General Hog Island Boa Info

I was wondering what would be good cage dimensions for a DIY melamine cage for a Hog Island Boa? Also some general care info? All I've found so far is that you should go with the care sheets for the larger Boas like like Red Tails, is this true? I was also wondering if an adult female would take anything larger than a rat? I know I've made so many threads in the past! Sorry guy's :love:

I would love to see this myself. I was so close to wanting to get a hog island but I was overruled. One day...

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

I was wondering what would be good cage dimensions for a DIY melamine cage for a Hog Island Boa? Also some general care info? All I've found so far is that you should go with the care sheets for the larger Boas like like Red Tails, is this true? I was also wondering if an adult female would take anything larger than a rat? I know I've made so many threads in the past! Sorry guy's :love:

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I keep my hog island female in a 4x2x1 Animal Plastics cage, but if I were to build I would add a few inches to the height to aid with cleaning. So I would call 48"x24"x15" ideal.

Hog Islands have VERY similar care requirements to standard BCI boas, but they prefer a SLIGHLY cooler temperature. I shoot for an ambient temperature of 78 degrees with a 90 degree hotspot for my girl.

Nope, a pure or majority hog island will never require anything larger than a rat. My girl is probably around 6ft and the diameter of a baseball. She is on medium rats roughly every 2-3 weeks.

No need to apologize for asking questions.....we love to answer them :D

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

I was wondering what would be good cage dimensions for a DIY melamine cage for a Hog Island Boa?

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I keep my adults in 3x2 caging rack, both of mine are on the smaller size, about 4'. Some Hog Isle can get up to 6', for a larger one like that, I'd go with a 4x2.

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

Also some general care info? All I've found so far is that you should go with the care sheets for the larger Boas like like Red Tails, is this true?

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Basically the same as a regular boa. Hog Isles do tend to prefer slightly cooler hot ends by a few degrees (I wouldn't have a hot spot at 90 or anything). I keep warm end around 85.
Hog isle tend to be quite hissy as babies but generally grow out of that.
This is my boy Egg as a baby being hissy:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...nhFLjVidug.jpg

here he is as an adult:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...lNjczFgXKO.jpg

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

I was also wondering if an adult female would take anything larger than a rat?

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Again, depends on the size of the snake. Some hog isle get quite large (either due to genetics or being overfed) and grow to a heavy 6' or so. The largest either of mine get are f/t medium rats.

Also depends if you are getting a pure hog line or a 'hogg' cross (a hog isle that was bred to the mainland or other Bi locality), make sure you trust who you are buying from if you want to get a pure hog.

They are really cool boas and can have a drastic day/night color phase. I need to get some new photos of my adults together as they are quite different looking (but still obviously pure hog). Egg, the one above, is a very classic hog with grey coloration and heavy speckles. My female Bacon is much more clean and pink, some hog isle have a natural hypo look to them.
Good luck!

Wow! Thats a beautiful lil Egg! Thanks for the responses guys! Also forgot to ask, what would you use to heat a melamine cage? I was thinking a heat panel? I know some people rig up a heat mat using plexiglass but I really like the idea of the heat panel. :rolleyes: Im glad you like to answer them was I've got lots :rofl:

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

(I wouldn't have a hot spot at 90 or anything).



Again, depends on the size of the snake. Some hog isle get quite large (either due to genetics or being overfed) and grow to a heavy 6' or so. The largest either of mine get are f/t medium rats.

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While you may not have your hot spot at 90, Bob Sears himself (who imported most of your captive Hogs btw) kept his temperatures exactly as I just described. Here's a caresheet from Reptile Rapture specifically for Hogs as well specifying 88-90.


http://reptilerapture.net/hog-island-boa-caresheet.html


I personally want to see a hog cross that is on even small rabbits.

As long as there's a temp gradient across the cage, go for 90 if you want to. I'm just saying I don't do that. Different things can all work.
:gj:

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Originally Posted by KevinK

I personally want to see a hog cross that is on even small rabbits.

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Here's an very heavy hog isle cross that would easily take a small rabbit - http://www.caledonianconstrictors.co.../fudge%20a.JPG

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

Here's an very heavy hog isle cross that would easily take a small rabbit - http://www.caledonianconstrictors.co.../fudge%20a.JPG

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With extreme overfeeding mind you.

Yes for sure!
Am I miss-understanding your posts? Are we arguing or something? Not my intention

When I post "I shoot for an ambient temperature of 78 degrees with a 90 degree hotspot for my girl"

and the next post you add is:

"(I wouldn't have a hot spot at 90 or anything)"


.....kind of a low blow there, if you want to add what you keep yours at I would welcome it. I posted my heartfelt, educated advice. No need to take shots.

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

Here's an very heavy hog isle cross that would easily take a small rabbit - http://www.caledonianconstrictors.co.../fudge%20a.JPG

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Thats a pretty big hoggie! The tail on that one is really pink :O

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Originally Posted by KevinK

When I post "I shoot for an ambient temperature of 78 degrees with a 90 degree hotspot for my girl"

and the next post you add is:

"(I wouldn't have a hot spot at 90 or anything)"


.....kind of a low blow there, if you want to add what you keep yours at I would welcome it. I posted my heartfelt, educated advice. No need to take shots.

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When I was composing my post, there were no replies to the thread. It took me a little bit to go find my egg photos to hotlink. When I posted, there were suddenly 3 other replies.
My post was in no way directed at you, it was just a weird coincidence regarding the temp thing. I hope that helps explain!

- - - Updated - - -

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

Thats a pretty big hoggie! The tail on that one is really pink :O

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it's a cross called a 'Sunset' which is a hog isle bred with a hypo Bi (usually Colombian locality) so they get quite bright orange and red coloration.

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

When I was composing my post, there were no replies to the thread. It took me a little bit to go find my egg photos to hotlink. When I posted, there were suddenly 3 other replies.
My post was in no way directed at you, it was just a weird coincidence regarding the temp thing. I hope that helps explain!

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Misunderstanding on my part then, my bad.

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

When I was composing my post, there were no replies to the thread. It took me a little bit to go find my egg photos to hotlink. When I posted, there were suddenly 3 other replies.
My post was in no way directed at you, it was just a weird coincidence regarding the temp thing. I hope that helps explain!

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Originally Posted by KevinK

Misunderstanding on my part then, my bad.

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yay peaceful resolve!!! LOL sorry i'm a creep. :)
:grouphug:

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

yay peaceful resolve!!! LOL sorry i'm a creep. :)
:grouphug:

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If you've ever seen Superbad I feel like when a slight quarrel happens here the guy who busts in the room and yells "FIGHT!" should be used as a meme :rofl:

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Originally Posted by KevinK

If you've ever seen Superbad I feel like when a slight quarrel happens here the guy who busts in the room and yells "FIGHT!" should be used as a meme :rofl:

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well since you mentioned it i had to go and make the .GIF [emoji3]
https://i.imgur.com/yRuflEf.gif

I'm really sorry for the miss-understanding as well and any derail on the thread. The only fighting I like to do is in video games!
:D

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

Also forgot to ask, what would you use to heat a melamine cage? I was thinking a heat panel? I know some people rig up a heat mat using plexiglass but I really like the idea of the heat panel.

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I totally missed this question. I haven't used melamine but I would agree that a heat panel would probably be the best option.

Quick question-if you had to choose would you choose:A pair of corn snakes, a bull snake or a hog island boa?

I think a bull, but it would be a hard choice.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Hey guys. So I was wondering,if hogs need a hot-spot around 75-82(?) and my room temp is around 70(Might get a little higher but won't go under) what wattage of heat panel would I need for this cage?
http://boamaster.com/index.php?route...t&product_id=1

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

was wondering,if hogs need a hot-spot around 75-82(?) and my room temp is around 70...... what wattage of heat panel would I need for this cage?

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That is too low of a temperature for your hot spot.

I use the SAME exact cage dimensions and my room is the SAME exact temperature, and I use a 65 watt Pro Products heat panel....which keeps a 78 (ambient)-90 (hotspot) gradient. This is my only heat source, I do not run an under tank heater as the heat panel provides BOTH your ambient temperatures and hot spot basking. Simply hang your thermostat probe on the cool end of the cage and set it to 78, this keeps your hot spot at 88-90.

I was wondering if something like this would work if used with a CHE(75 watts?) on a thermostat?
https://www.amazon.com/IRIS-Tree-Sto.../dp/B000YUUOH0

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

I was wondering if something like this would work if used with a CHE(75 watts?) on a thermostat?
https://www.amazon.com/IRIS-Tree-Sto.../dp/B000YUUOH0

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I would say no, for fire hazard reasons....you don't want a CHE near a plastic tub.

When you have a tub and a 70 degree room you need to do two things....heat the room to your required ambient temperature of 78-80 degrees with a radiant oil heater, AND then you need to provide your hotspot via an under tank heater (either a uth or heat mat) for the tub on a thermostat.

A PVC cage of your choice, a radiant heat panel, and a thermostat are really the most economical way of caring for a boa if you want an animal without health problems and you don't heat your entire room to begin with.

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Originally Posted by KevinK

I would say no, for fire hazard reasons....you don't want a CHE near a plastic tub.

When you have a tub and a 70 degree room you need to do two things....heat the room to your required ambient temperature of 78-80 degrees with a radiant oil heater, AND then you need to provide your hotspot via an under tank heater (either a uth or heat mat) for the tub on a thermostat.

A PVC cage of your choice, a radiant heat panel, and a thermostat are really the most economical way of caring for a boa if you want an animal without health problems and you don't heat your entire room to begin with.

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Thanks! I was just wondering :) For an animal like a hog island boa I would want a display cage anyways :D