Tank sizes for red tail boa

swawnsymbiote · 03-04-20, 01:07 PM

My female red tail is in a 20 gallon long tank right now, she's around 24 inches now. When should I upgrade her tank? Is there a rule of thumb to go by?

**EL Ziggy** · 03-04-20, 03:45 PM

A general rule of thumb is the length+width of the enclosure should be equal to the length of the snake. If your boa is 2ft long she should be ok in the 20 gallon long tank for a while longer. I believe the dimensions on that tank are 30 1/4 x 12 1/2 x 12 3/4.

dangernoodles · 03-04-20, 05:02 PM

My rule of thumb is that your snake should pretty much be able to stretch out across the enclosure without difficulty. Red tails usually do not need too much space since they are not super active, but she will do fine in a 20 gallon for a bit. Once your snake exceeds the length of the tank, you should upgrade.

Mark Cannaday · 03-13-20, 06:27 PM

I have my 10'er in a 5'L x 18"W x 18"T, and it is a very happy camper. Eats like a gang buster, happy, calm and mellow.
Been it that size enclosure since it was 3' long.
Heat lamp up top, heat pad underneath on opposite end from the lamp.

Mark

skaukatt · 03-22-20, 06:51 PM

My suri girl is currently in an Exo Terra large low 90 x 45 x 30 cm / 36” x 18” x 12” and will be upgraded to a 6' boaphile. There's no rush as she is just over 2', at 6 months old. I'm going to go ahead and order the new enclosure thanks to my tax return but am not sure when to make the switch. I don't want to stress her out, she's doing so well, thankfully. I'll just hang on to the enclosure and at some point I'll need to make the switch. When that happens... I'll have an available enclosure! I want to get a snake that can live it's life in the Exo Terra so maybe I look into a dwarf Boa or a Ball Python, never owned one of those but the morphs are so beautiful!

chairman · 03-23-20, 11:12 AM

In general, you cannot put a snake in an enclosure that is too big. Smaller snakes just require more hiding spots in a larger cage than a larger snake would. I would get the new enclosure set up, the temperatures dialed in, then move the snake in and see what happens. If everything is fine then you're good, if not then the old cage is still empty.

Once the boa is settled in to the new enclosure, the old cage can house a number of different snakes, including the ones you listed. I would consider a corn snake. They have a lot of good looking morphs, stay a reasonable size, are great eaters, easy husbandry, and they tolerate handling very well. A corn snake was my first snake and I imagine that I'll always have at least one regardless of what else I may keep.

skaukatt · 04-02-20, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chairman

In general, you cannot put a snake in an enclosure that is too big. Smaller snakes just require more hiding spots in a larger cage than a larger snake would. I would get the new enclosure set up, the temperatures dialed in, then move the snake in and see what happens. If everything is fine then you're good, if not then the old cage is still empty.

Once the boa is settled in to the new enclosure, the old cage can house a number of different snakes, including the ones you listed. I would consider a corn snake. They have a lot of good looking morphs, stay a reasonable size, are great eaters, easy husbandry, and they tolerate handling very well. A corn snake was my first snake and I imagine that I'll always have at least one regardless of what else I may keep.

Thank you! That's my plan. When I first began caring for boas in the late 70's, I also cared for a corn snake at that time. They are wonderful snakes! This time around, once I move my suri girl, I am considering a ball python, I have no idea what type/morph, they are all so very beautiful I can't decide, maybe even perhaps a viper boa, I want the next animal to be able to live out its life in the Exo Terra large low.

Thanks again!