housing Bloods?

[tk.seventeen]

My blood python is only 2 years old right now, but I was wondering what enclosure to buy or build her that would be suitable when she is full-grown. $1,000 CAN is my limit.

Thanks!

[Bartman]

You could easily build a 4x2x2 using a fraction of your limit.

Go get some melamine, seel it up nice and tight (since there is going to be lots of spraying for that type of snake) and presto. A tank that will probably cost 100 max.

Good luck..

If you need some pics of how to build an enclosure, there are a few archived threads about how to build them.

[peterm15]

Ohhhh with the leftover buy me another lizard... lol...

ya theres no real need to spend that much... i dont know anyting about bloods but most ppl that ive talked to or read about converted from a display case to a rubbermaid.. so dont go overboard

[tk.seventeen]

Thanks!! :) My vet seemed a little worried about using melamine (even with the sealant), since she's going to be at something like 80% humidity... and, although I know it's not important, I'd like to have a really pretty looking enclosure, and melamine always makes cages look WICKED homemade. I'll check out those older threads, though.

Also, any recommendations on how to keep up the humidity? I have a fogger, and would prefer using that over an automatic mister. My snake (Eva) is recovering from dehydration right now, so she's in a 40gal. with a 'pool' on one end and a drier area on the other. She spends all her time in a little cave in the water, so I'm thinking (if she still likes soaking so much when she's fully hydrated again) I'd like to incorporate some sort of pool in her final enclosure... would that be a good idea?

And finally, any tips on how to keep enclosures moist without making them soaking wet? :)

[tk.seventeen]

Rubbermaids would be difficult to heat properly though, no? She has to have a masking temp around 90 and (ideally) can't drop below 75 at night.

[REH]

There is a guy in Montreal that builds poly cages that will work wonderfuly and are well within your budget. Easy tho heat keep up the humidity and clean.

Can not find link.

REH

[tk.seventeen]

Good to know... I'll google to see if I can find him. Thanks. :)

[HetForHuman]

Here is the guys website that builds plastic caging.

http://balls-o-philiak.tripod.com/repticplastics/

[peterm15]

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=60331&highlight=remember

there thats the rubbermaid post i was thinking of... keep in mind i know very little about snakes...

[tk.seventeen]

Thanks guys! :D I'm going to keep those plastic cages in mind, the 48x16x24 one sounds wicked, and it's cheap! :)

About Rubbermaids: I was first told to keep Eva in one, but a herper friend of mine said that the ventilation would be too low and it would be too difficult to heat (she needs 90F)... plus, I've had no problems with her eating, she sheds well, I'm not going to get any other big snakes, and I've got the space for a big tank... I just want to know what the best (good-looking) enclosure would be for her as an adult.

[Linds]

Reptic-Plastics are AWESOME cages. I recently aquired two of them, and although I have been very pleased with building my own in the past, will be looking back to Jean-Benoit anytime I need more. They are just so sweet :)

On the subject of rubbermaids...
I house all my snakes in rubbermaids until they are ready to be moved in to their adult caging. I currently have over 40 animals housed in rubbermaids at the moment, and only have good things to say. You want limited ventilation, as to maintain heat and humidity properly. The more open spaces, the more heat and humidity will leak out. A few strategically placed holes are better, and the fact that you can customize rubbermaids in such a way, makes them that much better. Tanks generally suck, unless you keep them in a room that has the suitable temperature and humidity requirements and block off at least 3 sides for security. I've kept my short-tails in them until they were large enough to go in to their 4x2x1 enclosures I made (as shown below).

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/504/22cages-finished.jpg">

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Rubbermaids.....for bloods?! THATS THE WAY TO GO! I have housed all but one of my bloods in a rubbermaid(She was too big for them), and they all did great in them. Also, just drill a few holes in them.......there will be enough air circulation. If you are putting a fogger in the water.......cover it with a stainless steel screen or some hard plasitc screen type stuff..........its got some supersonic shockwave that feels pretty weird(I felt it with my finger). A fogger would be a great thing to use in a blood cage. I tried one once........I had constant ambient humidity of 75%.......and the lower half of the cage was closer to 80%......and the substrate was moist sphagnum moss.

Also.......melamine cages are great if you make them properly.....I'll post a pic of a beautiful melamine cage I build for a trio of bloods(breeding....could be a permanent cage though). Its big.....but I was planning on having 3 big bloods in it anyways. I'll have pics up in the next day. Thanks.

HTH.

C.

[tk.seventeen]

Thanks guys. :D

[Invictus]

My personal opinion is that 4x2 is NOT adequate for blood pythons. 4x3 may work, but these aren't colubrids - they are extremely heavy bodied, so if you have the space, go 6x3 for an adult blood python. Sphagnum moss is fantastic substrate for this species, but make sure the cage is WELL ventilated, and you change the moss every couple of weeks. Although it does resist mold and bacteria, it's not immune to it - and because of its natural color, you'll NEVER see the mold.... but your python can sure get sick from it.

Melamine can be used, but you'll be replacing it in a year when the particle board swells. Go sealed plywood like in Linds' cages.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Ken:

IMO, unless a blood is fat, or unusually large, It should not need a massive cage. When talking to Dave Barker, he said that in his opinion 95% of bloods he sees on the net, are too fat! If you have seen pics of my striped female, he said that she was borderline fat. She was 25lbs......a couple inches short of 6ft long. She was in a 4x2 cage and there was plenty of space in there. Its not guarentee that a blood will get 7ft and weigh 40lbs+. I also agree when looking at some blood pics that some bloods do look too fat, but ofcourse this is only from my current experience with bloods which is much less than Mr. Barker.

My melamine cage has been built for 2 months, and is still doing great for my bloods. The only evidence of deterioration is a small spot about 1/8"square of rust on a metal hinge at the top back(this cage is top opening). I cannot seal this part, and thats the only place where I have seen any deterioration. So far I love the cage(except for the fact that It takes about a 1/3rd of a roll of paper towel to cover the bottom and clean it once).

C.

(Sorry I dont have the pic up yet. I'll try to get one)

[Invictus]

Fat or not Chris, 2 feet wide is what I use for colubrids. I can't in clear conscience give a thick, heavy blood python the same setup as a colubrid. I think 3 feet should be the minimum width for comfort - because of their thick bodies, I think they need about half their own body length to angle around comfortably. But, that's my opinion.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Ken, Next time your in Edmonton Let me know, come over and see my cage. I have a 17lb just under 6ft female blood in it and there is LOTS of space for her. The cage is 2.5ft wide, 3 inches short of 6ft long. She also has space in the rubbermaids, though she has gained 2lbs since last being in one. She still had enough space in there. She has enough space an heated area to stretch out quite a bit in the cage aswell, but she alsways goes back along herself. Now I realize that there are many reasons that could affect this. But I have Rarely seen any of my bloods stretched around the sides of their cage/container.

C.

[Linds]

They sure aren't colubrids, colubrids definitely require more space compared to their size. These pythons are naturally inactive animals, that whether in captivity or not, just have a tendancy to plant themselves in spots. My Borneos do not look the least bit crowded in their enclosures.