Just bought Dumerils Boa

[forza_inter]

Hey everyone, i just recently purchased a 4 month old dumeril's boa, and i've been going crazy trying to make sure i have everything in order and perfect for her.

....below is a picture of the enclosure and a picture of her....if anyone has any suggestions or tips, please feel free to let me know. Thanks in advance!


By dan_mancuso at 2011-05-15


By dan_mancuso at 2011-05-15


By dan_mancuso at 2011-05-15

[infernalis]

sSnakeSs.com - Rules

[TeaNinja]

looks like a nice snake

[forza_inter]

Thanks guys.....i currently have just the 1 heat lamp, but i plan on getting a heat mat as well....this is the first snake that i've owned and i've been doing a lot of research to help me get a better understanding of how to care for her

my 2 biggest concerns are the heat sources and if my snake is getting the proper heat and humidity she requires, and second the bedding that i should use....i've read that many owners claim that newspapers or aspen bedding works best....

opinions and experiences would be greatly appreciated

[TeaNinja]

i have my big male dumerils in a 4x2x2 wooden viv with just a heat lamp built into the top.


i'm probably going to get some kind of belly heat eventually, but my BP and dum are both doing fine with just top heat right now.

for substrate i mix reptibark and coconut fiber/husk stuff. it holds humidity well and doesn't really mold.

[forza_inter]

thats a really nice enclosure man....im a big fan of the red heat light as well. the white light seems too bright.....im assuming you turn it off at night or at some point of the day....so the heat from just a lamp is enough to keep your snake comfortable while its off?

and how often do you change the substrate?

[TeaNinja]

Originally Posted by forza_inter

thats a really nice enclosure man....im a big fan of the red heat light as well. the white light seems too bright.....im assuming you turn it off at night or at some point of the day....so the heat from just a lamp is enough to keep your snake comfortable while its off?

and how often do you change the substrate?

haha, i just saw this now.
i actually leave that red light on 24/7. in the summer i use a 100 watt red bulb and in the colder parts i use a 75 watt. i wondered if turning it off at night would get too cold so i tried it one night and hit it with the digital thermometer like 20 minutes later and it was already in the mid 60's so i just leave it on 24/7. as for substrate change, i just spot clean whenever i see him poop or something. sometimes when i have him out i stir up all the substrate in the viv and spray it all down and such. i havn't actually done a full substrate change in months.

my dum is an adult male and he put off food for like 4-5 months then finally started eating again a month or so ago. was nice.

Originally Posted by forza_inter

yea those ceramic heat emitters sound like a good alternative to an actual bulb....i've beem trying to go with a day/ night pattern for her, but because at the moment i only have the 1 light, in fear of temperatures dropping over night i have been leaving it all 24/7

i have a ceramic for my BP. i leave that on 24/7 also.



and very nice shed btw

[forza_inter]

Originally Posted by TeaNinja

haha, i just saw this now.
i actually leave that red light on 24/7. in the summer i use a 100 watt red bulb and in the colder parts i use a 75 watt. i wondered if turning it off at night would get too cold so i tried it one night and hit it with the digital thermometer like 20 minutes later and it was already in the mid 60's so i just leave it on 24/7. as for substrate change, i just spot clean whenever i see him poop or something. sometimes when i have him out i stir up all the substrate in the viv and spray it all down and such. i havn't actually done a full substrate change in months.

my dum is an adult male and he put off food for like 4-5 months then finally started eating again a month or so ago. was nice.




i have a ceramic for my BP. i leave that on 24/7 also.



and very nice shed btw

thats cool man....yea im def loving the red light....ever since i switched it shes been a lot more active....then again i've kinda left her alone so maybe that might be why as well....but yea lots of improvement in the last few days from my girl....and the great shed was such a relief

[Xochiquetzal]

I have always been led to believe belly heat is most important , and told also to use aspen bedding , but if she eats and sheds well then you must be doing it right! She is very pretty!

[forza_inter]

Originally Posted by Xochiquetzal

I have always been led to believe belly heat is most important , and told also to use aspen bedding , but if she eats and sheds well then you must be doing it right! She is very pretty!

yea thanks, shes a beauty....as for the feeding and shedding, i just got her 2 days ago so i havent experience either of them yet....im feeding her tuesday, im praying that it goes well and she eats without any problems. i read way too many instances where people have had problems getting their snake to eat :S

[Ch^4]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the new addition! She is gorgeous!

[Lankyrob]

With a heat lamp the snake still gets belly heat as the lamp heats up the substrate as well as the air - if you want to use a lamp but not have light use Ceramic heat emitters - they stay on 24/7 and as long as thermostatted correctly then they are fine. We have them for all of our snakes and have no problem with heat or humidity (all in wooden vivs rather than glass aquariums).

[forza_inter]

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

With a heat lamp the snake still gets belly heat as the lamp heats up the substrate as well as the air - if you want to use a lamp but not have light use Ceramic heat emitters - they stay on 24/7 and as long as thermostatted correctly then they are fine. We have them for all of our snakes and have no problem with heat or humidity (all in wooden vivs rather than glass aquariums).

yea those ceramic heat emitters sound like a good alternative to an actual bulb....i've beem trying to go with a day/ night pattern for her, but because at the moment i only have the 1 light, in fear of temperatures dropping over night i have been leaving it all 24/7

[stephanbakir]

Thermostats are a must.

[forza_inter]

also a general question to everyone.....when i do eventually get my heat pad, what should i use for the "hot" side of the tank, the light? or the pad? and also how much of the tank should be specified for the hot area, and how much for the cooler area

thanks