Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We have some other reptiles but got our first red-tail boa (common) late last year. I have some simple questions and would appreciate any help you can give me. She's a pet and we have no plans to breed her so we just want to make sure she's happy and healthy.

First, what size rat and how often do you feed your year old snakes? What approximate length should she be, and how do I tell if she's the right weight? How often do boas poop, and what should the consistancy be like? I have corns so it never seems like she goes often enough but I know that's probably just in comparison.

We have her in a 65 gallon tank with a large shallow water bowl, an UTH and ceramic heat emitter. She has hides on each end of the tank and a piece of driftwood between the two. The ambient temp is in the mid 80s during the day and her basking area is about 90. We are just using cage carpet as substrate that I remove and wash about once a week when we move her to feed her. We have some trouble with the humidity dropping to about 50% so we mist her twice a day and are experimenting with ways to raise the humidity (soaking clay pots, wet moss, covering screen top) but her sheds have all been one piece and she never soaks.

Does all this sound okay? Thanks!! Anna

>>>>First, what size rat and how often do you feed your year old snakes?
Ok id say depending size when you got her if shes a yr old she should atleast be eating small rats poss slightly larger

>>>> What approximate length should she be, and how do I tell if she's the right weight?

This may vary depending on the snake itself so i wouldnt worry here , long as she appears to have good muscle mass and no ribs showing your on track here .

>>>> How often do boas poop, and what should the consistancy be like? I have corns so it never seems like she goes often enough but I know that's probably just in comparison

They should go and this isnt a rule but id say depending on food item and size about every 7 days or so gove or take again depending on the snake . good stools will look like your pet dog poopied in the cage for better words , and urinates will be more frequent and chalky with water
everything else sounds good to me
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Thanks so much for answering my questions. I tried to measure her last night and she was hard to get straighten out but she's somewhere between 2 1/2 to 3 feet. I just moved up her food size from two smaller prey items and now she is eating 1 small rat about every 7 days. I also got her humidity up to a constant 70%.

SO, I have a couple more questions. She only poops about once a month, but it does look like what you described. I remember wondering (jokingly) how the cat got in there the first time she laid one of those babies. Should we worry that she isn't going once a week? Could it be the sign of a problem?

Also, is 70% humidity high enough?

Thanks,
Anna

i wouldnt worry just means shes probably getting all she can from her food long as theres stools i say no need to fret
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Buisnesses come and go everyday, what keeps you here is how you treated the customer the day before....

Cool!! Thanks!! That's absolutely what I wanted to hear.

Anna