Care Sheet for Red Tail BoasAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 4.50 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 03/20/2008 |
Main Category: | Snakes |
Sub Category: | Red Tail Boas |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Golden coqui ace |
Years Experience: | 3 to 5 Years |
Species: | Red tail Boa Constrictor |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Most Tropical, Sub-Tropical constrictors |
Sexing and Characteristics: | There are two safe ways to sex a snake, I will describe by type A and type B. Both must be performed by a professional.
Type A: Probing a snake involves inserting a thin metal rod (probe) into the vent or cloaca. The probe can be inserted further in males due to the presence of the spaces in which the hemipenes sit. This method is best left to the pros because inserting the probe incorrectly can badly injure the snake.
Type B: Popping,In very young snakes, the hemipenes can often be visualized with a fairly simple maneuver called popping. It is recommended that you do not try this yourself either, though; if done incorrectly, the snake could be injured (or at best you might just get the sex wrong).
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Mostly Active During: | Night |
Substrate and Water Needs: | I prefer to use aspen bedding, my Red Tail loves to burrow under. Although, news paper and paper towels are also great and are of similar price if not, cheaper. You must provide a bowl of water that is both wide enough and deep enough for your snake to climb in and soak. This must me changed every
3-5 days to assure clean endowment. |
Lighting and UVB: | I use a UV bulb during the day, my day starts at 5:30a.m and ends at 9:00p.m, to give a sense of night time turn off the UV and keep an Under Tank Heater, that way it is dark, but still warm. Never by any means use a heating rock for this can severely burn your reptile. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Best kept in temps of the low mid 80’s. humidity is an important factor, it should be kept at around 50%. You can keep the tank humid by investing in a common plant mister and misting the enclosure once every 2-3 days when not shedding and twice a day while shedding. |
Heating and Equipment: | As I said before I use a UV bulb, normal and natural color, for the day time and for night time when the lights go out, I have a Under Tank Heater. To assure my temp stays in the mid 80’s I provide a common aquarium thermometer. This assures me the temp of the tank and is changed once a year to assure good readings. |
Caging Provided: | For a baby, I recommend a 30gallon, a 10 gallon in convenient, but you snake will grow out of that fast if fed correctly. For an adult however, I build my own enclosures. Mayaguezs is 6 feet high, 7 feet long and 3 feet wide. I plan to build her a larger more permanent enclosure in a few years, thing stands 12 feet tall, 10 feet long, and 5 feet wide, goes from ceiling to floor, wall to wall. There will be two heated lamps on one side, different corners and the other side will be mainly hiding area with a tub for water. Provide plenty of limbs and things to climb, red tails love climbing. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | As a baby I have mine scheduled for Fridays, every week, 2-3 mice a week. As a five footer I will have Fridays every week, 2-3 rats a week. And as a full grown adult, I will have them Friday, every other week, 1-2 rabbits. It is important to keep track of your snakes eating schedule. You can do this by keeping note cards or a small college notebook. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | No supplements are really needed, although it is safe to use calcium supplements. You can feed your feeders special food to make the healthier to assure your snakes health. |
Maintenance: | I go in once a month and clean the enclosures, I start out my getting all movable Items out of the enclosure and laying them to the side. After wards I use a 1/4 bleach, 1/4 pine sol, 2/4 water cleaning agent to sanitize the enclosure, I wipe down the walls , the floor, the ceiling and the limbs. While doing that the movable Items are soaking in 1/4 bleach, 3/4 water in the bath tub or plastic tote. This can help in getting rid of mites, smells, exc. |
Some Words on this Species: | Red tails are docile yet energetic. they love to climb so putting limbs that have been soaked in 1/4 bleach, 3/4 water to get rid of any parasites that may get on and harm your snake. For a Normal red tail, or common boa, males can reach anywhere from 6-8 feet and females can reach 10-12 feet. They are live bearing snakes, which means if you plan to breed you better do your research. They are pretty easy and cheap to care for as long as you do what is necessary to keep them happy and healthy. This also includes handling the snake frequently. The only time you should not handle is during the shedding period. |
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