Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is 24x24x24 big enough for a texas rat to live out its life comfortably? If not for how long would it be a good size?
If it is would you heat with flexwatt or ceramic heat emitter?
Im thinking CHE..

You need some more length than that to accomodate an adult Texas rat(not cramped and square). If you heat a small portion of one side of something that small, and adult can't escape the confined heat to thermoregulate properly. That is what is important, it needs to be able to get into the mid to upper 80's or so on 1/3rd of it for proper digestion, and mid 70's at the opposite end to conserve energy and lower it's metabolism. This way the snake can choose anything in between as it sees fit at any given time. undeneath heat source is much better in my opinion, as above heat sources(bulbs) tend to dry the air out too much which can lead to shedding problems as well.

On the other end of the spectrum, you don't want a tiny snake to be kept in a very large cage either, they do much better when their quarters are much tighter and secure so they feel more hidden. But the same thermoregulation standards still apply there and are extremely important to prevent health issues just the same.

Tight places to hide are extremely important as well. Just do NOT "guess" at the temps, place an accurate thermometer down at the bottom surface where the snake will actually "BE", and adjust it accordingly.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

No way. One side of the length plus one side of the width should equal the length of the snake being kept as a general rule. For something like a full blown adult Trat reaching five to six feet long, you would need a 3x2 or 4x2 cage at a minimum. Also, as Doug posts below, the square configuration doesnt help much with temp gradients. A more rectangular shaped cage will give the snake more distance from the heat source and therefore a better heat to cool gradient than a square cage can. Also, you would probably get more enjoyment from viewing the snake with a higher cage too so you can add climbing elements. The Trats definitely will climb more than a corn or king. In fact, if you are using an overhead CHE, having a limb angled towards the top of the cage where the CHE is places will provide the snake even more options to thermoregulate, plus its cool to see them use the branches!!!

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

That solves that problem.I have a 4x24x24(which just seems so big) and wanted to put a divider in it and make two cages.I was going to put a corn on one side and the rat in the other.So I will just make it for the Texas ratsnake only.They are both in bins right now, I just upgraded to larger ones but the ratsnake is still less then 20 inches right now.Ive got quite a long way to go on the cage, I have it built but havent put on the stain or polyurethane yet.And I have to get the sliding glass doors installed too.
I do have a temp gun so I got the temps right at the moment but havent figured out how to heat the big wood one yet.But that is why I asked and Im glad I did before I finished the cage.

the average texas rat will get MUCH bigger than the average corn. Not saying you cant get a six foot corn, but you can EASILY get a five to six foot trat. If the snake is feeding well and acclimated, it may not stress out by being in a cage that size. However, it has ample ops to hide, so you just may not see it that much. Heating the cage with a CHE over the top on one side would work pretty well if the top is screened. Be careful installing the CHE inside the cage as your snake may come into contact with it accidentally and burn itself. Still, mounting on the inside top is WAY better than a hot rock or something inside on the bottom IMO with burning issues. As I posted earlier, the che on top will also gravitate the snake to bask on an elevated perch or limb near the CHE as well. Your 4x2x2 cage should work for it nicely!!

So a texas rat doesnt like open spaces or lots of room even as an adult? I was under the impression they were pretty active snakes.I didnt expect that with a little guy but was hoping as an adult he would be out and about a bit more, less nervous.The one I have is relatively calm(doesnt bite or hiss) but still more skittish then the other snakes I have.
I kind of blew it when I started building these enclosures, its too big for some and not big enough for the others.Its 4x4x2, divided into two enclosures 4x2x2 each.

That should be great for an adult texas rat!! The 2x2 square may have been too small, plus the square shape at that size harder to provide a good thermogradient. However, a 4x4 should be fine. IN GENERAL, its better to have a cage longer than wide to help establish a good thermal gradient. With a 4x4 cage that is two foot tall, this shouldnt be a problem. Especally with a CHE over one corner, or side. The four foot length should give the snake plenty of room to move away from the heat source.

Thermal gradient is somewhat overused and over emphasized to me. It’s almost unnecessary if you’ve got proper temps in the snake room. Also, if you regularly let your Texas rat crawl around the room or perch it up on a window curtain rod or something I think your size was o.k. I really think it would be better to have some type of horizontal divider in your cube so the snake can get away from it’s own waste. Being able to stretch out is not that critical, but us humans think it would be more cozy to be able to do so. I also think your two snakes could live together in the one undivided cage with no problem.

Here's an old picture of some two story sweater box cages I used for leucistic Texas rats to give them some more room to stretch out. Not really much different than your 2x2x2 except smaller!