[Misc] Cage size requirement differences between countries?

[IshanEvran]

So where I am from, Finland, people say that a 2 meter by meter by meter is the minimum size for a boa constrictor cage and then I come across US made care sheets where people advertise a 1.2 meter by 60 centimeters by 60 centimeters to be enough for a boa constrictor.

So why is there such large differences in standards related to cage size between our countries? Like I mean the American minimum is over four and a half times smaller in volume than the minimum Finnish reptile community has.

And what do you guys think of this issue?

[Kung Fu Joe]

Re: Cage size requirement differences between countries?

I'm a firm believer that most of us in the US keep our snakes in cages that are too small to allow them proper exercise.

I think you will have a happier snake with better muscle tone using the standard from Finland.

[bcr_229]

Re: Cage size requirement differences between countries?

The cage size should be set based on the animal's size, not just because it's a "boa constrictor". Some localities are much larger than others as adults - my Tarahumaras won't get longer than five feet.

The guideline I've heard is one square foot per foot of snake. I like to give a bit more than that, so my six foot long snakes are in 4'x2' enclosures.

[Noelle7206]

Re: Cage size requirement differences between countries?

I totally agree with Kung Fu Joe's post; also, just because cages are advertised & used for snakes doesn't mean they are suitable, but unfortunately (at least for the snakes) cage sizes aren't regulated for most pets
here. If you have to apply for special permits in the U.S. (as I once did for "detrimental species") there ARE minimum sizes they check for when the inspection is done. While few people "like more government regulations"
it's certainly in the best interest of the animals.

I'd go with your country's standards any day! I'd like to see our country follow suit...I'm not a fan of seeing snakes in "shoe-boxes" & "sweater-boxes". Yes, it's convenient for those breeding snakes...but do we REALLY
NEED that many people breeding all these snakes? I don't think so...if they were less available, the individual price would be higher. When people have to save longer to pay for something, they tend to do a little more
research first to make a better long-term decision, and take better care of it, hopefully for it's lifespan...instead of impulse-buying it because it's cheap, & discarding it later like a toy when they get bored with it.

[paulh]

Re: Cage size requirement differences between countries?

I think that the 1 square foot of floor space per foot of boa constrictor originated with Carl Kauffeld's book, Snakes: The Keeper and the Kept. The first or second chapter was titled "So You Own a Boa". It contained a picture of a cage approximately 3x2 feet with the caption that such a cage was adequate for a 6 foot long boa constrictor.

[Noelle7206]

Re: Cage size requirement differences between countries?

I think that the 1 square foot of floor space per foot of boa constrictor originated with Carl Kauffeld's book, Snakes: The Keeper and the Kept. The first or second chapter was titled "So You Own a Boa". It contained a picture of a cage approximately 3x2 feet with the caption that such a cage was adequate for a 6 foot long boa constrictor.

And what year was that book written? It was a good read "in it's day" but I believe it's fair to say we continue to learn & see things differently over the years, not the least of which is that any animal kept in
captivity deserves more than the bare minimum required to keep it alive for our amusement, which is what a 3' x 2' cage amounts to for a 6' boa, IMO.

My quick research shows it's from 1969 (with a later edition reprinted in 1995). I think it's quite out-dated. I know I've learned a lot since 1969, LOL!