Abstract
Simple SummarySnakes are sentient animals and should be subject to the accepted general welfare principles of other species. However, they are also the only vertebrates commonly housed in conditions that prevent them from adopting rectilinear behavior (ability to fully stretch out). We conducted a literature search and review regarding recommendations for enclosure sizes for snakes. We found that recommendations suggesting enclosure sizes shorter than the snakes were based entirely on decades-old ‘rule of thumb’ practices that were unsupported by scientific evidence. In contrast, recommendations suggesting enclosure sizes that allowed snakes to fully stretch (rectilinear posture) utilized scientific evidence and considerations of animal welfare. Rectilinear behavior is normal, distinct, and common across snake species, and is essential and fundamental to snake health and welfare. Scientific evidence-based recommendations for providing enclosures allowing snakes to fully stretch now constitute mainstream guidance information and good practice as a minimum spatial provision, both during short-term and long-term situations.Snakes are sentient animals and should be subject to the accepted general welfare principles of other species. However, they are also the only vertebrates commonly housed in conditions that prevent them from adopting rectilinear behavior (ability to fully stretch out). To assess the evidence bases for historical and current guidance on snake spatial considerations, we conducted a literature search and review regarding recommendations consistent with or specifying ≥1 × and <1 × snake length enclosure size. We identified 65 publications referring to snake enclosure sizes, which were separated into three categories: peer-reviewed literature (article or chapter appearing in a peer-reviewed journal or book, n = 31), grey literature (government or other report or scientific letter, n = 18), and opaque literature (non-scientifically indexed reports, care sheets, articles, husbandry books, website or other information for which originating source is not based on scientific evidence or where scientific evidence was not provided, n = 16). We found that recommendations suggesting enclosure sizes shorter than the snakes were based entirely on decades-old ‘rule of thumb’ practices that were unsupported by scientific evidence. In contrast, recommendations suggesting enclosure sizes that allowed snakes to fully stretch utilized scientific evidence and considerations of animal welfare. Providing snakes with enclosures that enable them to fully stretch does not suggest that so doing allows adequate space for all necessary normal and important considerations. However, such enclosures are vital to allow for a limited number of essential welfare-associated behaviors, of which rectilinear posturing is one, making them absolute minimum facilities even for short-term housing.
Highlights
Snakes are kept in captivity in a variety of situations, including zoo exhibits; laboratories; culinary, skin, and curio producers; various pet industry facilities; and in private homes [1–4]
= government or other report or scientific letter identified through Google Scholar; opaque literature = non-scientifically indexed reports, care sheets, articles, husbandry books, websites or other information for which originating source was not based on scientific evidence or where scientific evidence was not provided
Peer-reviewed recommendations consistent with or specifying ≥1 × snake length (SL) enclosures are provided in Table 3 (25 publications), and those that are not consistent with that recommendation are provided in Table 4 (6 publications)
Summary
Snakes are kept in captivity in a variety of situations, including zoo exhibits; laboratories; culinary, skin, and curio producers; various pet industry facilities; and in private homes [1–4]. Reptiles generally are subject to many misconceptions and underestimations regarding both their lives in nature and their needs in captivity [3,5,6], leading to an existence in captivity of frequent deprivation, even in the best zoo facilities [7]. Snakes are sentient animals with relevant attributes comparable to avian and mammalian taxa [17,18]; they all share an ancestral heritage suggesting such sentience is present within all these animal groups. These reptiles should be considered subject to the accepted sensitivities and general welfare principles currently afforded other species
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