Care Sheet for Boa ConstrictorsAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 3.67 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 02/18/2005 |
Main Category: | Snakes |
Sub Category: | Boa Constrictors |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Anonymous |
Years Experience: | 15 to 20 Years |
Species: | Colombian Boa |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | Sex by applying pressure to the cloaka, and pushing upward. If you see the hemipenis, it is a male, if you don’t, it is a female. You can also probe which is the easier way. |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Females are bigger than males. |
Mostly Active During: | Both |
Substrate and Water Needs: | I use newspaper for bedding. This is very easy to remove when soiled. If you want something a little more attractive, go with Reptibark. Great bedding. |
Lighting and UVB: | As long as it has SOME light during the day, the snake will be fine. It does not need UVB lighting. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | 82-90. Might want to have a hot spot of about 94. |
Heating and Equipment: | Almost any type of heat pad (under tank heater) works great for these snakes. I would not recommend using overhead heating (heat lamps) because this dry’s out the snakes skin. |
Caging Provided: | We use Visions. If you want something cheaper go to Pet Supermarket and pick up a wooden reptile cage made out of wood with a plexi glass front panel. These are actually nice looking snake cages, and only about $60.00 for a 4’ cage! Stick a heating pad under it and your snake will be fine. If you prefer glass tanks, no smaller than a 40 gallon breeder should be used for an adult. For hatchling up to 2.5’ a 20 gallon is suitable. As hatchling and yearlings, they love to climb, so a few branched to climb would be ideal. Make sure you have a large water bowl, because these snakes LOVE to soak in the water. Don’t mist the cage, and don’t keep it too dry. This can lead to respiratory infection (RI). |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | As hatchlings through 4’ feed an appropriate sized mouse or rat once every week. Once past the 4’ mark you can feed a larger meal once every 2 - 3 weeks. Do not feed them a meal that is way too large, because they probably will take it and swallow it down, but a few hours later you are going to smell something extremely bad, a regurgitated meal! |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | None needed |
Maintenance: | Remove any feces from cage right away. Clean water bowl and place fresh water in bowl daily. Do NOT get any cleaning products in the water bowl. If you or someone else is using Windex, Fantastic, Orange Cleaner, or any type of cleaning product near your snake,make sure some doesn’t fall and land in the water bowl. If your snake drinks this it probably will die. |
Some Words on this Species: | This is a fantastic species. This was actually my first snake. I got her when I was 11 years old and still have her today. I am now 34 years old! Most are very tame animals, and make great pets. |
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