I recently got myself a red tail boa constrictor from a friend & been researching crazy & religiously to do everything I can as for having better enrichment & just basic needs
Intro;
When I got her she was in the tank she was in (no substrate or sometimes paper towels & tiny water dish) with heat lamp & Zoo med thermometer & I think a UVb light but I'm not sure what kind of if it was even still active (as in UVB content)
Update
I've added Zoo med coconut & dry bedding mixed (mist/soak & remix every 2 days & do full clean every month)
Large water dish which still haven't seen her soak in so Im wondering if I should encourage soaking? I use repticonditoner with her water added reptifogger & hygrometers on both ends & bought a temperature gun, I bought reptisun 5.0 led lightboard (during colder time I kept tank at 80 low side 90 high side was about 85 in middle & 60% humdity
Summer issue
In my room I have a hard time keeping it cool enough for proper gradient & need advice I keep warm side as high as I can during day usually 87 keeping lower side 84 which isn't great so I lowered to 83-86 I bought a small air conditioner to put under her tank to see if that will help but I've also heard they're not basking animals so I'd like to make the switch to some kind of under heating option I tried heat mat but think my tank is PVC or something & just wasn't holding heat or absorbing it
got her a hide & she hasn't left it minus when I took her out for vet check up yesterday she's perfectly healthy ❤️❤️ which I expected but needed to know & has since returned there I assume cause she hasn't had a hide that fits in a long time she likes it? Also heard it's normal for them to hide alot before she was trying to get out alot at night or sometimes during day but also hasn't left hide so waiting for update
In progress I'd like a bigger tank but will take time due to cost (if anyone has recommendations best I've found for 6-8ft tank is around $2000
& hopefully some live plants & explore room so there's room for two hides
Need advice
at the moment I only have a fairly large hide in middle as it seemed like best route so she's not forcing any negative temperature cause she wants to hide I plan on removing it for 2 days while she digest or moving it closer to warmer side branch is to help with shedding but I've only owned her a month have yet to see if she will struggle or not
Any extra help or advice is greatly appreciated as I had two days notice to learn what to buy & such before I got her in my possession