Reptile & Amphibian Forums

own a boa but...
I have had and do have several other snakes and herps so I am not lost for care.
I am a pet store slave and this female was returned after 6-8 months when the owner was going off to school.
She has lightened since leaving the store last fall but she really hasn't grown as much as I would have thought.
Anyway. After rescuing a few in poor shape and dealing with those at the store I finally fell for this one.
Taking picts on white paper towel may not help you see just how light her saddles are but does give you a feel for her size.
I did get a rat pup into her first thing as I did and do think she is thin. She also drank a ton the first thing after setting her up.
I know nothing about morphs or types or locales and just love her for her overall look.
Any boa specifics I may be missing in her general care or set up? Should or shouldn'ts about prey size, humidity etc. I give advice by the book as a rule but I want any nitty gritty now that it is one of my own.
She is in a tub on an 11 inch heat tape set at about 95 covering 1/3 of the her tub. Dish of water not big enough to soak in (should it be??) and a hide on newspaper. She seems quite settled already.
TIA

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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

very nice boa!
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Greg Holland
GM HERPS
www.imageevent.com/gmherps
gmherps@sbcglobal.net

>>very nice boa!
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>>Greg Holland
>>GM HERPS
>>www.imageevent.com/gmherps
>>gmherps@sbcglobal.net

Thank you.
Usually, being a pet store, we get somewhat common dark boa that don't do anything for me. Often they are wholesaled, generics. When the kid brought her in Sat. night I had to look twice. Her markings have gotten notably lighter since she left last year. I don't know boa enough to have a feel for how she will end out. But I like raising baby anything just to see how they grow and all.
And I paid only $30 for her......nice to be a favored employee.
Now to resist some that come in tomorrow from a guy that had some het for ghost I think.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

She looks good. Her weight actually looks good to me. Prey should be the same size as her thickest point or smaller. I do not give my Boas a water bowl large enought to soak in. Some do, I don't. As far as humidity, 60% is good. 95 on the hot spot is ok as long as the cool end is 80 - 84 I tend to keep my hot spot closer to 90, but some keep it hotter. Many different opinions around here!
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Jason Dowell

>>She looks good. Her weight actually looks good to me. Prey should be the same size as her thickest point or smaller. I do not give my Boas a water bowl large enought to soak in. Some do, I don't. As far as humidity, 60% is good. 95 on the hot spot is ok as long as the cool end is 80 - 84 I tend to keep my hot spot closer to 90, but some keep it hotter. Many different opinions around here!
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>>Jason Dowell

Thanks for the info. I am working from a primarily colubrid, children's python, candoia experience for snakes. Though I do have a 5 yr old SST.
The boa looks better after just one meal. She had skin folds that made me nervous when I first saw her. But maybe the owner fed every two weeks and I like to feed babies every week. Will that work with a boa?
She is laying on the hot end right now and I think it isn't too too warm for her but I will watch and recheck temps and humidity.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny