Boa info wanted

[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]

Originally Posted by Nafun

(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]

Originally Posted by Boafan9876

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]

Originally Posted by Boafan9876

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.