How's this for a redtail?

[arlo]

im going to trade in my california kingsnake for a baby columbian redtail boa and i had a few questions about the enclosure i was planning to build for her.

cage (http://photobucket.com/albums/v412/slimfadey/?action=view&current=redtail.bmp)

that is a rough plan of how its gonna be built. i was wondering how much that would cost to build at home depot and if it would be ok to keep the boa in that cage for life. i also want to know if there is anything i can change to make it better equipped for my new snake. :medcomcic

[Linds]

I would ditch the metal screen and install a vent on the back instead. Depending on the space in the door, you may not even need any additional ventilation. Regardless, top-venting isn't the way to go. The size is more than fine for even the largest adult, you may lose a baby in it though. Usually it's easiest to work your way up in size. The height may not be used. Some boas will climb, others will not. If you do not intend on providing climbing branches however, that much height is definite overkill.

Depending on what materials you use, you could probably build it for as little as $80 - $100.

[arlo]

thanks for the reply
i think im going to buy a 60 gallon from a friend and just use that for my baby redtail. how long can she live in one of those anyways?

[Linds]

I'm honestly not sure what the dimensions on a 60 gallon are, as I almost never house my animals in them. I prefer to use rubbermaids over everything else. Cheap, can be tailored to fit the exact requirements of the animal, best sense of security, etc.

I will say that a Common Boa will reach 3-4 feet easily in the first year, sometimes even larger. I usually put them in their adult enclosure around this time, however I house all my boas in 4x2x1 enclosures.