Selecting an Enclosure can be a daunting task. There are many things you need to keep in mind when it comes the the animals health, your interaction, cost, size, and availability. While its tempting the buy a smaller enclosure for a snake to start off, most everything that you will need to complete that enclosure will need to be sized up when the snake becomes bigger so you end up buying twice as much. It is much better to buy once with everything matched from the very start.
As a General rule of thumb, your enclosure should be 1.5 times as long as your snake. While this rule works well for snakes under 4 ft, it starts to become less practical as you get up into the larger snakes. In these cases a custom enclosure is often times the better choice.
Glass Terrarium
Pros:
Available in very small to around 40 gallon, aquarium tanks can be found larger but will require a custom top
Inexpensive
Readily available at most pet stores and online
Easy to sanitize
Handles high humidity well if your snake overflows the water bowl
Easier to create a thermal gradient of cold side and hot side due to screen top shedding heat
Due to open top, it is easier to run lighting such as basking lights or mercury vapor bulb which generate a lot of ambient heat.
Heat mats can be installed under, or in the enclosure as long as the snake does not come indirect contact like when using tile on top.
Cons:
Reaching in from above your snake can be threatening to them, and sometimes more difficult to pick up
Lighting often sit on the very top you are trying to remove, and sliding to one side often burns the plastic. Buying a stand for them often lifts it up enough to negate is effectiveness.
Glass does not retain heat very well so loss of heat and subsequent cost is a factor
Font Opening Glass Terrarium
Pros:
Available up to around 40 gallon but very few any larger
Reaching in from the front can be easier for you and less stressful for the snake than reaching in from the top
Easy to sanitize
Handles high humidity well if your snake overflows the water bowl
Lights and heaters sit on the top and don't need to be moved to get into the tank.
Easier to create a thermal gradient of cold side and hot side due to screen top shedding heat
Due to open top, it is easier to run lighting such as basking lights or mercury vapor bulb which generate a lot of ambient heat.
Heat mats can be installed under, or in the enclosure as long as the snake does not come indirect contact like when using tile on top.
Cons:
A bit more expensive
Can be harder to find, Petsmart Thrive brand is highly recommended for the features it comes with
Glass does not retain heat very well so loss of heat and subsequent cost is a factor
Melamine Wood Enclosure
Pros:
Available in a variety of sizes from small to very large exceeding 200 gallon
Reaching in from the front your enclosure can be easier for you and less stressful for the snake than reaching in from above
Panels are easy sanitize, but caulking in corners can be problematic
Lights and heaters mount in the enclosure for a cleaner external look
Cons:
A bit more expensive
Can be harder to find, usually at reptile stores like LLL Reptile
Wood retains heat very well
Does not handle high humidity well if your beardy dumps the water bowl, particle board swells and disintegrates
You must have screens enclosing the light and heater for protection.
Can be difficult to get a good temperature gradient because these retain heat so well, may require heavy modification to add enough venting to allow for a cold side.
Due to lighting and heater being in the enclosure, it is much harder to run lighting such as basking lights or mercury vapor bulb which generate a lot of ambient heat which can turn these quickly into an oven.
You cannot mount any heat under the tank, it must be inside. Tile over heat tape, ceramic heat emitter, or radiant heat panels are required.
Pvc Enclosure
Pros:
Available in a variety of sizes from small to large of around 100 gallon
Reaching in from the front your enclosure can be easier for you and less stressful for the snake than reaching in from above
Panels are easy sanitize
PVC retains heat very well
Lights and heaters mount in the enclosure for a cleaner external look
Does handle high humidity well if your beardy dumps the water bowl, particle board swells and disintegrates
Can be shipped disassembled
Cons:
More expensive
Can be harder to find, usually internet only, sometimes in reptiles stores but at a premium
You must have screens enclosing the light and heater for protection.
Can be difficult to get a good temperature gradient because these retain heat so well, may require heavy modification to add enough venting to allow for a cold side.
Due to lighting and heater being in the enclosure, it is much harder to run lighting such as basking lights or mercury vapor bulb which generate a lot of ambient heat which can turn these quickly into an oven.
You cannot mount any heat under the tank, it must be inside. Tile over heat tape, ceramic heat emitter, or radiant heat panels are required.
