Care Sheet for Boa ConstrictorsAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 4.20 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 10/05/2006 |
Main Category: | Snakes |
Sub Category: | Boa Constrictors |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Bananadance |
Years Experience: | 3 to 5 Years |
Species: | Colombian Boa c. constrictor |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Common Boa constrictor
Sometimes common boas are referred to as Colombian boas, red-tail boas, Colombian red-tails, etc. by petstores to increase customer interest. |
Sexing and Characteristics: | The only sure way to tell the sex is by probing. A probe is inserted into the cloaca and if it goes in pretty deep then it’s a female, only a few notches and it’s a male.
Probing should be done only by professionals, because if its done improperly it can seriously damage the snake. |
Mostly Active During: | Both |
Substrate and Water Needs: | Newspaper is recommended for neonates and newly acquired specimens because it is easy to examine fecal matter for any abnormalities.
Repti-bark or aspen is most commonly used because it is relatively cheap. DO NOT use cedar or pine, as it can cause respiratory ailments. Sand is also NOT recommended, because it can be easily ingested and it is too smooth to aid in shedding. |
Lighting and UVB: |
Heat can be provided by overhead lamps and/or undertank heating pads. I recommend a combination of both. Ceramic heaters are not as good because they do not provide light.
UV is not needed. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Boas require a warm side and a cooler side. Do not let temperatures drop below about 75 degrees. The cooler side of the tank should be mid-80s, and the warmer side should be high-80s to low-90s. A basking spot around 95 degrees is optimal to aid in digestion.
High humidity can lead to mouth rot and other diseases. I mist my boas periodically and once or twice a day when they are shedding. |
Heating and Equipment: | See lighting and UVB.
You should provide a water bowl big enough for the snake to soak in, a wooden limb for them to climb on and to rub against when shedding, and a place to hide. You can purchase critter huts or simply turn a terra cotta plant pot upside down and drill an appropriately sized hole in it.
You might want to provide two huts for the snake to hide in, one on the cooler end and one on the warm end of the cage so the snake can choose a temperature it likes. |
Caging Provided: | Juveniles can be comfortably housed in a 29-gallon tank.
After about a year, you will need to increase the tank size.
A 75-gallon should be fine for a few years.
When your boa reaches full adult size, a custom vivarium is best. A 6-foot by 3-foot cage is recommended. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | Juveniles eat about one pinkie mouse a week.
Frozen (thawed when fed) prey is recommended so that when a boa sees movement in its cage it will not automatically register it as prey (versus feeding live food).
As the boa increases in size, its food should also increase in size. Do not feed food very much larger than the largest part of the boa’s body.
Adult boas can eat ever 2 weeks instead of weekly. Fully grown adults can eat small rabbits and chickens, but if you don’t want to feed them those then you can just feed several jumbo rats.
Live prey CAN injure your snake, so you will need to kill it before feeding if it is not pre-killed. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | Supplements are not needed. |
Maintenance: | Spot clean as needed.
Water should be changed every 3 days, regardless if it appears "dirty" or not.
The substrate should be changed bi-weekly.
Every month you should thoroughly clean the cage. This means soak the water bowl in a 3% bleach solution, and use the solution to clean the entire cage. Replace the substrate with fresh substrate. |
Some Words on this Species: | N/A |
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