minimum cage sizes

[Fuscus]

I was talking to one of the shop owners here and he reckoned that the minimum size cage you can keep a reptile in is 1.2 meters as this is the smallest size you can set up a temperature gradient.
I would be very surprised is people reared smaller snakes in cages that size.

What is the smallest size cage that people have kept reptiles long term in? Also did any benefits or problems arise from using a small cage.

I?m asking as I have built a cage with dividers with the intention of rearing some snakes in. Perhaps if I make the cool end well ventilated?

 

[Greebo]

I've kept hatchlings in click-clacks for over a year and had no ill effects. I know other people who do the same.

 

[africancichlidau]

Yup my Maccies were in click clacks for 6 months and my little Childrens is in a 40cm x 40cm x 35cm enclosure and they have all done well I reckon you can get a gradient in almost anything dependant on the method you use to heat it.

 

[danielsan]

I agee with african, you just need a smaller heat source to match the enclosure. This is where heat pads have the advantage in small enclosures. Dont forget that a vertical temperature gradient is created as well. I've had a enclosure built for me 1.2 * .5 * .6 m that is divided for my two macs. We decided on heat sources toward the center and vents at the end of the box.

 

[varanus]

Our adult childreni are housed in a bank of four. The dimensions for each enclosure are pretty much 40cmX40cmX40xm. Wouldn't go any smaller for them though. Ambient is a consistent 28C. The above enclosures have no lighting during the day as the heat from the lower two is ample, they're each heated by a 25 watt blue globe. Overnight the top two enclosures are switched on. Works fine.

 

[nuthn2do]

I was talking to one of the shop owners here and he reckoned that the minimum size cage you can keep a reptile in is 1.2 meters as this is the smallest size you can set up a temperature gradient.

The lower ambient temp, the smaller the enclosure can be for a given wattage heat supply, my guess is the shoppy was refering to overhead heating.

 

[zoe]

i've had my diamond in a 2ft x about 1.5ft x 1.5ft enclosure for about 6 months now and in winter i can get a gradient of about 10 degrees difference from cool end to warm end, sometimes more!
from about 18 degrees cool end to 30 under the basking spot sometimes.

 

[zoe]

oh and thats with a 50W infrared heat globe