Hello.. i have a couple of checkered that do wonders in a 35 gallon.. and then the ten gallon to take them outside in....Mine love it when they get to spend a couple hours baking in the CA sun. As far as age and length goes.. i thought that i had two females and caged them together.. well come to find out that one is a male and definately sexually mature and the other is a female that he posible has impregnated (will find out in couple of months) All of the books say that she should not be mature enough since it is her first spring, but she is appearing to be pregnant a year early. Both of my snakes are running at approx 20 inches long right now.