New Caye Caulker Dwarf Boa and would like general information

[Jordanpg]

I ordered a Herpstat EZ2 which should be here Saturday, i'll pick up a stand for the light in the meantime to help lower temps.

[KevinK]

Your boa needs a minimum of one snug-fitting hide on each side, if you have to sacrifice the larger bowl, then so be it. Otherwise, you'll need a larger enclosure.

While otherwise agreeing on what you said, that's where I'm going to disagree. Adult boas (and any large snake for that matter) use so much floor space in a 6x2 or 4x2 that hides do not become feasible after a while. You will literally have two huge hides with a foot of floor space in between them......which is why boa breeders (Jeff Ronne from Boaphile included) do not use hides with any of their adult boas.

This Caulker is a pretty big boy already and is nearing the point where hides simply get in the way. In PVC cages a lot of people just use a sheet of newspaper if their snake seems stressed after removing the hides....but judging where he's located in the tank he seems alright being out in the open.

[Jordanpg]

He (I think I decided to name him Geddy Lee) was using his hide this morning which was pretty cool to see, ill see how his current hide fits in his new cage when I get it and decide then if I want to squeeze another in.

[dakski]

He (I think I decided to name him Geddy Lee) was using his hide this morning which was pretty cool to see, ill see how his current hide fits in his new cage when I get it and decide then if I want to squeeze another in.

He will likely continue to blossom over time, and especially when his new setup comes. He's going to love that.

Once acclimated, and properly handled and fed, Boa's are usually really beautiful and chill snakes.

I have a female BCI (Behira) who is a total doll, unless food is involved, or perceived to be involved! I hook train her and she's all good.

I know BCI's, and I see every day with Behira, go through light and dark phases throughout the day. Behira is an ivory ghost, so she can be very light tan to almost dark tan/brownish and her head can be light tan to almost jet black. Do Caye Caulker Dwarf Boa's do the same thing? Is this a Boa thing (potentially excluding rainbows, sand, etc and sticking with BCI and BCC and dwarf species) or only a BCI thing?

Enjoy Geddy Lee!

[Jus1More]

Congrats and Welcome Geddy Lee
I love those dwarfs!!! I have a Hogg Island Boa and another on the way. Post some pictures when you can..

[CloudtheBoa]

While otherwise agreeing on what you said, that's where I'm going to disagree. Adult boas (and any large snake for that matter) use so much floor space in a 6x2 or 4x2 that hides do not become feasible after a while. You will literally have two huge hides with a foot of floor space in between them......which is why boa breeders (Jeff Ronne from Boaphile included) do not use hides with any of their adult boas.

This Caulker is a pretty big boy already and is nearing the point where hides simply get in the way. In PVC cages a lot of people just use a sheet of newspaper if their snake seems stressed after removing the hides....but judging where he's located in the tank he seems alright being out in the open.

I respectfully disagree. I provide hides for both of my large adults, and they have plenty of room left over in their enclosures. The 4’x2’s can fit 2 jumbo RBI hides and a large water dish with room to move around, and I can fit 3-4 large hides in my 6’x2’s. My adults regularly use their hides, and I’ve even noticed better muscle tone in my 7’ female since offering hides. She has to really coil up to fit in her hides.


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[Jordanpg]

Only one more day until I get my thermostat Woohoo! I replaced the towel over the cage last night with a square piece of cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil to help keep humidity in better.

Im going to try feeding him tonight, I bought a big bin which can be seen under the tank in the pictures I posted a few days ago. Will this tub be big enough for a feeding tub or would I want something bigger. Also the shop I bought from only does live feed, should I switch him over to frozen or let him get used to his new environment first and keep doing live feed until I've had him for a while?

[CloudtheBoa]

Only one more day until I get my thermostat Woohoo! I replaced the towel over the cage last night with a square piece of cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil to help keep humidity in better.

Im going to try feeding him tonight, I bought a big bin which can be seen under the tank in the pictures I posted a few days ago. Will this tub be big enough for a feeding tub or would I want something bigger. Also the shop I bought from only does live feed, should I switch him over to frozen or let him get used to his new environment first and keep doing live feed until I've had him for a while?

You don’t need a feeding tub, just feed him in his enclosure. Some snakes won’t eat if you move them as it’s stressful to be bothered while eating, and you’re more likely to get bit moving a snake mid-feeding response.

Boas usually aren’t particularly picky, so go ahead and try to offer f/t, he should take it. If he doesn’t, then I’d worry about switching him, but if your goal is to feed f/t there’s no use in offering live at all.


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[KevinK]

I respectfully disagree. I provide hides for both of my large adults, and they have plenty of room left over in their enclosures. The 4’x2’s can fit 2 jumbo RBI hides and a large water dish with room to move around, and I can fit 3-4 large hides in my 6’x2’s. My adults regularly use their hides, and I’ve even noticed better muscle tone in my 7’ female since offering hides. She has to really coil up to fit in her hides.


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Id really like to see a picture of two large hides capable of holding an adult female BCI and a large water dish on top of it in a 4x2....given that the snake itself occupies almost 1/2 of the floorspace of the enclosure by itself. If you count crawling on top of the hides as "room to move around" then I can see where you're coming from. Two large hides (the size of an inverted litter box) and a large dish gives you about 12"x12" of remaining floorspace. RBI jumbos as 20"x14"x6"....use two of them in a 4x2 animal plastics and youve got less than 2'x2' of floorspace.....then subtact your large water dish......

Muscle tone in snakes (like any other animal) is gained through activity...climbing for example. I fail to see how you would be getting muscle tone by using a small hide. There's an old trick where people use a 6ft step ladder for building muscle tone in large boas actually.

[Jordanpg]

Where can you buy frozen rats? Can you buy them in stores or can you only get them online?