You will need a digital hydrometer in your enclosure, preferably two, that will tell you where your humidity is at. Too much or too little humidity could cause serious health problems such as RIs (Respiratory Infections), dehydration, poor sheds and stuck sheds, as well as scale rot or mouth rot. However, it is something that needs to be maintained and needs to be kept an eye on throughout the course of every day. Humidity is a crucial component to keep your snake healthy and assure that they will shed well as they grow. Of course, if you have natural daylight available, that is what will work best for your animal.īioactive vivariums will need additional lighting to keep plants healthy, but most starter kits for bioactive enclosures include the bulbs that you will need or a list of the brand and type of bulb required.īoa Constrictor Imperator is native to the regions of Central and South America, which are known to have high temperatures as well as humidity. If you are using your main lights as a heat source, a CHE (Ceramic Heat Emitter) would be a great source of heat for the nighttime period as it emits no light whatsoever. Red or infrared lighting is not adequate to be used as a “night light” and all lights should simply be turned off. The day and night cycle is a simple 12 hour period where they have a light and when they do not. Do not let this discourage you if you truly wish to use these types of lights, but further research into what type and what wattage of bulb would be required. They can process and take benefits from having a UVB fixture, but for the basic beginner, it is not recommended. This species of boa constrictor, like most species of constrictors, do not require special light fixtures outside of a day and night cycle. In addition, BCIs also are known to like water as well, so they should have a decently sized water bowl to soak in if they choose to- which you will have to clean as needed. It’s also a good idea to keep enrichment in mind as well, Common Boas will climb if given the opportunity to and do occasionally enjoy having a perch or ‘tree’ to explore every once in a while. Give your boa new enclosures that are appropriately sized as they grow, they will be a lot better off if they have a good enclosure to stretch out in and thrive in. You can go larger, but you will need to clutter up the area with the larger the enclosure so your BCI feels secure in their new home. These are the acceptable minimums that work for a variety of species from all categories (constrictors, colubrids, venomous).Ī great starter for a hatchling size boa is about a ten gallon enclosure at the minimum. It’s best to have the idea of where this enclosure will be placed and how you will acquire it.Ī good measurement of how large your enclosure should be at all times the boa should be able to stretch out along one side of the enclosure (preferred) or should be able to stretch out along two sides. Always keep this large final enclosure in mind for when your boa reaches adulthood. The typical Common Boa reaches a length between six and eight feet (two and nearly three meters), they are capable of reaching near twelve feet (four meters) for especially large females.īecause of these large sizes, it may get increasingly more and more expensive to give your boa exactly the enclosure it needs and deserves. Though they grow at a rather slow rate, taking roughly four to five years to sexually mature, they also may continue to grow after they reach maturity. With their full adult size to consider, Common Boas do require multiple enclosure sizes throughout their long lived lives. If your animal is thinner or thicker than the prey item at the thickest part of their body, it is not an adequate meal for your snake. This is best to follow for moderate feeding schedules. They may grow to the size to feed on an appropriate sized rabbit eventually but rarely ever require anything larger.īelow, you will see a feeding chart for the appropriate size prey and how often they should be offered their meals. Their body shape should always be evenly square, not rounded.Īs hatchlings, Common Boas are started usually with mice and gradually transitioned over to rats and larger prey items as they grow. It does get the animal to grow at a faster rate, but it will ultimately decrease your boa’s lifespan and quality of life significantly. It is very easy to “power feed” this species, which should be avoided at all costs. It is also best to feed your boa moderately because of this, they will never refuse a meal and may become obese. Hook training allows the snake to differentiate feeding and handling. They have a very high feeding response and are very active feeders, so it is best to hook train them as early as possible. Typically, your Common Boa will rarely ever refuse a meal, even if it is a prey item that is not usually fed to them.
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