Red Tail Questions.

[strangefamous]

I am really interested in buying this baby red tail Boa that my buddy is willing to give up. As far as care for a baby, would this be the same as caring for a Baby ball? I know he would need a couple hides for his new home until he gets used to it but what about templs and humidity. All the same as a ball? Sorry for not searching these forums first. I am at work and odnt have much time I own 2 balls right now have had many corns so I am not new to snakes and I know this is a big step up but I am ready to learn and provide him with a new home. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

[AndrewGeibel]

I picked up a boa as my second snake and I'm definitely happy with the decision. One thing I would consider is buying a younger boa from a breeder so you can grow the boa up yourself. As far as temps and humidity, the requirements are quite similar to BPs. I keep my boas about 2 degrees colder than I keep my BPs.

[strangefamous]

I picked up a boa as my second snake and I'm definitely happy with the decision. One thing I would consider is buying a younger boa from a breeder so you can grow the boa up yourself. As far as temps and humidity, the requirements are quite similar to BPs. I keep my boas about 2 degrees colder than I keep my BPs.

Awesome. What would you recommend for temp control for these guys. A thermostat?

[jfreels]

I keep my temps at 90-92 on the warm side for my boa. They also require much more space. My current one is about 3.5' and she's in a 40 breeder. She won't be staying in it much longer. I keep humidity around 60%. Being such a big tank, I have two UTHs. The second is set to 80 F and the water bowl sits on top of that...gives it a nice constant 60% humidity. I also have the top foiled off, except of about an inch strip on both sides of the lid. Both UTHs are on rheostats.

[blackcrystal22]

I keep my temps at 90-92 on the warm side for my boa. They also require much more space. My current one is about 3.5' and she's in a 40 breeder. She won't be staying in it much longer. I keep humidity around 60%. Being such a big tank, I have two UTHs. The second is set to 80 F and the water bowl sits on top of that...gives it a nice constant 60% humidity. I also have the top foiled off, except of about an inch strip on both sides of the lid. Both UTHs are on rheostats.

They don't 'require' much more space. A neonate will do fine in a 20gallon long until about 3-4ft. They don't stress out from too much space like balls do though, but they won't move around all that much as an adult.
An adult will fit happily in a 4x2 reptile cage.

When they're young they tend to be more climbers and baskers than hiders. My RTB doesn't use his hides very often, but will burrow and climb on his branches. He's the only one I have equipped with a heat lamp to provide proper temperatures on his branching platforms.

[jfreels]

Uh they do 'require' much more space. You do know that a 4x2x2 is roughly 120 gallons, right? A ball needs nothing more than a 40 G breeder (max right?)....so more than double would be "much more" in my eyes.

They are semi-arboreal, I wasted about $30 on branches and stuff that mine never used when I use to use a light. My RTB stays in the hide more than my ball.

[blackcrystal22]

Uh they do 'require' much more space. You do know that a 4x2x2 is roughly 120 gallons, right? A ball needs nothing more than a 40 G breeder (max right?)....so more than double would be "much more" in my eyes.

They are semi-arboreal, I wasted about $30 on branches and stuff that mine never used when I use to use a light. My RTB stays in the hide more than my ball.

Alright, you're really mixing up what I'm saying here.

In proportion to ball pythons, they don't require any more space. A RTB roughly the same size as a ball would be in a cage about the same size as a ball, maybe with a little more headroom.
When the RTB is 8-10ft, of course it's going to need more space than an adult ball python, because it's a larger species.
Also a 40 gallon breeder is much too large for a ball python in my opinion. MAYBE for a huge female, but I still think it's a stretch.

Also, I use 4x2x1 cages. So, it's only 60 gallons if your math was correct.

Not all RTBs are the same, but they will eat and breed without any hides, and many won't use them. When they are fully grown, hides become difficult to come by that will fit them. So if they thrive without them, they are unnecessary.

P.S. You don't have to purchase extra branches if you don't want to. I had some left over and mine loves them, so I'll use them until he gets too big.
AND if you want to provide more room, you can. That's the difference. They don't mind either way, it just depends on how much effort you want to spend on the husbandry specifications. I personally put my boas in cages a little bigger than I would put my balls in.

[jfreels]

That's correct for a 4x2x1, I was figuring 4x2x2. I don't have an adult ball, so I wasn't sure about its requirements. Mine is still in a 15.

So just so I don't mix up further, I'm reading that you have an RTB in a 4x2x1 with climbing branches and a heat lamp?

My RTB doesn't use his hides very often, but will burrow and climb on his branches. He's the only one I have equipped with a heat lamp

I use 4x2x1 cages

When they are fully grown, hides become difficult to come by that will fit them

RTB forums are a good resource for information. A lot of guys on there use cat litter pans for hides. I suggest the OP should check them out. They have many ideas for large hides, cage requirements and all that.

[blackcrystal22]

That's correct for a 4x2x1, I was figuring 4x2x2. I don't have an adult ball, so I wasn't sure about its requirements. Mine is still in a 15.

So just so I don't mix up further, I'm reading that you have an RTB in a 4x2x1 with climbing branches and a heat lamp?

Haha, no, not quite. Sorry, that was a bit unclear.
I have a year old RTB in a 20g long with a heat lamp, UTH, hide (which he uses sometimes), and thick climbing branches. He sits on top of the branches that are horizontal beneath the lamp, and will often eat from there.

My Dumeril's Boa female is going to be put into a 4x2x1 within the month.
I plan on using the same cage for my male carpet (with added height) and my male RTB as an adult. I'm also getting a female macklotts and fully grown male RTB and will likely be using that size cage exclusively.

RTB forums are a good resource for information. A lot of guys on there use cat litter pans for hides. I suggest the OP should check them out. They have many ideas for large hides, cage requirements and all that.

I'm a member there, and the kitty litter idea is a good one, but often they don't fit properly in some of the cages, and I know some RTBs (the male I'm getting in July to be exact) that is too tall to fit into a kitty litter pan that fits into the cage. I might mess around with it if he seems stressed without one, but if he's alright I'll just provide lots of aspen for burrowing.

[jfreels]

Gotchia, thanks for clearing that up! There is another plastics company that create hides for the boaphile cages (421d I think 4x2x1). Not sure on the link, but it would be on RTB.com.

I did a lot of research before investing in my boa. I had lots of concerns that got cleared up on that forum. Great resource, but not so great for newbs with all the moderation and such. Hard to get replies to your posts and replies when there is about a 24 hour delay while waiting for the moderation process.