Quote Originally Posted by justme View Post
I would rather have less animals and provide each with an adequately sized enclosure than the other way around.... As a reptile hobbyist, it's easy to attain anything we want just for the sake of it.., just because we can.... There's so much eye candy. But this sort of attitude doesn't sit right by me.

I do feel baby garters can be kept in 5 gallons but I prefer to move mine into a twenty gallon by the time they are one years old. Garters are active creature, they love to climb and explore. And when I have an animal that utilizes space, than "space" I give. I feel happy seeing them at their best. ;-)

I know many people do not share my views as this is a debatable subject.

Good luck.

Karen
Who's to say what an "adequate" sized enclosure actually is? It's extremely common practice in the reptile hobby to keep young snakes, hell even adults, in bin systems, because in all honesty, snakes do not need a ton of room.

I'm going to be pretty blunt about this, but garters do not "love" to climb and explore. Snakes do not have feelings toward you, you are a warm tree to them. When a snake is out and about, it isn't because it wants to explore and play, its because either it's hungry, or something in it's husbandry isn't proper, and it's looking for a more suitable place to meet its basic needs.

Snakes in the wild do not "come out and explore", they are a prey animal for numerous species, the risk of "exploring" simply isn't worth the chance of being eaten, they move when conditions aren't right, or they need food. Every other chance, the snake is hiding somewhere out of site, in some small area or under a rock, because it's dark and secure.

I keep nearly all of my snakes in tub systems, which I keep at certain humidity/temp depending on snake. I feed every 5-7 days depending on individual and they honestly have 0 reason to move around much. Even the 2 snakes that belong to my girlfriend, in 4x2 cages, sit in their hides 24/7 unless hungry or thirsty.

If you want some display snakes, by all means, pick up a 20 gallon tank and have a blast decorating it and keeping them, but to be perfectly honest, you're decorating the tank for YOUR needs, for YOUR viewing pleasure, the snake could care less.

-Mike