Hi, I am a professional keeper at an AZA accredited aquarium. At my facility I am soley responsible for the care of all herpetofauna in the collection. Having followed your channel for some time I have to say I really like the content you create, I have had minor disagreements here and there but nothing really worth mentioning. This video however is a favorite of mine, my job everyday is to try and ensure that our reptiles receive the best care possible on a daily basis. With that in mind, teaching myself to not anthropomorphise these animals was a difficult process. Now having the amount of experience that I do allows me to put myself into the perspective of the species and design an optimal habitat based on their needs. I really enjoy this type of discussion as I feel it opens up the minds of the public in the realization that these animals have needs very distinct from our own and how difficult it can be to meet those needs. Thank you
@@TheHeadown I think birds are one of the animals that suffer the most when we anthropomorphise them. Clipping wings, keeping them alone. We celebrate when they act like dogs and humans. Birds, especially parrots are amazing "actors" and they often suffer much more than we think.
Aurora Surrealis parrots mimic you on their own, without teaching. You should never put something like wing clipping in one category because every individual case is different and some birds are safer with their wings clipped because of being prone to accidents which can and will result in death.
I’m not calling anyone out but I don’t like how there a some people, including RU-vid influencers, who say that your enclosure/bin should be this big but yet they have snake racks that don’t match up to their own size requirements. One RU-vidr in particular had me going on a wild goose chase trying to find an appropriate tub size for a ball python. Well, turns out that, under their guidelines, the tubs don’t exist. They use tubs that are smaller than what they recommend and it’s really annoying to me. Ps, Clint isn’t one of those people
And happy. My 6' Eastern Kingsnake lived 25 years in a former 8' long showcase with stuff to climb on, boxes to hide in, and a sunken pool big enough to bathe in.
Agree, sadly a lot of people are insistent that their pet surviving mean it's "happy". Although anthropomorphising reptiles is bad due to many inaccurate information and biases, treating these reptile like a pet rock where it's in an empty enclosure or just bare "minimum", with no type of stimulation is terrible. Even zoos have realized all types of animals need some type of stimulation to be kept happy
We've all seen and love Emily's enclosures and have seen and been unhappy with Brian's but i don't think we've ever seen any of yours. Can you do a home tour video sometime just for extra perspective and comparison? I'm am pretty confident they are great as well.
Unhappy with brian's? That's how every snake breeder (well atleast ball python breeders) do it, How do you think people keep hundreds, if not thousands of ball pythons? Yes, it may be better to have them in a bigger enclosure, but thats not for breeders. Im sorry.
But that's just the thing. Breeder animals (regardless if we're talking snakes, dogs, or any other animal) deserve to have their needs (physical and mental) met. It cannot cost too much money to keep animals responsibly. It cannot take too much time. YOU however, can be too broke or over your head. Not properly caring for an animal is not properly caring for an animal regardless of why you have that animal.
NothingToSeeHere I bred dogs, they have tons and tons of space. Ball pythons don’t need much, they can actually die if you give them too much at one time.
For my ball python's 23rd birthday, I recently upgraded him from a standard sized sterile enclosure to a 3' L x 3' T x 2' D enclosure, complete with live plants, climbing branches, a large water dish he can submerge himself in, and an additional level to his cage with a hide he can go into like a snake loft. So far he's using all the new space. He hides during the day when all the lights are on, but comes out and moves around at night, climbing up the branches, moving from hide to hide, and generally climbing and exploring. It's still early, but my preliminary experience with my python suggests snakes will use the space you give them. My suspicion is that since many species are nocturnal and generally kept in small enclosures, we assume they're sedentary animals because we don't give them opportunities to move about and if we did we'd be asleep when they were exploring. I would encourage fellow reptile keepers to give their animals as much space as is reasonable, and if space is a limiting factor, I would consider building larger more elaborate enclosures in lieu of accumulating additional animals. Folks tend to keep snakes in pretty small enclosures, and I think even a moderate increase of 2-3x the size can make a big difference in terms of increased space and allowing space for additional enrichment.
This is the kind of evidence that he's talking about. Yes, anecdotal, but that can lead to empirical evidence. I don't own a ball python yet, but I'm planning on it, and considering what kind of enclosure to get/make. And I'll throw a thought out: not anthropomorphizing, but an analogy between admittedly different creatures. We acknowledge that different members of the same species or breed can and do have widely variable personalities and preferences, yes? Crested geckos prefer certain CGD flavors over others, some ball pythons will refuse frozen/thawed feeders(correct me if I'm wrong), some dogs of breeds that famously love water hate it with a passion, and hell, even some house cats love to swim and bathe. Doesn't it stand to reason that some members of ball pythons may enjoy a small enclosure, while others may enjoy a larger enclosure with room to explore? It's worth a thought, in my mind. Not saying what is the right way, but it's always worth considering that specific preferences can vary from creature to creature, but seeking out the common general preferences is a worthwhile goal. Is your python the exception, or part of the rule? I don't know, but very interested in finding out.
@@stevenn1940 This is a very good point and describes something similar to what I was thinking while reading Connor’s comment. While I am super happy that his ball python is using the space provided for him and seemingly enjoying the space to explore and exercise, I have also heard (anecdotal evidence) of the opposite. Sometimes snakes who have been housed in standard bins their entire lives (specifically talking about adults) do not do well transitioning to a larger setup (even one heavily planted with plenty of hides). I believe this is simply because they are so used to the way they have lived up until then, that they feel exposed when given more space. I’m thinking, after reading your comment, that the ball pythons I have read about reacting this way must have a personal preference of being in a cozy warm hole where all their needs are met and just don’t prefer a larger space. An interesting nature vs nurture conversation, to be sure.
@@stevenn1940 i can confirm what the original commentor said with my own ball python as I give her branches to climb on and deep substrate. I hear her moving through the leaves of the plants in her enclosure at night all the time, she even burrows herself under her substrate and sometimes will burrow into her hide instead of going through the entrance. The thing with snakes that people often overlook is that while a species may be know for doing one thing (ie. Arboreal/ground dwelling) they will tend to do both if given the chance. One of the other problems I also see is people not understanding how to use a regular terrarium for a snake. Glass, pvc, wood etc. You should make sure that all sides but the front facing one are covered. This allows the snake to feel safer since it has walls surrounding it emulating the feeling of a safe cave that an opaque tub/rack system has but with the space for it to move around if it needs/wants to. The amount of times I've heard/seen people put ball pythons especially in 4 side glass enclosures and then wonder why the snake seems nervous or won't eat is astounding. I've had my ball python in a glass tank with the sides and back covered with cork paneling with lots of plants/vines, a climbing branch across her enclosure and deep substrate. This setup is not "the norm" for a ball python but is a lot closer to its actual environment and its what I recommend now to people I know who might want to get one, and it seems to work pretty well as my bp has never refused a meal.
This. Thank you for the non toxic contribution to the comments, because reading them was getting depressing. My ball python is still a bit of a baby but he loves his multiple hides, climbing on top of things, and even tries burrowing. I’m working on finding more things for him to climb to maximize his tank space, since he enjoys using it so much! (I’m a student so I’m up late a lot lol)
My first Ball Python was born without eyes. He did live in a large tub with a warm hide, a cool hide sphagnum moss and a large water bowl. He found his way around his home perfectly. He often came out for enrichment which he enjoyed. Like your snake he lived well into his twenties.
Something that is often overlooked, especially with the more lazy species like ball pythons, is exercise. There is a reason why so many ball pythons are obese and that's because they don't have space to move around, build up muscles and burn calories. Of course a snake will feel happy in its perfect little hole but just like any other animal it needs activity to stay healthy. And it doesn't even have to be complex enrichment. Just some different textures and stuff to climb on so the snake has to use its entire body to get around. I feel like sometimes we tend to coddle our reptiles so much that we forget how important a healthy amount of discomfort is. Would a child have the time of their life just watching cartoons the whole day and eating junk food? Probably. That doesn't mean it won't be detrimental to them in the future. Since it's impossible to ask a snake what it really wants or needs, and the lack of decade long behavioral research, I feel like the best methode is going with an enclosure that resembles their natural habitat the most and include everything that they would encounter in the wild from substrate to bury in to branches to climb on, all things that don't have to be expensive and are incredibly easy to incorporate in an enclosure. Emily's racks are good examples for cheap and efficient snake keeping in my opinion.
Absolutely, my baby Ball Python was put into a larger enclosure, with lots of hides and fake leaves as cover, for the very reason of exercise and habitual needs. Just because we all know a BP hides most of the time doesn't mean that in the wild it *always* hid, these things have to move around
@@andrewmeyer3599 FYI I've been to Africa and watched the habits of wild bAll pythons guess what they pretty much lay around 99.9% of the time. And most ball python owners give their ball pythons enrichment even the big breeders.
@@dvlexotics2177 "Oh so you've been to Benin or Ghana" Wow, what a pretentious douchebag, also I find it hilarious you came at me like that to only end up agreeing with me about literally everything I said so good job I guess?
Snakes do slither around in the wild though, they dont stay balled up for how ever long, nor do wild or snakes that have space to move in their tanks get deformed spines from staying in a balled up position, imagine your spine being in one position for hours.. if you have a snake in a tiny tub, take it out everyday so it can climb you, explore, or whatever, they are a muscle.... think about what a muscle needs. It needs stimulation to get bigger an stronger, it will also be a stronger constrictor, way stronger than a snake that cant move around very much at all. Same with humans, we have muscles we need to stimulate these muscles other wise we will detireiate. Why do you think old people cant walk!? Or you see a bunch of people with UNDEVELOPED MUSCLES hit the gym an get DEVELOPED muscles. You will notice a difference in how you feel am everything else.... so never make fun of a bodybuilder, or a person that thinks a snake needs exercise because they do!
I think sterile tubs are great... for quarantine, injured snakes, or snakes with disabilities that need it. Otherwise, I don’t think there’s a reason to keep an animal in such a bareboned environment. That being said, I think tubs can be a good permanent home if set up correctly. They’re great for holding humidity, and you can get a very large enclosure that you can easily move and clean on your own, which is important for the health of the snake. But they have to have enough space and enrichment to meet the snake’s needs. I also personally believe that they should be clear, so as to establish a proper day/night cycle, and have at least two hides for the snake to get in to feel secure. In the end, I think glass enclosures vs. tubs is a personal choice, as long as they are properly set up and maintained with the snake’s well-being in mind.
if those tubs with viewing panels (i forgot the brand but theyre the premium one) had larger viewing panels to let more light in to give the reptile a more normal day/night cycle since room lights are usually on during day and off during night as well as being deeper to allow burrowing species to burrow and other snakes to climb on branches and hides for enrichment then rack system would be more reasonable
Also, I think that there's nothing wrong with a sterile tub. But Brian keeps snakes in enclosures that aren't even half their length. No hides etc. It's no different than a dog living in a crate. Can you keep it clean? Fed? Fairly healthy? Sure. Is it humane? No. Not in my personal opinion.
@@taylorcochran. he is an animal pimp. He cares more about revenue than his animals. I followed him and watched his albino retic lose half it's jaw to untreated mouth rot, only to have him say it was an "accident" with a snake hook. I breed and train working line German Shepherds. I've met people like him in the animal business before. They have a fascination with animals for sure, but they fall short on compassion and being responsible. His wife even 'joked' about how a shipment of geckos would all die if he were left solely responsible for their care.
@@taylorcochran. and the reason he wants to have that sit down debate is because another youtuber called out these things and compared his enclosures to the more comprehensive enclosures of the young woman he's set to debate. I noticed the python's mouth rot far before that video was uploaded and unsubscribed.
It is one thing to keep a ball python in a nice rack, because it stays in a hole almost all of its life. But to put a +10 ft retic that likes to explore in a box half their size is abuse. Many of Brians retics are obese. Same with most colubrids, they are active snakes that need space.
@@DeineMuddah97 my BPs are handled every day and rarely use their hides. They lay out to bask and cruise their tanks whenever I come home. I agree, they don't need as much space as snakes that actively hunt, but they need more than a shoebox.
curtis m Definitely more than a shoebox for sure! All racks Brian uses are a joke. I would never consider these snake-friendly. Plus, taking good care also means to look at the different needs of every individual snake. But with so many animals there is no time to concentrate on that. When mass breeding, the welfare does not count anymore. Except for those lucky reptiles, which are shown off to public.
I don't have a snake, but I think snake Discovery has a very compelling argument about keeping a humidity box vs keeping the whole enclosure humid. I have to agree with you about anthropomorphising animals. When I first started keeping chickens, I purchased a premade coop. It was a super adorable little barn with it's little gable and it's little enclosed run and came up to my hip. As my chickens started growing larger and really feathering out, I realized that this coop had more aesthetic then function as there was no way to keep the recommended amount of chickens in such a small space. We quickly upgraded to a small shed and my chooks are much happier. As for treating them as humans, the first time it rained after we got them (they free range in our fenced in backyard during the day), my mother wanted me to round them up into the coop so they wouldn't get wet and catch a cold. We live in Texas. Needless to say, the chickens love the rain and seem to enjoy the occasional dousing.
@animayyy I would disagree with that statement. While she does use tubs... She doesn't use the bare minimum. She gives a more appropriate amount of room for her snakes, uses bedding instead of paper towels, actually teaches her audience how to care for snakes instead of using shock value entertainment... Plus, I haven't seen her snakes with a worrying about of mouth rot. So... Some of the few similarities: They breed snakes in tubs. They speak English. Uhhh well that's about it
@@davidls187 This is very true. I should have said her video on ball pythons and their enclosures as that is the snake I'm most interested in. Ball pythons are the only type of snake I've done any sort of in-depth research on and watched videos regarding their care and enclosures. I can't say either way if the way she keeps her other snakes are appropriate and I highly suggest that anyone who is interested in keeping an animal to research thoroughly beforehand.
All of my reptiles are in bioactive enclosures. They are more active than when they were in sterile enclosures and I believe they feel more secure. I have a really nervous crestie that was hardly eating and almost never came out. She comes out every night, eats good, and doesn't hide from everything. Her sterile enclosure had a lot of hiding spaces just like she has now. I think not having to take them out to clean everything reduces their stress. My BP has only had perfect sheds and loves to explore any changes in the enclosure. My beardie is also way more active and also likes exploring any changes in the enclosure.
I've been looking into bioactive/learning. For the ball pythons, I've seen it with and without the drainage layer at the bottom. What are you using? And how long has is lasted so far? That's really awesome you do that!
@@fangfang.boogie I would use a drainage layer. It helps maintain a stable humidity level. If you have plants and accidentally over water then you won't have to worry about getting boggy soil and anaerobic bacteria.
There's definitely room to debate the finer details, but almost every animal needs substrate, a hide, and a water dish. The enclosure itself cannot be the hide - this should be a sheltered, more restricted space within the enclosure where the animal can retreat and feel safe. Emily's enclosures meet this well - the snakes have substrate they can interact with (even better than just a floor), one or more hides, and water. Brian's enclosures have a newspaper floor - easy to clean but provides no stimulation, no hides (unless he's changed in the year or so since I stopped watching him), and water. I think that Emily is a great example of a responsible breeder, whereas Brian has a lot of room to improve.
The idea of stimulation is a big factor for snakes I believe . Are most snakes going to live long healthy happy lives in a simple sterile tub? Yes. However would that snake benefit from stimulation, I.e things to climb,smell and explore? My bp certainly seems to like climbing at night times, and I like to think it's befitting him (exercise etc) . Obviously stimulation can be implemented through handling so I guess each to there own, as long as care is correct of course.
@ॐ गणेश ॐ dude are you stupid? what do you mean they stress from large space? they stress from no coverage... They wouldn't be eating out in the fucking wild if open space stressed them out to not eat! stop justifying keeping them in tiny tubs to hoard them...
There can be some argument about small enclosures for ball pythons, but what bryan does to retics though is just straight up animal abuse, they're fairly active in the wild and it shows the effects, his snakes are usually not healthy looking at all specially with mouth rot from trying to push out of their tiny boxes.
Most snakes are only active in the wild while hunting..the rest of the time they are in their den or sunning. A snake really doesn't require much space..The huge aquarium decorated with all the trees and rocks is for the owner to feel less guilty.
@@lisakn27 That is true but retics do move around to some extent specially as juveniles as they are semi-arboreal at that stage, plus they swim quite readily. The main issue is exercise, you can say the snake never gets bored which I can believe, but you can't tell me that never exercising their muscles like they'd do in the wild is healthy. Remember these are giant snakes locked up 95%+ of their lives in tubs half their own length or even smaller.
ZepeTV if I’m not mistaken Brian has had many videos talking about taking out the large snakes and giving them exercise and enrichment. You also have to look at it from his point of view. Large snakes in large displays tend to find a corner and sit unless they are hunting, need to bathe, shed, etc. when you’re breeding hundreds and hundreds of animals with a certain amount of space, you have to pick your battles so to speak. Do you give up the room to house certain snakes to display a snake and have it move SOME of the time or do you keep it in a cage where it feels safe and secure and take it out for enrichment during cage cleanings or the necessary soaking or whatnot?
I feel bad watching the conditions Brian has... also I think it’s why so many of his breeders bite when handled. I have a 20 ft retic who has a bedroom and bathroom for himself, but also allowed to walk around the house... which he does every day... loves exploring many rooms and getting exercise or soaking in the bathtub. He is healthy and happy! Keeping a snake in a 3ft tub is no different than keeping a Lion in an 8ft cage.
“If snakes could have the perfect little hole where the humidity and heat was right, water was brought in and poop was removed.. and occasional a mate came in and then left. They would never leave”. Same, snake. Same.
Perhaps you would. There are people who do, and they are rarely physically and mentally healthy. Goes for a lot of species, but somehow snakes are the exception because... we want them to be.
@@nikolaus2688 You just anthropomorphised. You cannot compare one kind of animal to another. Snakes are very different from people and even mammals. It takes discipline to look at a snake's needs without putting our needs onto them.
@Schaferhund people always bring up this issue of "anthropomorphising" snakes but it's arguably worse to assume less of an animal simply because it's more convenient and cheaper for YOU. Does Brian keep his snakes in empty bins because it's best for them? Obviously not, he puts the minimum amount of effort into it for the maximum profit. Have higher standards for the animals we bring into this world as our pets.
When it comes to enclosures my take is to do your research. Study the environment and behavior of the animal in the wild then study how they are being kept in captivity. Take advice on that from people who have healthy adult animals and who are the kind of keeper you wish to be. Then try and combine both research into one enclosure if possible. Also be willing to change it to meet the needs of that specific individual. If the snake acts stressed in the enclosure after it’s had time to acclimate then size up or down depending on where you already are. I think the goal should be that they thrive and not just survive. Researching the difference between those two states for the animal you are getting should be a part of your research process because it’s different for different animals and species.
Agreed. I think you should seek to emulate the natural environment but seek to change it in a way beneficial to the animal, by removing the harmful aspects of nature and enhancing the beneficial ones. Research is the most important for sure, but I think more important than that you have to spend time observing your animals behavior and their interactions with their environment.
Looking forward to the future collaborations with Emily, not so much having to see you with Brian, but maybe he'll learn something from you and Emily and not shout over the two of you.
@@zepetv589 plastic tubs aren't shoe boxes. Since he opened the Reptarium he moved them. The new ones are in quarantine. Everyone has their own opinions. I like Brian you don't 🤷♀️
@@brittaniharden9008 There's overwhelming proof that he's neglecting a number of his animals, and his actions (or inaction as it were) have led to the deaths of a number of them. There's a few videos out there about this, and they're all rather damning. So no, he's not ok.
I let my snakes tell me what they needed. Even in dark tubs, they went into hides. That tells me they want hides. They get hides. They don't tend to soak but they do like to slither through their water. So, they have low, wide water dishes. One of them loves to climb, so he gets more things to climb on. This stuff really isn't rocket science. The real question is whether the stark tubs that breeders typically keep snakes in are detrimental to the snakes' well being. I'm pretty mixed on that. *I think* (meaning that this is my opinion and shouldn't be taken as anything more than that) rather than a macro discussion, it really has to be taken on a species by species (and even animal by animal) basis. I just have a funny feeling that breeders as big as Brian probably don't know whether "Pied female number 12" would prefer a different setup than "Leopard Mojave male number 8," know what I mean? Of course, that doesn't mean they aren't getting sufficient care. It just means that the discussion really _should_ be happening. Anyway, thanks for updating us about Brian's panel being cancelled. I had a feeling that would be the case. It mostly seemed like a way to draw some "good press" his way after his Spider Ball Python rant got him a lot of negative attention. Now that it has died down, I guess there's no reason to actually follow through with it.
I think sometimes people forget that their pets completely rely on them for everything, and the quality of that animal’s life is completely up to the owner. Your animal cannot choose what they want, so you have to choose for them. If you want to keep your snake on newspaper with just one flimsy plastic hide and a water bowl in the enclosure, just know that your animal is getting absolutely no stimulation from their environment. Although the debate on wether snakes get bored or not is still up in the air, I think the majority of snakes would at least enjoy some substrate and a second hide.
My personal view is that our pets shouldn't just live, they should thrive. Oftentimes, that does mean spending a bit more money to provide enrichment like textures, smells, things to climb on or burrow in. I do not agree with people placing any animal in a bin or box with a hide, some newspaper/paper towels, and a water dish. Can your snake, lizard, and even a dog survive with just the bare necessities? Sure, but they're certainly not going to thrive in that type of situation. (Excluding situations where this is necessary, like with illness or injury.) I'm going to use my Kenyan sand boa, Nefarian, as an example. Throughout my research before purchasing him, many people said all he needs is one hide ("that he probably will never use"), a water dish, and thick substrate. Well, I didn't listen to that. I got multiple hides, desert plants, rocks, a sand box, and a humidity hide. Did I expect him to use them? I had no idea honestly, but I figured it was better to remove them versus never trying them in the first place. Nefarian will pretty regularly come out around 10 PM to 1 AM, slither around in the sand box, climb on or through the hides, investigate the rocks, and use the humidity hide when he's in shed. Of course, he always ends his little exploration with burrowing back down into the substrate, but he still utilizes everything else in one way or another. He eats aggressively still, sheds in one piece, and isn't showing any signs of stress or illness from what I can tell. I'm sure he could live just fine without things to explore, but he certainly utilizes what he has in his enclosure with what seems like great interest. Many sources have mentioned over and over how Kenyan sand boas will never climb or use hides, but from my experience and several other people in sand boa communities, that doesn't seem to be the case. If you give them things to explore, they'll usually explore it. Certainly, that's closer to thriving than a tank with an inch or two of substrate, one hide or none at all, and a water dish.
Aw I love this! I heard similar things about ball pythons, but I catch mine out exploring almost every night. Sometimes she even basks under her day light.
In Switzerland keeping snakes in a rack system is actually illegal. Even breeders are required to have quite large enclosures here. Your points do sound quite good though, and throughout RU-vid you can see many cases of healthy snakes in rack systems, so I really don't know what was the reasoning for them to ban rack systems here.
Rack systems aren't inherently bad, but from what I hear, the problem arises when the snake just lives in a barren tub (sometimes that means there isn't even substrate!). Snakes aren't people, but every animal gets bored without enrichment. Just throwing some branches in there to give them something to climb on or over adds some interesting factors to their environment. I think a lot of people just don't understand that using a rack system still means you have to maintain a bunch of enclosures, and you can't just toss a snake into a drawer with a water bowl and newspaper as a shortcut. A lot of people dislike Brian Barczyk because he keeps his snakes in very sparse rack enclosures, sometimes in drawers that are far too small for the actual snake. Compare this to a responsible rack user like Emily from Snake Discovery, who keeps her snakes in well-furnished and appropriately-sized bins, and thus is received much more positively.
@@qwench3am553 To be fair, it could have also been an uninformed moral outrage situation. Switzerland is a direct democracy, all policy is decided by majority vote among the citizenry. While this does result in relatively fair decisions with things that affect the populace as a whole, it can often cause problems with niche issues where the general public isn't qualified to make those decisions.
@@VestedUTuber that is false. They vote on the policies, but don't write them. Animal welfare rules can be quite comprehensive. A vote on 'excellent quality care for kept animals' is good and bad. The minutia is written by civil servants, don't blame the populace, they make high level decisions. And though the animal care rules may be underwhelming, that is just one tiny section of law. Also consider the great wealth of the swiss and their culture. They do 2 years military service and are required to keep 2,000 rounds of government issued ammunition and an automatic assault rifle in their homes as a minimum. This is not a very similar culture at all to ours. They don't like to experiment, and find gatekeeping animal keeping as best for them.
No reptile chooses to be housed in a box, and therefore we should be doing our absolute best as caretakers of these wonderful creatures to make their homes as close as possible to what they'd be getting in the wild. This goes for other animals as well, but reptiles are the focus. Bioactive for the win IMHO.
As close to the wild means endangering the snake, just a note, a captive snake should get captive keepment, so the best for it to thrive, not the most natural solution, but of course nature shouldn't be abandoned, just not the focus. That's just my opinion.
I have a Colombian rainbow boa and Iv had her in a naturalistic environment most of her life so far and have rarely seen her come out of her hide except to feed and that’s day or night time Iv recently got her a new polypropylene vivarium and instead of orchid bark she’s on paper which she prefers she’d always move the bark and make a little circle to lay herself in so she was more comfortable. She also used to have two naturalistic hides which I’ve swapped because she got to big for them I now use two washing up bowls upside down with a hole cut out.. I will be adding some branches and leaves just in case but like I say unless I physically get her out she’ll rarely come out except to bathe,shed or feed! I like to think I know my snake by now and have given her everything she needs either way....
I went bioactive with Brazilian rainbow boa 4 years ago and never looked back. Leopard gecko is bioactive and so is my new milksnake. They all move so much more than they did during quarantine in stirile tubs.
Clearly you do not own boxes in lizard areas. However- looking natural even just like their environment can be far LESS comfortable for the snake or lizard. Substrate it doesn't like, log branches that make it uncomfortable for it to navigate, even some hazards. Shedding is another case especially where terrain both helps and can be a risk. Live foods can be a factor, too. You can let the animal pick by observing its preferences, too of course if you care about that sort of thing. Many prefer surprisingly artificial things. No, the reason to set up a terrarium is they are the prettiest and most exciting part of keeping a pet, reptiles especially! Who cares if the animal likes a cotton basket or plastic tub, slicing out a chunk of the amazon etc is so cool!
At the end of the day - PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SNAKE. Often times I set up the "perfect" enclosure, to discover my snake destroys half of it trying to make the enclosure work for them. For example, my rescue gopher snake kept pushing her cool hide away so she can burrow in the substrate. So I took away the cool hide completely and added more substrate. She is much more settled now.
Been struggling to find a way to describe this to people who don’t understand. This video does it perfectly because it dehumanizes the snake and makes them sound adorable(which people can sympathize with easier) all at once so people are more likely to actually listen to you and take a step back to look at the snake from the animals perspective. Thank you hope you don’t mind if I use this description.
I normally hate rack system for adult snakes but I really love how Emily does her! Cuz they get digging material, 2 hides and activation etz. I live in Sweden so I have huge terrariums for mine as by law and I would not trade it if I was allowed. But if the racks are done like Emilys, I support them :D
I have my snakes in large bioactive enclosures with lots of hides and coverage. They thrive. It allows them to act like snakes. They burrow, they climb, they explore. It's the best situation for them (in my opinion) because it gives them the closest environment possible to what they would experience in the wild. I can't measure their happiness, per say, but they have good sheds and eat like champs. I have basic, sterile tubs with plastic hides and paper towels on hand for quarantine, but I would never want to keep a snake in that situation longterm.
I love your channel and Snake Discovery, but Brian is in a totally different category. He’s so rough with his reptiles you can tell how stressed out they are when he handles them...poor things:(
Agreed. And people think his snakes in tiny drawers that r filthy and have no hides or enrichment like plants or branches, r in there temporarily. Not true. Over a thousand snakes of his r in those drawers for life. He breeds them which is all their lives they spend with absolut3ly nothing. They r animals with feelings too.
@@guardiansanimalrescuestate7289 i see more sh!t in the water snakes are supposed to drink in Emily's snake racks than Brian's. And she has a couple hundred, has then in racks, just like Brian even though he has THOUSANDS! and a full staff, it's just Emily and her hubby she treats like sh!t.
@@guardiansanimalrescuestate7289 also he's good with kids. She only is sound kids and not complaining when they are DYING! Terminally ill. Literally makes me sick. Now y'all are getting me too ticked to ever watch clints vids. Go away.
Her poor neglected alligator can't reverb sink to the bottom of the water because she gives them a pool for small children. So she just continues on with the abuse that animal head had to endure
I researched for months before I got my Ball python and decided that bioactive terrarium was the way I wanted to go. 1) It mimicked the pythons natural environment 2) would provide enrichment 3)easier to maintain humidity levels 4) creating a miniature ecosystem would allow me to observe natural behaviours 5) he could terraform his enclosure to his likings 6) less stress as environment would stay the same (no disruption during cleaning/sterilizing) 7) live plants providing air purification 8) if he hides all the time I have a nice jungle to stare at. Lol
Hmm, about 2 i dont know. Its most of the time much harder. And with snakes you should use plastik plants, cause they destroy the real ones with ease. It doesnt madder if its plastic or glass, if you can provide enough space with hiding places.
@@zacktory161 my snake has been thriving in his bioactive for 4.5 years now. Plants are still alive and it’s part of a small ecosystem. Less stressful for him because his environment stays the same. No harmful chemicals.
@@MichellePieon huuh? The chemials arent normally the harmful thing in plasic tubs. Its the space and the lack of light for plants and stuff. I didnt say you should not keep it in a terrarium, i like big planted terrariums. I just pointed out, not everything you said was right. If the snake has enough space to hide its less stressful.
@@zacktory161 this is my list of reasons why i chose to use a bioactive for environment. Therefore I am not wrong 😂 because this is how I house my ball Python. 😂 So unless you own my snake I’m not wrong.
@@MichellePieon if you say "its easier to maintain humidity level" you are wrong. So its a wrong opinion. If you say dogs can fly, its the same, they cant so its a wrong opinion. Its easier to make holes in a plastic enclosure than a glass enclosure.
My 2 (BEL and pastel pinstripe) are both in vivs with hot and cool sides and lots of hides, branches and clutter. They love to explore at night and sometimes just chill on a branch. They both eat and shed well, and show no signs of stress. I can't imagine keeping a snake on a box on newspaper, with a hide and a water dish :(
@@ClintsReptiles can't wait to see your collab video with pewd! maybe the title is "reptile review" or "reason why reptiles can be the best pet in minecraft"
Personally, I have changed my opinions on housing so much over the years. When I first started out I was vehemently against tubs. As I expanded my collection I did end up switching up to bins for a lot of my animals, and now the only reason I even have tanks is because I spent so much money on them. The only problem I have with how most breeders and keepers and their racks is I often think they are entirely too small. I generally oversize my bins so that I can add extra hides, humidity levels, and temperatures. I’ve had a lot of success with this set up.
Emily at Snake Discovery has done something very similar with her snakes. I believe this is a great compromise. Don’t throw tubs out the window just because they appear a certain way. Find a way to improve them. It’s hard to deny the benefits they have for most of the snakes kept captively as well as the efficiency it gives the keeper. Everyone benefits from such a setup.
You and Emily are my favorite reptile channels on RU-vid, and I have nothing to disagree with, except I'd maybe lower the exposure a bit on the full table shot (I usually binge watch your videos late at night and it can get a bit tiring on the eyes). Other than that, I adore your channel, thank you so much for what you do!
I thoght the sterile simple tub was ok, unteal I decided to try some enrichment and a bigger habitat. My snake (boa constrictor) behaviour changed so much!! he has severe neurollogical issues and he started exploring and moving around so much, he now strikes the pray and eats a lot faster, he is also stronger and can controll his body when his is going crazy. he is not getting better but his quality of life improved so much!!. to be honest now I think the "they live in a hole and dont move much" is kind of lazy :( I love the chanel but we need to change the way we see this animals, they are not that simple, no, they dont need "friends" or play time like a mamal but they NEED sapace and enrichment. the change in my snake changed my mind so much!! and I hope there is a change in the hobby
It saddens me the round table of y'all isnt happening I'd love to see a respectful and heartfelt conversation with Emily Clint Bryan and any other person who would be willing to have an open and honest conversation
Given that we don't really know much about the psychology of reptiles I think we should err on the side of caution and offer them enrichment opportunities and choices within their enclosures. This is easier for hobbiests that large scale breeders but if you can't look after animals in your care properly then you shouldn't have them. When I first a corn snake I had two hides in the enclosure but I noticed that she was always in the smaller one. I wondered if it was that she just always wanted to be at the warm end or if it was the hide she preferred so I swapped them over. She then spent all her time in the small hide at the cool end. Based on this I bought another small hide and then she started to move between them. Based on this I question the idea that a tub in a rack system can act as big hide because it won't offer the same sense of security. If an animal in a rack system has access to a hide then it has the option of using it if it wants to. Furthermore, I feel like a "cluttered" environment encourages snakes to be more active as they feel safer. For active species it also gives them more exercise as they have things to climb over which improves their muscle tone and presumably their overall fitness. Finally, since we don't really understand reptiles' need for enrichment I think it better to play on the safe side. By using different materials and textures we can offer them some diversity in their environment. I really like the enclosures that Emily from Snake Discovery uses and I think it makes a great example of rack systems being used well with even hatchlings getting hides and fake plants in their enclosures. From a hobbiest perspective I think bioactive enclosures are the gold standard as they satisfy all of the points I mentioned above, can closely simulate an animal's natural environment, and also look stunning in their own right. With correct set ups they can also be used to encourage plant or insect eating animals to hunt for their food simulating their natural behaviour.
I think a bioactive vivarium is the best for manny reptiles but not all, and i have seen some gigantic tubs (not used for a reptile but for a hamsters)
Heather.. We know alot about reptiles... Just because you don't know and you wont do the research to figure out doesnt mean the rest of us cant know...
That would have been so great to see, I’m so sad to hear it’s not happening I think it would have been so good for our community to hear from everybody in one place
I agree with you and Emily. Tubs with enrichment work great. I had a hognose in a small tub. I upgraded him, and he stopped eating. I put him back in the smaller tub, and he ate great.
You bet. Sorry it took so long. We filmed this a while back, but with the uncertainty about when or if the meeting was going to happen we didn't release it right away.
you are sitting on a panel discussion with a guy that click baits snake bite on his channel how can you take him serious about keeping the hobbie of snakes as pets when he spreads this click bait shame
@@missoli true click bait for views is different from representing the hobbie , in bad way, that could harden exsisting laws stopping us-you -everyone fome breeding or importing,
Robert Moore no he’s just kind of an amoral businessman. No hyperbole needed, I don’t care for him, his videos or how he handles/cares for the animals he’s shown on camera. That’s how a lot of people feel and if they’d like to say it on a public forum I don’t see why you need to jump on a straw man argument nobody is really making. It’s not that he outwardly abuses his animals it’s that a vast majority of people you see speaking against him feel he emphasizes profit over educating people with his vast experience, or even educating himself perhaps on what each animal truly needs to live the best captive existence it can. Seems like someone who’s done something for many many years and has decided that he’s never needs to reevaluate or consider the possibility that maybe some people might have a better idea than he does. Even if they don’t know better than him, simply watching him respond to criticism gives the impression the thought has never once crossed his mind. That can be really annoying to a group of people who vehemently disagree with someone who doesn’t for a moment consider their criticisms before shoving his foot firmly in his mouth while insinuating their stupidity. At the very least Brian comes off as kinda rude and stuck up. So you’re right not the actual devil.
@@d-fens5866 , I have had similar thoughts about Brian, but they are based on the past. In the last year he has talked about adjusting his views and seems to be more open to other’s critiques. Not sure where the amoral bit fits in. ☮️
I truly believe racks has its benefits if you used properly and with common sense, you won't put a ackie in a rack, but putting certain species of geckos is alright. Though it is really easy to anthropomorphize any living being I guess its human nature we want every to think and act like us. Of course this is such a controversial debate because people have extremely strong opinion on it on both sides. And there are many forms of enrichment you can use and you don't need a large naturalistic enclosures to do it (don't get me wrong I think they are great). But naturalistic enclosures aren't the only route to proper caring. Also I got a little excited that you use the term "anthropomorphism", I have just learn that term in my field sampling for my fisheries and wildlife sciences major. Overall, I think it is important that we are all open minded to the issue and not just judge or yell at someone with different views.
I keep all of my reptiles in a bioactive setup that resembles there natural habitats and they thrive and from what I can tell they love it thank you so much for what you do you helped me alot when I first started and still educate me on things
Love your videos Clint! I am new to keeping reptile and tarantulas. You are one of my top “go to” for advice. Your overall attitude regarding reptile keeping, I would like to simulate. Sinatra is a stunner! Thank you for all you do Clint.
To me the perfect setup is one that provides a safe environment for the snake that mimics its ability to act naturally and fits the personality and behavior of the snake. This at a minimum includes two hides (one cool, one warm) and a water dish. I provide ambient humidity in the tank and bedding appropriate for that humidity level so that I do not need to introduce a humidity box for perfect sheds. My two ball python enclosures are each set up a little differently, as I've found their personalities are different and one prefers climbing where the other prefers staying at substrate level. My kingsnake, along with their hides, has deeper bedding to accommodate tunneling as well as more decor that serves as groundcover for when they are above the substrate level, active, but still want to feel secure. I prefer viewing terrariums for my snakes, however I believe that breeders like Snake Discovery do a fantastic job of keeping their snakes in tubs and racks. For how many snakes they have, it makes more sense to keep a humidity box for the snakes' needs rather than having to exactly monitor perfect humidity in every single one of their enclosures, and I like that they make sure to include proper hides as well as typically something for the snake's enrichment (leaves or branches). Their enclosures all seem appropriately sized for the snakes. On the flip side, the Brian Barczyk videos I've seen are disappointing. While it's possible he films prior to cleaning, his snake's tubs often look dirty, have no hides whatsoever, or are ill-sized for the snake. His handling of the animals is also rough and the environment as a whole seems like a recipe for stress in his animals. As a breeder, it feels like he cares more about quantity, sales, and "shock" videos than he does the wellbeing of his animals.
I personly think no animal should be kept in a box. Yes racks and tubs have their purpose for quarantine or for an ill animal, and if you are breeder having bio active enclousers for aniamls that you plan on selling will be a huge cost. But a longterm pet, we as their owners should try to provide them with the best of the best. Not just the bare minimum. No snake or any aniaml lives in a box with newspaper. We should try to provide them a home as natural as possible. Not to mention, why buy an animal just to stick it in a box? One of the best things about reptiles is designing a cool terrarium for them.
Tubs can be good, and not just for breeding/quarantine. I know many want to see their snake/decorate their enclosure, but its what's best for the snake, not for you. Though, having a good in-between as Clint said is also good. If the tub is big enough for the snake (or bigger) and you can properly care for it, a tub is just fine. There are plenty of keepers who keep their snakes in tubs and they don't just survive, they thrive (Snake Discovery is one of these people, if you don't know them, I'd recommend you check 'em out.) Keeping your snakes in a tub doesn't mean your gonna throw them in there with one hide, paper towel, and a too-small water dish. I mean, there are people who do that -- but they aren't the prime example. Many new keepers accidentally keep snakes in tanks that are too small/dry/moist all of the time. That doesn't mean we should stop trying to teach them, but it also doesn't mean we should treat every new keeper as someone who hasn't done their research. I can understand the appeal to bioactive enclosures, but it isn't a one size fits all deal. For many, it might be good for their reptile & the human, for many, it may not be. Not to mention, the cost & upkeep. Anyway, TLDR; I can see your point, but not every keeper puts their reptile/amphibian in a tub with like nothing, tubs can be great enclosures too.
It saddens me to see newspaper used as a substrate for ballpythons... its just sad. Edit: I only have 1 snake so it's way easier for me to clean up after my snake. and I understand why people with a lot of reptiles would go for newspaper. its just easier
I have used tanks and now tubs and I prefer tubs. I do not agree with those that just use a water dish and papertowel...I think the animal deserves enrichment, hides, things to do...I have different types of hides on warm and cool end(traditional hide, buried toilet paper, tiles) and for my hogs I have about 1.5-2in substrate because they love to tunnel. If you look at the bottom of the tub you can see all their tunnels! I think the tubs keep the humidity in better and makes them feel a bit more secure. I had more issues with my snakes in tanks than I ever have in tubs.
Same. I really like how lightweight they are, it makes it easier to move them around when needed. And much cheaper than professional pvc which is frankly daunting. I actually took out the fronts of my tubs and put in plexiglass instead so the best of both worlds currently. Emily's racks are honestly the gold standard for racks.
Hi there. I feel like it’s worth mentioning that because of your videos, my girlfriend and I now have two adorable and friendly western hognoses. She wasn’t keen on the idea of getting a snake at first, but then I showed her your videos and she is now obsessed with them!
Clint's Reptiles, also you made a great point in the video about how we can’t anthropomorphize snakes when we’re trying to figure out how to care for them or what’s best for them. Just from my 4 months having a snake and 2 months having two snakes, I’ve noticed that it’s actually much more effective to think of them as little, cute, tubular robots that have been programmed with a handful of different modes. If you put them into “oh crap, that might be a predator” mode, they’ll probably learn to fear you and act unfriendly. If you try to feed them when they are in “I don’t know what’s happening and I’m concerned” mode, they might not eat. If you teach them to associate your hands with monchy monch mode, you might get bitten. If you teach them to associate your presence with basking mode, they might learn that you are actually a very effective basking spot. Anyway, sorry for the ramble. Keep up the incredible videos!
I agree we should take in account how they like to live in the wild. One thing I will say, is I do not like Barcyk at all. Even just watching his Vlogs you can see all kinds of evidence that he doe not care about te animals in his care, and how neglectful he is. There's also a lot of evidence of him selling sick and deformed animals.
When I began my journey of trying to work through my fear of snakes his video was the first to pop up. I was so freaked out from how loud he was to how he went out of his way to show these snakes as dangerous. Luckily Snake Discovery's first egg hatching video was the next one. I still have a fear of snakes, however I have more knowledge and I do not get instant anxiety everytime a snake is on my screen.
A symposium of how to house snakes featuring a guy who kept Huge pythons in small tubs ? and even a MONITOR LIZARD in a TUB ! i'm so glad it wasn't taken by Brian. I'm sorry he is the worst person to listen to. and your knowledge WAY surpasses him. he is just a business man with little regard for animal welfare.
Mike Turner I think that was the point of including Brian. They were going to educate him and raise the standard of care for reptiles in this community, I’m guessing that Brian declined for that exact reason. He doesn’t want to change and spend a little extra money to properly care for his animals.
Apparently y'all didn't know the town hall meeting about snake housing was Brian's idea. Also for all who don't like Brian, what do you feel about the hundreds of other breeders who use racks like Kevin at NERD, Miguel at AEP or Garrett at Reach Out Reptiles? Racks are more sterile and easier to clean and are basically a giant hide in itself.
Amy Hickey I use snake racks as well but I give my snakes larger size tubs, I also give them bedding to burrow, hides, vines and branches and they all use the space that they get. My female hognose is very active and she has a network of burrows in her bedding. Having a larger number of snakes isn’t an excuse to skimp on their enrichment. I breed my snakes as well and I keep my numbers lower as to not need so much space requirement. Maybe owning so many that you can’t meet basic enrichment needs isn’t that great of an idea.
Hannah Largent ah so it was gonna be an intervention. Well I hope Brian would have listened but I get the impression he'd be pretty stubborn. After all he's a breeder who insists that deformities can be bred out of spider balls. He also sells spider balls and refuses to listen to any vet who tells them it's a breed with cursed genes
I don’t think that racks and tubs are the best way. Keeping a new snake in a tub for quarantine is absolutely reasonable and makes it easier to keep diligent tabs on their health and stress level. Having said that, there is no snake that I know of or have heard of that stays in a 1.5x3 ( for example) territory with no elevation change ie rocks, roots debris etc, and no changes. The terrain across the globe is constantly changing from wind and rain so every time the snake leaves it’s lovely hole there are differences and changes. That in my experience is nearly impossible to replicate in a tub or rack system. It can be done in a basic way with how Emily and Ed do their tubs. But when you add the issue of perception of keeping reptiles there is no question that visually acceptable housing is seen as much better. I agree with that stance not just so that I don’t have ugly tubs or racks in my house but because the snakes life in the wild is naturally going to have a similar type of territory as a vivarium more so than paper on the ground, one hide and a water bowl. The other positive is that the snake will experience the changes in light and perhaps even temp and humidity to a very slight degree. I often worry that people buy a rack system and then end up buying more animals just to fill it.
I am from Brazil. We have lots of those around. My sister once referred to falsies as "cute little feisty snakes that pretend to be dangerous". That was so cute I still associate them with this reference.
I really hope EMZOTIC is invited to this panel! Her and her fiance are former zoo keepers and educate about all animals and proper care, even her leech videos are brilliant!
I would love to see all the knowledgeable reptile keepers join forces on a panel and post a video every so often to educate people on "how to" care for reptiles....it seems Facebook pages are so brutal to new keepers looking for guidance or help on the "how to's" of snake/reptile keeping "it's their way or the highway" when in reality several different ways work imo... it would be nice to see everyone/ knowledgeable youtubers all the reptile/snake keepers on a panel offering nonjudgmental information on keeping reptiles ... people really have no where to go where they are not in fear of backlash from ignorant people like on Facebook forums or false information given by pet stores and those pamphlets pet stores hand out ....so yes, please get together and put out some great content so all is reptile keepers can all learn something from you all ...I for one would watch every video.... Hi Sinatra!! You are gorgeous!! Clint,All your snakes are gorgeous... A Bel is my dream snake ....if you ever produce one for sale please let me know ...I'd be interested...keep up the great work....love your videos....have a wonderful day!!
this reminds me of the movie Wall-e , the people where put in chairs that they never had leave and every need was brought to them, that is not a way for any creature to live, sometimes a little challenge and adversity is a good thing,
I love how kind you even when trying to get your point across. I definitely agree with you on housing based on what the snake needs and now what we want.
Great video. I only have the one snake (a ball python) and I did initially keep her in the small tub that the breeder recommended. Unfortunately my house is difficult to heat and as such I had real problems with maintaining ambient temperatures seeing as heat mats do nothing to raise the air temperature. The snake was always restless and a bit stressed. The only thing I could think of to sort the air temperature out was either to heat the room with multiple electric heaters (very expensive) or to get a 4'x2' vivarium and a ceramic heat emitter setup. I was pretty nervous about this as I'd been told that bigger enclosures freak ball pythons out, so I just packed it out with hiding places, branches, plants etc and put her in there. Ambient temperatures are perfect and there is an optimal hot spot for her. She's settled right down since the move and is an absolute garbage disposal system when it comes to eating. I don't see either method of housing as wrong, but it may be more difficult to properly provide what the animal needs with racks/tubs if you live in a crappy old house that doesn't hold heat well. Obviously since I only have one animal, I have the luxury of being able to provide a maximal setup, but if I was to get into breeding this wouldn't be possible and I'd probably have to bite the bullet and move to a more modern house!
It's a myth that ball pythons are stressed out in big enclosures (or any animal for that matter). It's a lack of hiding opportunities and the feeling of exposure that stresses them out. If you set up your enclosure with that in mind, you can give them an entire room lol. I'm glad you provided more space for your ball python. They can be quite active and even bask for a few minutes during the day. Honestly I'm not even sure where this "space stresses them out" argument even comes from, considering that they don't live in tiny plastic boxes in the wild and miraculously seem to be doing just fine.
I've always kept my snakes (CA King; Ringneck Snake, red sided Garter snake &Ball python, in glass terrariums with sliding locking lids. The terrarium used for all the snakes except for the Ringneck was about 48in long 12 inches wide, 25inches tall. I'd also have a natural landscape. They were pets....
Having been doing behavioral study of snakes under human care for more than a year now, I strongly believe that the enclosure type is flexible. What is important is that the snakes have the opportunity to express natural behaviors and individual preferences. Natural behaviors should be noted by researching the natural history and biology of the species being kept. Individual preferences can be determined by offering the snake options and choice and control over exercising those options. For example 100% of the Morelia bredli we are working with (17 animals currently) spend just over 60% of their time off the ground and of that they spend more time on ledges than perches. We would not know that if the animals hadn’t been given those options and the freedom to choose preferences. Some individuals within the study group prefer all glass terrariums over tubs or PVC enclosures and some are the opposite. This is evidenced by their behavior when given the option to choose. We have also noted that while some individuals are content to remain within their enclosures, others like to roam outside of their enclosures (apart from feeding and mating behavior) and exhibit conflict behaviors/stereotypical behaviors when not allowed out to exercise.
I agree that if you keep reptiles, you need to study their lifestyle in the wild. The closer you can get to their natural habitat, the healthier and happier they will be.
I love your videos like this. I think people get way to caught up in thinking snakes think like people, not like actual snakes and this helps put things in perspective
I know that Brian isnt able to take advice from anyone, at least not without making a crying vid about how everybody hates him. I REALLY hope that he can learn something from you and Emily. I have 0 respect for Brian, and it baffles me that so many people defend him. He is one of those people that needs to be silenced until his gone. I have said these things so many times before, but other channels, yours included, should really keep themselves distanced from that man and his way of "caring" for his props.
It's really hard to argue that the reason tiny barren rack systems are still promoted so highly by breeders is for any reason other than because they're cheap. There is no convincing a breeder with hundreds of bps in racks that what they're doing is by far not the best for the snakes, especially when the alternative costs much more and takes up far more space. It's also much easier to sell bps in particular if they're promoted as "pet rocks" and told the myth that they live exclusively in termite mounds. Anthropomorphizing is absolutely the wrong way to go when thinking about proper animal husbandry, but I wouldn't say someone unfamiliar with the hobby being appalled after seeing a rack system mass breeding setup is just ignorant. In a larger tub/tank setup with hides and climbing surfaces, the snake still has the option to spend time in its perfect comfortable hole, but it also gets to choose to participate in more natural behaviors, which provides mental stimulation and promotes physical fitness. Real research in reptile husbandry is lacking of course, but there is far more research indicating reptiles thrive with enrichment than there are for the alternative. Not every reptile needs to be kept in a 150 gallon vivarium, but we need to do better than many keepers and breeders continue to do and promote, for the good of our hobby, but more importantly for the good of our animals.
Hi Clint, I am 12 and do not have much experience with reptiles but I think that you should give a snake what is comfortable at all times and that we give them enrichment to keep them busy. I agree with you and Emily (Ed) you guys are the people that helped my love for reptiles.
when i got my first ball python i got a little vivarium, then i switch to boxes, none of my ball pythons like the vivarium, i have 6 now. i fill their boxes with cork bark tunnels and fake ivy and soft kitchen towels and they love it. my pregnant girl Delilah loves me putting in a hand towel and she always curls up under it all snuggly.
Any idea why it won't happen? I was really looking forward to it. (I follow you, Snake Discovery and Brian) As far as how the snake is housed - I think it really depends on the snake in question. Emily's bull snakes seem to be super content and happy in their new rack system. Brian's retics definitely are making use of the larger more naturalistic cages. (I'm not sure we've ever gotten a tour of your reptile room(s)? But I'd love to see it!!)
So I've actually trying to find news of the panel you were talking about Clint but couldn't find much. Though I don't really care for Brian Barczyk very much (I dont agree with a lot of things he says) it would be interesting I think, if he did explain his thought processes on housing snakes. As much dislike I have for him, I acknowledge that everyone has something to teach and it would be very beneficial if all the members of the RU-vid reptile community got together and just had a day where they taught everyone different methods of housing snakes. I hope it actually does become an actual thing. Maybe we could all learn a bit more about each other and a bit more about the hobby in general.
Juwangsang Totally agree. Considering the state of his animals and the way he goads and treats his animals i will not take any advice from Brian. However, Clint and Emily do appear to be great owners/breeders. I do take their advice and opinions into account.
Well Emily loves and supports Brian and has done many collab's with him. So if he was so bad, your "queen" Emily would say something or call him out on it right? And maybe not do collab's with him? Nope. She has never said a bad thing about him, and is still collaborating with him. So what's that tell you? It tells me that Brian's not a bad guy and that the keyboard warriors don't know what they're talking about.
@@benji3008 Well to me he seems like a click baity yt who dosnt know how to take propper care for his animales, but feel free to post links and im happy to be proven wrong
Juwangsang There's no links. I've even searched myself. Not quite sure why the kid jumped in with that comment. You're right about the click bait. The guy's hopeless.
I think you made some very important & informative points. About the only thing I would add is keeping snakes for breeding versus one or two at home as pets would be very different. I truly believe it is a case of what is best for the animal for most & then pleasing to your own eye to an extent. The conversation on this could go on endlessly & should continue especially if it helps educate people. I'll add this though as I don't know much about the reptile hobby...... we foster cats for a rescue, we also own many rescue animals (chickens, horses, cats, goats). There are always debates/ discussions on how rescues are run, what people should feed ( especially cats & dogs). Which can be great. However I truly get disheartened when I see people trying to slam their opinion down someone's throat, or the their way is the only way & the nastiness that can go along with it. I hope this discussion on housing stays as good as I've seen. Much more beneficial. Again thanks for the great video.
7:33 _"...by putting ourselves in their NO shoes.."_ :D 8:54 - 9:17 Sounds like me in my room. xD Your blue-eyed, white boa is beautiful! No wonder it's your dream snake.
Gold Piece that kid is terrible! The videos about his ball python who wouldn’t eat for a year and he thought he knew better than to go to a vet...absolutely not.
Yeah if you're animal doesn't eat for a year you should probably worry a bit. I think it's probably his set up. More often than not a big well decorate set up will stress your snake than a simple well maintained and more secured rack system.
Today is a full week since I've gotten my first Ball Python, and yesterday she successfully ate!! Nom'd up two small mice, she just gently picked 'em up and slowly swallowed them down. Wouldn't take it directly from me and so I had to try inside of her enclosure by putting the mice on a ceramic plate, which she took to instantly. She seems relaxed in her hole, and occasionally I catch her coming out to crawl over her log and get water before heading back inside her hole. Three separate hides are there for her choosing, and she seems to prefer the smallest one (which I bought specifically for that reason). I still worry that her enclosure is too big, but she seems content, was willing to eat twice, is not restless... For my particular snake, a glass enclosure seems to be fine for her. Plenty of plants to hide her, quite a few hides to choose from, a super large water dish, too. Humidity seems to be at a stable 60% (living in florida has made this part easy). Seeing how easy it was to feed her, my next worry is how her shed will go, which won't happen for a long while as she had shed a week before I had bought her. I think I've done everything I could to consider what she would want as a snek rather than what a human would want, right down to ensuring she has a small enough hide to surround herself with. Sometimes at night (after she wakes up) I even catch her poking her head out of the entrance of the hide, just checking things out. Almost like she's waiting to ambush in case an opportunity walks by. Such sneaky snek!!! Officially named her Nana Puddin', Puddin' for short. It seemed fitting for a banana ball python to me.
That is one stinking rad false water cobra, the coloring and pattern is gorgeous😍, I have the same view as you on housing pretty much husbandry is far more important than decorations but I think there ways to do both as many have shown as long as their animals are happy and healthy and they are proud of their housing choices then we probably should not be throwing stones thank you ever so much for sharing and best wishes always ☺️
My thoughts on housing snakes: I truly believe this is something that does not even apply on a species by species basis. I find individuals even within the same species find varying levels of comfort in different circumstances. Ball pythons tend to be thought of as a species that is more comfortable in tubs because it's essentially a single hide that also contains sustenance, but I've seen ball pythons that really prefer something more akin to a bioactive setup that they can explore. I seriously think the biggest factor in keeping a snake in a way that it exists at its happiest most consistently, is knowing the individual snake's "expressions." Obviously they dont smile or wag their tails, so it takes a lot more observation of their activity, health, etc. At any rate i loved the video man, in a day where absolute intolerance of others opinions is way too common place, seeing your open minded approach is sincerely comforting.
I personally think that keeping them in tubs is fine because not only does it have the requirements necessary to house certain species of reptiles but a lot of pet owners take their pets out and let them roam around for a while like they would in the wild when they do occasionally leave their holes.
