5 gal. tank?

[Sonya610]

Small size is easier to maintain those perfect temps/humidity etc for the individual animal, and easier for us to maintain as well. The snake will not suffer for a smaller cage, if anything, it may feel more secure in the smaller size.

Do define "their comfort of mind" for me? I've never had my snakes tell me what that is, or share with me how they want an enclosure set up. They don't speak english nor write, the only way I can tell if a snake is doing well or not, is if its healthy weight, has some activity, and is able to reproduce. If those are all met, why is my snake so neglected for living in a small bin?

...Again, you're being very anthropomorphic about these animals. They don't "explore the outdoors" because it goes against the natural instinct to survive, and they certainly just don't go around moving around because they just feel like it. Something in the environment, or lack of food, triggers the snake to need to relocate itself. As much as we may wish our snakes had thinking/problem solving skills like us, they simply don't.

I'm not saying I'm wrong or right, again, I have nothing against people who keep their animals in large enclosures, but at the same point they need to realize it's more for them than it is the snake itself. I also feel that the community who keeps snakes in large enclosures is overly harsh of those of us who keep them in smaller cages. We're told our small cages are "cruel and uncaring" when in all reality, my snakes in bins are just as healthy as yours in aquariums, it's a personal preference.

Ummmm...so you admit that keeping reptiles in small cheap containers is EASIER for YOU and then you go on to accuse those that choose larger naturalistic environments as doing "all for themself and not the animal".

Hmmmm...seems like a bit of a contradiction eh? Also "eating, being somewhat active, and reproducing" are not proof of much. Humans can and do survive in small prison cells for decades, an alien could peer down and say "now see, he eats everyday and breeds if given the chance therefore he must be content in that environment".

Fact is in nature Garters are fairly busy little guys, whether for food or heat or whatever. In a captive environment they are still hard wired to want some activity, and their nature does not change simply because they don't need to hunt for food constantly.

Humans have very LITTLE understanding of how most other species interpret their world. To think we understand them and their perception is quite ignorant and arrogant on our part. Keep in mind a few decades ago doctors "knew" that newborn human infants could NOT feel pain, they would perform major surgery on those infants and they were certain the cries and thrashing were involuntary responses that had NOTHING to do with actually suffering because the infants were physically incapable of experiencing real pain.

Twas proven! And we know a heck of a lot more regarding human infants than we do regarding how other species perceive their worlds.

Basic understanding of animal psychology alone proves that the snake has no feelings, and has no use for them.

We have NO real understanding regarding the psychology of most animals! Even the psychology of canines is hotly debated. How can anyone even pretend to understand their psychology when you yourself say they can't tell you what they are thinking?