Boa info wanted

[Boafan9876]

Hi I am thinking about getting a boa I have had ball python and one nasty Burmese python that I ended up getting rid of so what should I expect from a boa vie heard both that they are great pets and very tame a docile and I have heard that they are very aggressive and I don't want that

[Swan]

They are going to give you what you give them. If there husbandry is good and you handle them regularly the are very docile. The only person that I personally that had been bitten by a red tail was because she was holding the rabbit in her lap and when she got home she put the rabbit in the tub and went and grabbed her boa. ( without de-senting or changing) the boa was hungry and got confused. Totally her fault 100%! with the right knowledge they are incredible pets.

[TeaNinja]

i got bit by a red tail trying to take it out of the bath tub after feeding (when it was still hungry) once again, my fault.
my dumerils boa is as sweet as can be.
http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/sdf015.jpg
http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/ssda001.jpg
http://i1006.photobucket.com/albums/af184/teaninja/hide002.jpg
(he looks evil in that last pic, but he's sweet. lol)
i hold him at least once every 1-2 days, unless he has just eatin or is going into shed. sometimes i take him outside and let him slither around the grass and gravel and such, he likes that.

[Boafan9876]

What type a cage should I start with I found a baby boa and the guy said I could keep him I'm a ten gallon for the mean time but that seems a little small

[Xanafein]

i keep pythons in a 10 gallon when they are small, but i usually bump em up fast, my JCP is moving into her brand new 4'x4'x2' tank at the end of this month

and her boyfriend (a newly hatched irian jaya jag) is moving into the ten till he gets bigger( dont wanna put em together right now, shes easily twice his size

measure the boa, for temporary housing( and i do mean temporary) he shouldnt be any bigger than id say 3'

but im not a pro

[Boafan9876]

What's the best way to keep heat and humidity in the cage

[Xanafein]

i have an auto mister and a canvas sheet i put over the mesh top...

[presspirate]

As for heat, there are a few different options, depending on the type of cage you use. I use ceramic heat emitters in my wood and plastic cages. I have one aquarium I am using temporarily that I use a uth with an infrared bulb. Humidity, I mist the cage daily and use cypress mulch for bedding.

[Xanafein]

although i did not think that boas had difficult humidity requirements(at least not red tails)

[Boafan9876]

I'm starting off with a glass cage is that bad?

[Nafun]

First, there are a lot of boa species. You haven't mentioned a species, most people are assuming you mean a red tailed boa (boa constrictor), but there are also rainbow boas (several distinct varieties), dumerils, tree boas, sand boas, rosy boas, rubber boas, and of course 4 species of anaconda. Some (such as anacondas) are semi aquatic, some live in the jungle, some live in the desert. It is important that you tell us *which* species, because if we assume you're talking about a boa constrictor, and you're talking about a sand boa, you're going to end up with a dead snake.

I wouldn't start your snake off in a 10 gallon if it is bigger than a sand boa. I would get a 20 gallon to start with. The reason being, it is very hard to maintain a temperature gradient in a small enclosure. Glass is fine, but if you have a tropical boa, you will have to work very hard to maintain humidity. Aquariums vent at the top, and warm air rises. Twenty minutes after misting you're going to be back at ambient humidity.

I keep my rainbow boa in a visionarium (a 20g footprint stackable enclosure). It's got a vent on the top. I covered it with paper towels, and I soak the paper towels every morning in addition to misting.

Regardless, be sure you invest in a quality hygrometer (humidity meter), this means a digital electronic one, NOT a dial one. The dial ones are rubbish. Write a number between 1 and 100 on a piece of paper. Congratulations, you're more accurate than a dial hygrometer!


For heat, I recommend heat cable. It's safe to use inside enclosures. I just bury it in my rainbow's substrate, set the thermostat, and he's good to go. You can use overhead heating, like ceramic heat emitters, or red heat bulbs, but they're expensive and inefficient. I use them for my basking reptiles, but rarely for snakes (Only one of my snakes (JCP) gets a ceramic heat emitter because every time I take it away she finds a way to escape, breaks into the water dragon enclosure, and camps out next to his ceramic heat emitter)


And finally, as for docility, I more or less agree that you get out of a snake what you put in. If you handle the snake without fear, and keep your husbandry spot on (clean water, proper temp gradient, ample hides, sufficient humidity, etc) most snakes, regardless of species will tame down and be perfectly happy to treat you as a warm tree that fruits rodents.

There are, however, exceptions. Some individual snakes will hate you whatever you do, this is always wise to remember when considering a snake (such as a Boa constrictor) that is big enough that it shouldn't be handled alone.

To quote the simpsons...

"Well, animals are not like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they've had a hard life, or have been mistreated. But, like people, some of them are just jerks--Stop that, Mr. Simpson."

[Boafan9876]

Thank you nafun and yes I am talking about a red tail boa. Jus try to get as much info I can so I can care for the snake properly

[Nafun]

Keep in mind, snakes grow fast and are long lived.

You can expect 6-8 feet (male) or 10-14ft (female) within 3-4 years, and either of those is going to require a significant purpose built enclosure. They are also avid climbers, especially as juveniles, and will need more "head room" than a typical aquarium offers. You can start it in a 20 gallon aquarium, but you'll find yourself needing to move up to a 40 very quickly, followed by a 75+, until the snake reaches adult size, at which point aquariums aren't really practical. For a full size BCC, I would recommend an enclosure 6'L x 2'D x 3'H *minimum*. Keep in mind, superior diet tends to make these snakes grow larger in captivity than in the wild, and like all large snakes, they're prone to obesity, especially if their enclosure is too small to allow for adequate movement.

[Lankyrob]

You can use overhead heating, like ceramic heat emitters, or red heat bulbs, but they're expensive and inefficient."

Not wanting to start ana rgument just looking for clarification as to why you thing ceramics are expensive and inefficient? I use them for all my snakes and whilst they are more expensive to start off with looking at costings for the lifetime of the equipment my research says they are the least expensive. They also give a really good heat gradient throughout the vivariums as well as a good "hotspot" for basking.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts???

[Boafan9876]

are females or male any more aggressive then the other?

[dragunov.762]

no neither gender is more agressive that the other. humidity for a red tail is 70%ish so any bedding that holds humidity is required. I started mine in a 40 gallon breeder tank that was heavy stocked with hides and fake plants to offer many hiding spots but a 20 long would be a good starting tank.
aquariums are not the best thing the start off with though because of the mesh top. if you already have the aquarium then cover part of the top (60% or more i would think be enough but experiment with it). a custom built enclosure (or one specificly designed for big snakes such as a boaphile cage) is required when they grow bigger. a good investment would be The Boa Constrictor Manual by Philippe de Vosjoli
I read this book cover to cover in about a hour or so but it is full of info

[Nafun]

They're inefficient because you position them *above* the enclosure. Heat rises and you're creating a updraft right under the heater. They're expensive because... they cost a lot of money and are high wattage. You can get a 50w heat cable for $20, a 100w ceramic bulb for $20, plus $10 for a fixture. Both will sufficiently heat a viv, but the cable is going to use half as much energy.

Heat cable is safe for use *inside* enclosures. It doesn't get hot enough to injure the animal so you can bury it under substrate. The bottom of the viv insulates it so you don't have wasted heat (as opposed to UTH who lose a lot of their heat trying to soak through glass, an insulator.) These snakes don't need to bask, they don't care how they get their heat, and unlike lizards, they don't need a 120 degree basking area, they merely need a temperature gradient of 75-88 or so, which is much easier to obtain with heat cable than an overhead heater because you won't have a hotspot, and the entire enclosure can be heated.

Also, I don't know about your experience with ceramic heat emitters or heat bulbs in general, but I've never had one last more than 6 months. (They're also ridiculously expensive if you have to buy one at a pet store, like $50 for a 100w at petsmart. That's highway robbery)

[dragunov.762]

i have never used heat cables but i might want to give them a try. you are definatly right that buying lights from the petstore will some break the bank (i have spend more in light in 2 years that on 6 months for of food for 5 snakes). where can you get the heat cables from?

[Ch^4]

(as opposed to UTH who lose a lot of their heat trying to soak through glass, an insulator.)

Nafun, I must compliment you on your well written and informative posts. However, I do have to dispute one of your statements; glass is certainly not an insulator. On the contrary, glass is a terrible insulator, making it an excellent thermal conductor.

For example, when it is cold outside, your glass windows are approximately the same temperature as the outside ambient temperature. This is partly due to glass being a semi-crystalline, semi-amorphous material. (I wrote my master's thesis on ceramics and glass.) Glass facilitates heat flow, much like copper facilitates the flow of electrons. It all has to do with the microstructure of glass.

To make this tangible, consider a single-pane window: Anyone who has lived in an older house or "cruddy" apartment will agree that they lose most of their heat through their windows--you can typically feel a slight breeze if you are standing close to a single-pane window when it's cold out.

Enter double- and even triple-pane, high efficiency windows. Double-pane windows do not provide added insulation because there are two sheets of glass; the added insulation is created by the air that is trapped within the two panes of glass. In essence, the air impedes heat transfer, therefore providing insulation (air is a fluid--molecules are not excited as easily as in a solid due to relative sparsity--excited molecules are a conduit for heat flow).

Sorry for the winded and geeky post. Other than that, your info is stellar Nafun!

[Lankyrob]

My bulbs have been going six months so far, am expecting eighteen months to two years from the bulb before they need replacing, time will tell if this happens. All my snakes sre in custom built vivs so heat loss is also minimal, i agree the bulbs aren't cheap - especially if you are replacing them six monthly, but every couple of years i think is reasonable.

[dragunov.762]

i use bulbs and not CHE and i have had them burn out on me in weeks before and had to replace them. the ones i have going now have been going for a while but the first year i had a snake i lived in a crappy apartment that we couldn't heat to over 55 degrees and so i had to buy higher wattage bulbs in the winter

[Boafan9876]

just picked up my new 4 month old ghoast redtail he is very easy to handle and not to he'd she

[Ch^4]

just picked up my new 4 month old ghoast redtail he is very easy to handle and not to he'd she

Congrats! We can't wait to see pics!

[Boafan9876]

Okay so this is prolly a dumb question but what is the best way to take my red tail out of his cage

[Ch^4]

Okay so this is prolly a dumb question but what is the best way to take my red tail out of his cage

That is a perfectly legit question!

There are a number of methods that different people use to remove their snakes from cages. It really depends on the handler and the snake.

Is he nippy? What does he look like when you open the cage? If he assumes an S-curve with his head/neck, it means he is scared and ready to strike. If he cowers and tries to hide his head in his coils, it means that he is scared and likely more on the timid side. He could also head straight towards his hide...

If you are worried about being bit, get a set of gloves and wear a long sleeved shirt. When I use gloves, I like to make sure they are tight fitting and are made from a material that is less likely to injure the snakes teeth/jaw in the event of a bite (I have no idea what mine are made of, but they rip easily and are "woven", which allows them to get a hint of my scent).

Make sure the snake knows that you are there; you do not want to sneak up on him prior to removing him from the cage. Move confidently towards him with your hand, not too fast, but not too slow, and gently grab a coil (I go for about the half way point on the body) and remove him from his cage.
Try not to hesitate or repeatedly attempt to pick him up, as this will cause unnecessary stress.

He may try to bite you but DO NOT FLINCH (as hard as it sounds), as he will associate your flinching with you being scared of him. Also, if he does bite you, try not to pull your had away, as you can injure him by ripping out teeth. If he does bite, it will likely be a defensive strike, and he should release quickly.

Once he is out of the cage, he will likely calm down. However, if he continues to be snappy, do not put him back into his cage until he has settled down; this will only embed in his mind that biting gets you to put him back, which is what he wants.

If you are terrified of the fact of being bitten by your snake (I think you mentioned he's only 4 months old, so you would hardly feel it anyways), you can use a snake hook or plastic hanger to remove him. Please use extreme caution when using a hook, as improper "hooking" can harm the snake.

I think I covered enough to get you started and I hope that helps! Good luck and have fun!

[Boafan9876]

Thank you that was helpful advice I jus got him out and jus opened up the cage and he slithered right out problem and it was easy for me to grab him but when I did start to open the cage he slightly cowled up but idkif that mean much for im not that knowegdable about this kind of snake

Thank everyone for the great advice

[Lankyrob]

If you have just got him then it is best to let him settle for a week or so to get usec to his cage before you start handling him.