Baby boa tub size

[ThyTempest]

Hey everyone,

I finally picked out the boa...turn boas, that I wanted. I picked out a het kahl pair from jimisnakes. I asked jimi about what he suggested for an enclosure, and told me what kind of stuff he uses and when he typically switches sizes etc, so I just wanted to see what everyone else suggests.

He says that right now they are in 6qt shoeboxes, which is what I expected, with paper towel/newspaper (one of them anyway), with no hides, I assume in a rack. Since I will only have 2 boas and the one bp, I am still planning on doing simple stand alone tubs, perhaps on a shelving unit or something, but not a rack per se. Anyway, he said that he usually moves up to 31 qt at around 6 months, and that they are usually ok in there until they around two years old. They are on rat fuzzies every 10-14 days, but I may end up switching that to a weekly schedule.

So, what tub would you all suggest I get for right now. Should I stick with 6qt, or get just a little bigger, say 12 or 18 qt. I imagine a 30+ qt is just too big right now. Also, i have a 900 gram bp in a 40 qt right now, and despite what everyone says, that an adult female can stay in a 40qt, I really doubt she will fit once she is another foot long and two or three times her weight. With that, when it comes time to switch the boas, should I the female in the bp's 40qt, get a 32 or so for the male, and upgrade my bp into a bigger one, orrrrrrr.....will the female boa probably be approaching the size of the bp anyway, so maybe spring for a bigger than 40qt for the female boa and leave the bp in the 40, get a 32 for the male.

Whew, I know it was a mouthful, just let me know what you guys do/suggest or think may be best for my situation.

Thanks.

Also, any ideas for good/cheap hides for little boas. I have Pandora's old ones, soldered out gladware tub things, but I worry they may be pretty big for the little babies.

[Rakk101]

For hides I use plastic flower pots, they are about $1.00 and I buy some extra so when I am cleaning I just throw a new one in.

My boa likes to climb so I put him in a 30qt tall box I think it is sterelite (SPL.?)

[starmom]

Every snake is different. That's my caveat.

My boa from Jimi went right into a 2x3x1 RBI cage and she never went off feed or exhibited any signs of stress; she is just simply an amazing snake!! She like to climb (as do my other ones) and has also never used a hide.

My yearlings are nearly ready for a larger enclosure (they are also in 2x3x1 RBI cages) and I am pretty certain they will each get the AP A30 (4x2x6ft high).

I would not ever consider putting a boa into tub given their curiosity and their level of interaction with what is going on around them. HOWEVER, that is just me. I am certain that other members with boas might keep them in tubs quite successfully. I'm just not one of those people! No big deal; there is more than one method for successfully keeping snakes!!

As for feeding, I have mine on a 7 day feeding schedule and they are thriving. I believe that you decrease the frequency of feeding after a year or two and when the size of prey is upped substantially. Someone will need to correct me about this if I am wrong!

Awesome choices for your first boas! Good luck with them and have fun!! They are amazing snakes and very different from ball pythons.

Take care.

[Patrick Long]

well seing how your question was sort of lost in McKinseys explanation.

I found these 74qt sterilite tubs, that are 3.8'x1.8' and they are actually really nice tubs. I keep my boas in there for now. Of course this is when they are adults.

Babies are gonna grow through tubs faster.

Start with what jimi said. Put them in a 6qt, when they outgrow that jump to 12qt when the out grow that jump to 21qt etc etc. You can find different size tubs with the same height (usually). That is how I built my rack. so I can interchange tubs if need be. My 12's are the same height as my 32's which are the same height as my 74's

[starmom]

well seing how your question was sort of lost in McKinseys explanation....

Well, I sort of answered it, in a McKinsey kind of way...!!! :p

[ThyTempest]

Every snake is different. That's my caveat.

My boa from Jimi went right into a 2x3x1 RBI cage and she never went off feed or exhibited any signs of stress; she is just simply an amazing snake!! She like to climb (as do my other ones) and has also never used a hide.

My yearlings are nearly ready for a larger enclosure (they are also in 2x3x1 RBI cages) and I am pretty certain they will each get the AP A30 (4x2x6ft high).

I would not ever consider putting a boa into tub given their curiosity and their level of interaction with what is going on around them. HOWEVER, that is just me. I am certain that other members with boas might keep them in tubs quite successfully. I'm just not one of those people! No big deal; there is more than one method for successfully keeping snakes!!

As for feeding, I have mine on a 7 day feeding schedule and they are thriving. I believe that you decrease the frequency of feeding after a year or two and when the size of prey is upped substantially. Someone will need to correct me about this if I am wrong!

Awesome choices for your first boas! Good luck with them and have fun!! They are amazing snakes and very different from ball pythons.

Take care.

How is an RBI, AP or Boaphile cage any different from a tub, other than the it has a front facing "lid/door", and is typically darker plastic.

When they are adults, I plan on picking up a nicer enclosure like rbi or boaphile.

Also, I know it will vary a lot with different boas, but would you suggest I look for a little bit taller tub, unlike bp's, since they may climb if I offer driftlogs, vines, etc?

[Rakk101]

I would suggest the taller tub, I love watching our little guy climb all over the driftwood branches in his tank, if you are using real wood make sure to clean it very well and bake it.

Mine will usually crawl around at night time on his branches and then cruise to his hide in the day

* Like Starmom says I have a 4ft boaphile waiting for my little guy to grow up, I plan on picking up a couple more at Tinley park and they will get the same thing, tubs when they are small and the boaphile when they get a bit bigger

[littleindiangirl]

How is an RBI, AP or Boaphile cage any different from a tub, other than the it has a front facing "lid/door", and is typically darker plastic.

AP, RBI and boaphile are all larger than tubs, (when I say tubs, we all think of our shallow rack tubs)

Our boa started out in a 32qt tub, but he grew so fast, so now he's cruising in a nice 4x2x2 AP cage. He's approx 1 and 1/2 years old.