Re: First boa constrictor want tips amd feedback
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JoshSloane
Just from looking at your pics, it seems like you have a 20 gallon tall aquarium. While baby boas can be a bit arboreal, boas are considered a terrestrial species and spend most of their time flat on the ground, especially in captivity. Usually we recommend starting out with a 20 gallon long aquarium with increased floor space. Your snake is up on the branch as its trying to get close enough to the heat source, as well as find a sense of security. This is ok while he is younger, but it will be unrealistic for him to climb to heat once the animal gets much bigger. If you have the resources to change the setup I would go with a 20 gallon long tank, two hides and a water bowl for a bare minimum enclosure. Basking lamps work, but you need to be checking temps with a heat gun, and try to get the hot side as close to 90 deg as possible. Also, keep in mind that fluctuations in room temps will change basking temps, since the heat bulb cant be regulated by a thermostat.
I agree with a lot of this post. However boa constrictors are semi arboreal, and the reason they are deemed terrestrial in captivity is simply because most setups are geared that way. It is certainly understandable as some of the bigger snakes can weigh 80 pounds and be 11+ feet long. Housing that sized snake unless you have a very lucrative budget for the hobby is unrealistic.
That said, I am constantly entertained by my almost 6 foot long nearly 3 year old BC in his setup. This snake will feed from his perches about 90% of the time.
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_2322.jpg
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_2327.jpg
OP, your glass tank as mentioned in the quoted post is too tall and too open for a snake that age. You need to cover the top, bottom, back and sides with an insulating material. I prefer REFLECTIX for a glass tank, and don't really like glass tanks period.
There are several options, but if you must use glass, a taller tank will undoubtedly create humidity and heating issues. JoshSloane was pretty spot on telling you the snake is seeking warmth from the heat lamp. It is far easier for it to get immediate heat directly under the light.
Since you have a BC, you might as well begin to look at quality plastic caging from Pro-Line, Animal Plastics or Boaphile.
You can get a larger cage now, and create a smaller cage within it if necessary.
Your heat bulb can be regulated with a thermostat if you use a Herpstat. The dimming feature is perfect for heat bulbs as it will only run the amount of current to the bulb needed to heat to the desired ambient temp. If you buy a higher wattage build, it will run low and fairly dim unless the temps are low and require a lot more power.
There are many ways to do things and a lot of them work well. I prefer radiant heat panels in my cages.
All of this costs money, but these are simply costs required to keep a pet like this.
Nice looking BC, enjoy it and care for it well.
Re: First boa constrictor want tips amd feedback
Quote:
Originally Posted by
lopezeric156
Thank you for your response i have ordered a temp gun and it hasnt arrived yet so for now the digital thermometer is all i have �� she has a warm hide that is heated by a uth(thermostat on it to 93F) but she never likes to go in it shes always on the branch lol
I personally hate UTHs as you cant use thick layer of substrate as it will more or less render the UTH useless. Sure the snake can burrow down for heat but still. In the years of keeping snakes, I have used a UTH once and it was only for about a month. I personally prefer either CHEs if its a glass tank or a RHP if its a PVC cage. Then I throw a hide box under it and that's the warm hide. It gets nice an warm which in turn heats the air in the cage too so you are not only creating a warm spot but also a nice ambient air gradient. Your boa is probably on the branch all the time because like I said, that it the warmest spot. Set the thermometer on the floor under the heat lamp and see what it reads. If it is under 90F, then you need to up the wattage. Another thing you can do is build a PVC pipe monkey bars for your snake. I built one for Vicky and she climbs all over them at night. Its also cheap. A lot of people build them for arboreal snakes like GTPs and ETBs. You can get all fancy too and splatter water on it and scorch it with a propane torch(outside of coarse) to make it look like wood with texture and pattern as the water wont scorch but the other parts will. Hop on to Youtube or google it for examples and stuff to get the basic idea of how to make em. Best of all, it wont grow mold as it isn't wood but PVC. Also you can go to a craft store and buy silk vines and then hit up a Home Depot and buy the 2" rubber suction cups with hooks and hang the vines to give the snake security too. The snake will also sit on the vines. Vicky climbs up her PVC "tree" and then onto her vines and will just sit up there looking down.
Re: First boa constrictor want tips amd feedback
My ball python thought he was arboreal for a long time, too. We ended up taking out his branch because we worried about him. He's clumsy and kept falling off. Never did figure out why he liked that spot. He had no overhead light at all and only a UTH set at 92.
