Just bought Dumerils Boa

forza_inter · 05-15-11, 07:23 PM

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

infernalis · 05-15-11, 09:03 PM

sSnakeSs.com - Rules

TeaNinja · 05-15-11, 09:29 PM

looks like a nice snake

forza_inter · 05-15-11, 09:51 PM

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 · 05-15-11, 10:08 PM

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.

Xochiquetzal · 05-15-11, 10:11 PM

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 · 05-15-11, 10:25 PM

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?

forza_inter · 05-15-11, 10:27 PM

Quote:

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 · 05-15-11, 10:42 PM

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

Lankyrob · 05-16-11, 02:16 AM

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).

stephanbakir · 05-16-11, 03:21 AM

Thermostats are a must.

forza_inter · 05-16-11, 06:47 AM

Quote:

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

forza_inter · 05-16-11, 06:49 AM

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

Lankyrob · 05-16-11, 07:17 AM

About 1/3 of the tank should have the mat if you use one - and with regards to the day/night cycle in a glass tank he will definitely be getting that from natural light so actually providing additional light is unnecessary. All my vivs are enclosed on 5 sides and i dont provide extra lighting.

MoonlightBoas · 05-16-11, 08:39 AM

Welcome to the forum, and grats on picking up a Dumerils Boa. They're definitely one of my favorites. It looks like you have a pretty nice cage setup. Although Dumerils do well with Aspen Bedding, other substrates work fine too. I typically use a temperature gradient from 75-85 degrees, and around 40-60 percent humidity. Unless you live in the desert, you probably don't need to be too concerned with humidity as long as she's eating and shedding well. Under-tank heat pads work great, and should always be connected to a thermostat. Also, I'd consider changing your white light to red. Although Dumerils boas aren't completely nocturnal, they're most active at nighttime. I hope this helps out. I also wrote a detailed Dumerils Boa Care Sheet. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.