Got a BCI

Hello Tuesday my BCI will be in town and all i have to do is pick it up, I have my choice either the femle or male. Im not letting the sex determan the picking it's all about looks and colors. They are babies only 18" long so im wondering how big of a Rubbermaid im going to have to have for it. And how long can i keep the snake in the first tank i buy, im wanting it to last until i can get the 6ft. that everyone has suggested for a BCI. Where should i order the 6ft. cage from? and what kind of heating should i get with it. Put right now im more intersted in what size can i go with for right now? Also feeding should i take the snake out to feed or leave in the enclosure. Thanks Aaron

An 18" baby should be in something along the lines of a 12" x 20" tub.. give or take a little. You really can't just go from that to a 6' cage.. you need to have one or two graduating tub sizes. Tubs are cheap, so it's not a big deal.

I like the cages from boaphileplastics.com.. they have the best prices I've been able to find. For heating.. I just use flexwatt.

Leave in the enclosure to feed.

Hello a friend of mine suggested a 4ft tub already, is this a little to big right off. Also can i use a heating pad for right now until i get the flex watt?

help here anyone

I would go with what Shelby suggested. It sounds like the 4' cage is a bit big. As for using the heating pad until the flexwatt comes in, it'll probably work. Just make sure it's closely monitored, since many have automatic shutoffs and aren't designed to be run 24/7. Hope that helps.....

Four foot is too large for a baby... it would probably get too stressed out having all that room.

I would recommend getting a small sterilite box. Also, if you keep an eye on the temps, or can hook the heating mat up to a rheostat/dimmer or thermostat, it would work.

Actually im going to get a heating pad from a petstore the guy also said a 10 gallon would work but i don't want to screen to rub his or her nose. how do you keep them from doing this? also would a 20L work if i can keep the snake from rubbing it's nose?

Well, you can try to find a lid that isn't screened (which would probably be better because you need to keep good humidity levels).

Also, I would still recommend getting a small tub. It would be so much easier to keep humidity levels straight, plus you don't have to worry about screen rubs. They're not expensive at all.

Pet store heating pad + no thermosta/rheostat = burned snake/floor. Trust me on that one.. at least wire up a rheostat (lamp dimmer) to the heat pad.. better a thermostat.

I have the Dimmer switch found it tonight so it will be ok to use a heating pad now?

A pet store heating pad yes.. not a human heating pad.

You know how to wire it?

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You know how to wire it?

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No, but I'd like to. Please post the way. Oh, you weren't talking to me were you? LOL.

They are all right on the size of the setup. My BCI's don't do well in large enclosures at all. They all do well in smaller ones. With this I mean they are out more and exploring more and seem a lot more active than in bigger enclosures. After several movings I noticed that the best setup for them is one that they can almost reach across from head to tail.

~Jim

Ok wiring..

Get yer flexwatt.. yer 6' extention cord thingy, yer soldering gun, and yer rotary dimmer switch.

Cut the female end of the extention cord off. Split the two wires about oh.. 6" (less if you're using 3" flexwatt)

Strip the rubber insulation off the ends of the wire about a centimeter.

take your flexwatt and with the soldering gun melt off about one centimeter of the plastic coating over the copper strips that run on each side (only melt off of one side.. you can use electrical tape to seal off the other side so you don't shock yourself)

Solder one of the two wires on the dimmer to one of the exposed (from melting) copper strips on the flexwatt. Solder the other dimmer wire to one of the extention cord wires (twist the wires around each other first). solder the other extention cord wire to the other melted exposed copper strip on the flexwatt.

Wrap electrical tape around everything soldered.

That's it.. if it doesn't make sense, I'll look for a pic of a wired one for you. (too lazy to take one) :P

I don't think i'll be using Flexwatt until he gets into his big 4.5 Vision tank. So will it be fine to use the heating pad until then?

Yeah.. just as long as you have a thermo/rheostat.

alright just went today and got the stuff for the snake before he gets here Wedsday here is what i have 1. Rubbermaid Snap Topper 30qt. 7x16.6x22.8in/17.7x42.2x58cm 2. Repti Therm UTH 10-20 Gallon Size 3. Aspend bedding 4. water dish 5. Temp Gun and Digital Ther. with hum. 6. dimmer switch 7. 18" BCI. So am i set for the snake now or should i do something different or will this work. Also how long do you think this tub will work ? Thanks Aaron

needing to know so i can get it setup for the snake. Thanks Aaron

Also can i feed this snake in the same feeding tub as my ball? or should i get another for each of the snakes?

How about a few hides? :)

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Also can i feed this snake in the same feeding tub as my ball? or should i get another for each of the snakes?

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I wouldn't feed them "out of home" at all. I feed all of my snakes in their home all the time. Never had a problem. The only time I have ever had problems with feeding them is when I first got one and tried to put her back into her home, regurg! It's too stressful for them in my opinion. Who wants to eat a big meal and then get hauled around? Not me, I like to curl up on the couch and watch a movie ;) .

have another question should i get a bigger tub instead more like a 4' tube also how many agree with feeding in the enclosure?

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Originally Posted by ballpythonandragon

how many agree with feeding in the enclosure?

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If you do a search through the forums, and look around a little, you'll see that just about everyone on here performs, and recommends, feeding in their own enclosures. There's no need to move them around. The reason for another feeding place was/is supposed to be so that they don't associate your hands with food when you go in for handling sessions. If you introduce yourself to your snake for handling sessions differently, they'll figure it out. Just feed 'em in their enclosures, and they'll be fine.

I dont feed any of my snakes in thier enclosure, the reason I do not is because I am not taking the chance that they may ingest some of thier bedding along with thier meal and end up with problems later. I have had all my snakes for over 3 years now, and never had a regurg from moving them, heck, I have never had any of them regurg period. And to be honest, I really dont think it stresses my snakes out, they have been through this routine for a long time now.

We've always fed the balls and the boa in their enclosures, but that's just our way, not the only way of course LOL. If there's a concern about possible ingestion of substrate you can just pop in a pad of newspaper before you feed and remove it later after the snake has retired to it's hide to digest. Keeps the substrate back and if there's any "leakage" from the prey it doesn't get on the substrate.

Hope on your list was a good set of hemostats, long tweezers or kitchen tongs. We've noticed and were also warned before we took in Rauri that these snakes are very responsive feeders and tend to have a proportionately longer strike than a ball does even as babies.


~~Jo~~

so other than that is this a pretty good setup and im lost how do you dead am adult out of the enclosure?

don't get a 4' tub.. that's way too big for a baby boa.

I feed all 21 snakes in the cage.

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Originally Posted by ballpythonandragon

how do you dead am adult out of the enclosure?

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Huh?

should i use papertowels for now or aspen i heard aspen is not good to use for a boa. but i use it for my ball python

Aspen is fine.. I just use newspaper for everything because it's free and easy to clean out.

temps on the cool side is alittle cool lower 70s but i just setup the enclosure so im still waiting for it to warm up all the way.I have the hide half on the heat pad and the water half off does this sound alright

I can't get the temps up at all hot spot is 80-92 but the whole tub is not warm it's low 70s im at a lost now what should i do

You need to let it sit for awhile, closed up and not mess with it. The ambient temps will rise very slowly. Also, you may want to check the temps of the room... it's they're too low, the heat pad may not have enough power to get the ambient temps up

so when i get home tonight i should check it and see then? I can't believe it's not getting warmer than that. I should just get a bigger heating pad right? but if i get to big of one it might now work for the size of tank right?

Check it when you get home tonight. If it still isn't heating up to where you want it, try upping the temps of the room (I know it's uncomfortable, but with winter coming---or here---you're going to have to anyway). If none of that works, get a bigger heat pad.

Or should i go ahead and change the tank to a 20L tank with a infered heat bulb?
but im not wanting the baby to get nose rub ? should i do that instead

I really don't think the snake will get nose rub without you noticing what it's doing WAY before it begins to show. The only time this happens is through not enough attention, therefore it goes unnoticed for a long time. Shelby has one she got with it and she should be able to help more on this.

Boas nose rub when they have a cage they don't like or if the lid has some 'give' to it. They think they can get out if the lid is flexible, so they try and try until they rub their nose off.

That said, the only snake I have ever had a nose rub with was my high-strung hogg island boa. My other boas never try it.

alright went with the male i love this little guy. He just got shipped to the store today and im wondering if i should let him seatle in for a week? Also i can't get the temps any higher than 72-74s on the cool side what do you suggest i do? and im running 80s on the warm side? is this ok

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Originally Posted by Shelby

Boas nose rub when they have a cage they don't like or if the lid has some 'give' to it. They think they can get out if the lid is flexible, so they try and try until they rub their nose off.

That said, the only snake I have ever had a nose rub with was my high-strung hogg island boa. My other boas never try it.

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Didn't you get him with it already like that?

~Jim

Ballpythonandragon - let ALL snakes settle in for a week first.

Get a second heat pad.. get a space heater.. do whatever it takes. 80 on warm side is not good enough. Low 90s.. low 80s cool side. Nothing below 75.. period.

jim020cricket - yes she had a minor nose rub when I got her.. she just made it worse. I think she's broken the habit now though.

Hello ok I've got the temps up Warm side is 90.4 Cool side is mid 80's doe's this sound good know. The snake has been soaking most of time so i hope everything is alright. thanks Aaron

Get your warm side up a bit more.. at least 92.

Soaking a lot could indicate a shed or mites possibly.

how can u tell if he has mites

Look around his eyes/head.. especially for little red/white moving dots.

Grab your snake gently and rub from it's head straight down to it's tail in one smooth stroke. Look at your hand now...do you see any smears? If you do, you have mites. Every mite I've ever seen has been black (though I never peered to closely at them). They look like a teeny tiny black beetle and really hard to see on Bci's due to their peppered design.

~Jim

I had white mites on a calabar burrowing python once.

Huh, it was probably just wood mites they are white. All the Reptile mites I've encountered are black and smear red. I have noticed that Forest Floor can carry some bugs though, anyone else notice this?

~Jim

Who knows. Maybe they just showed up white on the black snake. They all stuck on the snake though.. around the eyes and butt.. didn't care for the wood it seems.

well my snake also has mites also so i just called the person i got the snake off of and im picking up the Mite Off tomorrow but i have taken the snake off the aspen bedding and put him on paper towels and bleached everything. I can't believe im having so much trouble with this snake with the heating and now the mites. He has been soaking for a few days and i found the mites in the water bowl. I can't believe it's been so hard with this snake shoot i didn't have this much trouble with my ATB.

Get provent-a-mite.. loads better than any other mite treatment. You can get it from Matt (justcage)

called they guy he gave me MITE OFF by T-Rex when i came home he wasn't in the water bowl and he hasn't been in tonight yet. So im hoping that after tonight i sprayed for the mites and everything so im hoping he is clean now. What do you think? Im going to try to feed him tuesday what doyou think. Also the breeder recommend me to feed 2-3 more times live before trying to switch over. He is eating 2-3" mice should i try a Rat pup? ALso im looking to buy online feeders where does everyone get their's from? Thanks Aaron

Make sure you strip the cage and disinfect (bleach solution) to be rid of the mite eggs.. since nothing I know of besides provent-a-mite kills mite eggs.

No harm in trying to feed.. try p/k if you want.. or live it's up to you. A rat pup is fine too.. doesn't really matter mouse or rat. Most people order frozen rodents from rodentpro.com.