New to Boas (and this site) (pic heavy)

so ive had a BP for a few years, hes great and all but i wanted another snake. so i went to the petstore for some feeders for my BP and beardies, and i noticed they had a tank titled "red tail boas $109" (thats really cheap everywhere else they are $250 or more around me) that is all so im not sure about the details, they said their "snake guy" was on vacation. my guess was they had too many and couldnt wait for him to get back to start selling them. they also had about 12 of them in a little 10 gal. tank :( after thinking for a few days, my wife agreed to let me get one, so here he is, we've had him about 6 weeks now. also he seems healthy in breathing and eats like a champ.

i know he needs more stuff in his tank to hide in and climb on, but hes fairly new to this tank also, we had him in something smaller at first but got the tank as a gift from my father. the fogger is on a timer so hes not too humid it only kicks on for a little bit every few hours. he has a UTH and a red heat bulb on one side and hit top is pretty covered (tin foil and tape make for a good blanket to keep some heat and humidity in)

(most of these pics were taken after i sprayed his tank down or right after i mixed the substrate, so it looks too wet, dont worry its not.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...B/IMG_2052.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...B/IMG_2053.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...B/IMG_2037.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...B/IMG_2054.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...B/IMG_2055.jpg

put my cell in just for a size reference
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...B/IMG_2057.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...B/IMG_2016.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...B/IMG_2011.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...B/IMG_2060.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...B/IMG_2063.jpg

Thanks for looking!

:welcome: and good looking boa. Do you know the gender?

we nahe no idea actually, and it doesnt have a name... can they be sexed this young?

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Originally Posted by nonrandomhero

we nahe no idea actually, and it doesnt have a name... can they be sexed this young?

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Yes, they can be sexed right after being birthed. I was asking because females get quite a bit larger than males, girth and length.

yeah i know that, im not too worried either way to be honest, im comfortable with larger snakes and i dont breed them so that doesnt matter to me.

knowing she can be sexed i might take her in this weekend. any suggestions for names?

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Originally Posted by nonrandomhero

yeah i know that, im not too worried either way to be honest, im comfortable with larger snakes and i dont breed them so that doesnt matter to me.

knowing she can be sexed i might take her in this weekend. any suggestions for names?

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None here. I normally don't name my snakes. I have quite a few, so it would be tough to remember them all.

Nice...... Hope yours turns out to be as cool as mine is personality wise.


Is there an easy way to sex them yourself? Im interested in which mine is but dont see going and having it done ever.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

None here. I normally don't name my snakes. I have quite a few, so it would be tough to remember them all.

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i have to agree. the vet hates it when i come bc my 22 snakes dont have names hahah. i just called them by what they are and if i have more than one then it would go something like this. albino ball python male number 1

Really cute!

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Originally Posted by BallsUnlimited

i have to agree. the vet hates it when i come bc my 22 snakes dont have names hahah. i just called them by what they are and if i have more than one then it would go something like this. albino ball python male number 1

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oh i dont take them to the vet, any good reptile store only charges like 5 bucks at most to sex them. they do it all the time usually free.

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Originally Posted by nonrandomhero

oh i dont take them to the vet, any good reptile store only charges like 5 bucks at most to sex them. they do it all the time usually free.

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LOL i wasnt talking about sexing them. Check ups and snakes that come in with r.i go to the vet for sensitivity reports to be put on proper meds. Learn to pop or probe and you wont have to go to the reptile store to do it. :gj:

just remember popping and probbing can cause some serious damage if not done right, so make sure to learn from someone who knows what they're doing. (make sure the place you go to to get him sexed knows what they're doing too!)

Do you have a digital thermometer and hydrometer in there somewhere?

i do not but i do check them regularly, everything is fine, its a lil above 90 on the hot side where the uth is and about 80 on the cool side. and humidity is also staying pretty good if it drops a little i spray but like i said the fogger kicks on every 4 hours or so so that keeps the humidity pretty stable for the most part.


i find it easier to check it when i need to with instruments not kept in the cage... ive never been a fan of unnatural looking objects in the tank, this is also why his hides are cork bark. i can also use these instruments to check my other tanks and i check every few days.

No, that works perfectly fine as well, as long as you have some way to be aware of what they actually are.
For the fogger, I was actually more concerned that your humidity was too high than too low. Wouldn't want everything to be wet all the time!

Congrats and good luck with your new boa! He/she is really pretty, love those saddles and nice tail! I think you will find lots of good info here. I would also suggest another great place for info that is all about the boas(or at least mostly).
http://redtailboa.net/
Again good luck and welcome to the site!

thanks and thanks aeries for your concern, but theres also a vent at the front of the tank under the doors to let the humidity out. hes pretty happy so far, only hissed at me once when i took his hide off of him and he was getting ready to shed, i didnt know he was about to it was only a few days after i got him, but he comes out often and is very friendly so far, im about to leave in 5 mins or so to get him sexed.

I noticed that the bedding is damp in some places...that's generally not a good idea. Was that because you had just sprayed for humidity or is it so humid in there that the bedding is taking in that much water?

Make sure to quarantine your boa from your ball pythons, just in case of IBD infections or RI's. Make sure to keep them in separate rooms and wash your hands in-between holding.

Nice snake though, pretty little guy. For the sexing thing, it's a bit more tricky to sex boas and most breeders do it by feel. Popping or probing can be very dangerous for a young boa if inexperienced.

its a boy!!!

yes the substrate was damp in the pics, i had just sprayed in a few and also i had just made the substrate in a few. the humidity sys pretty stable with the fogger and the soaking tub for him, i only have to spray every once in a while.

Be careful with that makeshift hide you have there. It looks great but the snake could dislodge it and maybe become crushed underneath. Other than that you have a great looking little one there. :gj:

lol cork bark couldnt crush a gnat.