Making Some Major Changes--I Need Your Help

[CoolioTiffany]

Okay, this week I am acquiring a new enclosure for my boa. I've only done little research on them since this isn't by snake, but I guess I'm the one having to care for him. At my dad's, he has a 20g high enclosure which I will be using for the boa. He is currently in a 15g long enclosure, and it seems kind of small since he's already starting to grow. I use aspen bedding for substrate, and a infrared heat bulb for heat which is kept on for 24 hours. I do have a UTH and an extra thermostat so if that is needed I do have those items. He has a couple of things to climb on, and he has a big enough water dish for him to fit in. Since the humidity is low, he has a humid hide. Are boa constrictors terrestrial like Ball python, or semi arboreal? If they are semi arboreal, this 20g high enclosure will do him just fine for now. I want to completely remodel everything and make sure he's getting the best care needed. So, tell me if that 20g high is good and tell me everything I will need to make his enclosure perfect. Thanks!

[Wh00h0069]

Boas are semi-arboreal / terrestrial. They may utilize perches or branches some when they are young, but become more terrestrial as they age. If you are keeping the boa in a tank, I suggest using both heat lamp and UTH. I think a 20 gallon long would be alright, but I personally would use a plastic cage with either an UTH or a RHP. The hold heat and humidity better.

[CoolioTiffany]

Boas are semi-arboreal / terrestrial. They may utilize perches or branches some when they are young, but become more terrestrial as they age. If you are keeping the boa in a tank, I suggest using both heat lamp and UTH. I think a 20 gallon long would be alright, but I personally would use a plastic cage with either an UTH or a RHP. The hold heat and humidity better.

I will be housing him in the 20g high since he'll fit perfectly in there and he'll have some stuff to climb on since he likes to move around a lot. The heat lamp is for the night time because it gets about 60F in the room he is in sometimes. What's best to use as substrate? Like I said, I'm using aspen right now. I could switch over to cypress if that works, but I do have some extra aspen bedding I can use if aspen does just fine. As he gets larger I will be switching him over to a tub, and when he gets to maximum size I'll probably try to build an enclosure for him.

[Friday2214]

IMO a 20gal. long is to small for a BOA. just MO tho

[Mike Schultz]

I'd cover up most of the lid to help hold humidity. With a UTH and a heat lamp it will quickly turn into a desert in there.

And as others said, they are "semi-arboreal." As babies they move around a lot, and will utilize climbing branches. As adults they are a lot slower and fatter and don't climb quite as much- although I have seen 8foot+ boas looped over branches like an emerald

[CoolioTiffany]

I'd cover up most of the lid to help hold humidity. With a UTH and a heat lamp it will quickly turn into a desert in there.

And as others said, they are "semi-arboreal." As babies they move around a lot, and will utilize climbing branches. As adults they are a lot slower and fatter and don't climb quite as much- although I have seen 8foot+ boas looped over branches like an emerald

That's what I do plan on doing. I'm busy with my own pythons and lizards that I don't have too much time to hold my mom's snake (it's hers anyway, I think she doesn't handle it because she doesn't want to get bit so sometimes I make her hold it) so I want him to have something to climb around on when I don't handle him. It's already a desert where I live so his cage will be more like Australia's desert I'm thinking of probably just having the lamp on at night while the UTH is on during the day time for heat (of course it will be on 24 hours anyway). Will cypress mulch work a lot better to keep humidity in? If this 20g high isn't really needed, I can always use it for something else (I have been wanting a Crestie for a while) with it.