# Tubs for snakes



## Ricko (Jan 19, 2008)

Just thought i would start a thread in regards to what tubs different people use so make sure you post up some pics and sizes.

Here is a shot of an open Starmaid and one with the lid on. I have kept woma's, bhp's and stimmies in these over various stages and have always found the lids to be quite good and are not like allot of tubs where the lids can be pushed up enough where a python can squeeze through. I have taken out the hide and water bowl and some newspaper so you can get a decent view of the size of this tub for interests sake they measure 530Lx390Wx135H












Cheers Ricky


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## Vixen (Jan 19, 2008)

Have one exactly the same as that to stick my woma in too when I get him. Thats the only size I found, do they make larger ones, say 70cm long? Would be good to temporarily house adult macs / childrens in.

Darn cute woma btw


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## Ricko (Jan 19, 2008)

They also have a 50L which is a very good size but awkward for a rack setup it would have to sit length ways instead of front to back if you know what i mean, they also make a variant of the 20L which has more height than length and is what i will be keeping jungles and arboreal snakes in, in the future.


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## Vixen (Jan 19, 2008)

Hmm will have to go back and have a look for more


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## dickyknee (Jan 19, 2008)

I have used a few for my racks , the first lot ( the taller ones ) came from bunnings ....
the shorter ones are V35 tubs from Slitherin ......
those star maids look good for a rack with out lids ,as i really dont like the way the lids sit on them 
for any smaller tubs i use "sistema" from woolies cant beat them for price ....


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## llasher (Jan 19, 2008)

Where do you get those "Starmaid" containers? (I am in Melb)


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## dickyknee (Jan 19, 2008)

llasher said:


> Where do you get those "Starmaid" containers? (I am in Melb)



Seen them at woolies and kmart ....


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## Ricko (Jan 19, 2008)

got them at kmart, yeah i like the slitherin ones will be getting those for my next rack.


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## MrSpike (Jan 19, 2008)

They are good tub's hey Ricko...

I use those ones starmaid tubs, the ones that are the same just taller and a few of the smaller ones for my animals.

I will get some pic's up soon.


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## mias (Jan 19, 2008)

been thinking that i have to make some of these as my blond macs are growing bigger and faster than i thought they would love seeing them as it gives me some sorta idea cause i had none


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## Ricko (Jan 19, 2008)

That would be great Spike, i was going to get the taller ones first but needed to make some room so the womas get to test drive them till they are too big for them and need adult size cages.


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## Ricko (Jan 20, 2008)

anyone wanna share what they use as tubs?


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## MrBredli (Jan 20, 2008)

Those Starmaid ones have awesome lids - completely escape proof! I used them for quite a while, the only thing i didn't like about them were their bottoms, i much prefer completely flat bottoms as it makes them so much easier to clean and i prefer the heat transfer from underneath to be direct (i.e. not a 3mm gap between the heat cord and the floor of the tub.

I just bought some new tubs from Bunnings the other day for some Womas. They are tops although the lids are not great at all, but i intend on using them in a lidless rack so it's all good. I'll get some pics up ASAP.


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## Oldbeard (Jan 20, 2008)

I am buying my fourth slitherin rack with slitherin tubs but I cant post pics cos the page keeps expiring.
I gues you can see them on their website. I have hatchling size medium size and the larger V70 size tubs and I am buying the big python rack with tubs the size of a baby swimming pool.  Not quite, a bit of an exaggeration,
but they are pretty big. great quality tubs and clear enough to see into.


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## Craig2 (Jan 20, 2008)

i use the starmaid ones from big w as pictured above but in the next size for jungles and carpets with perches in them and will be using that size for womas the larger size is great for crickets and woodies aswell 
currently working on a better way to rack them


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## Khagan (Jan 20, 2008)

I have a sistema one, got it from Kmart i think it was. It's got 4 clips so the lid stays on nice.


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## Craig2 (Jan 20, 2008)

MrBredli said:


> Those Starmaid ones have awesome lids - completely escape proof! I used them for quite a while, the only thing i didn't like about them were their bottoms, i much prefer completely flat bottoms as it makes them so much easier to clean and i prefer the heat transfer from underneath to be direct (i.e. not a 3mm gap between the heat cord and the floor of the tub.
> 
> I just bought some new tubs from Bunnings the other day for some Womas. They are tops although the lids are not great at all, but i intend on using them in a lidless rack so it's all good. I'll get some pics up ASAP.



Have to agree about the bottoms but alot less gap than the gap under the tubs in a slither rack


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## dezza09 (Jan 21, 2008)

I got mine from Kmart, its a 90 litre tub.


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## Importer (Jan 21, 2008)

Valley Reptile Supplies said:


> Have to agree about the bottoms but alot less gap than the gap under the tubs in a slither rack


 

And how big is the gap in the slitherin rack


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## llasher (Jan 21, 2008)

> I got mine from Kmart, its a 90 litre tub.
> 
> Attached Thumbnails


 How well do these hold snakes in? I put my snakes in one of these when I clean their cages, but the stimmies get up between the lid and the edge of the tub and I reckon they would eventually find adequate gap to get out? Probably some have better seals than others: I get mine from the esteemed herp supply shop "GO LO". I'd be a bit scared to leave any small snake unattended in these. I've got a sistema that a guy gave me when I bought a snake off him which is small but very snake tight.


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## Rocky (Jan 21, 2008)

why do people use these tubs? dont they need heat and uv light?


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## dezza09 (Jan 21, 2008)

llasher said:


> How well do these hold snakes in? I put my snakes in one of these when I clean their cages, but the stimmies get up between the lid and the edge of the tub and I reckon they would eventually find adequate gap to get out? Probably some have better seals than others: I get mine from the esteemed herp supply shop "GO LO". I'd be a bit scared to leave any small snake unattended in these. I've got a sistema that a guy gave me when I bought a snake off him which is small but very snake tight.



Mine is a HOMEMAKER, it seals pretty well, my MD is one week away from her first birthday, so I don't think she could squeeze out even if she tried.

I plan on updating as soon as I have the cash as I feel she'd be big enough for a full size enclosure.


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## Crazy_Snake08 (Jan 21, 2008)

I use them (starmaid) for feeding my snakes outside of the enclosure. They work really well!!! Iv'e experienced with a few now and had some issues with weak, bendable lids; which can lead to obvious issues.

I also agree with MrBredli about the bottoms and heat transfer.

Starmaid is the way to go in my opinion, the lids are beautiful and create a nice seal and are escape proof.

_matthew


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## Ryan93 (Jan 21, 2008)

hey thats a good tub rack dickeyknee but do they even have lids on them but if not i would be woried


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## CodeRed (Jan 21, 2008)

Ive used those stairmaid ones for BHP, but the slithern ones are better. The stairmaid ones have those edges around the bottom which seem to be a magnet for urates. The slitherin ones are perfectly smooth on the bottom and are easier to clean.


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## Crazy_Snake08 (Jan 21, 2008)

llasher said:


> I put my snakes in one of these when I clean their cages, but the stimmies get up between the lid and the edge of the tub and I reckon they would eventually find adequate gap to get out?


 
It's interesting you mention this, I've never housed my snakes in one of those larger ones, but I've used them for transporation when I was in boarding school for cloths etc. One thing I noticed with those is that the plastic tends to be very brittle and is not subjective to much bending. One could argure of course, "well it's not like the snake is going to exert so muc force on the wall that it's going to crack". And I agree, but as you said, "peace of mind". The starmaid ones tend to more "flexible".

I also found that the seal is not the best as you mentioned as well. A bigger snake may or may not get though, agree, but all my enclosures and tubs etc. are built, designed or bought such that one of my hatchlings cant get out. I can put a hatchling in any one of my enclosures and I know that they won't get out. That to me is peace of mind.


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## dickyknee (Jan 22, 2008)

Ryan93 said:


> hey thats a good tub rack dickeyknee but do they even have lids on them but if not i would be woried



No lids , don't need them , the next shelf up works as the lid , there is 1mm or less gap between the top of the tub and the next level , so not much will get out of there ......i have used this set up for a while now and no escapes


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## dickyknee (Jan 22, 2008)

Crazy_Snake08 said:


> I use them (starmaid) for feeding my snakes outside of the enclosure. They work really well!!! Iv'e experienced with a few now and had some issues with weak, bendable lids; which can lead to obvious issues.
> 
> I also agree with MrBredli about the bottoms and heat transfer.
> 
> ...



I had a 52 l starmaid tub here on the weekend , and i can very easily stick my fingers into the tub , in the middle section of the tub , with out taking the lid off or undoing the clips on the ends .
Now IMO if i can get my fingers in there i am convinced a snake can get out of there ........


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## Ricko (Jan 22, 2008)

Hey Dicky i agree with the finger rule whole heartedly thats why if i had anything over the size i have at the present time it will be lidless racking type enclosures, but with the 20L ones they are still very strong and hold down very good. It comes down to the lids being much longer and having more area to be bent in regards to the bigger ones.


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## dickyknee (Jan 22, 2008)

I think the 52L are roughly the same as the 20 just taller ......
I like the tubs though , just not a fan of lids


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## amazonian (Jan 22, 2008)

Dickyknee,
Where did you get the species identification labels on those tubs?


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## dickyknee (Jan 22, 2008)

I make them myself ....


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## Rocky (Jan 22, 2008)

dont the snakes/lizards need uv and heat? how do you fit all that in such a small tub


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## bredli84 (Jan 22, 2008)

Rocky said:


> dont the snakes/lizards need uv and heat? how do you fit all that in such a small tub



snakes dont need UV.
as for heating, the tubs will be sat on heat cord/mat. in a rack system you will have many tubs setup identically on the one heat cord. they will all be controlled by a single thermostat.


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## Ricko (Jan 22, 2008)

Couldnt have said it any better bredli84


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## Doctor08 (Jan 22, 2008)

can you house adult morelia in these kinds of tubs or can u get bigger tubs


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## dickyknee (Jan 23, 2008)

bredli84 said:


> snakes dont need UV.
> as for heating, the tubs will be sat on heat cord/mat. in a rack system you will have many tubs setup identically on the one heat cord. they will all be controlled by a single thermostat.



Exactly ....


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## dickyknee (Jan 23, 2008)

Doctor08 said:


> can you house adult morelia in these kinds of tubs or can u get bigger tubs




Slitherin are selling some tubs that are pretty big , could house young adults .....
they are ...1016mm x 762mm x 241mm tall .


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## Divan (Jan 23, 2008)

how much are the tubs?????


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## MrBredli (Jan 26, 2008)

MrBredli said:


> I just bought some new tubs from Bunnings the other day for some Womas. They are tops although the lids are not great at all, but i intend on using them in a lidless rack so it's all good. I'll get some pics up ASAP.



Pics as promised, they're not in a rack as yet so i need to place weights on top of the lids which is a bit of a hassle but all in all i think they're pretty neat.


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## Ricko (Jan 26, 2008)

They look nice mate well done. What are you using as hides? and where did you get your water bowls from?


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## MrBredli (Jan 26, 2008)

Thanks mate, both were purchased from a local $2 shop. They didn't have pictures of snakes on them so they only cost $2-3 each. 

I'll be putting aspen bedding in those tubs soon, the substrate will be as deep as the hides are high, so essentially the hides will become subterranean, which i think the Womas will really appreciate.


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## m.punja (Jan 26, 2008)

Sadly I don't have photo's of my tubs. I have set them up differently thought. Useing inch square lengths of wood I hav built a fly-wire lid for my tubs which fits snug over the tub and then clips shut. It can also be hinged. From here I put it in some steel racks, heat matt under neath and UV above for the reptiles that need UV.


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## Ricko (Jan 26, 2008)

Have you used aspen bedding yet? if so whats your thoughts on it? Also forgot to ask the raised bits in the corners are there only the four of them one in each corner? 

A tub i used recently has some in the middle along the walls which i found to be very annoying (wheel arches).


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## Ricko (Jan 26, 2008)

Sounds good punja looking forward to some photo's when available as i will be needing to set up some monitors very similarly to what you have said


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## junglepython2 (Jan 26, 2008)

I also use the starmaids for both geckos and snakes and think they are great, as for the four small ridges on the bottom corners, they are easily cut off with a stanley knife to aid heating the tubs. The only thing I dont like is that the tubs aren't square with the floor smaller then the lid.


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## m.punja (Jan 26, 2008)

hehe, i wont be able to do it for a while. I'll start a thread in a couple of weeks.


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## MrBredli (Jan 26, 2008)

Ricko said:


> Have you used aspen bedding yet? if so whats your thoughts on it? Also forgot to ask the raised bits in the corners are there only the four of them one in each corner?
> 
> A tub i used recently has some in the middle along the walls which i found to be very annoying (wheel arches).



Yeah mate it's just the corners, but as you can see in the pic the corners are very smooth so makes for very easy cleaning.

I have used aspen bedding for a few pythons, Womas included. I tried both Kaytee and Zoo Med brands. The Kaytee brand is a bit better for digging/burrowing species but it is a tad dusty compared to the Zoo Med stuff, but nowhere near as dusty as Breeder's Choice.


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## m.punja (Jan 26, 2008)

how many people fiberglass the bottoms of their enclosures? i havnt yet but am going to very soon. It makes the enclosures as easy to clean as the tubs


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## cement (Jan 26, 2008)

I use sistema, for hatchies the clips lock the lid down on all four sides.


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## cement (Jan 26, 2008)

m.punja said:


> how many people fiberglass the bottoms of their enclosures? i havnt yet but am going to very soon. It makes the enclosures as easy to clean as the tubs


 
Have done. You don't need to use fibreglass, just paint on the resin (assuming for ply) It works very well. Works even better if you seal all the edges before you assemble. A couple of coats and you have an enclosure that will last a lifetime!


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## C'baoth (Jan 26, 2008)

I have lined my big timber display enclosure with fibro , then sealed all the corners with Sikaflex & rolled waterproofing paint that you buy at a tile shop all over it , then finished it off with a gloss paint . Very easy to clean & no spillage from the water bowl will ever damage the enclosure . I could probably hose it out ( know there's an idea )


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## dragon lady (Jan 26, 2008)

Ive read most of this thread but not all...forgive me but i have to ask... if you all ,or most 
keep snakes in tubs.... dont they need U.V?... yes i know you have them with heat. but were is if any U.V?

No LAUGHS Allowed!!!!!!!!!


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## BT (Jan 26, 2008)

dragon lady said:


> Ive read most of this thread but not all...forgive me but i have to ask... if you all ,or most
> keep snakes in tubs.... dont they need U.V?... yes i know you have them with heat. but were is if any U.V?
> 
> No LAUGHS Allowed!!!!!!!!!


 
snakes are mainly nocturnal so no need for uv


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## dragon lady (Jan 27, 2008)

So when i set up my sons snake tanks.... i dont need to fit it for U.V..,it doesnt affect their health in any way= shorten lifespan.??? 
.......just heat?
& thus needing a heat mat or such not .........heat light

ahhh! so thats why you can use a tub as a tank...........you lot are incredible, never thought ide get my head around snakes!


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## GSXR_Boy (Jan 27, 2008)

Just a heat source at one end (cord,mat etc) will suffice!


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## dragon lady (Jan 27, 2008)

Thats unreal...to easy thanks guys !!!.. sorry didnt mean to knick your thread!


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## indicus (Jan 28, 2008)

Home made rack system; which holds around 80 five litre tubs and 10 litre tubs....
Heating is provided by a heat cord running down the back channel of the rack system.
Totel cost around $800 for rack and containers.


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## Ricko (Jan 28, 2008)

Very nice Tremain. I can see the main thing is metal is it melamine shelves with the cord routed in? Looks like it is pretty full as well.
Well done.
Ricky


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## goanna (Jan 28, 2008)

might be a stupid question but im not sure on anything yet seeing as how im new but do u keep snakes in there full time?


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## Ricko (Jan 28, 2008)

Not those woma's in the pics they will be going into adult enclosure very soon. some snakes can depends on how your setup. i will use them a bit for antaresia and see how they go otherwise i will put them into melamine cages.


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## Jonno from ERD (Jan 28, 2008)

goanna,

It depends on the species of snake. You can keep some in tubs their entire lives - the majority of my venomous snake collection live in 80cm x 40cm x 16cm underbed storers, including one Coastal Taipan who is approaching 2.4 metres in length. 

I have previously quarantined large water pythons in these tubs, but it was too much of a hassle.

A lot of people just use tubs for raising snakes to subadult size.


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## goanna (Jan 28, 2008)

ok well im gonna get a hatchling python not sure what yet but id like a diamond python so id be able to keep it in a tub for awhile yes?


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## Kenshin (Mar 10, 2008)

yes you can keep morelia in a tub for quiet some time i normally keep carpets in tubs for the 1st 1.5-2 years then they get put in theyre large adult cages


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## SuperSnake (Apr 17, 2008)

Do you need thermostats installed on them?


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## wizz (Apr 17, 2008)

Jonno from ERD said:


> goanna,
> 
> It depends on the species of snake. You can keep some in tubs their entire lives - the majority of my venomous snake collection live in 80cm x 40cm x 16cm underbed storers, including one Coastal Taipan who is approaching 2.4 metres in length.
> 
> ...


 i like 2 let my snakes move.......tubs are cool for adders, smaller venomous and hatchies......... 2.4m..... C.Taipan that is just mean for a very active and curious species.........


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## Ricko (Apr 17, 2008)

Wizz i am pretty sure Jonno knows what he is doin having the vast experience with venomous snakes that he does.


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## CassM (Apr 17, 2008)

Okay, I'm not sure if this is going to sound silly or not but I'll ask anyway.

I'm hoping to get my Stimmie at about 6 months old. Do I need to put her in a tub until she is big enough to go into her enclosure or can she go straight into her enclosure?


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## Creed (Apr 17, 2008)

this thread has answered so many questions i had.

great knowledge bank to call on


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## Jonno from ERD (Apr 18, 2008)

G'day Wizz,

In theory what you are saying makes sense, but snakes really don't care if they have room to move around or not. How do you judge whether a snake is "happy" or not? All the large Coastals I have kept in underbed storers have thrived - they all eat and reproduce fine and are quite calm. 

For example, at my previous workplace (Venom Supplies in South Australia), we received a large, freshly wild caught adult male Coastal Taipan. Standard procedure was to put them into the quarantine room in underbed storers that measure 80cm long x 40cm wide x 17cm high. This snake was obviously quite a handful but still ate and did well in this style of housing. Once he was released from quarantine we place him in one of our "breeding" enclosures that measured approximately 1.8 metres wide x 2.0 metres long x 0.6 metres high. It was equipped with sufficient heating, two hide spots and in a room with absolutely no traffic or disturbance, yet he promptly went off his food and became even more of a hassle to handle because he didn't feel secure. As soon as we place him back into a small tub he started eating again.



wizz said:


> i like 2 let my snakes move.......tubs are cool for adders, smaller venomous and hatchies......... 2.4m..... C.Taipan that is just mean for a very active and curious species.........


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## wizz (Apr 18, 2008)

hay jonno, 
that is great but i am going of personel preferance and i have never had any troubles with coastals before and as i said thay are kept in big enclosures where they can move about as they please..........yeah ok working at venom supplies you are working with alot of snakes therefore it would benefit having them in smaller cages but speaking from a hobbyists point of view isnt the whole point to view them and love them and not just stick them under your bed in a small tub????


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