Help with tank setup for a Red Tail Boa

Hey guys:

I recently purchased a baby Red Tail Boa that is 100% het for snow. I am due to pick him up tommorrow and have a huge question and in need of advice on how to set his tank up. He/She is still small as it was just hatched in June of this year

This past weekend I actually got my hands on a huge 170 gallon tank the dimensions are 72"L x 22"H x 18"w came with a wooden cabinet stand. It was an old saltwater aquarium and this guy was just going to throw it out. Note: the boa was purchased before I got my hands on this tank.

Anyways, I would like to try and use this tank for him as I know how big I can expect him/her to get. I need help with know what temperatures I should try and keep the tank at? Humidity levels if needed? Should I use UTH, Ceramic heat emitters, UV or Heat lights or a combination of them? What type of bedding to use? Cage furnitures: hides, branches, etc?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

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Originally Posted by Whodinidunit

Hey guys:

I recently purchased a baby Red Tail Boa that is 100% het for snow. I am due to pick him up tommorrow and have a huge question and in need of advice on how to set his tank up. He/She is still small as it was just hatched in June of this year

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I realized this AFTER I posted it and wanted to corrected it. It was born, not hatched. I do know boas are born live not hatched in eggs, sorry guys :)

the cage can be furnished as you please. As can the setup for heating. Heating will depend on the setup, heat mats can be used under, or lights/che/rhp can be used for a raised basking spot. Humidity may be a problem in an aquarium but that can be solved. The good thing about a large tank is that there is more space to create a temperature gradient. In this case you could even play around with temp ranges and find a gradient that works better than the cookie cutter temp ranges given in caresheets.

Oh gosh- I really hate to put a hold on a person's dream, but.......

That's a really big environment for just a wee baby boa!! :O
Is there something smaller that you could use for this little guy for the first approx two years?

I have my boas in 3x2x1 RBI reptile cages and they work really well. I have them heated with radiant heat panels. Temps are set to about 90F and the humidity is 60% and the ambient temps are around 80-82F.

One of my boas is a bit over a year and another is coming up on a year old and I can see that I will be switching them over to the AP A30 cages (4x2x6) in another couple of months. My other boa is just a wee one so I'll wait another year to switch her caging.

Boas grow slowly relative to ball pythons. They really like climbing (at least mine do) and so having some height and climbing branches is a bonus!

I also wonder, with a tank that deep, how the heck you'll get this guy in and out when he becomes large. Boas are notorious (I've read and have been told by several boa owners) for showing their displeasure at having to exit and re-enter their enclosure. I just can't imagine trying to wrangle your guy out of a top-opening space....but that's just my lack of knowledge I'm certain. I also wonder how you'll be able to keep a very strong snake from pushing through the top of the tank and getting out.

I guess you have a different environment set up for the boa for tomorrow...?

I don't know....just my initial thoughts. I'll be interested to read what other more experienced boa owners have to say about this topic...

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Originally Posted by starmom

Oh gosh- I really hate to put a hold on a person's dream, but.......

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did I misread? I thought they meant they'd use the huge tank for later when it had some size.

I don't know- it was a little ambiguous...
I read it and re-read it and it sounds to me like they are wanting set-up advice for the snake for now...??? :weirdface

Quote:

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Originally Posted by starmom

Oh gosh- I really hate to put a hold on a person's dream, but.......

That's a really big environment for just a wee baby boa!! :O
Is there something smaller that you could use for this little guy for the first approx two years?

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Along with the 170 gallon I did get a 75 gallon tank as well but it highter and narrower. plus it not looking in good shape needs to be cleaned really well and I think there is a crack in the plactic molding at the top for the lid. So it might not be secure.

I originally was gonna use a old Kitchen cabinet that I converted to a tank I origianlly had a Monitor in at one time and my Ball in for a bit after that. I was working on figuring a new front glass enclosure that would open from the front when I get the news about the 2 other tanks I aquired.

I am planning for a brief time until I get my tank setup to keep the little guy in a rubbermaid enclosure with a locking top that is 24"L x 16"w x 8"Dand keep a heat pad under at one side to keep him warm until I get his perm home setup. Which was going to be by this weekend hopefully.

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Originally Posted by qiksilver

did I misread? I thought they meant they'd use the huge tank for later when it had some size.

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Well I kept thinking to myself it is a big tank for a baby as well. My partner is like it will grow into it and also this Lady who runs a reptile rehab called R.A.R.E (www.rarerehab.org) says the tank is good and the boa will grow into it. But I myself have been thinking the same thing about it being too big right off the bat

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Originally Posted by starmom

I don't know- it was a little ambiguous...
I read it and re-read it and it sounds to me like they are wanting set-up advice for the snake for now...??? :weirdface

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I am picking the baby up tommorrow, so I will have it somepoit tommorrow and really need to figure out where it's perm home will be and how to set it up properly. I couldn't beat the price I got for a 100% het for snow RTB. I had other plans for a tank then was given this $2200 tank for free

I only have experience with my three boas...that's my disclaimer!

My boas are curious and interactive when they want to be. For this reason, they are in my living room. They look out of their glass doors and 2 of them lounge off of the cage floor a lot!! They appreciate height!!

My boas are also strong- even though they are still young. It always surprises me how strong they are. They also have a strike distance and speed that is simply amazing. When they strike their prey, they coil three and four times around it!! I'm sharing this because I don't know that a tub with such minimal height would be good.....but since it is very temporary....

Well, good luck. I'll be interested in knowing how you decide to go and, of course, I can't wait to see pictures of your new little guy!!

Although I wouldn't recommend it, with tons of careful planning and attention to detail, you could make a big cage work for a boa, they're pretty active unlike balls. It would be great for your temp gradient, you could have a 120 degree basking spot all the way to room temperature in that thing. But the problem would be providing enough cover and climbing surfaces so the animal feels comfortable, and at that point, you'd easily lose him.

Is the snake a neonate? If so get it all set up and eating a shoebox sized rubbermaid. [Rich Ihle has a decent description on his site how he thinks you should set up neos from him.]

Basically my point is that you should get the animal destressed and feeding before shocking him with any sort of cage. As long as you have a healthy animal and you fully meet its needs the means to getting to that end is up to you.

Ya I think if you furnished it alot you could make it work. Give him some hides, things to climb,a bowl and that should take up alot of the cage making it seem smaller.

ok here are a few pics of what I have. the 2 f the new boa i know are not great but they were taken with cell phone.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa002.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...si/boa/boa.jpg

For the first week or so while I get his tank setup I will be keeping him in this since he is still so small. I will have a small heat pad on one side and the room he will be in is a steady 80 degrees from the other tanks

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa024.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa025.jpg

this was the tank i origirnally gonna use after I figure out how I a doing the front glass door. This was before the aquisition of the big tank

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa020.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa019.jpg
(note: the screen is the top)

And here is the pics of the tank I aquired for free
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa021.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa022.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa023.jpg

So hopefully give a better Idea what I have so i know what I will need. Thanks again

Your new boa is really terrific looking!!!

That big tank though- phew, that's gonna be a real bear to clean!!
I had a tank like that once and kept fish in it :P

You have some time to get a little bigger tank for your little fella and maybe think about building something a bit more reasonable for you both or saving to purchase a cage that might be way easier for you both.

Gods, I hate to be a kill joy :tears:
All I see is keeping your boa in a really difficult manner. It will be so hard to get the guy out of that tank and cleaning-- sheesh!!!!

You've got time to plan and think about things.....

Beautiful snake though!!! I love boas!!!! :D

I have been reading all night about tank and cage setups and temperatures to keep it at, but i am having a difficult time with what type of bedding to use. Some sites say aspen is good, but another says it is to be avoided.

I know the basic stuff like papertowels and newpaper is easy to clean but what else that looks a little better will be safe? I use aspen in my BP's tanks and in my Hognose tank. Is Aspen safe to use for a RTB?

I know for the next weeks to a month I will plan on keeping him in the rubbermaid bin I have until I get his tank completely set up. and since he is small the bin will not be an issue for now. in his bin i will use plain papertowels.

also with uth's, should i get any heat sourceto put on the lower sides of the tank? or just on the bottom be sufficient enough?

All of my boas have an 'aspen play area' that they can burrow in and etc. When I get the tall cages, I'll use aspen exclusively on the cage bottom.

As for your heat source questions, I haven't a clue. I would think that maintaining appropriate humidity and temps in that is going to be a challenge. What are the ambient temps of the room it will be in? Will you be building a solid and hinged and locking top for it? I'm thinking that if you were to build such a lid, you might want to look into radiant heat panels (RBI sells good ones). RHP's would help heat the tank and also give your snake thermoregulation choices all over the place. What do you think?

Yeah thats where my challenge comes in. building a locking lid for that big tank. All my other tanks, which are much smaller (10 gal to 30 gal) have a single panel UTH and 100-150watt ceramic heat emitter. also I have most of the top covered with foil nd ducktape to keep the heat and humidity in them. I will probably end up doing the same thing. That is if the pet store can now find my baby.

I am so mad right now. I went to go pick him/her up and the pet store said they had an escapee. They had two of them there and one got out. but not sure if the one that got out was mine or another one cause the box was not labeled. So I have to go back tonight when the girl I was dealing with is in to see if the one that didn't escape is mine or not

Oh jeez...bummer or serendipity??? :weirdface

This could give you more time to figure things out.....

For the large tank, I think that doing foil and etc is going to be a huge hassle. Maybe you could do a split top, hinged with locks, out of wood???

Good news is the little guy was not the one they lost. So I do have him home. and he/she is gentle as can be, doesn't want to let go of your fingers when being held. Although it did strick at my partner but thats because he had it near a bag that had frozen rats and amice feed. So I think the RTB smelled the food.

and it does have a good feeding response, I was already able to feed it 2 mouse hoppers and it took it no problem. although it is about 18" long already it appears.

One more thing to consider for the large glass tank is that it is glass. It is not going to be easy to keep the proper humidity and temps unless the room has high temps and humidity. What ever you do, good luck.

Good to hear about your snake!! They do love to eat, though growing them slowly is the best way; lots of muscle and sort of a box shape!

Now your work begins! Please keep us updated on your giant tank adventures! I'm really curious as to what you'll work out with it~ all good things, I'm certain! :D

here are some quick pics of the new addition. I do not have a name yet as i do not know if it is a male or female.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa056.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa040.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa036.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa057.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa058.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa051.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa052.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa053.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa041.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa054.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w...boa/boa042.jpg

Lovin the head stripe!!! Don't you just love boas? :P
I'm so glad that she/he stayed in the cage and waited for you to pick her/him up!!!
That's a great looking boa :D

Thanks star. yeah it was the strip that proved this was the one because i remember the girl at the store commenting on that stripe. I was gonna call him stripe. but then i kept thinking about the movie gremlins

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Originally Posted by starmom

Lovin the head stripe!!! Don't you just love boas? :P
I'm so glad that she/he stayed in the cage and waited for you to pick her/him up!!!
That's a great looking boa :D

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To give you an Idea of the cage size compared to his/her size currently. I took the below picture
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w.../newboa002.jpg