• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

two different ways to achive 30gal

B

badevilcow

New member
Joined
Sep 10, 2004
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
46
Location
South East PA
(as posted on kingsnake)
Greetings...

I did a search before asking.. so be nice.. my male ball python is growing up quick.. and he's about to outgrow his 15gallon.. now many web sites say (esp. the great melissa kapplan) that an adult can live in a 30 gallon.. Now I was looking at barrs cages. and I noticed that 30gallons can be 36x12x12(glass) or 24x24x12 (29.5gal)(barrs).. so is there a preference on how to get 30 gallons? The diagonal space in the 24x24x12 is greater.. so I'm leaning towards that..

basically.. should i got 36x12x12 or 24x24x12 (the later so far looks like it would work better in my apartment)

thanks alot everyone!
-badcow
 
badevilcow said:
(as posted on kingsnake)
Greetings...

I did a search before asking.. so be nice.. my male ball python is growing up quick.. and he's about to outgrow his 15gallon.. now many web sites say (esp. the great melissa kapplan) that an adult can live in a 30 gallon.. Now I was looking at barrs cages. and I noticed that 30gallons can be 36x12x12(glass) or 24x24x12 (29.5gal)(barrs).. so is there a preference on how to get 30 gallons? The diagonal space in the 24x24x12 is greater.. so I'm leaning towards that..

basically.. should i got 36x12x12 or 24x24x12 (the later so far looks like it would work better in my apartment)

thanks alot everyone!
-badcow
Click to expand...

I think you'll find that Melissa Kaplan's greatness is questioned by most people in the know. As far as cages for an adult, I would use a 3ft. A 2ft is just too small in my opinion. The Animal Plastics T3 is a good choice. I would pick a 36X24X12. Its just a better choice for what could be 20+ yrs of the snakes life. Good luck!
 
just get a 40 gallon breeder from petco. an adult ball python can live quite comfortably in one of those. And theyre not so expensive as the other premade cages out there.

Since this is your only snake, ( im assuming here) then.. this honestly would be a better choice. Cheaper is not always better. and with all reptiles, Equipment can get pricy... so these things should be thought of before purchasing an animal.
 
Mooing Tricycle said:
just get a 40 gallon breeder from petco. an adult ball python can live quite comfortably in one of those. And theyre not so expensive as the other premade cages out there.

Since this is your only snake, ( im assuming here) then.. this honestly would be a better choice. Cheaper is not always better. and with all reptiles, Equipment can get pricy... so these things should be thought of before purchasing an animal.
Click to expand...

In my opinion, plastic caging is a far better choice for Ball Pythons then glass. While glass can be successfully used, it is harder to keep the proper heat and humidity. Plastic caging also provides more of the security that Ball Pythons want and need.
 
yes, thanks for the replies... no. this is not my only snake.. or reptile.. i have a 12 year old leopard gecko.. and a beautiful 4 year old butter corn snake.. and yes.. i know supplies get expensive thank you very much.. i have all my tanks plugged into daylight on/off timers.. all lights on a thermostat and my UTH on a rheostat

so let me begin anew..

I want to get away from glass.. and go plastic.. money is not an issue at all, i simply want to know if a 24(l)x 24(w) x 12(h) or a 36(l)x12(l)x12(h) is a better way to get 30gal.. i can alway order the 36x24x12 but i've had some people tell me balls like a slightly less roomy cage.. if my ball out grows the cage i buy next , i'll just buy another one in the future

no need to tell me how expensive reptiles are.... just simply want to know if the community in large likex 24x24x12 or 36x12x12

thank you very much,
-badcow
 
badevilcow said:
yes, thanks for the replies... no. this is not my only snake.. or reptile.. i have a 12 year old leopard gecko.. and a beautiful 4 year old butter corn snake.. and yes.. i know supplies get expensive thank you very much.. i have all my tanks plugged into daylight on/off timers.. all lights on a thermostat and my UTH on a rheostat

so let me begin anew..

I want to get away from glass.. and go plastic.. money is not an issue at all, i simply want to know if a 24(l)x 24(w) x 12(h) or a 36(l)x12(l)x12(h) is a better way to get 30gal.. i can alway order the 36x24x12 but i've had some people tell me balls like a slightly less roomy cage.. if my ball out grows the cage i buy next , i'll just buy another one in the future

no need to tell me how expensive reptiles are.... just simply want to know if the community in large likex 24x24x12 or 36x12x12

thank you very much,
-badcow
Click to expand...



You could go with a 41Qt tubs.
You might even look into a rack idea if your planning on getting more animals too.

( i recommend the 40 Gallon breeder tanks for people who are only looking for a larger tank for one animal. So dont take it as an insult. I dont know you, or your experience with your animals, so really its just to cover the basics! ^_- )

Racks are fairly cheap as far as caging goes, and i use one i built out of melamine ( REALLY heavy stuff though :p ) It holds Nine 41QT tubs sideways and only cost about 140-150 to build ( Then add in Flexwatt and a Thermostat )

Maybe that is something you could look into *but shorter?*
 
A 24 X 24 area is not much room to be able to have an appropriate "warm end" and "cool end" for the snake to be able to thermoregulate properly. I think you would be bteer off with something that has some length to it, as opposed to diagonal distance(?).
 
thanks for the answers... (and no i don't take the "just get a 40gal breeder" personally.. heck i'd say the same thing to someone I don't know ;))

well my thoughts about thermoreg would be this.. since the heat pad that is recommended is 6x11 that i would put it in diagonal.. i mean.. really even if i put it on one end it there would still be over a foot of non-belly-heat... less than 1/2 versus 1/3.... I figure the hot side would be around 88and the cool side around 82 which seems perfect

thanks!
-badcow
 
yeah on second guess, i've really learned alot over time from you guys.. so i suspose i should just get a 36x24x12.. now.. you don't think this would be too big of a cage for a foot long ball?

thanks again,
Miles MacDonald
 
badevilcow said:
yeah on second guess, i've really learned alot over time from you guys.. so i suspose i should just get a 36x24x12.. now.. you don't think this would be too big of a cage for a foot long ball?

thanks again,
Miles MacDonald
Click to expand...

with two hides and a water bowl and maybe a branch or something it should be okay. Maybe even three hides for the time being? They do feel safer in the tubs, and theyre shorter, so its not as open, so they should feel pretty secure either way.
 
what size tub do you use.. i saw the qt.. but how long/wide are they?? I'm looking at jungle habitats now because they just introduced colors.. and i am vain enough to want a lt. blue cage.. ugh ;)

thanks,
Miles MacDonald
 
badevilcow said:
what size tub do you use.. i saw the qt.. but how long/wide are they?? I'm looking at jungle habitats now because they just introduced colors.. and i am vain enough to want a lt. blue cage.. ugh ;)

thanks,
Miles MacDonald
Click to expand...

im using 41Qt Sterilites which are 34Lx16Wx6H ( remember that a 24L box, is actually 2-3 inches Less than that on the Length and Width, since that includes the edges in which a top would fit on.. ) so really, my Sterilites are 31L and 12W at the base of the tub. (about there anyway) So youre going to want to go with something larger than a 24 long tub. ^_-
 
okay.. so one more question.. seems half the people say i'll be fine with a plastic cage and an UTH if the temps are right.. (barrs, boaphila.. people on here) a few people think i should use a basking light also (AP, Jungle habitats, some people on here) I guess if both camps are not having a problem it's up to be to decide eh?
 
Basking lights will usually give you problems keeping the humidity up. I wouldn't use one unless absolutely necessary....and I think you'd have to keep the cage in a pretty cool location to have the need for one in a plastic cage.
 
yeah thats was I was thinking.. plus if it does get a little chilly in winter I can always move the tank.. or throw some heat tape/UTH on the side of the tank to add a little warmth..
 
badevilcow said:
yeah thats was I was thinking.. plus if it does get a little chilly in winter I can always move the tank.. or throw some heat tape/UTH on the side of the tank to add a little warmth..
Click to expand...


remember to get a thermostat when using any UTH device ^_^
 
Back
Top