question!

geko · 10-19-03, 07:24 PM

I currently have one ball python in a 29 gallon and was planning on getting two more snakes.

Tangerine Honduran Milk Snake *or* Nelson's Milksnakes
California King Snake

Since im getting the cali-king first i wanted to know if a full grown adult could live in a 20 gallon long aquarium. I can get a 40 gallon but whatever is cheapest i would like to do as long as it works out.

20gal long = $40
40gal long = $80

If i can use a 20gal i can get two tanks this week but if i can only use the 40gal i can only get one

This article and many others say king snakes and milksnakes can live as adults in 20gal's http://www.lihs.org/files/caresheets/sheet5.htm

I read three more articles and they all say a 20gal is suitible so is this ok? I just dont want to buy alot of 20gallons and then have to go out and buy alot of 40gallons 1 or 2 years later...

vanderkm · 10-20-03, 01:01 PM

In my opinion a 20 gallon tank is not adequate for an adult cal king and definately not for an adult honduran. While they take a few years to reach adult size, our mature female cal king is over 5 feet long and quite a bit more active than the average ball python. Our largest honduran (at 5 years old) is over 6 feet long.

If you are going to use aquariums, I suggest a 40 gallon wide - it is 36 inches by 18 inches which gives better floor space than many larger volume tanks that have wasted height. We found these tanks adequate for our younger male cal kings and hondurans, but have custom made cages for the larger females.

We don't have Nelsons - they may not get as large as the cal kings or hondos - but I wouldn't waste $$ on the 20 gallons,

mary v.

munchy · 10-20-03, 02:05 PM

if you were six feet long would you want to be housed in a 1.5 foot long enclosure? i think not...
i would suggest AT LEAST a 40 gallon tank.

**Andy_G** · 10-20-03, 02:31 PM

It definitely depends on the size of the snake. A 4 foot snake COULD fit in a 20 long but anything more than that I would up the size. If you want to save money, don't use tanks, use rubbermaids, it's really the only way to save money, or you could pick up used tanks for a price similar to that of a rubbermaid.

jay76 · 10-20-03, 04:22 PM

I agree. Get 40 wides or rubbermaids... or build your own enclosures. Either that, or get smaller snakes... a San Luis Potosi springs to mind, a variety of grey banded. They only get around 36-40 inches as adults, so a 24" long standard 20g would be fine for them.

geko · 10-20-03, 07:17 PM

Ok thanks for the replies.

Now i need to know is their big rubbermaid containers like around a 40gal in size? I looked on rubbermaid.com and couldnt find any but im planning on have four 40gal tanks so rubbermaid is the cheapest way to go.

Im trying to get my king, milk, carpet, and the bp i already have but i need the setups first.

10-20-03, 08:51 PM

floor space over height. Why 2 different species instead of a pair for breeding?

Tim_Cranwill · 10-20-03, 08:59 PM

Just out of curiosity, what kind of king, carpet and milk are you thinking of?

For the king, milk and ball, there are "under bed" storage bins that could easily house adult animals. For the carpet however, you'd want to provide more height and should go for a custom made enclosure. Each one will need a smaller size bin to start with too. After out growing the smaller one (6 months to a year) they could graduate to their adult size bins.

snakegal12345 · 10-25-03, 07:31 PM

defanitly get 40 gallon tank or make your own

BrandonVeenstra · 10-25-03, 10:45 PM

I house my adult cal king in 60 GAL