ScottyPimpin
New member
Alright so i've spent the past 2-3 weeks deciding between case manufacturers and after a ton of research, forum searches etc i've decided to go with the proline cages.
Snakes:
Female Colombian Boa 1 1/2yr old
Female Brazilian Rainbow Boa 3mo old (will remain in her current enclosure for a while longer)
Male 50/50 desert phase cali king 1 1/2yr old
I don't overfeed, power feed or breed so my snakes will remain more lean, muscular and basically not obese (flat tire look).
Enclosures
RTB Enclosure
I have three to choose from.
4' x 24" x 14" $255 - Basic Model
4' x 24" x 18" $360 - 4" taller for $105 more
4' x 28" x 20" $450 - Slightly bigger but costs quite a bit more
My goal is to have full length perches for exercise so i'm thinking a little more height may come in handy. Although I do handle my snakes 2-3 times a week at a minimum, they get quite a bit of exercise climbing on me or anything and everything in the house.
Kings/Milks
2' x 24" x 14" - (4' x 24" x 14" w/ Divider & Double Doors) $275
2' x 24" x 14" $150 - Single Cage
Most recommend a 20-30 gallon for adults. 20 gallon is 2.5sq ft, 30 gallon is 4.5sq ft. A 2'x2' enclosure is 4sq ft.
BRB
4' x 24" x 14" $255 - Basic Model
She will get around 5'-6' so this is plenty big enough for her.
Heating
I live in a 1 bedroom apt, in northern virginia. Ambient temps approx 72f.
This is where it gets a bit tricky because there are several ways this could possibly work.
1. RTB I normally keep at 88f on the basking side but I have np with taking it up to about 93f to help with ambient temps if needed.
2. BRB can NOT go over 85f after she is passed her neonate stage (currently kept at 77f) but they can handle much lower ambient temps in the low-mid 70's also.
3. King basking spots 85-90f, i have him regulated at 87f. They too can tolerate low-mid 70's ambient temps with out an issue.
**I have 3 separate Ranco t-stats, one for each enclosure.**
Possible Solutions:
1. Radiant heat panels in every enclosure. Probably the easiest but certainly not the most cost efficient.
2. Flexwatt/Ultratherm under/between/top of each enclosure in the stack. I've never used either product so i'm not sure how i would regulate temps because all my snakes require slightly different temps.
3. Radiant heat for RTB (requires higher basking and ambient temps) and use flexwatt/ultratherm for the BRB, Kings/Milks.
-On the BRB the heat would be on the left side. If i were to split a 4' cage the heat would be in the middle for the kings/milks. Not sure how i would work that with the cages being stacked because heat would be all over the place.
(I can provide a diagram if this is confusing)
Other Thoughts:
In a couple months the gf will be moving in and she has two BP's that are housed together 24/7. They will be put in an enclosure and added to the stack. I do have future plans to get a jungle carpet and who knows what after that as far as terrestrial snakes go. Later this year I will certainly be looking to dive in to the arboreal side of things also, that's a whole different thread on its own
Tips, suggestions are all welcome. Please be as descriptive as possible, if you think one way will work better than another please explain why.
Snakes:
Female Colombian Boa 1 1/2yr old
Female Brazilian Rainbow Boa 3mo old (will remain in her current enclosure for a while longer)
Male 50/50 desert phase cali king 1 1/2yr old
I don't overfeed, power feed or breed so my snakes will remain more lean, muscular and basically not obese (flat tire look).
Enclosures
RTB Enclosure
I have three to choose from.
4' x 24" x 14" $255 - Basic Model
4' x 24" x 18" $360 - 4" taller for $105 more
4' x 28" x 20" $450 - Slightly bigger but costs quite a bit more
My goal is to have full length perches for exercise so i'm thinking a little more height may come in handy. Although I do handle my snakes 2-3 times a week at a minimum, they get quite a bit of exercise climbing on me or anything and everything in the house.
Kings/Milks
2' x 24" x 14" - (4' x 24" x 14" w/ Divider & Double Doors) $275
2' x 24" x 14" $150 - Single Cage
Most recommend a 20-30 gallon for adults. 20 gallon is 2.5sq ft, 30 gallon is 4.5sq ft. A 2'x2' enclosure is 4sq ft.
BRB
4' x 24" x 14" $255 - Basic Model
She will get around 5'-6' so this is plenty big enough for her.
Heating
I live in a 1 bedroom apt, in northern virginia. Ambient temps approx 72f.
This is where it gets a bit tricky because there are several ways this could possibly work.
1. RTB I normally keep at 88f on the basking side but I have np with taking it up to about 93f to help with ambient temps if needed.
2. BRB can NOT go over 85f after she is passed her neonate stage (currently kept at 77f) but they can handle much lower ambient temps in the low-mid 70's also.
3. King basking spots 85-90f, i have him regulated at 87f. They too can tolerate low-mid 70's ambient temps with out an issue.
**I have 3 separate Ranco t-stats, one for each enclosure.**
Possible Solutions:
1. Radiant heat panels in every enclosure. Probably the easiest but certainly not the most cost efficient.
2. Flexwatt/Ultratherm under/between/top of each enclosure in the stack. I've never used either product so i'm not sure how i would regulate temps because all my snakes require slightly different temps.
3. Radiant heat for RTB (requires higher basking and ambient temps) and use flexwatt/ultratherm for the BRB, Kings/Milks.
-On the BRB the heat would be on the left side. If i were to split a 4' cage the heat would be in the middle for the kings/milks. Not sure how i would work that with the cages being stacked because heat would be all over the place.
(I can provide a diagram if this is confusing)
Other Thoughts:
In a couple months the gf will be moving in and she has two BP's that are housed together 24/7. They will be put in an enclosure and added to the stack. I do have future plans to get a jungle carpet and who knows what after that as far as terrestrial snakes go. Later this year I will certainly be looking to dive in to the arboreal side of things also, that's a whole different thread on its own
Tips, suggestions are all welcome. Please be as descriptive as possible, if you think one way will work better than another please explain why.