Snake room

[9darlingcalvi]

I am starting to plan my dream snake room and was wondering if keeping all my snakes in bioactive setup would be appropriate, all of my snake will be us native and I don’t plan on breeding right away. All will be in display tanks with a massive bull snake viv as my showpiece. Most of the other snakes will be smaller like hog noses, milk snakes, garters and rosy boas. None of them will be morphs I personally don’t like morphs unless it’s melonistic, so my question is would plywood or glass aquariums be better and top opening or front opening enclosures. Last is it beneficial to breed feeders like mice and toad (for eastern hognoses)?

[9darlingcalvi]

Would it be smart to get a couple mounting geckos and breed those to feed the young hognoses?

[Albert Clark]

I am starting to plan my dream snake room and was wondering if keeping all my snakes in bioactive setup would be appropriate, all of my snake will be us native and I don’t plan on breeding right away. All will be in display tanks with a massive bull snake viv as my showpiece. Most of the other snakes will be smaller like hog noses, milk snakes, garters and rosy boas. None of them will be morphs I personally don’t like morphs unless it’s melonistic, so my question is would plywood or glass aquariums be better and top opening or front opening enclosures. Last is it beneficial to breed feeders like mice and toad (for eastern hognoses)?

Welcome to the forum. Melamine seems to be the standard for enclosures over most all other materials. You have to consider the water based paint and waterproof wood sealer to best complete the look. Also, you will have to pay close attention to the floor of the enclosure as this will be where most of the waterproofing and sealing will be very important. Sometimes the more drying allowed along with the added coats of waterproofing will be beneficial. Silicone for your panel crevices is a consideration as well. I think your access points for top or front should be your own preference. As far as the breeders, it's always helpful but maybe not practical or convenient for live breeding of feeders. The toads will be much more difficult than the mice in my opinion. Much easier to keep a couple of anoles frozen along with frog legs that are easier to obtain and keep for the picky hognose. Remember, you don't want them fixated on live toads bc then it's very hard to get them off. By scenting, you can gradually wean them off until they are taking mice exclusively.

[Albert Clark]

Would it be smart to get a couple mounting geckos and breed those to feed the young hognoses?

I would start out offering mice and if i encounter picky feeders then start with a scenting of the food offered and see how that goes.

[Jodon]

I have read, probably on this forum, that a front loading enclosure may make for tamer and more handleable snakes, as an approach from above may signify a predator.

[9darlingcalvi]

Okay, I think I’ll go away from breeding and will just keep the animals as a hobby not breeding . My list would be
Rubber boa
Rosy boa
Gray-banded Kingsnake
Eastern kingsnake
Western hognose
Eastern hognose
Plains hognose
Night snake
Coachwhip
North watersnake
Banded watersnake
Gopher snake
Pink snake
Dekay’s brown snake
Red-bellied snake
Northwestern garter
Checkered garter
Blacknecked garter
Plains garter
Eastern garter
Red-sided garter
Common garter
Lyre snake
Rough Green snake
(MAYBE Pigmy rattler) *way later in the hobby, last thing I would get*
-Non-snakes-
Great plains skink
Eastern collared lizard
Banded gecko
Smooth soft shell turtle
Gray tree frog
Boreal chorus frog
Pacific chorus frog
American bullfrog
Oak toad
American toad
Pacific giant salamander
Tiger salamander
Red-backed salamander

[9darlingcalvi]

I am starting to fill a notebook of every enclocure sketch, I have decided to have open swinging doors to place window vents on the backs/side of the vivarium for air flow. Would you guys like to see weekly to bi-weekly posts about the setup and all the specs?

[Jodon]

Yes I would, I'm beginning to collect ideas for my eventual ultimate set up as well.

[9darlingcalvi]

Okay, I have made the two boa species that I will be keeping (rosy and rubber), I will give all of my animals uvb even if they don’t need it all of the animals would revive uvb somehow in nature