Rosy boa habitat (pictures) - any suggestions?

[Sorraia]

Here are some pictures of the current set-up I have for my rosy boas. Although I am using the same aquarium for both snakes, they are separated with a divider down the middle. The more active of the two snakes (Char, also seen in one of these pictures) already tested out the divider and wasn't able to get past it to the other side. The total dimensions of the tank is 36" x 16" x 16"high, so divided in half each snake has 16" x 18" ground space (and Char takes full advantage of his 16" vertical space! Cin to a much lesser degree.). The air temperature of their tank has stayed a pretty even 80 degrees, dropping to no less than 75 at night. Humidity has been a steady 30% (ambient humidity in the house), raised to 60% one day when we had a thunderstorm. They do have a UTH, but I don't currently have a thermostat. I did place an order for one, as well as a better thermometer/hygrometer, and those should arrive within the next week. From what I've read, rosy boas like it dry and warm, and so far this seems to be working well. Both snakes are regularly eating f/t pinkies every 3-4 days, fed in separate containers without substrate. Cin (not seen in these pictures) had his second shed yesterday.

Any helpful suggestions for me to further improve their home? Or do I have a set up that's just right? (aside from not yet having a thermostat) Should they have a basking lamp as well? (I've read mixed information about whether or not rosies need a basking lamp.)

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c85/sorraiamustang/Pets/rosy_home.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c85/sorraiamustang/Pets/rosy_home3.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c85/sorraiamustang/Pets/rosy_home2.jpg

And a bonus snake bracelet:
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c85/sorraiamustang/Pets/DSC01825.jpg

[Pareeeee]

You did the right thing buying a thermostat. It's best to have all that stuff before you get your snakes, but at least you're getting it now. 85 degrees is a good temp for the warm side.

As for humidity, just make sure you have plenty of ventilation (a screen top for your enclosure should be fine) also make sure your water dish is small and not placed over a heat-source. Rosies do not require high humidity, in fact, 30% is what I've been told is ideal. Also, since rosies can't be kept in high-humidity environments, it's best to give them a few soaks to help when they are in shed, or put a humid hide box with damp moss in their tank at shedding time.

Heat lamps are not required. I do use a low-wattage fluorescent lamp, mostly for looks, but it also helps to keep the cool side at a steady 70-75 degrees, since our apartment fluctuates in temperature at times.

My rosy is in a 20gal tank turned on its side, which gives him 17x24" of floor space. IMO, this should be a minimum size enclosure for a Rosy. Since your rosies are still young, your set-up gives them plenty of room, but once your little guys reach adult size I recommend you put them in a little larger accommodations.

Also, it's best to have 2 hides, one on the warm side and one on the cool side of a tank.

[Sorraia]

You did the right thing buying a thermostat. It's best to have all that stuff before you get your snakes, but at least you're getting it now. 85 degrees is a good temp for the warm side.

I would have had a thermostat before getting these snakes had I known they even existed. I was not aware of their existence until I decided to visit multiple forums online. Had I not decided to join forums, I still would not know they exist. Not to sound defensive, but I don't appreciate being chided for "not having everything". I've had snakes in the past, I purchased books about these snakes, spoken in person to other people who have and have had snakes, bought my supplies prior to obtaining these snakes, and not once had there been any mention of a thermostat. Even the local pet stores don't have thermostats (I went looking after learning about them, not available, hence the reason I have to order one online and wait for its arrival).

[Pareeeee]

I had to order mine online as well, since none of the pet stores had even heard of UTH thermostats...TWO separate pet stores thought that when I asked for a "thermostat" I actually meant "thermometer" LOL.

I didn't mean to sound rude. I've been in the same place as you, and I also didn't know that I needed a thermostat when I bought my first snake. I was glad to hear that you took forum advice and were buying one, since many beginners refuse advice given to them, often ending up with snakes that are not well because they are too cold or worse, get badly burned by a fluctuating UTH.

[FlagonFly]

I've done a lot of my own research online also for my rosy boa. There is so much info out there it's hard to tell sometimes what is important and what not. I definitely agree on the thermostat... can't trust the UTH alone. Same to be said of "hot rocks" that you place inside a tank. They can all malfunction and have some spots way hotter than others and apparently our reptile friends do not have the most sensitive nervous system to know when they need to get off a hot spot.

I put the thermostat sensor on top of a thin layer of substrate so that it isn't directly touching the glass that the UTH is attached to. I found that if I let it rest on the glass, the metal probe absorbs heat very well and the thermostat overcompensates and shuts off the UTH too often, and so temps even a 1/4" above the glass are a bit too cool for my warm side. I try to keep an eye and make sure my rosy isn't spending a lot of time burrowed on the hot side all the way down resting on the glass. Basically you want to try and put the probe close to where your snake spends its time as that is the most important place to maintain proper temps.

For basking lamps, I've heard several opinions. Most of them say that basking lamps for a rosy aren't necessary, which makes sense as during the day they are usually hidden away and not getting a lot of direct sunlight. I like to use a small one though, both to simulate a more natural environment, and also to help keep humidity low. I've spoken with other rosy owners who notice a lot more activity from their rosys within minutes of a daytime lamp shutting off, as if they think the day is over and are coming out to cruise around.

I really like the wood piece on the left, looking for something similar for mine as he likes to climb around sometimes and I only have a fairly small aquarium branch thing for him now. Mine looks a lot like your Cin.

[FlagonFly]

Oh, I also agree about a larger enclosure as they get bigger. You'll want to have one that is long enough for each snake so you can have a temperature gradiant from a warm side to a cool side. If the cage is too small it tends to all be the same temp, which if not too hot/cold will probably be ok, but going back to the common-sense approach, in the wild snakes can regulate their temps by moving around in and out of sun, warm rocks, cool shade, etc. So if you can provide a similar environment in your cage, they will regulate themselves and move back and forth between warm and cool sides (good idea to have hides they like on both sides) and keep themselves comfortable.

[Aaron_S]

I'd up their prey size to fuzzy mice every 5 - 7 days.

[Sorraia]

Pareeeee - I do appreciate your input, I hope you understand that! I wanted to apologize if I came across to strongly, too. I was having a bad day when I replied, maybe not the best time to make a reply! ;)
Honestly the more and more involved I get in animals (of any kind) the more I come to dislike pet stores. Just so much misinformation, and half the time their supplies seem over priced and under-stocked!

FlagonFly - Thanks for the information about how to place the thermostat! It arrived yesterday, so now I need to get it in there. I was trying to figure out the best way to do it, but sounds like it isn't going to be too difficult. In the first week or so I got my rosys, they did spend a lot of time burrowing, but since then they haven't. They'll spend most of their time in the hides (either on the warm side or cool side), until the evening when they come out to explore. Actually I take that back... Char does a lot of exploring at ALL times of the day. I'm almost considering a small basking light on a timer just to better stimulate night/day cycles. I'm wondering if he just thinks it is dusk all the time and getting confused. Actually it concerns me a little that it may some how affect his help.

Aaron_S - Any particular reason I should switch to larger prey and feed less often? From what I've read so far, neonates should be eating a little more often than older snakes. I also read there should not be an obvious bulge after a meal. For now, the pinks they are getting leave a slight bulge, but not anything extreme. Is this information inaccurate?



So another question has arisen:
It is obvious when these little guys get a bit larger, they'll need a larger enclosure. At some point in the future I am hoping to get a ball python as well (I had one when I was a child, but a lot has changed since then in terms of recommendations and available research, so I'm updating my knowledge, researching morphs and sources, and just getting prepared. Probably not going to get a ball python for a minimum of a few months.) and am planning on a modified "snake rack" display type set up. I want to be able to see the snakes, and I want them to be able to move around and explore as desired. Would it be suitable to turn this aquarium on its side (16" x 36" floor space then) to use for one rosy boa? And if so any idea how I can fashion an escape-proof hinged door if I am unable to continue using the sliding door is has now? (The current set up actually has TWO covers, both screen. One is a lighter screen sliding cover, the second is a heavier wire cover that sits on top of the sliding cover. After two escapes in the first couple of weeks, and another sibling under the care of someone else escaping out of a sliding top enclosure, I am paranoid about more escapes.) I ask about putting it on its side because I am thinking about a shelf sort of system, which would prevent me from being able to reach in through the top. If that doesn't work, I can figure something else out. (In all honesty, we have an 80 gallon fish aquarium I am trying to convince my husband to convert to a snake enclosure. That could easily be split into two sections and probably provide more than enough space for two rosy boas. But so far my husband is unrelenting, he likes the snakes. And since he has given me permission to get a ball python, this is one issue I can't really put my foot down on. ;) )

[Aaron_S]

If it leaves a bulge then keep at it. Just from the size of them in the pics, which is hard to judge, I thought they looked bigger.

[Pareeeee]

This is my set-up, it is a 20gal aquarium turned on its side, with the back and sides blacked out with bristol-board. I used one of those metal grate lids for the front:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a368/Pareeeee/IMG_9347.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a368/Pareeeee/IMG_9348.jpg

With this type of latch that snaps snugly closed:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a368/Pareeeee/IMG_9355.jpg

And this is how it snaps on, very strong, a Rosy Boa would never budge it.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a368/Pareeeee/IMG_9353.jpg

[FlagonFly]

Cool cage, Pareee!

[Sorraia]

Aaron_S - Ok gotcha! :) So far Char has been a very enthusiastic eater, no matter what size pinky he gets. Cin is a little pickier though, and actually seems a tad intimidated by some of the larger pinks. That was right before his shed though and may have had something to do with it. Last night he was VERY enthusiastic about his feed!

Pareee - That's cool! Where do you get those kinds of lids? I've never seen them before.