In disputes between convenience of Owner or comfort of Snake, I lean towards advocating for the snake. I advocate a setup as naturalistic as possible, and I exercise my snake outside at times (closely watched in pre-screened areas).

I have often seen Internet literature stating that a 20-gallon tank is adequate for an adult Rat snake. I disagree.

For an adult colubrid of any time over 3-4 feet, I advocate at least a 40-gallon tank; 60-gallon if you can swing it. With enough branches and clever use of space, you can approximate the area of a small gym for a man.

I agree that it's *usually* best to house snakes separately. They can be social animals, and in the wild they DO know their family and neighbors. Sometimes they prefer to be housed in groups (like Garters), but you risk a large snake eating a small snake. It can happen.

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