New Parent; Help!

Hi there, I'm a first time parent to my new Colombian Red Tail Boa seeking general advice in almost every category (I apologize in advance!)

Overview

• Purchased Friday March 13th, 2015
• Colombian Red Tail Boa (The store owner told me he is a Red Tail Python, this being my first snake I didn't know until i posted in ball python forum and they redirected me to Boa Forum which unfortunately means all my research starts over)
• Named RUE (Former name was Shiloh, which wasn't fitting in my opinion)
• He is currently 4 1/2 years old (no documentation or records to prove it, store owner was in possession of him since July of 2014)

• He is approximately 4 1/2 feet long.

• His skin is shiny, silky, very soft.

• He appears healthy, no RI or other illness symptoms.

• Rue is also very alert to things around his tank, He sees my pit bull walking around the room and recognizes when I return home from work.

Feeding

• Rue eats LIVE rats; The store owner educated me on the benefits from feeding live rats.

I have a concern when it comes to feeding live rats. During the second feed, while Rue was uncoiling I noticed the rat had BIT him underneath his jaw. Though I didn't see any wounds and he wasn't bleeding from the bite, I'm worried about the possibilities and complications that come with feeding live rats. As soon as I saw him uncoil I called the reptile store owner and she reassured me that sometimes they do get bit, she walked me thru looking at the wound as well as having me explain the situation. She does sell frozen/thawed rats if i so choose to change from live rats. I want Rue to be able to have the nutritional value from live as well as keeping his hunting skills strong. I'm just worried he will get wounded from a bad bite. Any advice on what to do if he does get bite very badly? Or even a small bite that makes him bleed?

• I always sanitize when it comes to handling Rue, but when it comes to feeding I sanitize 3x more without even thinking about it (my poor hands....they get so dry)
• Rue has a very healthy appetite; everything related with feeding goes very smoothly. Rue is quick to recognize there is prey and coils very fast. He has never hissed, or struck at me before/after feeding.
• I was advised that rue is conditioned to eating in his enclosure. After all the research though I wasn't comfortable with the idea, I decided to purchase a LARGE (2ft x 3ft) see-thru plastic container from Walmart for feeding. Its a typical container with latching sides but when I feed Rue I usually only put the lid on 2/3rd's of the way with a towel so he feels secure with enough privacy. Honestly, I'm not comfortable with putting the lid on all the way or even latching with fear he won't have enough air.
• I leave Rue in his container for about 20-30min AFTER he has FULLY swallowed his meal, after the 20-30min I place him on the warm side of his tank where he lays under his lamp, on top of his heating pad for HOURS (4+) after his long nap he usually slithers to his hide until the next day.
• I clean Rue's container with water/bleach solution before/after all feedings.

1. The day I took rue home (Friday, March 13th) I was provided with a small rat (about 3 1/2 inches) with instructions to feed him stating it had been 7 days since he last ate. About 4 days later, i found fecal matter in his hide which was surprising because most forums say its common for them to soil in water. Equally surprising, his fecal matter was almost equal size to my adult Pit-bulls fecal matter. Also, up to this time frame no urine as of yet.
2. March 19th 2015, Rue's appetite was in full swing he was very adventurous in his attempt to search the whole room for food. The owner of the reptile store supplied me with a larger rat this time (4 1/2 - 5 inches)

• Last night March 23rd, 2015 I found Urine (which almost is surprisingly weird looking, Egg like) I cleaned it up after checking his whole tank for any other surprises. Around 4 hours after finding the first urine deposit, i found another. Is this normal? This is the first urine since i purchased him.

Enclosure
When I purchased Rue, He had a lot of things included (mostly everything I need for him) with the very expensive bundle. I have purchased a few things myself from different locations.

• New 55 gallon Tank w/ lid. Don't worry, I scrubbed it before putting my precious Rue in it. Water/bleach solution. His tank lives on my desk which fits it like a glove, it slide right in, so there is wood above it as well. I also keep a black towel over his tank that meets next to the lamp.

• Fluker Night lamp w/ bulb, on the right side of tank.
• Fluker Large heating pad, i have it taped up underneath his tank directly under the lamp.
• Cocoa dirt. I was amazed when it expanded! Also, one of his favorites!
• Aspen substrate (he's not a huge fan, i don't think ill use it again)
• Moss (He loves it!)
• Water dish (stone) The water dish is currently to small for his to soak his WHOLE body in, I plan to get him a ZOO MED XTRA LARGE within his week. I change his water daily.
• 2 Thermostates (cool;warm) Warm side: stays 89f - 92f Cool side: 82f - 86f
• Hide - Half log. I baked it in the oven before putting it in his tank (also, I think its a tad to small, when he lays under it the log becomes uneven it goes up into the air I'm guessing its a large, I do plan to buy an EXTRA LARGE half log within the next week as well.
• Water bottle (Misting) I fill it with hot water everyday. I mist Rue, his substrate, and empty the remainder into his water dish after emptying out the old water.
• ROCK - My boyfriend brought home a huge rock from the beach (bowling ball size) I baked in the oven for about 45min and let cool over night before putting in the enclosure. It sits under the lamp, above the heating pad. He loves climbing on it!
• Humidity - It stays around 50-70 % with the misting everyday. Im curious about buying an automatic mister because he loves being misted. I just haven't researched it enough yet.

Shedding

• On Sunday, March 22nd 2015 I noticed my little Rue has a pink belly! When i purchased him, the store owner advised me that he should be shedding soon. His scales are only a little bit dull and his eyes aren't blue yet. I've read very mixed opinions on BATHING. I would love to give my Rue a warm bath in the tub for about 10-15min to help with his shed. I do not want to bath him if its going to do more harm than good i.e. stress, anxiety, etc.
• He is due for another yummy rat on this coming Friday March 27, 2015. He hasn't produced any fecal matter from the second feeding yet. I've read that most snakes don't have much of an appetite while in shed, Thoughts? Should I hold off getting a meal until after his shed? Should I try to feed him the rat? How long can I keep the rat before it is no longer good?

Temperament

• He is docile, gentle, and loving. He loves to explore, being held, and even taking a nap in my hair from time to time. He has been very patient with me, as I am still learning. He has never hissed, struck, or even been aggressive with me. The only time his brat side comes out is when it comes time to go back into his tank, he tries hold onto everything just to send more time with me and outside the tank. I hold him before work for 10-30min and after work 1-2 hours every day.
• Is burrowing normal? One day I returned home from work thinking he had escaped form his tank. He was burrowed underneath his substrate 100% I called the reptile store (that poor lady, I call her a lot though she said she doesn't mind) and she said he is probably just getting comfortable with his new enclosure. He was burrowed on the warm of his tank, it was only a couple of days after I brought him home. He has only burrowed that one time, hasn't since. His hide was in his tank at the time.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my novel! I'm glad I joined the BP forums as they directed me to the right forum (boa) Interesting to learn I actually do not have a python, Im housing a Boa. But I love him so now its just a matter of taking care of his health, safety, and quality of life needs. Hopefully I can seek the advice I need here instead of calling the poor lady that I bought him from all the time. Though, I do buy my rats there so I will still be able to give her updates which she said she would enjoy when i bought him!

Wow! You did write a novel! I'm pretty new to snake keeping, but I know a bit about boas. First off, I highly doubt you have a red tail boa, but instead the common boa. They get confused quite often, but red tails get much larger. It sounds like you got a lot of misinformation from the store owner. Boas are pretty different than ball pythons, but their care requirements are similar. Keep in mind that your snake has the ability to reach 8 feet or more. Boas are naturally much more active and outgoing than a ball python, but not as much so as say a corn snake. They are the perfect in between snake, if you don't want something slow but don't want something too fast.

Benefits from eating live rats?! If your snake will take frozen thawed, get him started on them right away! It is always recommended to feed frozen thawed over live, unless of course your snake will only take live. To my knowledge boas are not fussy eaters, so you shouldn't have any problems switching to frozen thawed. What you experienced is exactly why you shouldn't feed live , if you can help it. If he's a pet, he doesn't need hunting skills so don't worry about that!

You can feed in or out of his enclosure, whichever makes you feel more comfortable. My guy won't take food in a separate enclosure, it all depends on the snake.

Do you have a thermostat or rheostat on the heat pad? I would buy one if you don't, as heat pads are known for getting too hot.

If he is 41/2 feet long, he can probably eat at least a medium sized rat if not a large one. It should be approximately the same width as the snakes thickest part or slightly bigger. Some snakes defecate in the water dish, some don't. Mine doesn't and never has. Their poops get quite large don't they?! It can be surprising but completely normal.

The egg like urine you found is a urate. Snakes have two types of pee- urates and urine. This is also completely natural.

Does that lid lock? Snakes are escape artists, so make sure it's snake proof!

Be sure not to confuse a thermostat (controls temperature) with a thermometer (measures temperature) .

Boas do not typically have trouble shedding, so a bath isn't necessary unless after he sheds there is still stuck skin. It's possible it would stress him. Some snakes love water, some don't. I know mine absolutely hates it!

If he's not in blue yet, I would go ahead and feed him. Frozen rats are good for months.

Mine tries to "run away" when I put him back in the cage too! Reaching for anything, not wanting to go back in. You don't need to hold him that often, but if he is not showing any signs of stress then I say go for it. Keep in mind that you may get some flack for this though... Lots of disagreement on this topic.

Burrowing is normal. Again, some snakes like to burrow, some don't.

It sounds as though you really care for this animal and are doing your best to care for him but very misinformed. Good luck!




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thank you for responding!

• I've called a new friends to come over since there has been different opinions on what he is, they all have pythons and boas. I've been told that he IS a Colombian red tail because of the bright red in his tail. Again, I am not sure because i don't have much experience but I will post a picture in my images of his tail.
• He loves being misted, which is what made me curious about the bathing.
• I will try feeding a f/t rat next feeding time. Right now, he feeds every 7 days.
• I'm going to have to do more research on urate! (also, the poo is a whole mother level out of this world; Thankful that it is normal though.)
• His lid doesn't lock, his lamp and the towel sit on it. He has never tried to escape (that I have seen) Though I have looked into locks, and will purchase one. Thanks for the tip!
• His heating pad does not have a thermostat; it is out of the tank, underneath, and than about 1 1/2 inch of cocoa substrate on it. I never thought about getting a thermostat for the heating pad since it is from a reptile brand I thought it would be safe.
• The temperature is measured by thermometers. Is there a better option?
• When feeding friday rolls around i will look at see how his shedding is coming along to gage whenever or not its an idea to feed or not.
• He loves being held, if i put him where he can get warmth for example; Laying in bed at night watching tv (his tank is in my room) on my belly or chest we will stay there forever and usually find a perfect place for a nap in my hair. When he is being active (moving around a lot or constantly) I put him back into his tank. I'm not sure the debate on handling, but I hold him because i truly feel he enjoys it or else i wouldn't. He's usually staring at me from inside his tank until i hold him. Its also good to know he's not the only one that wants to stay free Lol. No i would never let him sleep with me, or leave him out of his tank unattended so lets just get that out of the way right now.
• Thank you noticing that I'm trying my best to make sure he has the best quality of life. Also, I really appreciate you responding to my novel! Again, I am sorry! I just wanted to cover all the bases so everyone could have a better idea of the situation! I'm open to any advice/opinions about my sweet Rue!

You should be fine feeding f/t.... If heated properly (and from a good source) your snake won't suffer from lack of nutrition. I order my feeders online and they are much cheaper... I use bigcheese or perfect prey and haven't had any issues with "bad" feeders from them. With f/t, if he is used to live, you will have to use long tongs (or bbq tongs) to wiggle the rat around to simulate what a live rat would do... I don't think you'd have any problems. I sit mine out (in a ziploc bag) about 4 hours before I want to feed, then about 1 hour before, I put the bag into hot water to start warming up the rat... You want the temp to resemble what a live rat would be at, so it should feel a little warm to you and you want to make sure there are no hard / cold places still frozen inside. You can't nuke it either, as cooked pieces won't work for your snake. Hot water (and inside a ziploc bag) have worked the best for me, although I know many use a blow dryer as well.

I would feed in your cage... Boas have super strong feeding response (at least mine do) and I know that I wouldn't want to handle them just after eating... It is not necessary to feed outside the enclosure to have a calm snake for handling. Check out this video by a very experienced boa keeper / breeder. You will see that he/she uses f/t food and feeds in the enclosures without any issues. Plus, it's good for kicks and giggles.

I feed my two f/t in their tubs using tongs. To make SURE that they know when feeding time is vs. handling time, I always use a hook to rub them when I will be handling or cleaning their cage. When I touch them with the hook (you could use a paper towel tube just as well), they instantly snap out of food mode and know what's going on. I know that I would not feel safe reaching into a tub and moving a boa in food mode, so I'd advise you to at least try hook training and feeding in his enclosure.. It is a lot less stressful / trouble as well.

For a boa his size / age, you probably only need to feed every 2-3 weeks (or even 4 weeks). I would feed a prey item about equal to him at his widest part, but not leaving a large lump in his stomach. Boas should look like a loaf of bread in shape (be square-sided) so if you see him getting round, he's getting too much food.

As for your setup, it sounds like it'll work... I would make sure that you have something for him to climb on, like a large branch.. My boas like to climb.

One thing that concerned me... you said you had two thermostats... Are these thermometers (that read the temps) or thermostats that control the temps? If they are thermometers, that is great, but you will need a thermostat for controlling your UTH (heat pad). The hydrofarm is a good cheap one that is easy to use (you can get it on amazon). If nothing else, get a rheostat (lamp dimmer) and play with it until your heat map is registering at about 88f consistently.

I would cover most of the top... maybe use foil, to help hold in humidity. Using a lamp will suck it up like crazy. You can also move the water bowl under the lamp (so that it evaporates) and that will help too (along with your spraying).

If you decide later on to upgrade you boa to a larger enclosure, look into a pvc cage like those by animal plastics. My boas are currently smaller, so still in rubbermaid tubs, but I plan on getting 4' x 2' x 18" pvc cages for them when they are large enough.

Good luck with him! boas are a joy to keep and much more fun to handle than other snakes. I have 2 now and another on the way this week.

Welcome to the forum Rue.

You are well on the right track with all of your knowledge obtained. And thank you for giving us good info.

In case someone did not mention, I do not remember, since you have No thermostat, it would be best to shut off the UTH, especially since Rue likes to burrow. We see a lot of burns on this forum. Just use the heat lamp until you can an inexpensive Thermostat at a hardware store or the pet store. Or if you can afford it, you won't regret getting the best like the Herpstat ($115?)

If Rue is taking F/T rats great, keep it going, I would not change. However, if you find for some reason that you must feed live, always stand guard with long tweezers/forceps/pencil/etc and be prepared to jam it in the rat's mouth if it looks like a dangerous situation during the coil. Never walk away until they uncoil and you know for sure that death has occurred. Even then, I constantly check on them.

Enjoy your new pet :)

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...6f01c78256.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by artgecko

You should be fine feeding f/t.... If heated properly (and from a good source) your snake won't suffer from lack of nutrition. I order my feeders online and they are much cheaper... I use bigcheese or perfect prey and haven't had any issues with "bad" feeders from them. With f/t, if he is used to live, you will have to use long tongs (or bbq tongs) to wiggle the rat around to simulate what a live rat would do... I don't think you'd have any problems. I sit mine out (in a ziploc bag) about 4 hours before I want to feed, then about 1 hour before, I put the bag into hot water to start warming up the rat... You want the temp to resemble what a live rat would be at, so it should feel a little warm to you and you want to make sure there are no hard / cold places still frozen inside. You can't nuke it either, as cooked pieces won't work for your snake. Hot water (and inside a ziploc bag) have worked the best for me, although I know many use a blow dryer as well.

I would feed in your cage... Boas have super strong feeding response (at least mine do) and I know that I wouldn't want to handle them just after eating... It is not necessary to feed outside the enclosure to have a calm snake for handling. Check out this video by a very experienced boa keeper / breeder. You will see that he/she uses f/t food and feeds in the enclosures without any issues. Plus, it's good for kicks and giggles.

I feed my two f/t in their tubs using tongs. To make SURE that they know when feeding time is vs. handling time, I always use a hook to rub them when I will be handling or cleaning their cage. When I touch them with the hook (you could use a paper towel tube just as well), they instantly snap out of food mode and know what's going on. I know that I would not feel safe reaching into a tub and moving a boa in food mode, so I'd advise you to at least try hook training and feeding in his enclosure.. It is a lot less stressful / trouble as well.

For a boa his size / age, you probably only need to feed every 2-3 weeks (or even 4 weeks). I would feed a prey item about equal to him at his widest part, but not leaving a large lump in his stomach. Boas should look like a loaf of bread in shape (be square-sided) so if you see him getting round, he's getting too much food.

As for your setup, it sounds like it'll work... I would make sure that you have something for him to climb on, like a large branch.. My boas like to climb.

One thing that concerned me... you said you had two thermostats... Are these thermometers (that read the temps) or thermostats that control the temps? If they are thermometers, that is great, but you will need a thermostat for controlling your UTH (heat pad). The hydrofarm is a good cheap one that is easy to use (you can get it on amazon). If nothing else, get a rheostat (lamp dimmer) and play with it until your heat map is registering at about 88f consistently.

I would cover most of the top... maybe use foil, to help hold in humidity. Using a lamp will suck it up like crazy. You can also move the water bowl under the lamp (so that it evaporates) and that will help too (along with your spraying).

If you decide later on to upgrade you boa to a larger enclosure, look into a pvc cage like those by animal plastics. My boas are currently smaller, so still in rubbermaid tubs, but I plan on getting 4' x 2' x 18" pvc cages for them when they are large enough.

Good luck with him! boas are a joy to keep and much more fun to handle than other snakes. I have 2 now and another on the way this week.

---

Thank you artgecko!

• As stated in my original post, I thought I had a python for the last almost two weeks LOL If he's a python or boa I just love my Rue he is amazingly patient and gentle.
• The reptile store I bought Rue from has f/t but I will check out the brands you listed for sure!
• He is square, also I keep forgetting to mention that when I hold him I can feel his bones (Yucky) I have pictures of my sweet Rue on my profile if anyone think he is under please inform me. He has a very healthy appetite but more research into boas I've learned that they are kind of like my Pitbull ALWAYS hungry. Eat, eat, eat some more :O
• I've read so many mixed opinions on feeding in or out of enclosure. The day I brought him home, I fed him in his enclosure because at this point I hadn't bought the container yet. He seemed fine with it. But he also seemed fine with eating in his container as well. I was apprehensive on feeding him in his enclosure because I wanted to create pattern difference from eating time/holding time (remember this is my first, so bare with me. Its a learning in the process)
• As far as something to climb on, Rue has a large rock that was brought home from the beach its about bowling ball size and properly prepped so no nasties would infect Rue. The rock sits in the warm corner. He loves to climb on it, and go under his hide and than over it and everything else. Now, I called the reptile store owner to ask her because we also brought branches home from the beach (they are still outside) When I called her she said driftwood isn't safe because it's hard to tell what type of wood it is since our snake babies are very sensitive. So, the branches are still outside, I have researched the vines you can purchase but I really want him to be able to have wood/logs because right now he uses me as a tree so I know he would love something other than his rock and hide to climb on. ALL HINTS/ADVICE/OPINIONS ARE WELCOMED!
• Right now I keep a large beach towel over his lid so it stays cozy warm but i will defiantly try the aluminum foil trick!
• I currently have two thermometers. I do not any thermostats. I will order the thermostat you have advised thank you! I had no idea i needed to have a thermostat on the heating pad.
• You had mentioned the water bowl under the heat lamp, I actually just tried that and he wouldn't touch it.... So i put it back next to the cool side and he loves his water again. Odd, I'm not sure what his attitude with that is about.
• I have never heard of a PVC cage thats nothing I nee to research. Right now my sweet Rue is in his 55 gal tank though I've been playing around with the idea of a TALL enclosure I'm talking ceiling to floor. Thoughts? The only serious idea i've planned on in the future is an 180 gal tank. When he's curled up he looks so dang small BUT when he stretches out the full 4 1/2ish feet, my tank seems kind of small.

​Another odd question, Rue loves to lay up against his tank. Body on the floor of enclosure and neck/body up against glass with his head pointing straight up to the lid... Is this normal? To be fair it looks odd LOL :snake:

I truly appreciate everyones advice, I'm already very attached to my sweet Rue and want to ensure that he's as happy as can be.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Reinz

Welcome to the forum Rue.

You are well on the right track with all of your knowledge obtained. And thank you for giving us good info.

In case someone did not mention, I do not remember, since you have No thermostat, it would be best to shut off the UTH, especially since Rue likes to burrow. We see a lot of burns on this forum. Just use the heat lamp until you can an inexpensive Thermostat at a hardware store or the pet store. Or if you can afford it, you won't regret getting the best like the Herpstat ($115?)

If Rue is taking F/T rats great, keep it going, I would not change. However, if you find for some reason that you must feed live, always stand guard with long tweezers/forceps/pencil/etc and be prepared to jam it in the rat's mouth if it looks like a dangerous situation during the coil. Never walk away until they uncoil and you know for sure that death has occurred. Even then, I constantly check on them.

Enjoy your new pet :)

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...6f01c78256.jpg

---

Thank you for understanding the need for me to write the novel & the sweet welcome Rienz!

• I do not have a thermostat as of yet, I do plan on ordering one so that is something I will research and order ASAP. Rue has only burrowed that one time, he enjoys most of his time in his half log though which I think its to small since he lifts it up when he lays under it. When it comes to purchasing, the more expensive (115$) is worth it in my eyes. Quality comes first.
• When it comes to feeding, I watch him like a HAWK! I never leave, from start to finish, I wait until he has fully swallowed the meal. When i saw him release the rat and that he was latched to the under side of Rue's jaw, I started to panic. I almost feel guilty feeding him f/t because it takes away that natural instinct and process for him. But the way I see it is, if its more a liability to feed him live than f/t it is. I've haven't tried yet, so I will give it go and see how he likes it. Right now, he strikes the live, with one shot instantly as soon as he smells it. We will see if his behavior is the same with f/t

If anyone has anymore advice on what kind of snake my sweet rue is, please share! I was told python, and many forum members today have said definitely boa. Even though I don't mind what kind he is since I love him all the same. I want to ensure that he is properly cared for. I have 3 pictures of him on my profile, please don't hesitate to let me know if you need pictures with more light/focus/angel etc!

Keep the advice rolling! I love it!

Welcome to the forums and congrats on your new pet. My first snake was a Colombian. He was very docile. Just as the others stated.....go with F/T and eventually a bigger enclosure. Feel free to ask any more questions.

-To start with I would ditch feeding live as a large rat can do damage. I feed all my snakes fresh pre killed. I do agree I prefer fresh killed vs frozen as we all know vitamins and nutrients do break down when frozen. How much is debatable but I prefer just killing my own rats.
-Feed in the cage, feeding outside the cage was a myth because people thought the snake would get imprinted to opening the door equals food. It has been debunked. I feed all my snakes in their cages even my 6ft BCI girl.
-They poop or piss all over although mine generally do it in corners of the cage. And yes the urates look like white eggs kind of.
-As for feeding, you should be feeding him every 2-3 weeks. Boas are different than pythons as they need to stay more lof of bread shape to be healthy, not round like a python.

-Cage sounds ok tempwise and humidity. Might want to check into a PVC cage. I use Pro-Line 48x23x14 for Rosey my big BCI. My sunglow is a baby still but I will be switching her to a PVC cage too later. They are much easier to clean, keep temps and are ALOT lighter in weight. I use aspen for all my snakes and they are fine on it. I do complete cage cleanings every month so aspen makes it easy.

-As for shedding, my advice is don't handle them during shed. All my snakes get pissy during shed time and Rosey will actually use her hide which is about the only time she will actually one. The thing is during a shed when they go into blue, that is actually a liquid between their old and new skin so I avoid handling during that time. Also don't bath them as some people have said that doing that can mess up the liquid they use for their skin. You will be fine with anything above 50% humidity. I keep 50% all the time and its fine. Too high of humidity can cause mold/mildew/fungus and bacteria to grow which is not good for a snakes respiratory system and can give them RI. RI isn't only caused by bacteria.

- As for burrowing, yes they do that sometimes. Rosey sometimes burrows in her aspen, pushes her hide around the cage, pull down her light and RHP wires, pushes on the cage door. Usually she only does this when hungry though.

And grats on the boa. They are much more interactive and inquisitive than a ball python. I love my little Dottie but both Rosey and Vicky are a blast. Rosey more so as I've had her for a couple years as a baby so she is used to me and loves to come out and sit on the couch or bed or climb on chairs. I usually leave her cage door open whenever I am home and she will sit with just her face hanging out the door or she will curl up next to the door and sleep and i'll pet her when I walk by. She seems to actually like it haha. If I pet her head, she will usually stretch out the length of the door opening and I rub her whole body while she just sits there lol.

If you want to go expensive with the thermostat, you can look into herpstats. I have a herpstat 4 running my 2 racks and boa tub and it works great. The hydrofarm I mentioned is a good intro thermostat and although it isn't as accurate (it is not proportional like the herpstat) it is still a good thermostat. UTHs can get up to 115 or so degrees, so not safe to use without one... snakes will lay on it and get burns and not know it until they have injuries form it. Until you get the hydrofarm (or whichever you order) you can use a lamp dimmer and play with it to get the temps you want... You will want to secure your thermometer probe right on top of the UTH (I'd use hot glue to secure it.. never tape) that way, you will get an accurate reading of what the UTH is at.

When you said that your boa wasn't using his water when it was on the warm side, do you mean soaking or drinking? They will soak prior to a shed or if they are dehydrated... You can try putting the large bowl under the heat lamp side and putting a smaller bowl on the cool end and see what happens.

Do you have a hygrometer? There is a unit that measures humidity and temperature called an "acurite indoor outdoor thermometer / hygrometer" I use this in all my tubs.. It has a temp. probe with a long line (I attach this above the UTH), it measures ambient temp through the unit itself (I put the unit on the "cool" end) and it measures humidity as well. With a boa, you want about 50 -60% humidity, so you might want to pick up something like that or another hygrometer that is digital (I wouldn't use the dial kind).

Boas can sometimes lay in odd positions.. I wouldn't be too worried about it unless he starts zoining out and not moving when you touch him and he is in that position.

As for your enclosure, ground space is important for boas too.. I would get a cage (pvc or even a big rubbermaid tub) that has a bigger "footprint" before going with a taller one. Getting a good ambient temp is harder with a taller cage too. I am lucky in that I heat my reptile room, so ambient temps aren't a problem for me now. Many people that don't heat their room, will use an RHP (radient heat panel) above the warm end to keep ambient temps up. These, like UTH, need to be on a thermostat.

The 2 companies I mentioned sell rodents online and in bulk. You will probably want to try f/t from your local store first to see if he will take it. If he will, then order some online (depending on the prices at your local store). Be careful with the local f/t though. If it is in a store like petco, there's sometimes have been thawed / frozen multiple times and aren't good to feed.

One last thing.. Not sure if you mentioned it already, but I would make sure he has a hide on both the warm and cool ends of his tank so that he has options.. That way he doesn't have to choose between safety and the right temperature.

Good luck!

Oh good catch, I totally forgot about the T-stats lol. I'm so used to T-stats as being a given nowadays :) I too use Herpstats and Hydrofarms. Personally the Hydrofarms work good imo. I'm using one to run an RHP and it works fine. It isn't as precise as a Herpstat but a couple degrees aren't going to hurt your snake. Nature isn't a prefect 87F 24/7. And as for a UTH, I personally am not a huge fan of them and don't use them on any of my snakes. As long as you keep the ambient temps right, you will be fine. I have my ambients set to 87F on the hot side for all of my snakes and the cool side is around 82F and like I said, I don't run any UTH and they are all fine and eat like food is going extinct tomorrow. If you got the height, you can throw in a branch for them to sit on. Most BCI do like to sit on stuff. My little sunglow has a pvc perch I made her and she climbs up it and hangs out on it at night. Rosey, my big BCI likes to sit on the couch back or hang off the edges of the bed looking down at the floor. Guess it makes her feel like she is up in the air. During dinner time, she likes to grab the rat outside the cage door and then hang down almost to the floor holding the rat in her coil while eating it. Her cage is almost 3' off the ground. I'm waiting for the day she loses grip with her tail while doing that and falls on the floor lol. And yes offer hides but some boas wont use them. As I said before, Rosey only uses hides when she is going into shed because she gets cranky and gets antisocial. Vicky uses hides still because she is a baby. Rosey used hides as a baby too but at about 4ft long she quit using them and started pushing them aside so she could sleep next to them.

I can truly feel the love in this forum & thread! Thank you so much for you advice everyone! I'm like a sponge, i soak it all up!

• UPDATE: For about the last two hours I was cleaning out Rues tank, I took out the cocoa dirt & moss and replaced it with paper towels on bottom with Newpapers on top. I was a bit scared to put newspaper in there at first but after researching the forums say its alright. I also MADE him a hide. I took two smaller mailing boxes I had and taped them together, I will have to post pictures later. It's about half the length of the tank. I put it on the back wall, its narrow about the same as his log; just taller for him to coil up and not raise it. I have one small opening facing out to the front of the tank, and one opening on the left side by his water dish. I left the right side closed off so he could be 100% in the hide not next to any opening if he so pleases. I think it will be much better for him because his log was just to small i felt bad every time I would see him in, and its all raised up and what not ha.
• After all the input from everyone I do plan on feeding him a prekilled or f/t rat! The place where I bought little Rue was a local store called The Retile Emporium, the chick that owns it has been there for quit some time now! I will ask her for a prekilled rat, or I will make my boyfriend kill the rat before feeding it... Which leads to a whole mother question. What is the best way to go about that? I know he wouldn't mind doing that for rue though LOL

Orion

• He is very, very docile it blew my mind watching him feed. He's a turtle most of the time... except feeding time, he's quick as lighting!
• Thank you on the f/t advice I will add it to the knowledge bank and try to feed him f/t or prekilled friday!

SAUZO
Funny story actually! When I brought my sweet Rue home I put the box he was packaged up in on the bed and opened it. I left it open while I set up his tank, next thing I look over and just his little head is popping out to say "hello, what are ya doin :P" Melted my heart. Also when i lay him on my chest while watching TV he likes to have just his nose outside of the blanket. Your Rosey sounds just as sweet!

• I've been good about not handling Rue in his shed, except for just changing the linen the his tank just now. He's so cute sometimes it's so dang hard. His belly is bright pink though, so I know I better just leave him be.
• You stated that I should only feed him 2-3 weeks, right now he is loafed shape (I will also need to add better pictures of his actual loaf!) The lady I bought him from she said she feeds him on a 7-10 day range. Her exact words being "He has a very healthy appetite) I just want to make sure how I wean him is fair, health wise. If I even need to wean him at all. I'm very open to the idea of 2-3 weeks if that is what best for him (thank you for shedding light on that)
• As far as his cage goes, right now he is 55 gallon tank. I was pondering 180 gallon tank because of the options it is the most affordable thing. Though I am no cheapie when it comes to my fur/scale babies, cages/tanks/etc I have learned are VERY expensive. I looked at the pvc cages and ooooooo they are amazing! But so is the price, almost had a heart attack. I'm almost tempted in bugging my boyfriend to make me a custom one, I feel it might save me some money and give Rue what he needs/wants. Win win.

ArtGecko

• When I said he wouldn't use his water dish when I moved it to the warm side I meant, he wouldn't soak in it, he wouldn't drink any of it. Nothing. I change the water daily also. As soon as I moved it back (I'm not kidding) he hopped into it. I do love the idea of a large on the warm side, and the smaller on the cool.
• When he lays in that weird position (the only position so far that weirds me out) he is still alert, no zombie at all. Other than that, he STARES at me while in his tank. Also very creepy.
• As far as the cages, I posted above ^ in respond to suazo. If i make an at home cage/tank what are the basics. I would make sure it is the BEST for Rue not mu budget. I can't spend and arm on a custom built preorder tank, but I'm willing to make one! (And when I say me, I mean my boyfriend;))
• The rat I purchase right now are from the local reptile store. No petsmart, no petco, no co-op nothing or that sorts. I will see what she has available but I promise I will look into your advice of distributors as well.
• My poor Rue only had the one half log around the middle. It has the butt end, I mean just an inch on the heating pad, the rest of it is not under the lamp. He loved it, spend a lot of time in it... it was just so small dang it. But as I stated above I made a new hide that we shall see how he likes it.

Amazon Shopping List for this week Thursday or Friday (thank god I get paid this week LOL)

• Herpstat
• Hydrogram (non dial)
• Repti-Carpet (I never never used this but I like the look and the idea that I can wash and reuse. Opinions?)
• More cocoa dirt
• Moss
• Vines/Branches
• Extra Larger half log
• Extra log water dish
• F/T (local reptile store)

Any other suggestions?

Thank you so much for all your advice, I feel sweet little Rue will have a better quality of life because of it all.

I don't have too much to add but congrats on the boa. I adore mine. He is such a sweetie, unless he is shedding. Then he can be moody. My boy is in shed now but has been pleasant so far. Mostly I leave him alone while he's in blue. It seems to take forever until they finally shed, at least compared to my corn snakes.

The other posters have hit most of the point but I had one more to add. In my experience boas don't poop after every meal. They don't poop super often so no worries if he hasn't pooped between meals. Also when they are getting ready to shed they tend to hold it and go right after shed.

May I ask why you removed all his substrate?

Also I would not suggest reptile carpet. It can get nasty and hold bacteria. I use reptile bark mixed with forest floor for my boa and spot clean as needed.

Lastly, do you have some pictures? :)

I use newspaper... One of my snakes had mites and its easier to spot them with newspaper... which, btw, you might want to check for too... If he is soaking a lot especially.. Look in the bowl after he soaks. If there are mites, they will be small black / darkish brown flecks in the water.

You can get the hydrofarm, which is cheaper, and it should run the UTH fine. If you get a herpstat, it is great, but is more pricey. Check out the accurite indoor/outdoor thermometer / hygrometer.. They are cheap (like $12) and tend to do a good job, but you should be able to find a digital hygrometer as well.

If money is an issue, but you want a bigger cage, you can look for the "iris Christmas tree" bins... They are huge rubbermaid bins and are actually large enough for an adult boa. You drill extra holes for added ventilation, but otherwise, treat them like a tank. I use a large rubbermaid tub for my boa now (he is a little over 4') and it works great at holding humidity and gives him plenty of room. Plus, they are light and easy to clean /pick up. With any plastic bin though, you would not sit the lamp right on top, you would need to put it on a clamp or lamp stand over the tub so that it will not melt the plastic.

As for hides, good for you making your own. Many people use boxes with the bottom cut out and an opening cut in one side. I use the plastic hides from reptile basics a lot and like them. They aren't very expensive, but shipping is steep.

Don't get a 180 gallon glass tank. Those things weigh a ton and trying to heat something like and keep humidity will be a nightmare. Plus I would imagine it wont be cheap. Not sure which PVC cage companies you checked out but some can be very expensive. Personally the best bang for the buck I saw were from Animal Plastics, Boaphile or Constrictors NW(Pro-Line) when Ed starts doing cages again next month. A nice size 4' cage with a shelf should run you around $300-$400 depending which company you use but something that size should last you unless you got a girl and she ends up being a very big girl.

Oh also don't use reptile carpet. If your snake misses its target and grabs that carpet, it will lose teeth. Some poster mentioned that just a few days ago with his ball python. Personally I prefer aspen. I used Eco Earth years ago and I hated it. If it dries out, it gets dusty and the stuff gets everywhere. For my boa, when she got to be a big girl, she would pack that stuff down from her weight and it actually molded on me. I'm going to guess because it was so tightly packed down and wet that air couldn't get in there so it started growing mold balls. Anyways I quit using the stuff. Also I'm sure its just OCD on my part but I would rather not have my snakes sit on damp substrate 24/7 as I imagine scale rot starting.

As for a hide, my advice from what I learned from other guys with big boas is go to Walmart and buy http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-...Black/17011370. Then cut a U shaped door on the side. They are cheap and my 6' BCI girl loves it when she does actually use her hide and the guy who gave me the idea said his 7' BCI fits in it. Much better than those half logs and a lot easier to clean. Also as for climbing, check into making a PVC perch. You and your boyfriend can do it together and they are cheap and work great. I rough up the pieces with sandpaper to give more grip and my little sunglow loves her perch and climbs around all over at night. You just sketch out what design you want along with how long each piece will be etc, then go to Home Depot and buy the elbows, T joints and 10' pvc pipe and self cut to what you need. I don't use PVC cement as just connecting them together is plenty. You don't need to cement the pieces. Some people will also scorch the pieces with to give the PVC a wood look. Its really big with ATP and ETB owners as those snakes are purely arboreal.

Easiest way to kill rats is cervical dislocation. Some big rats its a real pita to do so those big ones, some people will swing them by the tail and hit their neck/head on the edge of a table or something to break their neck fast. Also another way is use dry ice in a small container with holes in it put inside a bigger container with the rat inside(so the rat cant touch the dry ice). The dry ice will release CO2 which will put the tat to sleep and kill it. You can also achieve the same thing with home made CO2 chambers using Tupperware and CO2 cartridges for paintball guns. Google it or Youtube it and you will find how to make them.

Omg I wish I could just merge all my posts into one lol. I just read your other thread about how you didn't know if your was a BCI or BCC. If it was sold to you as a Colombian Red Tail, then it is mostly like a BCI as a BCC would be labeled as something like a Suriname, Peruvian, Pucallpu or something along those, basically the local its from. Since yours is 4.5 years old, if it was a true red tail, you would see a very bright red tail. After seeing pictures you would easily see the difference. Also BCC tend to get larger than BCI and have more demanding husbandry. Also BCC have a much more stringent feeding routine since if you overfeed a BCC or give it too big of food it will probably regurgitate it and then you can possibly be in a world of hurt if it doesn't get corrected. BCI are much easier in that they love to eat and will pretty much eat anytime, anywhere, anything. With that said, I love my 2 BCI girls.

Forgot about the rat part... After having performed cervical dislocation on a rat... and not doing very well at it... I wouldn't use that method unless someone can show you in person. CO2 is the easiest IMO for a beginner (me being a beginner at that kind of thing also).

If you can get the store to prekill the rat for you, then that will work. If not, I'd advise getting a f/t one over trying to kill one yourself without CO2. If done correctly, CO2 will cause the rats to get sleepy before dying... So no pain or panick. If you watch a video and you see the rats darting around etc. it is because it was not done slowly enough and the rats are still awake and suffocating. To do it correctly, you have to slowly release CO2 until they are knocked out, then add a much larger dose and let them sit for several minutes to make sure they are dead.

Yeah Artgecko, it took me a few tries to get the cervical dislocation thing down. Even now with big rats, it is a pita. I'm about 50% on it working the first try which makes me feel horrible when I do fail. The smaller ones are easy as they have small necks and it breaks easy but those big ones....... CO2 is the easiest. You could also do F/T but for me, I look at F/T as a tv dinner and a fresh killed rat as home cookin! :P Yes I'm probably weird for thinking like that but how I picture it lol :)

I can see that Sauzo.. F/T is just the best option (for me) and if from a good source, is pretty close to fresh IMO. I am going to start breeding my own feeders soon and plan to do some f/k, but will likely keep doing f/t for the majority of meals (I will CO2 in batches, feed the fresh killed that night, then freeze / save the excess for later use).

I felt terrible the first time I tried CD.. and I failed trying it on a small rat (probably slightly older than weaned.. had mega colon and had to be put down). After that incident, I decided CO2 was the only way for me.. It is not cheap though.

If the OP has someone to show her (in person) how to do CD, then it might be a good option though.

Awesome looking boa.

Congratulations.

I noticed in one post you talked about using tape to make a hide. Unfortunately tape can get stuck to snakes and cause injuries, so I usually recommend avoiding any tape inside of an enclosure for a snake.


Telling a BCC from a BCI can be a bit difficult, since patterns can be highly variable, and locality crosses happen in captivity. Usually the BCI saddles look like hour glasses and BCI saddles have little widows peaks. This is not a 100% reliable way to tell, but based on the shape of your snakes saddles, I would guess BCC. Don't worry too much about what your snake is, since for the average keeper it doesn't matter that much. It would only really be important if you wanted to breed the snake.


There is a lot of confusion regarding what is and is not a red tailed boa. Unfortunately red tailed boa is a much abused common name. It probably doesn't have any real meaning at this point, since the pet trade has marketed numerous subspecies and locality types under that same name.

Also, if your hands are getting dried out form to much sanitizing of your hands, you can cut back a bit. If your snake is healthy and husbandry is good, it is unlikely you will infect your snake with anything. A simple but thorough hand washing before and after handling is probably enough. I currently have 4 snakes so it is possible I could pass something from one snake to another. I usually wash my hands between snakes and in three decades of keeping snakes, have never had a problem. You only have one snake, and most diseases that effect people do not effect snakes and vice versa. Salmonella is one of the exceptions. There are others, but snakes are not a large source of Zoonosis in humans, so just being clean is usually enough.

Best of luck.

David

Looking at the tail in the pictures you took, that is a BCI. BCC would have bright red tails. And like I said before, a pet shop will rarely get a BCI mixed with a BCC as a BCC is a lot more than a BCI cost wise. As for saddles, not true nightrainfalls. Saddle pattern isn't a way to tell. You have to count scales. I don't remember the exact number but you count caudal or subcadual scales and dorsal scales. You can goggle it and find the number you need. While its true Surinames have the peaks, its not true of Peruvian BCC. And in others like Guyanans and Brazilians, it might not be as prominent. Surinames are the ones with the high peaks and even those, some are bred to have higher peaks than others. The easiest way to tell is like I said, the tail. Any BCC will have a very noticeable bright red tail while Colombians aka Common Boa will have more of a copper tail.

And yes most localities are mixed blood as in nature their ranges do cross some. The pet trade is even worse as a lot of them are crossbred. If you are looking for a purebred locality boa, best bet is someone like Legacy Reptiles, Gus Rentfro(he is done though and got out but his stock is still around) or Vin Russo at Cutting Edge Herp. I'm sure there are others but those are the ones that come to mind.

Nice looking boa regardless from the couple pics. Reminds me of Rosey except Rosey is a lot bigger and fatter :)

As for cleaning, just buy Chlorhexadine. That's what I use to clean cages, water bowls, wash my hands inbetween handling, tables, utensils. They even use Chlorhexadine as an oral rinse. Of course you need to follow the dilution directions. And I agree, just wash your hands afterwards. Same thing, in about 30 years of catching wild stuff from amphibians to reptiles plus all the bought stuff, I haven't had a problem.

I think if you are truly interested in boa constrictors, you should purchase a copy of THE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR

By Vincent Russo.

I'd also recommend reading anything by Gus Rentfro on the internet.

Those two people are probably the world authorities on boa constrictors.

You get your retic yet Gio? Times a ticking!! I'm sol, no way I can scrounge up the scratch to get me a SD purple retic or SD GC retic before the 9th of next month, im sad :(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sauzo

You get your retic yet Gio? Times a ticking!! I'm sol, no way I can scrounge up the scratch to get me a SD purple retic or SD GC retic before the 9th of next month, im sad :(

---

Hey,

Not yet, but I have a good contact here in MN. He has mainlands, dwarfs and SD's.

I'm actually headed to see him tomorrow if all works out.

I'm quite torn as I have a Suriname option if the female is gravid and I love my coastal too and would get another if I could.

A real easy snake for me to own would be an Eastern King. Nothing to it as far as caging and husbandry, but I'm a big boa/python enthusiast so I'm not sure if I would do a colubrid or not at this point.

Not to change the topic here, but what do you have going?

I have nothing going atm. Just picked up a baby EBV Red Group/ Tom Burke Lipstick Sunglow possible super sunglow BCI girl. That's the snake in my avatar thing. So that's my new snake now. I need to get me a couple plastic cages for both her and my pied girl but I'm waiting to see what Ed does next month. Plus I'm still debating on AP T10 or T13 with a shelf or a Boaphile 422d or whatever Ed offers. I would like either an ATP or if somehow I find a pedigree SD purple or GC next but I want it to be a sure thing with high SD blood. I don't want a 15' snake and while my neighbors are pretty cool about my boas, I don't think they would be thrilled with a 15' snake that could possibly eat their children :rage: Grab one of those high peak suris off Skip. Those are hot looking suris if I was into locality boas but im mostly a morph guy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HVani

I don't have too much to add but congrats on the boa. I adore mine. He is such a sweetie, unless he is shedding. Then he can be moody. My boy is in shed now but has been pleasant so far. Mostly I leave him alone while he's in blue. It seems to take forever until they finally shed, at least compared to my corn snakes.

The other posters have hit most of the point but I had one more to add. In my experience boas don't poop after every meal. They don't poop super often so no worries if he hasn't pooped between meals. Also when they are getting ready to shed they tend to hold it and go right after shed.

May I ask why you removed all his substrate?

Also I would not suggest reptile carpet. It can get nasty and hold bacteria. I use reptile bark mixed with forest floor for my boa and spot clean as needed.

Lastly, do you have some pictures? :)

---

Hi there! I removed his substrate because about every 2 weeks I change it out. (clean freak) I have been using the cocoa bark. He loves it! I do have pictures which I will upload tomorrow! Thank you for replying, and giving your advice!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gio

I think if you are truly interested in boa constrictors, you should purchase a copy of THE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR

By Vincent Russo.

I'd also recommend reading anything by Gus Rentfro on the internet.

Those two people are probably the world authorities on boa constrictors.

---

Hey! I've looked this up on amazon, I plan on purchasing it! Thank you!!

If you are worried about substrate cleanliness I would switch to paper towels. I am a clean freak as well. Its super easy and economical to just pull out the paper and replace. Plus it has the added benefit of being able to more clearly see all poops and urates to check for disease. Also can see if there are any mites present. To me, having any kind of porous mulch is just a great breeding ground for mold, bacteria and pathogenic organisms.

When we have foster reptiles we always use paper towels exclusively.

I agree, paper towels are great for quarantine but I personally hate it for them permanently. It looks like they don't really enjoy crawling on it or least mine looked like they hated it. They love aspen though especially Dottie when she was a baby and Vicky now as she is still a baby. Seems babies love to burrow in it. I still change it out completely every month as I'm rather OCD about my snakes cages too as they are out a lot and on me and I don't want a poop or pee covered snake crawling around on me :P

I would suggest using something more like shredded aspen than coco husk... It is MUCH easier to see waste in the lighter colored aspen. It also holds humidity pretty well (but I never misted mine).

I am using newspaper right now for all of my reptiles due to an ongoing mite issue (i.e. I'd get them "cleared up" and then they'd come back a month or 2 later). I think I originally picked up the mites at a reptile show or something. In any case, paper towel or newspaper makes it easier to spot and treat mites, but I agree with Sauzo that they seem to enjoy having bedding to burrow in. I'm going to stick with newspaper until summer, then may switch back to aspen if there is no evidence of mites.

I also agree with the others that you should probably just leave him alone until you see a rolled up shed (it'll look like a ball of tan "stuff"). I spray my guys when I notice them going into blue and provide them with a second water bowl to create more humidity. I then pretty much leave them alone until they have fully shed. Some of my snakes will eat, even in blue (including my boas), but most of them will not, so I don't attempt feeding until after and only handle if I have to (i.e. they mess up their cage).

To each their own. But to me using any natural substrate makes me queasy. It essentially soaks up and hides any fluid or waste that is discharged from the animal. Definitely do not want my snakes slithering through their own waste constantly, or rubbing it on me when I handle them. Im also much more prone to quickly changing a soiled paper towel than changing out aspen/bark/cocoa husks. I also don't like the dust that gets ultimately created by any of these shredded wood products.

My animals have never shown a disliking of the paper towel though. My adult boas rearrange it into something of a nest.

I can definitely see your point JoshSloane. When I used apsen for my boa (and I'm using it now for my sand boas), I spot checked all the time.. I'm sure I still missed some areas, but if I saw urates or poo, the whole area around that got scooped out and replaced. With my sand boas, I have no choice but to use aspen, as they burrow and could not do so on paper towel / newspaper. I use sanichips with them, which are easier to dig in than aspen and it is also easier to "spot" messes on them due to the texture.

My biggest issue with using newspaper / paper towels (which I am doing for all my others right now) is that I have a few that get underneath it and hide... They then pee on the floor of the tub and sit in their pee, which doesn't get soaked up. To me, this is the ultimate of unsanitary conditions and I check / clean all tubs 2x a day to try to prevent this. Even some of mine with hides still do this, so I don't think there's a way around it.

Yeah I have had that happen too. To remedy this I strategically place hides and water bowls in the corners of the enclosure to keep the paper towel flat on the floor. Usually if the boa does manage to get under the towel, the tension from the heavy objects press the paper into the wet mess and absorb it.

That's why I spot clean if needed although most of my snakes only go poop once a month about the same for pee. Then once a month I completely change the aspen as well as chlorhexidine down the whole tank.

Nice! Im a perfectionist scientist. I would spend a months pay in cypress mulch if I used it. :)