Snakes in a 50 gallon tank?

[Snickitysnake]

Hi! Im familiar with lizards, but I'm going to be making my first snake purchase soon since I'm recieving a 50 gallon tank from a friend. I have my heart set on getting a snake (or a couple) but I don't know where to start, since I've heard that snakes can become stressed when their enclosures are too large. Any suggestions for this newbie? :confused:

[jjhill001]

Baby snakes can be stressed a bit by a large enclosure but in reality I think its just something people made up back in the day. I haven't seen a baby snake get stressed in larger quarter.

However, keeping track of your snake for health checks, feeding time, handling is gonna be really tough in a huge enclosure.

50 gallon would be a really sweet setup for a corn, rat snake, kingsnake or gopher snake if you decorated it all natural like.

[Doug 351]

TOTAL BS!!! "Stressed by too large an enclosure?"

Yeah, I remember when I vacationed, and they accidentally gave me too big a room.

It's gonna take YEARS of therapy to get over that!!!

C'mon man!

[Minkness]

Doug, chill.

As for baby snakes stressing in too large of an enclosure, it IS a thing. Not all snakes, but some may go off food or become stressed to the point of weakness and become very difficult to nurse back to health. Mostly this happens with some ball pythons, western hognoses, ect.

Because it is hard to gauge a baby snake's personality, it is usually suggested to keep them in small tubs until they are on a steady routine of feeding, deficating, and shedding without issue. Some babies may be able to be put right into a 50 gallon tank, like my moon stone corn snake who never hid, or my female Ivory BP who is ALWAYS out and about in her enclosure. But others may not do so well until they are in the habit of feeding routinely and not feeling constantly threatened. I have a yearling ridleyi female who is only JUST now starting to explore and hang out outside of her hide.

In the end it really comes down to the individual snake and owner. What works beat for the animal first and the owner second.

The 50 gallon would be excellent for an adult corn or king snake as mentioned. So you may want to hold onto it. But if you get a tiny baby, your best bet is to go small and let the baby grow into lrgee enclosures as it develops and proves to be a reliable feeder.

Keep in mind that most pet trade snakes on the market are no longer truly 'wild'. They have been bred for many generations and kept in smaller spaces, born and raised in smaller spaces, and are far more docile than their wild brethren.

[jjhill001]

If you don't wanna do a tub, a 5 gallon or 10 gallon with the flat black aquarium background taped to the back and sides offers similar security to a tub but allows you to decorate it and have it not be such an eyesore.

There is also the idea of getting an adult or yearling. If it's your first snake, an adult is a great way to start out as they'll be more established and you won't have to waste the money on "baby enclosures" which are always more expensive and after you spend it, they don't sell for enough to actually be worth selling.

One thing, 50 gallon you're gonna need a very secure lid. Buy the clips for the screen lid. And then buy even more of the security clips. Also don't hesitate to provide tons of climbing opportunities. Snakes will use them even if they are "terrestrial".

[toddnbecka]

If you're planning on using a screen top on the tank I'd recommend cutting a piece of pegboard to fit down inside the rim. That prevents small snake/s from accessing the gap between the rim and the screen top. The spring clips now available are worthless for snakes IMO, I use tera tie downs (check Amazon) to secure my screen tops, 2 would be fine for a 50 gallon tank. Don't bother with the 12" though, go with the 18" to make sure you have enough strap length.

[dannybgoode]

Snakes stressed in a large enclosure is half a thing. A small snake in a large enclosure *with* a load of clutter (fake or real branches, fake or real plants, leaf litter etc) plus several hides scattered all over the place is generally fine. You can just never find the thing so it's often impractical.

A small snake in a 50g with just kitchen towel as bedding with the standard 2 hides - one at the warm at end and one at the cool and yes it'll get stressed.

Don't forget the wild is pretty big and baby snakes have quite happily survived for a few million years so large spaces in and of themselves are not the issue.

Personally I wouldn't keep many adult snakes in a 50g though as I find them too narrow. A small hoggie maybe or a garter but corns and rats can get a reasonable length and can be active so I would go bigger.

[TRD]

Snakes dont stress from too big enclosure, they stress from too much open space...

[jjhill001]

Snakes stressed in a large enclosure is half a thing. A small snake in a large enclosure *with* a load of clutter (fake or real branches, fake or real plants, leaf litter etc) plus several hides scattered all over the place is generally fine. You can just never find the thing so it's often impractical.

A small snake in a 50g with just kitchen towel as bedding with the standard 2 hides - one at the warm at end and one at the cool and yes it'll get stressed.

Don't forget the wild is pretty big and baby snakes have quite happily survived for a few million years so large spaces in and of themselves are not the issue.

Personally I wouldn't keep many adult snakes in a 50g though as I find them too narrow. A small hoggie maybe or a garter but corns and rats can get a reasonable length and can be active so I would go bigger.

You sure you aren't thinking of the 55 gallons that are only 13 inches wide? A 50 breeder is decent. Then again there is some major width changes between manufacturers in regards to the 50 gallon ones.

Snickitysnake, what are the dimensions of this tank?

[dannybgoode]

You sure you aren't thinking of the 55 gallons that are only 13 inches wide? A 50 breeder is decent. Then again there is some major width changes between manufacturers in regards to the 50 gallon ones.

Snickitysnake, what are the dimensions of this tank?

Could be. We don't use volume as a descriptor of viv size over here.

[jjhill001]

Could be. We don't use volume as a descriptor of viv size over here.

The first one I saw said 36x18x19 but that equates more to a 55 gallon than a 50 gallon so I think its a typo.

[Doug 351]

Snakes dont stress from too big enclosure, they stress from too much open space...

Well said.