Tubs vs display enclosures

[Zelg]

So I'm still pretty new to the hobby (have my 1 bp but looking to expand soon) and I've clearly made my decision about tubs. I just dont like them. I see the appeal for large collections of snakes but if i just have a few snakes then I'd much rather be able to see them explore.

So my question i guess is why do those who only have a few snakes prefer tubs? Is it simply the ease of maintenance? I cant imagine having snakes and to not be able to just look over and see what they're doing, observe their behavior, etc.

I also have found that I really enjoy decorating and setting up enclosures and tubs are just always so plain.

Anyways, just curious about everyones motivation for going the route they chose as far as tubs vs anything else.

[Moreau]

When I first started I ended up with some ball pythons and sand boas and of course jumped on the tub / rack band wagon. I kept them this way for a year or more. I quickly found that this way of keeping snakes was not for me. It was boring, I couldn't see them, they had nothing to explore. I felt bad in the end keeping them this way.

I sold off my balls and sand boas and now I have carpets, a kingsnake and a boa, all in display cages. It is so much better this way. I can watch them explore, I can see who has dirtied their cage, shed, is looking hungry etc. I can walk up to their cages and see them come up to the front to check me out, watch them exploring. I like it much better this way. It takes ALOT more room, but it's worth it in my opinion.

[Zelg]

Feeling bad is another reason that keeps me from doing tubs. I can't feel good about keeping them in a little box with nothing to explore. My ball is in his hide like 95% of his time but that 5% I feel like he should be able to come out and explore his cage and climb through branches and all that. I just feel like they probably appreciate a little "leg room" so to speak.

As far as taking up room I think that kind of goes hand in hand with giving your animals room to move. I'd much rather have 5 snakes in cages scattered around the house than a room fool of plastic tubs that barely fit the snake. They look so much nicer and IMO are much more rewarding of a keeping experience.

I also want to stress that I'm not here to diss anyone's choice to keep their snakes in tubs. Simply, I just want the reasons and motivations behind your choice to keep your snakes one way or another.

I totally get the large collection of ball morphs and all that its just not for me and I'd lke to see where other people are coming from when they decided to 1) stick with tubs and 2)increase their collection size, making tub racks their main choice of housing.

I've thought about tub/rack systems myself but I feel like it just sucks the fun out of the hobby.

[natsirtremraf]

I'm using tubs right now for my younglings. But I also build my own wooden cages, so once they are complete they'll get moved in.

I do agree though, the ones I have in cages vs. tubs are more interesting because you can see them without walking up and squinting through the plastic tub wall.

[EL Ziggy]

I have 3 snakes in 40 gallon tanks but the youngest one is in a tub. This was my first tub set up and while I do like the cost, ease and lightweight of tub set ups, I also like to be able to see my snakes too. I'm going to start upgrading to PVC cages soon for my two Bull snakes and I'll leave my kings in their tanks unless they get quite a bit larger. The tub doesn't look bad though .

[Zelg]

^lol that is the fanciest tub setup I've ever seen. Granted I dont go looking for tub setup pictures though

My ball is in a glass tank right now. Its taken a while to really get his temps and humidty dialed in. I barely have to touch it now but it does fluctuate and I have to keep an eye on it. I have ordered a pvc cage though so I'm just waiting on that to arrive.

I'm once my pvc cage arrives and my ball is settled i'm going to start building my own wooden cages and see how I do with those. I really like the idea of customizing your cage exactly how you see fit regarding shapes and sizes so that will be fun.

[Obsidian_Dragon]

I've seen some pretty fancy tubs. They aren't all paper towel/water bowl/token hide set ups, thankfully!

Hell, I've seen barren "display" enclosures. Those always make me very sad, because they're even WORSE--they lack the sense of security an opaque tub would provide. :|

[Zelg]

Originally Posted by Obsidian_Dragon

I've seen some pretty fancy tubs. They aren't all paper towel/water bowl/token hide set ups, thankfully!

Hell, I've seen barren "display" enclosures. Those always make me very sad, because they're even WORSE--they lack the sense of security an opaque tub would provide. :|

I totally agree with barren display enclosures. Its absolutely terrible but when you have people who are guided by the likes of petsmart employees who keep the store cages full of crap (literally) and have one little branch for 3 balls to live on with no hides, you end up with terribly misinformed new snake owners (myself having been one however I was smart enough to have hides and heat sources

Anyways, I'm not so much trying to dis tubs as an enclosure. I'd be totally fine with nice sized tubs that are well done. I keep hearing that temps and humidity are super easy to control with them. My only probably would just be personally, not being able to view them as well. I'd rather not have to totally disturb the snake just to see if its still breathing or to see if he needs water or any other little thing that just takes a quick glance.

[EL Ziggy]

The tub I use isn't totally transparent like my glass tanks but you can still see into it fairly well. I just wish I could find a really nice larger tub with the same security and visibility qualities.

[Minkness]

I get the tubs for breeders and large collections.But I share the same views as the OP in that I like to see my animals. It would certainly make more sense for me to have tubs for my leopard geckos since I have like 9 of them and they shouldn't be housed together (though I lucked out a bit and found 2 females that cohabitate without any issues!). And while I have only one itty bitty baby MBK for now, I KNOW I'll want a few other snakes as well. However, I have plans of 'observation' tanks for all of them. Saving up for front opening lockable zoo meds so I can stack them and still have access! It will surely be a work in progress, but my eventual plans are to have fully 'natural' set ups that combine easy viewing, easy cleaning, and durability.

The really nice reptile store in the next city over (cause mine doesn't have one), has all of their snakes and leopard geckos in a rack system, which is nice, but I haaaate have to open each tub just to peek in and see what the labeled animal looks like lol. However they have fully natural viewing set ups for all of their bugs (trantualas, hissing roaches, ect), dart frogs, other geckos (cresteds, gargs, ect), bearded dragons, and so on.

So for me, it's 'tanks' over 'tubs' any day!

Note: I also seem to go for the reptiles that require less humidity anyway, so I have never really had an issue with screen lids. =)

[PsychoSnake]

I set up my babies in tubs for cost efficiency, but yeah it is nicer to see them out and about in a display cage. I don't mind keeping sand boas in tubs their whole lives though. You don't hardly ever see them anyway.

[Obsidian_Dragon]

I'm going to tub my next snake, but that's in part because a tub of the size I need is much, much cheaper than a display enclosure of the same size. I'd like to get one anyway, but let's save that $400 expenditure until later.

This is the price I pay for setting my sights on a semi-arboreal species. :P

[sharthun]

Originally Posted by Minkness

I get the tubs for breeders and large collections.But I share the same views as the OP in that I like to see my animals. It would certainly make more sense for me to have tubs for my leopard geckos since I have like 9 of them and they shouldn't be housed together (though I lucked out a bit and found 2 females that cohabitate without any issues!). And while I have only one itty bitty baby MBK for now, I KNOW I'll want a few other snakes as well. However, I have plans of 'observation' tanks for all of them. Saving up for front opening lockable zoo meds so I can stack them and still have access! It will surely be a work in progress, but my eventual plans are to have fully 'natural' set ups that combine easy viewing, easy cleaning, and durability.

The really nice reptile store in the next city over (cause mine doesn't have one), has all of their snakes and leopard geckos in a rack system, which is nice, but I haaaate have to open each tub just to peek in and see what the labeled animal looks like lol. However they have fully natural viewing set ups for all of their bugs (trantualas, hissing roaches, ect), dart frogs, other geckos (cresteds, gargs, ect), bearded dragons, and so on.

So for me, it's 'tanks' over 'tubs' any day!

Note: I also seem to go for the reptiles that require less humidity anyway, so I have never really had an issue with screen lids. =)

Don't forget another option for enclosures are pvc cages. Plastic enclosures are lighter, easier to clean and heat. Also hold humidity very well. There are some great brands to choose from. Myself,I use animal plastics t10's for my colubrids. Pvccages,Constrictor's Northwest also make great enclosures.

edit forgot links to enclosures:

Animal Plastics:

Animal Plastics

Pvccages:

Snake Cage and Reptile Cage at PVC Cages | PVC Cages: For Healthier and Happier Snakes and Reptiles

Constrictor's Northwest:

Constrictors Northwest

[Shann]

I'm personally not a fan of tubs. I never want more snakes than I can set up on display cages. But for certain species I'm not opposed to tubs. There are benefits for some but they aren't for me. I like my pro-line (constrictors northwest). It's easy to maintain ( far easier than my tanks) and looks really nice. I love a stack of pro-line cages.

Here's mine. I'll be upgrading to a six foot cage when I get a new place, and I'll use this four foot one for a smaller boa of some kind. I don't use the light regularly, just to show her off or clean. It's just for display.

[Minkness]

That's a beautiful set up! I may have to look into those instead of the zoomed front opening ones. Thanks for sharing!

I also agree that I will never have more snakes than I can display.