Tubs or displays...

[HellFire]

What's your personal preference?

I nearly forked out a few hundred for a nice display, but saw people online keeping them in plastic tubs. I mean, it's not like they move much (snakes), so now I can't see the point of keeping them in a nice display tank. Lizards I can understand, but snakes are like a piece of jewellery, you take them out and wear them every now and then, but you put them back when playtimes over.

Also, maintenance would be a lot easier, I assume? You can take a plastic tub outside and give it a good wash down, but if the tank/ cage is made of wood or is heavy, it's more of a hassle.


This thread leads onto my next question, what's the most active python? Every animal is probably going to have his/ her own personality, but surely some traits would exist among species, especially in regards to activity. Yeah, they're a kind of sit and wait/ ambush predator like my T, but I've heard jungles move about?

 

[saximus]

If you want something more active maybe you could consider moving away from pythons and looking at colubrids. Green or Brown Tree Snakes are much more active than any python

 

[Beans]

I don't see animals as bits of jewelry to be taken out and worn as you so crassly put it. I think it depends though on why you are keeping them. For breeding I can see why but for just collection purposes I think its nice to have them on display and make them like, the centerpiece of a room. Hence why you get a nice display enclosure

 

[andynic07]

All of my snakes actively hunt at night time after the sun goes down. They are all quite active like in the wild. I believe if a snake is overfed it may not go hunting for food at night time. GTP's are supposed to be lazy snakes but mine will even hunt at night a few days after his feed and I let them hunt for a while before feeding again because this is also good exercise. I also don't see my snakes as a piece of jewellery but more as a family pet that we love and care for even though they do not love back. I think maxims is right if you want a more active snake maybe go for a colubrid but remember that some are mildly venomous and can hurt or cause a reaction.

 

[Trimeresurus]

Keep elapids if you want something fun.

 

[champagne]

yes it is easier to maintain in a rack system when you have too many snake to look after, As of recently I have cut down on my collection and moved towards larger enclosure for my breeders. Pythons are climbers, they don't need to be able to climb to survive but they clearly prefer to perch up high if given the chance.

 

[OldestMagician]

I like to think of it as the difference between keeping your dog in your average garden and on acreage. Probably not much difference in happiness levels, but there's more for stimulation.

 

[Newhere]

Yea you might be better off getting a rubber snake if you want something you can just put away and forget about until you feel like playing with it and maintenance will be less of a hassle as you put it.

 

[Jarrod_H]

For me I can't stand keeping snakes in tubs I think it's a bit cruel, what a boating life all they see is white or black walls, most tubs I think are too small. And I also think you would enjoy them/the hobby more if they are in a enclosure all decked out looking awesome seeing them move around late afternoon/night time observing their behavior. And even tho there behind glass they can see you and get use to you being around them like a form of interaction.

 

[getarealdog]

Done these for my adders to "chill out" in when not living in their tubs, also use them for mating as well. Tubs suit me better for adders, don't think they care, in either 1 they still want to kill me. For safety & ease of maintenance tubs work best for me
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Done these for brown & night tiger tree snakes. The night tigers feed alot better once they were put into these cages. Did have them in tubs but never seem to be "happy". Problem feeders changed within 2 days & feeding them is no longer a chore.

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[smileysnake]

ha ha thats funny i have my bredli who is 2 year old in a 2m tall enclosure and he uses every inch of it....i would never keep him in a tub plus im in nsw and im not allowed to....

 

[Grogshla]

If I owned my own place then I would get all my enclosures out of storage and use them. Nothing looks better than nice big enclosures. Because I rent at the moment I mainly use tub racks. I only have a big enclosure for my Bearded Dragon.

 

[champagne]

I like to think of it as the difference between keeping your dog in your average garden and on acreage. Probably not much difference in happiness levels, but there's more for stimulation.

I think its more like housing a battery chicken compared to in a chicken tractor, they both eat, drink and lay eggs so probably not much different in their happiness levels either....

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Done these for my adders to "chill out" in when not living in their tubs, also use them for mating as well. Tubs suit me better for adders, don't think they care, in either 1 they still want to kill me. For safety & ease of maintenance tubs work best for me
[/IMG]
Done these for brown & night tiger tree snakes. The night tigers feed alot better once they were put into these cages. Did have them in tubs but never seem to be "happy". Problem feeders changed within 2 days & feeding them is no longer a chore.

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adders are a little different to carpet pythons and I see no problem with housing small pythons in tubs but no tub is big enough to allow a fully grown python to stretch out. nice set up by the way.

 

[critterguy]

Yeah I agree, tubs as bubs for a certain amount of time, displays after that so they have a bit of room to explore and things to see.

 

[champagne]

Too many people trying to make a name for themselves without doing the work... its quicker to breed large numbers of single mode inheritance animals rather then working on a couple of projects and having people seek your line of animals because they're so spectacular. Even the single mode of inheritance animals jag, zebras, caramels, albinos ect still need to be line bred as they are still very polymorphic in their appearance.

 

[RedFox]

I think judging by the OP's post they may want to rethink why they want to keep pythons.

I recently started keeping some of my adult womas in tubs and was suprised to find I actually prefer the tubs compared to enclosures.

I've found it much easier to get my 'problem' handlers out and access is better for changing water and spot cleaning. They are just as active as they they were in display enclosures.

I have a small collection that are pets more than anything. I am also very time poor and have found by keeping some of my womas in tubs I now have more time to enjoy them.

 

[xXRecreationXx]

Thinking of changing to tubs. As enclosures take up to much space. Easy to maintain your reptile. Like keeping Lizards , Skinks and Snakes in tubs makes it much easier to clean and maintain. Easy to transport if you need to. ( I really don't like to handle my snakes. Only 1-2 per week. , may not be even that. I would say every 3 weeks i handle them. I just have a look at the enclosure , if their is any poor.

 

[Beans]

My little one is in a click clack at the moment. I think it's fabulous that they can happily live in a tub while they are little. It's so cheap and easy, plus it gives me time to get them a proper enclosure for when they out grow their tubs. But I wouldn't keep an adult in a tub I just think......They need to stretch out and if they can be happier in a good size tank then I'll do it. They are my animals who are in my care. I'm not going to deny them something they would be happier in just because I cbf'd or don't want the hassle.

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Thinking of changing to tubs. As enclosures take up to much space. Easy to maintain your reptile. Like keeping Lizards , Skinks and Snakes in tubs makes it much easier to clean and maintain. Easy to transport if you need to. ( I really don't like to handle my snakes. Only 1-2 per week. , may not be even that. I would say every 3 weeks i handle them. I just have a look at the enclosure , if their is any poor.

I don't think keep lizards in tubs is a good idea. Lizards like to run around and chase after their food. They some space to do that. I wouldn't put a monitor in a plastic tub.. Even saying that sounds ridiculous xD

 

[xXRecreationXx]

Nah , Lizards are in 1.8 M Long enclosure by them self , i wouldn't put them in tubs.. I didn't worded that properly. ( What about the snakes being in plastic tubs ?

 

[saximus]

I’ve seen arguments that if an animal eats, mates and remains in good physical condition for a number of years, then that is an indication that they are “happy” and that the keeping conditions are adequate. Keeping in mind that reptiles are largely unemotional creatures and it is generally the keepers who project their own emotions onto them, what do people base their reasoning on for having a go at the tub keepers from a “cruelty” perspective?

Note I’m not arguing either way but I’m curious about what metrics people use to define happiness in their animals if physical heath isn’t considered appropriate. I guess the extreme parallel could be made to something like puppy farms but those animals are arguably not in good physical condition and don’t live very long.