Hello.....Please Help

[Five To One]

hi,
my name is matt, obviously im new to the forum. im planning on getting a new RT and need your help for giving him the best enviornment possible. I have a 55 gallon glass fish tank and am planning on using that for his home. i have allready purchased a heat lamp, driftwood, and a water bowl. im planning on using repti bark for substrate and feedin frozen rats. i was wondering what your opinions on cage setup/cage requirments/keeping humitity levels correct/and any other ideas you had that might help me. I bought the lamp with a 250w max but was wondering if i keep that on 24/7 i have been reading about the undertank heaters and was curious about them. i just want to make sure i have everything right before i buy the snake.

thanks for your help.

[Burmies]

Just look on line for a caresheet.

Burmies

[LdyDrgn]

Here is a great place to start:

General Care of Boa Constrictors (http://www.redtailboas.com/general_care/general_care.html)

Good luck :)

[Five To One]

fine

[fr0glet]

Five To One, make sure you turn your lamp off at night. You want a "photoperiod", about 10-12 hours of light per day. Under tank heaters are really convenient to use in my opinion, and you can leave them on all night. Problem with them is they usually get TOO hot, so you need to buy a rheostat (like a dimmer) to control their heat output.

My big piece of advice is keep your humidity relatively low, but make one humid hide box. Plastic box + snake-sized hole in lid/side + moist spagnum moss inside = perfect sheds every time. Your snake should have other hides as well, that aren't humid.

Hope that helps!

[Linds]

Originally posted by fr0glet
Five To One, make sure you turn your lamp off at night. You want a "photoperiod", about 10-12 hours of light per day.

He didn't mention what type of lamp. If it is a night lamp (red or black) it can be left on 24/7, it will not interfere with the photoperiod, as they are intened for nocturnal animals, and heating diurnal animals at night. If it is a day light (regular incadescent bulb or UV lamp), then it cannot be left on 24/7.

My big piece of advice is keep your humidity relatively low, but make one humid hide box.

Low humidity is a recipe for a respiratory infection. BCI require *ambient* humdity levels around 55%-60%, BCC require slightly higher levels. A humid hide may assist in shedding, but having the proper ambient humdity levels present in the tank is still very important for the snakes other functions.

[fr0glet]

Thanks Linds for your input, I'll make a note of it!

[rethius]

I agree with linds, I find with low humidity you will often hear the "wheezing" sound (RI), boas require humidity! just spray your enclosure once or twice daily!

[Five To One]

thanks for all the info guys!