Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was thinking of getting a 40 gallon tank for my black rat snake's adult enclosure. Is this big enough to last its whole life? I'm accounting for a 5-6 foot colubrid when full grown.

What are the dimensions? Black Rats can exceed 6 feet easily, and since they like to climb, I might consider something bigger.
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MichaelB

I *think* a 40 gallon is 36" by 18" by 18". I'd actually like to get something with that floor area, but a bit taller so she can climb. I don't know if they sell those though.

The 40 talls and the 55s have the same footprint but the 55 is taller. I think they're both a bit 'thin' for an adult black rat, although they'd last a juvenile quite a while. I'd go with something like a 60 or a 75 if possible.

I use a 100 gal for my old pair. It is 54 long by 23 wide, by 19 deep. They don't have much room to spare in it. The male is over seven-and-a-half ft, and the female is 6-ft-5-in. As you've been told, a forty gal would do a youngster for a long time (probably up to about age five or six years), but would likely be too cramped for an older and larger adult.

>>The 40 talls and the 55s have the same footprint but the 55 is taller. I think they're both a bit 'thin' for an adult black rat, although they'd last a juvenile quite a while. I'd go with something like a 60 or a 75 if possible.

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tricia

A 40 Gallon is just fine for a Black Rat.......but a 55 long would be better and coast about the same. The 55 is 48 inches long. I have kept snakes for over 44 years