Boa Cage Dimensions-- Climbing?

[viper69]

I am getting ready to upgrade my Boa to a larger size home. She's 5 ft long, she's a Hog Island, so she's done with the majority of her growing and is definitely an adult.

I was considering getting something from Boaphile or some other such reptile cage maker, maybe Vision I'm not sure YET.

My questions are these

1. What is a decent size to increase to? I was thinking 4'L x 2' W x 1.5 ft H (maybe 2')

2. I know you can keep larger boas in containers w/out basking shelves or even branches to climb on. What do you guys do? Would you provide your boa with a taller setup so they can use their arboreal abilities?

3. For doors, at the moment I'm thinking of going with two doors, maybe sliding, or front opening (like an ExoTerra), as opposed to a single door the length of the container. I know this is personal preference, but I'd like to see what people do and why, perhaps there are things I haven't considered w/those 3 door styles, ie pros/cons.

Thanks!

[Gio]

The island species of boa like you have are known to climb rather frequently. All boa constrictors are semi arboreal and will display this behavior when provided housing that allows them to do so.

18" tall is probably a good place to start. I have my 6 foot male Colombian BC in a cage that is 48" x 30" x (20" tall).

The cage is from Constrictors NW (Pro-Line). It is a single drop door and the cage is HDPE plastic.



If these snakes are not overfed, they will become quite active at night and I catch my fella out climbing in the warmer months.

More often than not, he will feed from his perched area.







If you enjoy watching your snake eat, it is quite interesting to see them do it from the air.

This rabbit never touched the ground after he started eating.


If I could do it over, I'd have gone 24" tall, but 20 is ample for this snake, and because the cage is a big 30" deep the heating may have been a bit tougher but I really don't think 4 more inches of ceiling would be an issue for that.


This cage is for a 6+ foot carpet python. It is 48" x 24" x 24".

This would be a nice size for your snake if it is fully grown. Same brand just not as deep and 4" taller.

[viper69]

The island species of boa like you have are known to climb rather frequently. All boa constrictors are semi arboreal and will display this behavior when provided housing that allows them to do so.

18" tall is probably a good place to start. I have my 6 foot male Colombian BC in a cage that is 48" x 30" x (20" tall).

The cage is from Constrictors NW (Pro-Line). It is a single drop door and the cage is HDPE plastic.



If these snakes are not overfed, they will become quite active at night and I catch my fella out climbing in the warmer months.

More often than not, he will feed from his perched area.







If you enjoy watching your snake eat, it is quite interesting to see them do it from the air.

This rabbit never touched the ground after he started eating.


If I could do it over, I'd have gone 24" tall, but 20 is ample for this snake, and because the cage is a big 30" deep the heating may have been a bit tougher but I really don't think 4 more inches of ceiling would be an issue for that.


This cage is for a 6+ foot carpet python. It is 48" x 24" x 24".

This would be a nice size for your snake if it is fully grown. Same brand just not as deep and 4" taller.

I really appreciate your input.

What made you go with this company, how are you heating it. IF you are using a RHP. Any issues w/your snake getting thermal burns or TRYING to wrap around it? I've seen them mounted from the cage ceiling as opposed to having the RHP hot side flush w/the cage ceiling. What challenges did you face in heating them and how did you fix them?

Yeah I'd like to foster her arboreal behavior. I do when I take her out all the time. I give her things to climb on, flex the muscles etc and I love watching her do so.

What made you go with 1 door as opposed to 2? I'd think 2 doors would be better as it would be easier to feed, and also easier to put mine at least back giving her less chance to "escape" as I put her back in.


I honestly didn't think that 18-24" in height would foster arboreal behavior w/a snake of that size. I'm surprised. I'm thinking of giving her a basking shelf, though maybe w/a pole as you have, it's not necessary?

Why did you go w/the ProLine?

I like AP Plastics for the moment because the containers can be broken down, so it's easier to move them when one moves to a new destination.

I appreciate the pics a lot. This has given me some thoughts.

[viper69]

The one thing that has surprised me when visiting AP and Boaphile is for lighting they have fluorescent lighting, I'm surprised they haven't offered LEDs yet.

[Gio]

I really appreciate your input.

What made you go with this company, how are you heating it. IF you are using a RHP. Any issues w/your snake getting thermal burns or TRYING to wrap around it? I've seen them mounted from the cage ceiling as opposed to having the RHP hot side flush w/the cage ceiling. What challenges did you face in heating them and how did you fix them?


I went with Pro-Line because of price and the HDPE plastic they use. Ed Lilley is also a very honest/straight up guy.

I use RHPs alone. They are mounted to the top of the cage. I've not had any challenges heating the cage and I've not had to fix a thing.

The snake has never tried to wrap around the panel. I do make sure the perches are low enough directly underneath the panel to keep the snakes from being too close to it.

I'm not sure what you mean by flush with the ceiling on the hot side VS mounted from the ceiling.

They are designed to radiate heat downwards. You should mount them at the top of the cage and depending on the manufacturer you by from, they may help you with placement.

I have Pro-Products panels.


Yeah I'd like to foster her arboreal behavior. I do when I take her out all the time. I give her things to climb on, flex the muscles etc and I love watching her do so.

I 100% agree!

What made you go with 1 door as opposed to 2? I'd think 2 doors would be better as it would be easier to feed, and also easier to put mine at least back giving her less chance to "escape" as I put her back in.


I went with one door simply because that is how the cages are built. However, the ease of cleaning, moving cage decor in and out, and taking the snake out is also much easier.

Feeding is not an issue and I have only had him pop out right at me twice. I'm able to read this behavior and have not had problems since. I can also easily keep the door opening just large enough for the prey item to be presented.


I honestly didn't think that 18-24" in height would foster arboreal behavior w/a snake of that size. I'm surprised. I'm thinking of giving her a basking shelf, though maybe w/a pole as you have, it's not necessary?


It is adequate in my situation. Heating something much over what I have would not be the easiest, and I'm stacking the cages. I have a 14" tall on top of my 20" tall cage. Room is simply a limiting factor. If you have the space and have the proper climate, I'd say go as tall has you can go within reason.

Why did you go w/the ProLine?

I mentioned this above, but at the time I ordered my first cage I found the price and material to be the best. The prices are a bit higher now, but they INCLUDE shipping.
I still feel HDPE plastic is the best out there. But I also would have no issue getting a nice cage from AP.


I like AP Plastics for the moment because the containers can be broken down, so it's easier to move them when one moves to a new destination.

Same with Pro-Line. I probably would keep them together though if we were to move.

I appreciate the pics a lot. This has given me some thoughts.

I'm glad I could help!








With carpets being even more arboreal, the show never ends if you give them some space.

[Gio]

The one thing that has surprised me when visiting AP and Boaphile is for lighting they have fluorescent lighting, I'm surprised they haven't offered LEDs yet.

AP has LED lights if you ask them.

LED lights are easy to mount if you want to buy your own.

Mine are from Menards and I put them in myself.

I also purchased Arcadia Moon Light LED lights for night viewing.

If you assemble your cage from Pro-Line or AP, you can customize it during your setup.

[dkatz4]

GIO, i had to put my phone down and boot up my computer to get a better look at those pics. Beutiful work! what is the source of blue light?
I am in the mental pre-visualisation planning stage (day-dreaming) of a new enclosure and have been grappling with dimensions. I want to go tall b/c i know my boa likes to climb and perch but do you think there is such a thing as too tall? I'm thinking 24" for my little dwarf boa, and 36" for a future full-size boa. With appropriate climbing structures, do you think they would actually use that space? I'm happy to build it, but i don't want a big empty box of fake plants with my snake just chilling at ground level.

[viper69]

GIO, i had to put my phone down and boot up my computer to get a better look at those pics. Beutiful work! what is the source of blue light?
I am in the mental pre-visualisation planning stage (day-dreaming) of a new enclosure and have been grappling with dimensions. I want to go tall b/c i know my boa likes to climb and perch but do you think there is such a thing as too tall? I'm thinking 24" for my little dwarf boa, and 36" for a future full-size boa. With appropriate climbing structures, do you think they would actually use that space? I'm happy to build it, but i don't want a big empty box of fake plants with my snake just chilling at ground level.

In the wild B.c.i's are found over 36" above ground. I cannot speak for your dwarf boa, what locality is it? On some level you never know what they will like or dislike ultimately. I've done setups for some pets that I thought they would take to, and ended up the pets did something completely different. I know a B.c.i (non-dwarf) would use upwards of 6 ft of vertical climbing space as I have seen that personally.

[viper69]

[/B] I'm glad I could help!








With carpets being even more arboreal, the show never ends if you give them some space.

Much appreciated the info provided including the pics, I'm going to include this maker as a possibility now! I love your animals, gorgeous.

You have given me some additional considerations that I had not initially considered.

How did you determine the proper distance between the RHP and basking perch before buying the cage?

What I meant by RHP being flush:


I've seen the RHPs mounted into the cage's ceiling, and thus it protrudes downward. I haven't seen a setup yet where the RHP is mounted in such a way that the RHP's panel is flush w/the cage's ceiling, that is it's even/level with the plane of the ceiling. Hmm. LIKE fluorescent lights in the ceiling of an office building, they don't typical protrude out of the ceiling, the are recessed! That's the word I was looking for.


How bright are the Arcadia lights? That is, have you felt your animals thought they were too bright and needed a dimmer? It's so hard to tell w/pics on the internet instead of in person!

[dkatz4]

In the wild B.c.i's are found over 36" above ground. I cannot speak for your dwarf boa, what locality is it? On some level you never know what they will like or dislike ultimately. I've done setups for some pets that I thought they would take to, and ended up the pets did something completely different. I know a B.c.i (non-dwarf) would use upwards of 6 ft of vertical climbing space as I have seen that personally.

Well the locality of my CA is muddled; I asked the breeder and she told me that she had imported his parents from different sources and only for size and pattern (my dude was the humble "normal" of the litter) so the only accurate description is just Central American. When i take him out he loves crawling along railings and going straight up my floor lamp (see below), so ideally i want to build him both a vertical "tree" and a horizontal "branch".


(Lamp was unplugged)