Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all. Well it looks like I might be getting into the great world of Carpets soon. I keep balls and boas now. I was just wondering if for a baby, would a rubbermade be any good for them. I know for balls it is highly recommended, for humidity factors. If not, i've got a couple extra tanks kicking around here, so that won't be an issue either. Thanks alot in advance for any info.

All my babies stay in rubber maid containers for the first 6 months to a year. They can and will outgrow it fairly quickly and then I move mine to Vision enclosures but any properly sized enclosure will do. Just add a climbing branch to the Rubbermaid and I'm sure the rest you probably already know.

I like tanks! I raise them in 10 gal for probably the first year or so and then I like 29 or 37 tall tanks. I like the tanks for the display factor. I use soil, cork bark, real plants, and hide spots. I really enjoy coming in and seeing my beautiful snake hanging out in a minature jungle, I could never imagine such a beautiful snake hidden away in tuperware. But thats just me.

I totally agree with this last post. If I wanted to store old magazines I would store them in Tuperware lol. This is a beautiful animal, probably one of the most beautiful animals in the world. There's nothing like having a snake like that in a serene environment much like their own. It makes their living better, and your living room as well.

Housing them in glass does look nice and is fine if you have only a couple of reptiles. For those of us who breed though it just doesn't work. When my last clutch of Coastals was born, it would have cost WAY to much to house them in glass (35 babies hatched). Not to mention all the other babies from other species I had. Rack systems are more efficient on space, ease of cleaning, and allow for more consistant heating and humidity. Plus, a new 10 gallon tank would have cost $20-$25 and actually has less space then a rubbermaid sweaterbox that costs $7.50. Like I had said, my adults and sub-adults are all in Vision Enclosures but babies get put in the rack system. My rubbermaids are clear so I can see the snakes though not as clear as glass and the concern should not be how pretty the enclosure is but that proper care is given and this person seems to have the desire to give care properly. Either way is a good choice in the end.

Baby carpets generally do better in smaller enclosures until they are big and not so high strung, so rubbermaids work great for the first 6 months or so. As they grow they will need large cages, and I like to give mine climbing room to explore. As long as their basic requirements are met (thermalgradient, plenty of hides, food), then any cage can work. It's basically personal preference, but I do agree that such gems should be prominantly displayed in tanks.
Justin J
AAR

Thanks everybody for all the info and opinions. I will be picking him up the end of the week. I've already got his tank all set up. 15 gallon tall, with all the fixens'. I will post some pics after he has arrived.

What I am about to say is strictly due to experience, not opinion. Tanks do make for a much more atractive display, but they have few benefits for a young snake. A small jungle, or any type of carpet for that matter, feels much more secure in a small rubbermaid than a tank. A 15 gallon tank will be more than enough room for the snake, but they don't hold humidity or heat very well unless you partially cover the top. Also, the snake may feel insecure having so much space, and I have had them go off feed for months until I return them to a small rubbermaid, whereas they ALWAYS return to eating properly. I have used both methods, but I'm just trying to let you know what to look out for. The little fella may be overwhelmed by the 15 gallon tank, especially if the source you're recieving it from has used rubbermaids. Just keep the smaller rubbermaid in the back of your mind cause you might need it