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Originally Posted by Kaity
After years of wanting a boa, I'm finally in a position where I can have one. I would love a Hog Island boa, and their size and temp/humidity requirements fit my living space well. However, I'm a bit concerned as I've always read that locality-specific boas have specialized care requirements, but I can't seem to find anything Hogs need that is super different from most other Bci. So, does anyone know of any Hog-specific quirks? Would a different boa be better for someone who's only ever kept colubrids? Also, can I put him right into his adult-size enclosure once he outgrows the 20gal he would be housed in as a hatchling, or would an intermediate enclosure be a good idea?
Thanks so much, and sorry for all the questions at once  |
I'm actually doing the reverse this year! After keeping boas for years (currently 10 in the collection), I am obtaining a couple pairs of garters. I think you would like mixing it up and keeping boas too.
Hog Island boas are an insular island subspecies and the only thing you would really have to adjust from a mainland Bci is the feeding schedule. I have kept some insular island boas and they thrive on much less food than other Bci. Do not feed more than one appropriately sized rodent once every two weeks, even as a baby. Then as the prey item's size increases, increase the time between feedings. You can also reduce the temps a bit during the winter months and feed much less during this cooler time. The temp cycles are explained in "The Complete Boa Constrictor" by Vin Russo and is a good read for anyone keeping these locality boas. I know from emailing back and forth with Vin, he feeds his baby insular island boas only once a month during the winter cool down.
I also keep all my young boas in 41qt Rubbermaid sweater boxes in my home made shelving unit with heat and a thermostat. They keep in heat and humidity much better than a glass aquarium, which is why aquariums are not recommended for keeping boas that are native to tropical regions. Once they outgrow their 41qt tubs, I am moving them to 4" enclosures.
I hope that helps a bit and will look for the pictures
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