Boa newbie, some info?

[mischevious21]

OK, so in about two weeks my new boa will be here (a little salmonpastel boy from Jimi ), and it is my first. Though I have been around them and handled them, I have never myself owned one. A friend of mine does though, and this is the general info I got from him: a hide (2? he only has one, but since I've never had one I've never had the 'right', or the know-how to say anything about it), warm side 90-95 and cool side 82-90, and of course the normal stuff, like a bowl of water big enough for it to soak in, and a big enough enclosure of him when he's full grown.

so does this all sound about right?

[starmom]

Congrats on the best boa you will likely every own. Jimi's boas are really really terrific!!
A couple of things: his boas don't ever really use hides. Mine hangs out on her branches and never goes into her hide. Also, my boas don't soak- never have. They each have a 2x3 reptile cage (Reptile Basics), radiant heat panel, water bowl, paper substrate, aspen substrate area for burrowing if they choose, plastic plants, and a moss area if they want to increase their humidity.
Because I have a radiant heat panel and climbing resting branches, the snakes can thermoregulate according to their needs. My temp gradients go from 76-91F and my humidity is between 50-55%. 95F is too warm for a boa.
I handle the boa from day one since I believe that getting accustomed to a new environment also means getting accustomed to the human within that environment. With Jimi's boas, this is really easy to do because they are so well and often handled by him and his family.
Just remember, they are not ball pythons- they are a lot more fun!!

[mischevious21]

Awsome, thanks for all o the info- I wasnt reall finding anything online that seemed useful, and my friend only has that one snake, so he really only knows what the petstore he bought it from told him. She's a nice girl, too- 13ft long and likes Jordans (my friend) hand more than the rats/ bunnies! lol. The first time she bit him, she lft a tooth in his hand.

But yea, I'm really excited- I've been browsing, looking at some differnt boas, but none cought my eye untill someone (Actually, I think it was you Stramom) mentioned Jimi's site, the I saw the little guy and got the "I need to have it" thing. lol. My b/f's excited, since he likes the was a boa 'looks' more than a BP

[starmom]

I can't wait for the pictures!!

[edie]

I'm getting a boa from Jimi next month! Can't wait for her!

I wouldn't worry about hides too much - a baby could maybe make use of them but my little one always burrows under her aspen or is on her branches like Starmoms snake. I do cover up 2 sides of the terrarium I keep my baby in since shes in an all glass enclosure - with the larger boas I just give them extra newspaper to go under.

My larger boas have soaked a couple times, caught the baby half way in her dish once, but mostly they've just knocked their bowls over because they like to give me work to do

[ncbloods]

I have always found it to be a good idea to provide a hide for a newly aquired baby. Hides allow them to feel secure in their surroundings and there is no sense in providing undue stress by not allowing them the use of a hide. No matter how good the breeder/bloodline is, after being shipped overnight halfway across the country the baby is going to be stressed upon arrival. Most boas do stop using their hides after a while. None of my subadults/adults get a hide (none of them use it anyways). The only baby I have right now only uses it after feeding time.

My b/f's excited, since he likes the was a boa 'looks' more than a BP

lol can't blame him on that, who doesn't?

[starmom]

Sure, put a hide in there- can't hurt. My yearling uses a hide and my other yearling does not and never has. My baby from Jimi never has used a hide and she is amazingly secure and non-stressed even right out of the bag after shipping. He has the most calm boas I have had the pleasure to handle

[mischevious21]

I can't wait for the pictures!!

Oh dont worry, you will have them as soon as I get the little guy and put him in his cage! (well, get him, check him over, pictures, then into cage, then post pictures, in that order, lol). I am SOOO excited!

And thank you all for the advice- its kinda funny, he wont be here for like, another two weeks and yet I already have the cage set up lol. Just my way of getting excited, I guess. lol.

[the_Ryno]

Oh dont worry, you will have them as soon as I get the little guy and put him in his cage! (well, get him, check him over, pictures, then into cage, then post pictures, in that order, lol). I am SOOO excited!

And thank you all for the advice- its kinda funny, he wont be here for like, another two weeks and yet I already have the cage set up lol. Just my way of getting excited, I guess. lol.

Better early than late though.
Im hopefully getting a RTB by the end of the summer, cant decide on a RTB or a BP Rack and an Albino BP......

[JimiSnakes]

Oh dont worry, you will have them as soon as I get the little guy and put him in his cage! (well, get him, check him over, pictures, then into cage, then post pictures, in that order, lol). I am SOOO excited!

And thank you all for the advice- its kinda funny, he wont be here for like, another two weeks and yet I already have the cage set up lol. Just my way of getting excited, I guess. lol.

Where are those pics at?