Reptile & Amphibian Forums

First question: how much ventilation is needed for colubrids (corn snakes, milk snakes, king snakes)? I've got lots of holes drilled in the sides and top of a wooden enclosure, but added together, they total about 2 square inches of area (the holes are 1/4 inch diameter). The cages are roughly 1 foot by 3 feet by 1 foot high.

I've also got a loose fitting door that leaves a 1/8 inch crack at the two seams. The four cages, alas, are not perfectly identical, and one has a tight fitting door, while another has only 1/16 inch clearance, but there is a little extra ventilation from that those two gaps.

I know I don't need a cage entirely made out of mesh walls, and I've seen breeders keep snakes in boxes with unbelievably small holes. Do I have enough ventilation?

Second question: damp hide box. I have made a hide box out of tupperware with a hole cut in it, and I've put in damp sphagnum moss. I know that's a good thing around shed time. My milk snake seems to prefer it over the regular hide box, and even over burrowing in the substrate (which it loves). If that sphagnum filled hide box is available, that's where the sinaloan milk snake will be found.

My question concerns potential harm to the snake from excess moisture. I've heard about ventral scale infections that come from tanks that are too damp. Perhaps I'm confused and those infections come from dampness caused by lots of urine that never gets cleaned up. If I've got a damp hide box, AND a dry hide box alternative, will the snake choose wisely? I've already learned that snakes will just lie on a heater until it burns to death, so I'm not so sure I can trust a snake to leave a damp hide box, even if it is causing health problems. Comments?

Michael

The idea of what is enough ventilation can be subjective and depends on the species in question. I also have 3x1x1 cages, and I have about 5 sq in. of ventilation for a young boa and a young python. Colubrids can do with more, and for adult colubrids, I have a 2x8 screened opening for example in a 3ft cage. Again, this is all subjective. Although I do think you could do with more ventilation, I couldn't really say what is enough.

About the hide. Milksnakes love moist hides. After all, milks spend alot of time underground in the wild, and although it may not be wet, the humidity is higher than on the surface. In any case, the best way to handle this is to let the moss dry out completely between mistings. This way your snake is not damp 24x7. If you do this you'll definitely not have problems.