# Newbie to Reptiles



## SUS (Mar 10, 2007)

I have done some research but need some guidance...
Are there any snakes that can live for life in a 20 gallon long tank (24"x12"x10")? Also, I want one that does not eat live prey.
If such a snake doesn't exist, how bout a cool lizard or gecko?
Thanks


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

So you're thinking about getting your first reptile... warning, it might and probably won't be your last.









Alright. To begin, your tank is not 20 gallons if it has those measurements. A 20 gallon long is 30x12x12. A standard 15 gallon is 24x12x12, which is what I'm guessing you have. But we'll go on the premise that it could be either/or here.

There really aren't a ton of snakes you can keep for life in a 20 gallon long or 15 gallon. A few that come to mind are kenyan sand boas, a rosey boa, western hognose. If you want more information on these cool little snakes just do a Google search with their name and 'caresheet' and you'll get plenty of info on their care, needs, etc.

As for feeding, it's generally always recommended to feed frozen/thawed. This means that you get the rat or mouse (in your case it would be mice) already killed and frozen. Kind of like getting frozen meat at the grocery store. When it comes time to feed you thaw it out (I do mine in warm water as I find it thaws a lot faster and it's easier) and then present the prey item to your snakes. (Never try to hand feed, of course. And it's usually wise to feed in a separate enclosure - but those aspects can be covered later.) So ideally you'll never have to deal with live food. I never have.

There are some snakes that turn out to be very picky eaters. Some species are known for it and need to be coaxed with live food - ball pythons for example - but generally all snakes that are fed on live can be switched over to frozen/thawed. Most captive bred/born specimens will readily eat frozen/thawed as it's usually what they're presented with from the time they hatch. Wild caught animals often need live. There are numerous reasons to stay away from wild caught specimens (unless you're a breeder introducing new bloodlines) and this is simply another one of them.

So unless you're adverse to feeding dead rodents then you'll be fine.

As far as lizards/geckos go... The two geckos that I would be apt to recommend for a tank your size are quite popular. One is the leopard gecko, a fantastic 'starter' reptile. Very popular. Often termed the 'hamster of the reptile world' for a few reasons. One, they're popular and can be had for cheap prices and are usually the animal bought to children as their 'first reptile' due to the ease of care. And two, because leopard geckos really don't do a whole lot of anything. For this reptile you'd be looking to set up more of a desert environment. The other gecko that I would recommend above and beyond the leopard gecko is a crested gecko. They're cute, super easy to care for and are interesting to watch. This gecko would need more of a temperate/tropical style of set up with higher humidity and places to climb. I would even suggest turning the tank so it stands tall/upright 24" for this type of gecko because they love to climb and spend very little time on the ground.

There's some info to get you started... Like I said, do some Google searches to find out exact care of the reptile you're looking at getting. There are more options out there than what I've listed and maybe someone else will chime in, but I think this is a good start with undemanding first-starts that could live out their lives comfortably in either a 15 gallon or 20 gallon long.

Cheers.


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## SUS (Mar 10, 2007)

wow, thanks for the info, and my tank is actually 30"x12"x12" (20 long)
The more I think about it, the more I am leaning towards a snake. I'm cool with feeding it dead/frozen food, I really just don't want the hassle of going to the pet store all the time to buy little mice. 
I'm going to do some research on the snakes you listed
Thanks again


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

If it's a 20 gallon long you can also consider corn snakes and king snakes. They may get a little big in the end for that enclosure but will be fine for some time in there.

You may also want to look at ball pythons. They make a good beginner snake but sometimes can be fussy eaters in which case live food may be necessary. Again though this wouldn't last 'for life'. You'd need to upgrade.

Any more questions - feel free to ask.


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