Thinking of getting an arboreal boa, critique my set up please

Hi, my birthday is coming up and I managed to talk my wife into letting me get an arboreal snake. I'm thinking about getting an Amazon Tree Boa, or something like that.

That's about a month away, I would like to set up my enclosure pretty soon so I can test and make sure I have the proper humidity and temps.

This is my idea for an enclosure:
http://www.luminousether.com/snakeenclusre.gif

Do you think this is a good idea for this kind of animal? What other arboreal boas can you recommend that I might enjoy?

I'm not looking for anything super complicated to care for, but I do consider myself an advanced keeper of exotic animals. Currently I have two snakes, a Kenyan Sand Boa and a Corn Snake that have thrived in my care for nearly a year. Also, I have more Tarantulas than I care to try to count, with 18 different species from around the world. Oh, and six crested geckos that I'm starting up a breeding project with.

So, what do you think would be good for me? Thanks!

If you are looking for an aboreal snake that you can also handle, don't go with an ATB. I also have heard that radiant heat panels work very well with aboreal species as opposed to a UTH.

I'd can't see to much use that an uth has for a snake that spends less very little if any time on the ground. I'd go for a heat bulb, ceramic heat emmiter or a radient heat panel

I'm raising an ATB, its just in a tub nothing to fancy but has plenty of climbing area and some fake vine. I use flex watt under the tub and mist once or twice a day accordingly. For adults in a larger enclosure I would definitely plan on heat panels or other methods that won't conflict with humidity in a larger enclosure.

I use a large UTH on the side for my roach colony, it makes a nice warm spot right around the side and raises the air temp a bit.

How much to radiating heat panels cost? Do they go inside or outside the cage.

I'm not that worried about handling.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 6StringSamurai

I use a large UTH on the side for my roach colony, it makes a nice warm spot right around the side and raises the air temp a bit.

How much to radiating heat panels cost? Do they go inside or outside the cage.

I'm not that worried about handling.

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It can vary, around 70-110 and up depending on size you would need.

http://www.pro-products.com/proheat.html

RHP's go inside the cage.

You can make a nice radiant heat panel for WAY cheaper than that, but I just use a black light bulb in a home brewed hood for my GTP.

Im getting a GTP but just got her set-up all ready to go.

Here are some ideas I guess. RDHP is in the right corner.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...Picture049.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...Picture048.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...Picture039.jpg

Good luck with your Boa if you end up getting one.

Mike

Thanks for the tips, I'll keep this info in mind.

And thanks for the pics, 8b8ll, nice set up.

Hay 8b8ll how do you keep the rhp from making the cage to hot?

and does it distribute heat evenly threwout the cage ??

I use a Herpstat with it.

I set it up on the right hand side to get a nice temperature gradiant. That way she has a choice between a warm "basking" side and a nice cool side. The cage allows it to heat up nice as well. Temps are 86-87 warm "basking" side and 77-78 cool side.

Thanks.


Mike

Another thing you could look in to is ZooMed heat cable. I use it for my ball racks, but it is water resistant ( no submerisable) so it wont short or kill your sanke if it got wet and as i iluded to it can be used in the cage. It comes in a few diffrent length choices and it can cover alot of area.