# cage requirements for adult olive



## waikare (Nov 4, 2011)

Hi guys was just wondering what you guys think the mimimum cage size would be for a adult olive, my hatchie is about to turn 1 and boys is she growing fast.


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## HonestPirate (Nov 4, 2011)

Adults grow huge- are you sure at 1 yr old you want to put him in an adult sized enclosure ? 

Suppose it depends on her size; what is she now ?

As far as an adult goes- you are going to need at LEAST 6 x 2 x 2 ft. And a nice big hide she can coil inside without any bits hanging out.


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## reptilian1924 (Nov 4, 2011)

To house one adult Olive Python l myself would house it in a enclosure that is, 4 foot long - 2 foot high - 2 foot deep, my enclosures that l keep 2 Olive Python in each of are, 4 foot long - 2 foot high - 2 foot deep, it has one hide box on the floor at the hot end, and one hide box is built into the enclosure above right and l can access it from the right side of the enclosure if need be.


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## waikare (Nov 4, 2011)

thanks guys honest pirate i was just wondering as i was offered a 1300 x 600 x 400 for cheap so was just wondering if this would be big enough for her later on thats all.


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## Skelhorn (Nov 4, 2011)

The rule of thumb-Minumin cage lenght is 2/3 of the python fully stretched. That can be hard though if your snake grows to 10feet but generally speaking


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## OLAY89 (Nov 4, 2011)

I think 4 ft x 2 x2 is to small for an adult olive


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## Radar (Nov 4, 2011)

We've got an adult in 6x3x2 and she does well. Couldn't tell you her total size but she's probably 10-13 years old and a fair stomper of a snake.


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## waikare (Nov 4, 2011)

lucky i got a few years till i have to make a big cage


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## wokka (Nov 4, 2011)

What I do is put it in a 4 foot cage and then in a year or so add another 4 foot cage with no heating which becomes the cool end. The two are joined with a porthole and a sliding door so you can lock the snake in either cage if you wish.The square hole you can see in the picture is the porthole which the snake uses to pass from the hot cage to the cold cage.


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## KingSirloin (Nov 4, 2011)

wokka said:


> What I do is put it in a 4 foot cage and then in a year or so add another 4 foot cage with no heating which becomes the cool end. The two are joined with a porthole and a sliding door so you can lock the snake in eityher cage if you wish..



I like this idea. I was considering building a huge enclosure for my womas, but moving it would be another problem. Your method has other advantages too, in that they could be re-arranged and used as smaller units if required. Simple yet effective.


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## reptilian1924 (Nov 4, 2011)

I think 4 ft x 2 x2 is to small for an adult olive[/QUOTE]

Olay89, Just for one adult Olive Python, you sure can keep 1 inside a enclosure based on the measurements l mention in my post.

l myself have kept 2 adult Olive Python's in my enclosures you can see in the photos for years without any trouble what so ever, as long as you remember to seperate them both at feed time there should be know trouble, in keeping 1 or 2 in a enclosure that is 4 foot long - 2 foot high - 2 foot deep.

One other thing out in the wild they don't live in hollows logs or burrows that a quite big or spaces, they instead look for logs or burrows that they can squeeze into so they feel 100% secure why they are resting.


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## Boidae (Nov 4, 2011)

A 6x3x2 (LxWxH) will be fine for most adult Olives. 
As a rule for enclosure size, the length should be half the length of the snake, and the width should be a quarter of the length of the snake. 
Perfect for an adult Olive as most will end up being about 11-12ft long.


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## waikare (Nov 4, 2011)

wokka thats a bloody brillant idea mate

reptilian1924 how old are you olives mate


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## reptilian1924 (Nov 4, 2011)

Waikare,
the 2 adult Olive Python's you see here in my photos, the female which is the largest one was born in December 1999, the male which is slightly smaller in size was born in December 2000.

l no-longer have these 2 awesome adult Olive Python's, they were both sold to another breeder in Sydney in June 2009, l now have 2 male and 2 female Olive Python's, that l got in August 2010, 1 pair was born in December 2009 in captivity, the other 2 slightly larger pair were collected on permit from the wild in late 2009, they were both 1 year old when collected from the wild on permit, so they would have been born out in the wild in late 2008.


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## StellaDoore (Nov 4, 2011)

I'm getting myself a lovely little olive yearling and I've heard 6x2x2 is a minimum size for an adult to live comfortably, although anything over 6x3x3 would make for a very happy fully-grown olive. 

Question: how much would an olive use height? If I had a 3 ft high enclosure would she use it or would it be wasted space? Might add some perches/ledges or something...

And Wokka, love that idea as well. I was contemplating getting a 4 or 5 ft long cage for 2-3 years, then transferring the olive to a larger one and use the small for a carpet or woma; simply adding another couple of feet to the end of it makes life sooo much easier.


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## reptilian1924 (Nov 4, 2011)

StellaDoore, if you view my photos carefully you will see that my Olive Python's, do make the most of the height of my enclosure by climing about the tree branches l have installed inside their enclosure.

My Olive Python's always climb allover my furniture in my loungroom when out roaming around my place when ever l let them out to roam freely, this just goes to show they don't just live on the ground they do enjoy climing about things just like Carpet or Diamond Python's do.

So l think in providing it with some extra height would give your Olive more room to move about as long as you install a tree branch or 2.


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## wokka (Nov 4, 2011)

If you dont have the 8 foot length necessary to accommodate 2 x 4foot cages you can stack them using the same system of porthole in the floor and roof to allow access between cages. My cage banks are 4 foot wide by 6.5 foot high ( so they still go through the average door) with six shelves. They can be configured 6 high, as individual 4 foot cages or; with all the portholes open as 1 x 24 foot cage.


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## slither (Nov 4, 2011)

for an adult olive id go between 6 to 8 feet long at least my olive cages are about 7 feet long 600 deep and 1000 high


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## waikare (Nov 4, 2011)

cool thanks everyone at 1yrs old and over 1metre i wil get the biggest cage i can find


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## OLAY89 (Nov 5, 2011)

If ur happy with ur cages reptilian go nuts but is there enough room in a 4 ft enclosure for a large olive python to be able to regulate there temps ???


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## Cockney_Red (Nov 5, 2011)

I house a pair in 8x3x2 same way as Wokka


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## OLAY89 (Nov 5, 2011)

Reptilian u dont need to tell me ur life story via pm . I was simply just asking a question and all that was is that i think that a 4 ft enclosure is to small to house two adult olives and by the likes i got from that comment others agree . And when u say i bet i dnt let my python roam around my house when im not home ??? No i dont.. i have good size enclosures for all of them. My childrens pythons are in 4 ft enclosures!!!! And i have a large lawn that i take them out on and let them do there thing once aweek . U dont know me or how i take care of my reptiles so dont go trying to judge. 4ft x2x2 is too small to house two adult olive pythons even when there not roaming around ur house . And plus snakes are more active at night so during the day there just going to curl up somewhere might as well be in there SMALL enclosure and let them roam around at night . Or just get a bigger enclosure ?? Thanks mate dont message me again fool


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## reptilian1924 (Nov 5, 2011)

OLAY89,
Can you prove to me that a 4ftx2ftx2ft is way to small to house 1 or 2 adult Olive Python's, unless you can you don't know what your talking about about.

You have not seen my 2 Olive Python enclosures in person, until you do you cannot say whether they are to small or not to house 1 or 2 adult Olive Python's.

l have been keeping Python's since 1989 and would know alot more about housing-diet-sexing-breeding-health-handling than you would, but l'm still learning each time l get a new pet Python.


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## Cockney_Red (Nov 5, 2011)

waikare said:


> lucky i got a few years till i have to make a big cage


Depends how you feed them..mine needed the 8ft cage at 2, when they well outgrew the 4ft.....they grow big and fast when fed correctly



reptilian1924 said:


> I think 4 ft x 2 x2 is to small for an adult olive



Olay89, Just for one adult Olive Python, you sure can keep 1 inside a enclosure based on the measurements l mention in my post.

l myself have kept 2 adult Olive Python's in my enclosures you can see in the photos for years without any trouble what so ever, as long as you remember to seperate them both at feed time there should be know trouble, in keeping 1 or 2 in a enclosure that is 4 foot long - 2 foot high - 2 foot deep.

One other thing out in the wild they don't live in hollows logs or burrows that a quite big or spaces, they instead look for logs or burrows that they can squeeze into so they feel 100% secure why they are resting.[/QUOTE]The enclosure in the first pic is way too small !!


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## OLAY89 (Nov 5, 2011)

Well good on u for having snakes since 1989 and i dont want to see ur enclosure i dnt care. I am just saying that i believe and wouldnt house my olive pythons in 4ft enclosures . And if u are such an expert u should know that they are more active at night and its pointless. Letting them out during the day because there just going to curl up somewhere all day then at night where there most active there in their enclosure .


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## Boidae (Nov 5, 2011)

reptilian1924 said:


> There should be know trouble, in keeping 1 or 2 in a enclosure that is 4 foot long - 2 foot high - 2 foot deep. One other thing out in the wild they don't live in hollows logs or burrows that a quite big or spaces, they instead look for logs or burrows that they can squeeze into so they feel 100% secure why they are resting.



Reptilian, unless I mis-read your post, you said that you can keep 2 Adult Olive Pythons in a 4x2x2 (LxWxH) enclosure. 
I wouldn't keep two adult carpets in an enclosure of that size.... 
You are right in saying that snakes like to find cramped, confined spaces to hide in, and that is exactly what hide boxes are for.
The enclosure itself must allow enough room for the snakes to freely move around and thermo-regulate...


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## shortstuff61 (Nov 5, 2011)

reptilian1924 said:


> OLAY89,
> Can you prove to me that a 4ftx2ftx2ft is way to small to house 1 or 2 adult Olive Python's, unless you can you don't know what your talking about about.
> 
> You have not seen my 2 Olive Python enclosures in person, until you do you cannot say whether they are to small or not to house 1 or 2 adult Olive Python's.



I'm not sure that he has to see your enclosures in person to make a decision on this. _My_ 4x2x2 enclosures just so happen to be of VERY similiar size to my best mate's 4x2x2 enclosures, which are coincidently similiar to his friend's (4x2x2) enclosures.

I'm no expert on keeping adult Olives, but I have seen a few 12-14 foot adults, and I do have a pair that are approaching 3 years of age. The male is a little over 8 feet, the girl is closer to 9 but not quite there yet. I feel guilty for not upgrading their enclosures yet, and I see that upgrade as a priority over the next few couple of months. I can't imagine them still being comfortable in there after just another foot or two of growth, let alone another 3-6 feet of growth.

I have some 1800x750x500(H) enclosures that I use for my sub adult Spencers Monitors, I was thinking for the Olive upgrades to either get another 2 enclosures of the same dimensions as my monitors (so I can have a flush bank of 4 with the Olives occupying the bottom two enclosures) or go with Wokka's idea. I posted a thread a little while ago about joining enclosures, although it was me asking for help/ideas/opinions.

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/diy-zone-5392/joining-two-enclosures-together-161250/


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## Boidae (Nov 5, 2011)

Thanks for the PM Reptilian.
My mistake, I didnt realise your adult Olives were actually only 2-3 years old. 
When you said they were adults, I assumed that they would be about 9-10ft. 
In that case, your Olives will be perfectly happy in your enclosure for a while. 
That's definately a good idea to have a couple of 6x2x2's for when they mature. 
Have a good day mate


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## dihsmaj (Nov 5, 2011)

reptilian1924 said:


> l have been keeping Python's since 1989


Doesn't mean you know more than other people...


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## Jungletrans (Nov 5, 2011)

Mine are in 6x3x3 fem + 5x3x2 male . That little cage on top is 4x2x2 .


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## dihsmaj (Nov 5, 2011)

reptilian - re: the pm
flavis are found more inland than gouldii gouldii and they don't reach the average stl length of gouldii gouldii. that's really all I know, haven't studied/researched sandies. however I also think that the patterning of subspecies flavirufus are more visible.


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## andyscott (Nov 5, 2011)

I built these for my White and het Olives, each enclosure is 6 foot long 2.5 deep and 2.5 high.
They seem to do the job.


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## reptilian1924 (Nov 5, 2011)

Snakeluvver3 said:


> reptilian - re: the pm
> flavis are found more inland than gouldii gouldii and they don't reach the average stl length of gouldii gouldii. that's really all I know, haven't studied/researched sandies. however I also think that the patterning of subspecies flavirufus are more visible.


Snakeluvver3, You are right that Flavirufus don't grow to the same size and are found more inland and the patterning of them is more visible, than the sub-specie Varanus Gouldii Gouldii, so you prove me wrong here where you do know a bit about Sand Monitor's good on you.

Its was good of you to say you haven't studied or done any research on Sand Monitor's thanks for being up-front and honest about this.


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## jamesjr (Nov 6, 2011)

For my largest pair of olives(pic 2) i use 2400mmL x 1200mmD x 750mmH and my other bank of olive enclosures, which is similar to wokkas setup (divider, hot/cool end) is 2400mmL x 800mmD x 450mmH. 

Cheers


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