What do I need for a snake tank? and is this a good tank?

[ShadowBeast]

I want to get a garter snake and I need to know what I need.
So far I have:
ZooMed Aspen snake bedding
A rock for the snake to shed with
A little hiding den
A couple of thermometers for temp
A ExoTerra HeatWave substrate heater "rainforest"
And a temperary 10 gallon tank with screen hood

I plan to get:
A water bowl
And a larger tank

Is there anything else I would need? Any recommended vitamins?

And as for the tank what would be better a glass of acrylic?
I was thinking of getting this Lee`s Pet Products Herp Habitat 23 1/4 X 17 1/2 X 11 3/8 In-Labeled (http://www.petstore.com/ps_viewitem.aspx?idproduct=LE20151&child=LE20151&utm_source=pscseggl2&utm_medium=pscse&utm_campaign=pscseggl2&utm_content=LE20151) would that work?

[infernalis]

That looks like a nice snake cage. (I clicked the link)

You have a pretty good list, I am sure the other members will be happy to chime in with loads of great recommendations.

We have an excellent care sheet located here : Garter Snake Forum - Garter Caresheet (http://www.thamnophis.com/index.php?page=caresheet)

http://www.thamfriends.com/mat.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//744/medium/welcome.jpg

[EasternGirl]

The herp habitat that you are looking at buying...I have one of those...they are nice...but better for temporary housing or using for feeding tanks. Your best bet would be to look into getting a 20 gallon long tank with a slide lock lid on top or something with front sliding doors if you have the money...they can be pricey. I really love these: Zilla Critter Cages - Terrariums - Habitats & Accessories - PetSmart (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4070848) in the 20 gallon size. But like I said...they can be a bit pricey. I have a couple of them though...the lids are very secure and there is plenty of room. If you don't have the money...looking on Craig's list for a used tank is a good option...just try to find something with a locking lid. Your list of stuff looks good. You will want to think about a couple of hanging plants, a couple more hides, and possibly a dome lamp and bulb. But you can make hides and find stuff cheap: http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/enclosures/3359-how-save-money-have-fun.html No need to spend a bunch of money if you don't have it...we all know how that can be! :)

[Selkielass]

Watch salvation army and your other local thrift stores for tanks and enclosures- they turn up pretty regularly and you can find some great bargains- just don't go much over $1 a gallon for enclosures unless they include a strong lid, lights or a working heat mat.
Craigslist is also a good resource in many areas.

Be ready to clean and disinfect anything used- take that into consideration when you decide what you are willing to pay for an enclosure. Sometimes a tank isn't worth it if its heavily crud-encrusted. (Harsh cleaning chemicals can be very bad for pets.)

[ShadowBeast]

That looks like a nice snake cage. (I clicked the link)

You have a pretty good list, I am sure the other members will be happy to chime in with loads of great recommendations.

We have an excellent care sheet located here : Garter Snake Forum - Garter Caresheet (http://www.thamnophis.com/index.php?page=caresheet)

http://www.thamfriends.com/mat.jpg Thanks that care sheet will be helpful.


http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//744/medium/welcome.jpg

Thank you to both of you for the Welcome^^

[ShadowBeast]

The herp habitat that you are looking at buying...I have one of those...they are nice...but better for temporary housing or using for feeding tanks. Your best bet would be to look into getting a 20 gallon long tank with a slide lock lid on top or something with front sliding doors if you have the money...they can be pricey. I really love these: Zilla Critter Cages - Terrariums - Habitats & Accessories - PetSmart (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4070848) in the 20 gallon size. But like I said...they can be a bit pricey. I have a couple of them though...the lids are very secure and there is plenty of room. If you don't have the money...looking on Craig's list for a used tank is a good option...just try to find something with a locking lid. Your list of stuff looks good. You will want to think about a couple of hanging plants, a couple more hides, and possibly a dome lamp and bulb. But you can make hides and find stuff cheap: http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/enclosures/3359-how-save-money-have-fun.html No need to spend a bunch of money if you don't have it...we all know how that can be! :) As I really liked the herp habitat's dimensions I wish it didn't have that island stairway in the middle otherwise it would be almost perfect. are those tanks heavy like the fish tanks or are they lighter since the glass wouldn't have to hold so much water?
How about an acrylic tank? are they any good? I was also thinking of getting one these tanks Acrylic Reptile Cages and Enclosures from Big Apple Herp (http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Acrylic-Cages) since I heard that acrylic/plastic holds heat better then glass.

I actually already have a hanging plant from when I had an Iguana I'll try hanging that lower for the snake to hide in.
Is the dome lamp really necessary or optional?
I'll check that link for the diy stuff.


Watch salvation army and your other local thrift stores for tanks and enclosures- they turn up pretty regularly and you can find some great bargains- just don't go much over $1 a gallon for enclosures unless they include a strong lid, lights or a working heat mat.
Craigslist is also a good resource in many areas.

Be ready to clean and disinfect anything used- take that into consideration when you decide what you are willing to pay for an enclosure. Sometimes a tank isn't worth it if its heavily crud-encrusted. (Harsh cleaning chemicals can be very bad for pets.)
Yeah if I see one where it looks clean and has no scratched it it would be a bargain.
Oh yeah I would need the cleaning supplies as well thanks.

[EasternGirl]

The Herp Habitats are plastic. You just have to be careful with plastic and heat mats...there is one heat mat that Zoo Med makes that is specifically for plastic habitats...I believe it is the smallest one...the other heat mats would melt the plastic. A dome lamp is optional...I'm just saying that many garters do like to bask under the heat and light of a lamp. But you want to be careful not to have too much heat...a thermostat is the best way to ensure that you keep your temps where you want them on the warm and cool sides. If you are using the Herp Habitat or a small ten gallon tank...you probably wouldn't need a heat mat and a lamp...it might make it too warm. The caresheet will tell you the optimal temps that you are aiming for.

[Didymus20X6]

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/attachments/welcome-lounge/4500d1332817250-just-saying-hi-t9i0px.jpg

[ShadowBeast]

The Herp Habitats are plastic. You just have to be careful with plastic and heat mats...there is one heat mat that Zoo Med makes that is specifically for plastic habitats...I believe it is the smallest one...the other heat mats would melt the plastic. A dome lamp is optional...I'm just saying that many garters do like to bask under the heat and light of a lamp. But you want to be careful not to have too much heat...a thermostat is the best way to ensure that you keep your temps where you want them on the warm and cool sides. If you are using the Herp Habitat or a small ten gallon tank...you probably wouldn't need a heat mat and a lamp...it might make it too warm. The caresheet will tell you the optimal temps that you are aiming for.
How about this for a good snake tank? Zoo Med Naturalistic Terrariums, Habitats | PetSolutions (http://www.petsolutions.com/C/Reptile-Habitats/I/Zoo-Med-Naturalistic-Terrariums.aspx)

[EasternGirl]

Not good for garters....they need a lot of ground space as opposed to height in an enclosure...those kind of terrariums are more for climbing or arboreal reptiles.

[ShadowBeast]

Not good for garters....they need a lot of ground space as opposed to height in an enclosure...those kind of terrariums are more for climbing or arboreal reptiles.
What's a good length limit then.

[EasternGirl]

Many people go with 20 gallon long tanks which are actually about 30 inches in length. Some people opt for 30 gallon tanks or even longer. I wouldn't say there is necessarily a limit....but for one or two snakes, many people use tanks that measure somewhere between 30-40 inches in length I would say. In terms of height, I wouldn't go with anything higher than a standard aquarium tank.