Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am having trouble finding good enclosure ideas for a Malagasy Giant Hognose. I am hopefully getting one soon. He is around 5 feet now, but I've read they can get up to 6 feet. I have 40 breeder tanks and 55 longs but don't think either of those would be good. I was thinking of building a home made enclosure. I read that they burrow for the most part, so height is not that important. I was thinking either 5 or 6 feet long, and 2 or 3 feet deep. So it would be either 5x2, 5x3, 6x2, or 6x3. Would any of these sizes work? Does anyone have photos or designs for home made snake enclosures? Or does anyone know where I could get a pre-made enclosure in one of these sizes?
-----
Lyns Lair
WNY Herpetological Society

0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
2.0 Rats (Inky & Oy)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose (Wilbur)
1.0 Malagasy Giant Hognose (coming soon)
1.0 Yellow/Everglades Rat Snake (Pumpkin)
1.0 Russian Sand Boa (Fang)
0.1 Normal Corn Snake (Mysty)
1.0 Anery Corn Snake (Suezo)
0.0.3 Eastern Milk Snakes (Uno, Dos, Tres)
1.0 Ball Python (Slytherin)
2.0 Smooth Green Snakes (no names yet)
0.1 Golden Greek Tortoise (Sunshine)
0.2 Mississippi Mud Turtles (Squirt & Shyanne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Norbert)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Moose)
0.0.1 Mountain Horned Dragon (Tiramasu)
0.1 Oustalets Chameleon (Cera) coming soon
1.0 Whites Tree Frog (Trevor)
2.0 Solomon Island Eyelash Frogs (Chompy & Gimli)
0.1 American Toad (Bump)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.5 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Mystique, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Twister)

I curently have a 5' male in a 4x2and1/2' and he seems rather content, but I have plans to build him a 6x3. Definitely go with room for deeper substrate. I saw on your list you had a blond what's he like size, temperment, ect... well best of luck and happy herping,
Cameron
-----
It's not the heart valve that's the problem, its that my pacemaker is ticking me off.

Lyn, I house my 59" mad hog in a boaphile 4'x2'x12". He seems very content. There's not alot of room for burrowing because of the front door, but he rarely burrowed when he was in a 55gal with deep aspen bedding. In fact, even though there are hides, he spends most of his time right in plain veiw.

Please make sure and post pics of your hog! Mine's my favorite in my collection.
-----
1.0 Malagasy Giant Hognose
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
0.1 Guyana Red Tail Boa
1.0 Ball Python
1.0 Black Milksnake

Lyn,
Both the leioheterodon modestus (blonde) and l. geayi (speckled) are burrowers. The giant mad hogs generally don't go under the substrate that much.
regards,
althea

Thank you. I'm glad to hear that I might not have an "empty tank syndrome" with the Giant like I do with the Blonde. He rarely comes out if I'm in the room, very secretive. I'll walk in and see him partway out of the Aspen, he sees me and backs right back down into his little "burrow" (gotta love Aspen for holding those cool tunnels). He's a great little snake though. He'll hiss and hood but has never bitten. He's still a little guy, not full grown yet. I'll post pics of the Giant when I get him. I heard back today that he is definitely on hold for me, so I'm feeling good about it. Last time I wanted to buy a snake from this guy I hemmed and hawed to long and it got sold before I was able to commit. Local friend of a friend, not a breeder. I might be getting a Northern Water as well, just have to be sure I have the room. I've converted my basement into one big "zoo" (as have many of you I'm sure) but as you can see from my sig line, space is at a premium at this point. I have some left, not much. I go for large enclosures (I have single Leopard Geckos housed in 55 Gallon tanks) and right now the Iggy is taking up quite a chunk of space, his enclosure kind of dominates the whole room. Anyways, thanks for the advise, this is Wilbur my Malagassy Blonde...

-----
Lyns Lair
WNY Herpetological Society

0.1 Cat (Mia)
4.2 Ferrets (Wolf, Shadow, Verdell, Sullivan, Boo, Peach)
2.0 Rats (Inky & Oy)
1.0 Carpet Python (Bear)
1.0 Malagasy Blonde Hognose (Wilbur)
1.0 Malagasy Giant Hognose (coming soon)
1.0 Yellow/Everglades Rat Snake (Pumpkin)
1.0 Russian Sand Boa (Fang)
0.1 Normal Corn Snake (Mysty)
1.0 Anery Corn Snake (Suezo)
0.0.3 Eastern Milk Snakes (Uno, Dos, Tres)
1.0 Ball Python (Slytherin)
2.0 Smooth Green Snakes (no names yet)
0.1 Golden Greek Tortoise (Sunshine)
0.2 Mississippi Mud Turtles (Squirt & Shyanne)
1.0 Green Iguana (Norbert)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Moose)
0.0.1 Mountain Horned Dragon (Tiramasu)
0.1 Oustalets Chameleon (Cera) coming soon
1.0 Whites Tree Frog (Trevor)
2.0 Solomon Island Eyelash Frogs (Chompy & Gimli)
0.1 American Toad (Bump)
1.0 AFT Gecko (Cocoa)
5.5 Leopard Geckos (Trouble, Scooter, Simba, Firenze, Teddy, Mystique, Freckles, Dotty, Zipper, Twister)

Wilbur is adorable! I understand the space issue--my herp room is a renovated garage--lots of insulation, seperate heat and ac. Originally it was supposed to be a "family room". I also have a large kitchen--my boas' 6'x6'x3' enclosure is in there--after it was built, it wouldn't fit through either door to my herp room!

The menagerie:
1.2 bci (Damien,Ally, Carlina)
1.2 kenyan sand boas Twitch, Oonala, Virgie)
1.1 tartar sand boas (Elvis, Priscilla)
1.1 children's pythons (Merlin, Auzzie)
0.1 spotted python (Darwin)
0.1 ball python (Mokee)
1.1.3 corn snakes (Cobby, Maizey, Niblet, Tequila, Aztec)
1.4 Kunishir Island Japanese ratsnakes (Hoku, Menoke, Siretok,
Sikanna, Ainu)
0.0.1 trinket rat (Trinket)
1.0 mexi black king (Inkus)
0.1 calking (bandit)
1.0 knoblochi king (Leon)
1.0 sinaloan milk (Paco)
1.0 thayers king (Jose)
1.1 texas bull snakes (Cowboy, GoGo)
1.0 albino sonoran gopher snake (Spawn of Satan/SOS)
0.1 bearded dragon (Sandy Gizzard)
5.3 leopard geckos (Screamin' Cheetah Wheelie, Tawney, Apollo,
Plato, Sunshine, Laverne, Shirley)
1.2 golden geckos (JJ, Golda, Marigold)
0.1 mexican red knee tarantula (Rosalita)
0.0.1 king baboon tarantula (Demon-bug)
0.0.1 avicularia versicolor spiderling (Rainbow)
0.0.1 grey tree frog (Froggle)
0.1 all american 60 pound brown hound (Ginger)
1.2 house cats (Frankie, Mis-tac, Grace)
0.1 rat (Lucy)
0.1 mouse (Guinevere)
1.0 husband
1.0 teenager