[Cazador]

Hi Lee,

The 20 gallon tank is more than enough to raise a single garter snake, but you'll get a lot more enjoyment out of it, if you keep your snake in a larger enclosure. Keeping a 2' snake in a 1' x 1' enclosure is possible, but they're going to spend most of their time curled up and not being active. They won't be very interesting that way, but it's possible... kindof like housing prisoners of war in boxes in Vietnam. As you increase the size of your enclosure (and add more props), the snake will become more active and explore more. A pen with more floorspace also allows you to temporarily add new things... like a second, large water container, a hollow log, a rock pile, different vegetation, etc.

Floorspace is the most important, and even with a 1' high enclosure, you could add props, like wood or plants, that allow your snake to climb. The floor area will also stay warmer in a 1' tall enclosure, since heat rises. Then you could put a second 3x2x1' enclosure on top of the first one and use the same amount of floorspace. I'm certainly not bashing the idea of a 2' tall cage... just offering another opinion. You'll be happy with the larger cage, either way, and your snakes will become even more active.

Rick