Posted by:
AustHerps
at Tue Jun 7 20:19:23 2005 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by AustHerps ]
8x8x8 Foot.
Irian Jaya
Jungle Carpet
Green tree Python
Diamond Carpet
Bredls Python
Can't do it.
TEMPERATURES:
All have differing temp requirements (albeit some are very similar). Even if you manage to get the temp just right for each animal in a different area, all that animal is going to do is stay in the same place, becasue other areas will be too hot for it's liking and others too cold.
HUMIDITY:
This is a VERY important factor for Green Tree Pythons. They need a very high humidity time-frame twice every 24 hours, and time to dry out each 24 hours as well. This will be EXTREMELY difficult to achieve in such a large enclosure. It is hard enough to get a 3x3' cube to have the right humidity.
CLASHING:
The green tree python is somewhat temperamental. It is very fragile, has very thin skin, cannot take being handled too often and many have poor temperaments (yes, i know, some are okay). It stresses out if it is put in an enclosure with another female GTP, let alone 4 other python, 3 of which, if not all, will get bigger than it. Also, GTP's are prone to have poor kidneys. This means that they are more prone to disease than other pythons. When a GTP defecates, it should be removed immediately as of the risk of disease.
The size difference in these snakes is a concern. The smaller snakes will stress over having larger snakes around, and the larger ones will stress because they feel threatened.
Another thing to note is that some snakes will be cannibalistic. Some species are more so than others... but if a fully grown diamond or jungle is hungry... and the bredlis smells like a rat after feeding... not good.
CLEANING
An enclosure that size, with that many different animals will be extremely hard to clean. It would be like a full time job. Poor cleaning leads to sick animals, and, in a group of 5, a vet trip and meds is quite costly.
HUSBANDRY
How is your friend going to know which snakes feed? When they have defecated? Which sheds belowg to which? Which is stressed? Which is sick? Which has regurgitated it's meal because it feels so insecure about being forced to live with so many other snakes? Not only this... it would be like walking an 8 foot gauntlet to get in the enclosure, walk around to pick up 4 or 5 defecations, and clean the area... especially with a stressed out 5 foot angry green tree python (like i said, not all are angry, but i know i certainly would be if forced to live with 4 other bigger, thicker, more resiliant pythons). Record keeping would be impossible.
Snakes are solitary creatures. They prefer to be left on their own, where they do not have to stress a lot, often leading to death if not corrected.
Tell your friend that it's not a good idea.
And show him this email. Believe me, it would be a waste of money for the enclosure. And a waste of life.
Please talk him round.
Aaron.
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RE: $ A grand plan $ - AustHerps, Tue Jun 7 20:19:23 2005