightly too big for my rosy and 6 baby rats that are about standard adult mouse size I picked up alive recently so all fresh and raised well.

[dannybgoode]

Don't forget putting a small snake in a large enclosure doesn't matter at all so long as there's plenty of hidey holes so no harm in starting of with something that will last a couple of years or so.

My boa I started off straight in a 4x1.5 and technically that will last her all her forever except I'll be getting her a 6x2 or maybe even bigger :).

[Minkness]

I guess it really does depend on locality. My mexian pit is tiny! Not quite hognose tiny, but still pretty small. To me anyway. I'd be afraid of loosing it in a big tank.

[EL Ziggy]

I think it's mostly personal preference. I started my female bull in a 40g tank and my male in a 60qt tub. They're both ate, pooped, and shed without any issues. I tend to buy adult enclosures for my younger snakes as opposed to upgrading as they grow. Those empty enclosures usually lead to more snakes. :)

[akane]

I think the part missed here is "bio-active". Your cuc takes care of the random poop. I plan to establish the tank asap with all my current cuc cultures, I'm getting ready to start mealworms who are awesome poop eaters beyond what I have now, include rock hides, and the snake isn't shipping until after the 28th. You don't scrub a bio-active tank clean. I sterilize the water bowls if necessary, wipe the glass, mist the damp side of the tank, make sure the cuc has food to use between snake poop, and pick up large pieces if they happen to be visible when I look over the tank and not yet cleaned up by the cuc. When the tank gets running fully it shouldn't sit there long enough to see. It's just the method I have chosen to take with my reptiles instead of the bin or mostly empty tank setups that are regularly sterilized. I have only very hardy snakes so far partially cause I just happen to like them and partially because I can establish bio-active tanks with less concern about mistakes.