Planning on a new BCI. General questions?

Thanks for reading. I'm currently planning on getting a male BCI. This would be my 1st ever boa. I have had multiple ball pythons, corn snakes, king snakes over the past 20 years, but got out of the hobby about 4 years ago. Since I was young I have always loved the looks and demeanor of red tails. I just had some general questions.
I plan on purchasing this hopefully at the reptile expo in 2 weeks here in upstate NY. Hopefully some of the vendors have BCI. Am I correct in thinking that a male BCI will normally be smaller than a female? I don't know If I want to get a huge 10 foot monster which is the reason why I'm looking at BCI and not BCC. I absolutely love the colors of true red tails though. The basic light tan look. Any recommended species that I should look at that in general is docile but wont grow huge and have my wife worry it's going to look to eat her cats? Lol.
Also, with my ball pythons, I always housed in a rubbermaid/Tupperware container with a Uth. Can I house a young boa also in a Tupperware? As he grows I would like to upgrade to something more sturdy with a lock and plexiglass so we can see him better, but I rather keep it simple for the 1st few months while he grows. Also, if I use Tupperware, I usually get a small uth and put on one side with a dimmer for protection, any suggestions on raising ambient heat on his cool side? House is room temperature.
Thanks for reading, I'm sure I will have more questions before I make this purchase. Thanks.

Welcome back to the hobby!!! I took a few years off too, but have been back at it a few years.

I have all the answers you're looking for, but I'm a Red Sox fan, so I don't want to help you, Yankee fan!!!

Hahahhahaha, I'm just playing. I'm a die-hard Boston boy, who likes to have fun.

In all seriousness, I haven't ventured into boas yet, so I'll let others help you there.

I can say that, yes, a tub will work as a grow-out enclosure, though. But other than that I'll let the experienced boa keepers help you out.

Boas take 3-4 years to grow up to adult size so a tub can be used for quite a while. If the ambient in your home is fairly cool you can run two UTH's under the tub, one to create a hot spot of 88-90*F, the other around 80*F on the cool side. Put a hide over each and the water bowl in between them.

Males typically stay smaller than females, but they can still get to respectable size. I have three in the six foot range. If you want something smaller look at the Central American or Mexican localities.

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Originally Posted by yankeeslover

Thanks for reading. I'm currently planning on getting a male BCI. This would be my 1st ever boa. I have had multiple ball pythons, corn snakes, king snakes over the past 20 years, but got out of the hobby about 4 years ago. Since I was young I have always loved the looks and demeanor of red tails. I just had some general questions.

Welcome back. I love BI's and have 2, as well as a male Dwarf BC.

I plan on purchasing this hopefully at the reptile expo in 2 weeks here in upstate NY. Hopefully some of the vendors have BCI. Am I correct in thinking that a male BCI will normally be smaller than a female? I don't know If I want to get a huge 10 foot monster which is the reason why I'm looking at BCI and not BCC. I absolutely love the colors of true red tails though. The basic light tan look. Any recommended species that I should look at that in general is docile but wont grow huge and have my wife worry it's going to look to eat her cats? Lol

Males generally stay smaller than females. How you feed is very important. Less is more with Boas. BI's generally stay smaller than the larger BC locales, but again, how you feed makes a big difference. If you don't want a monster snake, don't overfeed. Eventually, a properly fed BI can get big, but not 10 foot, most likely, especially a male. I know 20 year old females that were fed properly and are 7-8FT max and 15-20 pounds or so. Not 8FT and 35 pounds, etc.

Having said that, I would say snakes and cats don't mix at all. I would plan on keeping them away from each other - always.

Finally, there are breeders of beautiful locale boas who can advise better on adult size. Vin Russo (Cutting Edge Herp) and Tommy Carpenter (TC Reptiles), to name two I know well. I bought Feliz, my dwarf BC, from Tommy.

PM me if you want his number.


Also, with my ball pythons, I always housed in a rubbermaid/Tupperware container with a Uth. Can I house a young boa also in a Tupperware? As he grows I would like to upgrade to something more sturdy with a lock and plexiglass so we can see him better, but I rather keep it simple for the 1st few months while he grows. Also, if I use Tupperware, I usually get a small uth and put on one side with a dimmer for protection, any suggestions on raising ambient heat on his cool side? House is room temperature.
Thanks for reading, I'm sure I will have more questions before I make this purchase. Thanks.

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See questions answered above in BLUE.

Yes, that's fine. However, for a male, expect at least a 4X2' PVC enclosure that holds humidity well and a 5X2' or 6X2' for a female.

As mentioned, it takes Boas a while to get to size when fed properly so you have plenty of time.

They are voracious eaters, and I would get in the habit of hook training all boas. Ask if you are not sure how to do this.

Good luck and feel free to ask anything.

I found someone on craigslist selling babies. Has a male says albino columbian. He says it's a bci. Sent w picture and just the shade of brown I'm looking for. $75 sounds too cheap though doesnt it?

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Originally Posted by yankeeslover

I found someone on craigslist selling babies. Has a male says albino columbian. He says it's a bci. Sent w picture and just the shade of brown I'm looking for. $75 sounds too cheap though doesnt it?

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I would be careful who you buy from. That sounds cheap for an albino, not super cheap for a het albino.

I would be looking to get from a quality breeder. Save yourself potentially anguish. Also, regardless, do you have other reptiles now? Make sure to quarantine if you do.

All morphs are BI. Locale boas - BC, are sold by location of origin.

Take your time as this animal will live 20-25+ years if cared for properly. Try not to rush and just grab anything.

I'd be reluctant to buy from Craigslist.

Since size is important to you I'd buy from a reputable breeder who knows the animals bloodline and can help you find the right animal for you.

Be aware of the craigslist deals but it wouldn’t hurt to check it out. Could be the guy is just getting started and you got in at the right time.


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If it's brown it's het albino not albino; albino would be white/yellow/pink. $75 is a fair price.

With the cost of shipping so high plenty of good breeders are selling their lower-end snakes as pets on Craigslist or Facebook locally for cash.

So I decided to purchase this male today. I'm very exited. I thaught the guy he was a het albino but might have mentioned jungle also. Of course I have no idea what any of this means. Any idea what he may be?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f7a691303b.jpg

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He's probably het albino Boa Imperator (BI). In other words, a normal BI, het albino and maybe jungle. Nice speckling and nice head spear.

What was he being fed? Do you have F/T of that available?

What are your temps and humidity?

Is that a temp probe or thermostat probe in the enclosure?

He's pretty small so you want to be sure to get him started properly.

Unfortunately he has been eating live hoppers. I do want to switch to FT. That is a thermometer probe. I have an under tank heater with a dimmer for now. I have a thermostat coming here in 2 days. Right now warm side is around 85. Cool side is around 75 but I was just in process of setting up small heater next to his enclosure to bring up his cool side for him.
Not even close yet to a finished product. I didnt plan on picking him up today, I think I just lucked out with finding him.
What are good temps for him? He is in a 72 QT tub with hides on both sides. I have a zoo med UTH I believe for 30-40 gallons on one side. Trying to find ways to raise the cool end, but as my bedroom is room temp I think I will be stuck with a small space heater next to him all year long. Any ideas? It's a starlite tub, using forest floor mulch bedding. I doubt the UTH will raise the whole temp up to where I want it.

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Originally Posted by yankeeslover

Unfortunately he has been eating live hoppers. I do want to switch to FT. That is a thermometer probe. I have an under tank heater with a dimmer for now. I have a thermostat coming here in 2 days. Right now warm side is around 85. Cool side is around 75 but I was just in process of setting up small heater next to his enclosure to bring up his cool side for him.
Not even close yet to a finished product. I didnt plan on picking him up today, I think I just lucked out with finding him.
What are good temps for him? He is in a 72 QT tub with hides on both sides. I have a zoo med UTH I believe for 30-40 gallons on one side. Trying to find ways to raise the cool end, but as my bedroom is room temp I think I will be stuck with a small space heater next to him all year long. Any ideas? It's a starlite tub, using forest floor mulch bedding. I doubt the UTH will raise the whole temp up to where I want it.

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Cool on the thermometer probe. You never want a thermostat probe in the tank where it can get spilled on and worse.

You should be checking ground temps with an IR temp gun. If you don't have one, get one yesterday. Those are much more accurate and easier to check temps with.

You want 86-90F hot side, I would aim for 88-90F, ambient/middle temp of about 81-83F and cool side of 78-80F.

UTH heaters will only warm what they touch.

Not sure what else to do with a tub, but maybe other rack people/tub keepers can chime in?

Humidity should be 50%+ in winter and higher in shed, or about 65% all year round preferably, with a small bump in shed to 70-75%.

BI's are very adaptable relative to BC's, in general, and can tolerate lower humidity in winter (mine drops - but never below 50% and always raised in shed). My summer average is 65-70%.

He will probably switch to F/T with zero issues. If you are worried, you can offer live for the first feeding and then switch, but it probably won't be an issue.

HOWEVER, leave him alone until feeding day - which should be in about a week. Let him get settled and then offer a F/T hopper.

If you have questions on how to properly defrost, ask, but in general, just let the prey thaw completely in room temp water and offer on tongs/tweezers, etc. Boas do not have heat pits like most pythons and go more on scent and sight, not heat.

I switched my BC to F/T from live and stunned in about 3 seconds. Boas eat anything. They are like the corn snakes of the reptile world (they rarely if ever refuse).

Any other questions, let us know.

I do have a question on the thermostat probe. Where is a good place to put it when it comes in? Under the hide? Also, should it be under the bedding or above it? I notice it's a bit hotter under the bedding then it is above the bedding.
Also I might be wrong. My cool side temps are hovering around 80 degrees. Maybe the UTH does raise the whole enclosure. Might not need my heater. Humidity is around 70 right now. But the bedding comes damp in the bag so I will keep monitoring it. Maybe add more holes If I have to in the enclosure. I will check again in AM.
FT hoppers good for now? I plan on feeding in separate containers like I did in the past with other snakes. Once a week with just 1 hopper?

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Originally Posted by yankeeslover

I do have a question on the thermostat probe. Where is a good place to put it when it comes in? Under the hide? Also, should it be under the bedding or above it? I notice it's a bit hotter under the bedding then it is above the bedding.
Also I might be wrong. My cool side temps are hovering around 80 degrees. Maybe the UTH does raise the whole enclosure. Might not need my heater. Humidity is around 70 right now. But the bedding comes damp in the bag so I will keep monitoring it. Maybe add more holes If I have to in the enclosure. I will check again in AM.
FT hoppers good for now? I plan on feeding in separate containers like I did in the past with other snakes. Once a week with just 1 hopper?

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1. Thermostat probes go outside the tub, between the UTH and the tub itself.

Larger tanks that use RHP's, or heat lamps, can have a probe, or probes, in the tank, but hanging on the wall, not were they can be sitting in spilled water, waste matter, etc.

2. 80F is fine for the cool side, but please, get an IR Temp gun so you know for sure. Do not rely on thermometers that take air temps.

3. You want to feed 1X a week a prey item that barely makes a dent. Boas are incredibly efficient and should be slow grown.

How old is this guy and how much does he weigh? Is a hopper (mouse) about the size of him at his biggest girth?

4. DO NOT FEED in separate container(s). This is a) a myth that it helps prevent bites in the tank (unless all you do is feed and never take out the snake) and b) you are more likely to get bit by a food hungry boa trying to move it in food mode.

As mentioned prior, hook train your boa, feed in the enclosure, and you will have likely zero issues. A 6FT male BI will cause a lot more damage than a 4ft BP in a food response bite. Boas are known to stay in food mode for days.

I commend you for asking good questions, but please take the advise of experienced boa keepers on here (not just me).

He's about 2 months old from what I'm told. So, the thermostat probe touches the uth itself? If I set the thermostat to 90 degrees wont the actual temperature above the substrate be lower than this? Or do I set the temp on the thermostat higher than what I want the substrate to be?
And thanks about the info on feeding. I will feed in the enclosure. I assume mulch is ok If he swallows some?

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Originally Posted by yankeeslover

He's about 2 months old from what I'm told. So, the thermostat probe touches the uth itself? If I set the thermostat to 90 degrees wont the actual temperature above the substrate be lower than this? Or do I set the temp on the thermostat higher than what I want the substrate to be?
And thanks about the info on feeding. I will feed in the enclosure. I assume mulch is ok If he swallows some?

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Yes, you will have to adjust temps to get the correct temperature in the enclosure. It will probably be a little lower or a little higher.

Where did you get the mulch? What type is it?

I'll let someone else chime in, but unless it's specifically for reptiles and chemical and bug free, I would not be using.

Also, for new reptiles, paper substrate is best because you can determine better if the animal has mites etc. I would consider paper substrate for now and then maybe a coconut husk substrate or something safe to digest later.

Petsmart. Forest bedding. For reptiles. All this makes sense. So even if I have to set the thermostat to say 100 degrees right on the mat, that 100 degrees wont burn him if he burrows?

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Originally Posted by yankeeslover

Petsmart. Forest bedding. For reptiles. All this makes sense. So even if I have to set the thermostat to say 100 degrees right on the mat, that 100 degrees wont burn him if he burrows?

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The hottest spot he touches should not be over 90-91f. There shouldn’t be so much substrate that there is a discernible difference either.

Start with 86f give some time. Then slowly go up.

Read the ground temps with the IR temp gun. Do not rely on the thermostat probe temp. Again. You will have to adjust.

What do you guys use for regular substrate? I work up this morning and humidity is 89%. I'm going have to do something after work. I wonder if thay forest mulch holds too much humidity. Maybe drill more holes. I have 6 down each side.

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Originally Posted by yankeeslover

What do you guys use for regular substrate? I work up this morning and humidity is 89%. I'm going have to do something after work. I wonder if thay forest mulch holds too much humidity. Maybe drill more holes. I have 6 down each side.

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I use plastic tub enclosures for all my boas and ball pythons, so maybe I can chime in. You'll definitely want to drill more holes; I default to 20 holes (two rows of 10) on the top lid, and 20 holes (also two rows of 10) on both of the long sides of the tub. I also second dakski's recommendation about starting off with just plain white paper towels as your substrate. You'll be less likely to overshoot your humidity, your hotspot will be a closer match to your thermostat setting (since the paper towel layer is so thin), and you can easily monitor to make sure your snake's pee/poop looks normal and that there are no mites infesting your snake. You can always play around with switching to a different substrate a few months down the line, after your snake has had time to settle in. :)

Any negatives with papertowls? How would I manage humidity with papertowls? Wouldnt it get wet when I mist the tank? My house is lower humidity, about 30%

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Originally Posted by yankeeslover

Any negatives with papertowls? How would I manage humidity with papertowls? Wouldnt it get wet when I mist the tank? My house is lower humidity, about 30%

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The humidity in my house is around 35%. Despite that, I have no problem maintaining humidity in the enclosures (all of them are currently at least 70% humidity), just because the plastic tubs really hold it in. In fact, even with paper towel substrate and only a single water bowl in each enclosure, I actually have to make sure the hides and decor have time to dry after washing, otherwise they bump the humidity up past 80%. I do not have to mist the enclosures at all.

As for downsides to paper towels, these are the only ones that come to mind for me:
- They're not very aesthetically appealing, haha. I might give other substrates a try in a few years, once the snakes are fully grown and have moved into nicer, adult-sized cages as their "forever homes."
- If they get soiled with pee/poop, you have to toss them out, wipe things down, and replace them with fresh paper towels each time, rather than "spot-cleaning" which you can get away with for a while when using thicker and more odor-absorbing substrates. With that said, my boas only pee every 1-2 weeks, and poop even less frequently than that, so it's pretty manageable.

Sorry about all these questions. But I do have one more. 1st I decided to switch to newspaper for substrate. Anyways the ambient temperature. What's the best way to raise it in a tub? My tub is 25Lx18Hx13W. Seems good size as he grows some. But I'm having trouble with my ambient temps. The surface temp on hot side is 90. The temp on cool side is around 77 but that's because I have a oil heater next to the tub to raise the temp, if not it would only be 70 or so since that's the temperature in my bedroom. The UTH doesnt raise the ambient temperature. Am I stuck using a space heater next to the tub all year long to keep ambient up? How do you guys with the plastic tubs do it without a heatlamp?

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It's great that you're asking questions! I wish I had a better answer for you on this one. I'm in southern California and live in a top-floor apartment that stays pretty warm (plus I get cold stupidly easily, so my comfort zone of 75-78 F is actually pretty close to what my snakes prefer anyway), so I've never needed anything other than the UTH for the hotspot. In the summer, the A/C has to work constantly just to keep indoor temps from cresting above 80 F anyway, and in winter, I bust out a small space heater if I need a particular room to be a little warmer.

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Originally Posted by yankeeslover

Sorry about all these questions. But I do have one more. 1st I decided to switch to newspaper for substrate. Anyways the ambient temperature. What's the best way to raise it in a tub? My tub is 25Lx18Hx13W. Seems good size as he grows some. But I'm having trouble with my ambient temps. The surface temp on hot side is 90. The temp on cool side is around 77 but that's because I have a oil heater next to the tub to raise the temp, if not it would only be 70 or so since that's the temperature in my bedroom. The UTH doesnt raise the ambient temperature. Am I stuck using a space heater next to the tub all year long to keep ambient up? How do you guys with the plastic tubs do it without a heatlamp?

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Printless newsprint is fine, as are paper towels. Newspaper with ink on it is not ideal.

Guess they are ferocious eaters. 1st time I fed him and 1st time he ate F/T. He didnt think twice about. I have raised many snakes but this my 1st boa. Had multiple ball pythons, king snakes, hognose and corns, and I have never before seen a snake strike a dead mouse as fast as this baby boa just did. I assume 1 hour later he is still in feed mode. Now I know why this group recommends hook training. Lol

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by yankeeslover

So I decided to purchase this male today. I'm very exited. I thaught the guy he was a het albino but might have mentioned jungle also. Of course I have no idea what any of this means. Any idea what he may be?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f7a691303b.jpg

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Stunning !!

He’d look soooo much better on dark coloured substrate though !!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...773462fd1f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...250c452964.jpg


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