Table 7.

Summary highlight conclusions and recommendations regarding snake rectilinear (straight line/stretched out) behavior and enclosure requirements based on peer-reviewed evidence.

Rectilinear behavior is normal, distinct, and common across snake species.

2.Rectilinear behavior is essential and fundamental to snake health and welfare.

3.Snakes prefer larger and naturalistic environments, including in which they can fully stretch.

4.Snakes exhibit greater manifestations of behavioral, psychological, and clinical signs relating to stress and debilitation in enclosures in which they cannot fully stretch, both in short-term and long-term conditions.

5.No evidence found to suggest that snakes are unharmed by enclosures where they cannot fully stretch.

6.Evidence-base for recommendations <1 × SL is minimal and unscientific.

7.Evidence-base for recommendations >1 × SL is robust and scientific.

8.Scientific evidence for snakes needing to fully stretch in enclosures appears greater than that accepted for dogs, cats, and birds.

9.Objective scientific research and guidance determines that snakes must be able to fully stretch in all conditions, other than during, for example, essential brief transportation.

10.Scientific evidence-based recommendations for providing enclosures allowing snakes to fully stretch now constitute mainstream guidance information and good practice.

11.Snakes should be provided with environments that allow them to fully stretch their bodies in all three enclosure dimensions as a minimum, including in short-term situations.