How much climbing space do you offer?

CosmicOwl · 12-20-13, 10:54 PM

Do you offer one or two branches/perches, or do you try to fill as much of the available enclosure with objects that your snake can climb?

Mikoh4792 · 12-20-13, 11:15 PM

Depends on the type of snake and age. Obviously when they are young you can go all out without much worry for taking up space. I think providing large enclosures when young is beneficial for fitness and health. That way the young snakes can grow up climbing and moving during their active hours. When they get older I like to provide atleast an option to climb.

Some of my carpet enclosures. They really do use all the space available.

smy_749 · 12-21-13, 12:02 AM

The greatest 'height' an average keeper can provide, equates to a small pile of rocks, a bush, the smallest tree in the forest. Stuff that terrestrial species would inhabit. My point being, even a 6 foot enclosure is nothing for a terrestrial species, they will probably use all the height if you give it to them. The most important thing in any enclosure, is how much useable space are you providing. An empty 6 foot box is less useable than a 3 foot one filled with logs, perches, levels, etc.

Just some input I thought I'd share. Concentrate on making what space you are able to provide as useable as possible.

Mikoh4792 · 12-21-13, 12:05 AM

Smy makes a great point. Those enclosures are 2ft. 2 feet is really nothing if you think about it. These snakes climb entire trees, not just small bush, logs and rocks.

SnakeyJay · 12-21-13, 05:23 AM

This is my male BCI viv and the climbing logs I offer him.. They're bulky so he can grip them easier n puts less pressure on his body.

lewis13 · 12-21-13, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakey-Jay

This is my male BCI viv and the climbing logs I offer him.. They're bulky so he can grip them easier n puts less pressure on his body.

I didn't realize BCI's climbed like that. I had always thought that ground space was the most important to them. I don't think I have ever seen my RTB climb in her enclosure although I will admit I don't have a climbing perch like yours.

Mikoh4792 · 12-21-13, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewis13

I didn't realize BCI's climbed like that. I had always thought that ground space was the most important to them. I don't think I have ever seen my RTB climb in her enclosure although I will admit I don't have a climbing perch like yours.

All four of my bci climb just like my carpets(2 cay caulkers, 2 sonoran desert bci). It's funny my sonorans are supposed to be more terrestrial than the cay caulkers but they seem to be better at climbing.

SnakeyJay · 12-21-13, 01:55 PM

If given the opportunity I've seen that most of my snakes will climb to varying degrees... The height was there so I like to use the normally unused space...

Sometimes I go weeks without seeing him climb, then he'll start cruising and climbing at night.

swolek · 12-21-13, 05:33 PM

Depends on the species

. I don't offer much climbing space to my Kenyan sand boas because they honestly aren't interested in climbing. They have a few branches and such but they prefer to burrow under them. Instead, I focused on making enclosures that allow them good burrowing opportunities and I provide caves and other hides.

My ball python used to climb as a baby but stopped so her new enclosure doesn't have much to climb on.

My Colombian rainbow boa loves to climb so he has plenty of branches and rocks to do so on

. My black milk snake is also given cage furniture for climbing and he utilizes it occasionally. The crested gecko of course has plenty to climb on as she spends more time on branches than on the ground.

SnakeyJay · 12-21-13, 05:59 PM

That's why I said most of MY snakes will if given the opportunity.. My BCI all climb my brb climbes and so did my corn a lot.

CosmicOwl · 12-21-13, 06:04 PM

Thanks for the opinions guys. I know I keep posting about my baby grey rat snake, but he's been pretty interesting for a baby snake. I expected him to spend most of his time on the bottom of the tub, but he probably spends at least half his time either climbing or sitting in one of his hanging hides. I've been trying to fit as much funiture in his tub as possible without effecting the ground level hide set up.

My adult corn isn't as much of a climber though. I still provided him with a ton of branches, even if he only climbs when he starts looking for food. He seems to prefer ground level furniture, like paper towel rolls he can crawl through. He never passes up the opportunity to crawl through a tube or his hollow log.

Mikoh4792 · 12-21-13, 06:12 PM

The fact that he's a grey rat probably explains it. Mine would spend 90% of the time in the "canopy" of the cage similar to the ones I posted above and not use his hides. They like to climb.

CosmicOwl · 12-21-13, 06:21 PM

I find it kind of odd that they're referred to as "semi-arboreal." It seems like most North American rats snakes are primarily arboreal. I've lived in Florida my entire life and only once have I seen a live yellow rat snake on the ground. They're always in a tree or up a wall.

That snake is truly beautiful, by the way. I'd be happy if my little guys ends up half that pretty. I'm also pretty curious about that substrate. Are those like little nuggets of coconut fiber?

Mikoh4792 · 12-21-13, 06:27 PM

Sure is. Called kritter's crumble. can be bought on amazon in two grains(coarse and fine). What I was using in that picture is the coarse grain, but personally I like fine grain better.

That grey rat is actually a white oak phase which is why it's so light.

CosmicOwl · 12-21-13, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

Sure is. Called kritter's crumble. can be bought on amazon in two grains(coarse and fine). What I was using in that picture is the coarse grain, but personally I like fine grain better.

That grey rat is actually a white oak phase which is why it's so light.

Mine is a white oak phase as well, but is only about 4 months old's so I think it will be a little while before he goes through any color changes. Right now he's very clean looking, with chestnut colored saddles on a silvery-white ground color. Whether he ends up looking like a real "White oak phase" or just a regular grey rat snake is oak with me though. I find it really cool when snakes make drastic color changes over a life time. I'm probably going to be getting a bloodred corn snake in the near future, so I'll have a lot to look forward to between those two

I like the look of that Kritter's crumble stuff. I've been thinking of putting my corn on something else. He does fine on aspen, but it just looks mediocre.