Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I had to make emergency habitat changes a few days ago:

100-gallon - basking lamp heat only for Hog Island Boa
55-gallon - under-tank heater & basking lamp heat for Nelson’s Milk

Boa spent much time basking under the heat bulb, and chose the cooler area often, but usually shunned the other cool end of the 100-gallon biome. Based on his behavior, I thought that he was warm enough. Even when exercising in the house, he seemed comfortable. (Landlord heats his 5-bedroom, two-bath ranch home to only 67 degrees. I now have a heat lamp setup next to Boa's exercise perch so that he can remain warm when exercising.)

A few days ago, the Boa began sneezing, then I noticed sniffling at times. I moved him to the smaller, 55-gallon biome having two heat sources to increase his heat. He spends most time under the day or night heat bulb. He does not soak in water, and only goes a few inches away for his cool spot.

Milk Snake seems to have adequate heating in his new, larger setup. He uses the space more, too, since he is MUCH more active. He spends most time on branches basking under the day or night heat bulb. A “covered patio” piece of driftwood allows basking with partial concealment.

This biome swap is an experiment, and I can swap back if needed. I had hoped to keep the Boa in the larger unit, but I am unemployed, so I cannot buy another under-tank heater for the larger biome. The larger biome also needs an appropriate cover to prevent heat loss. The smaller biome is easier to insulate, with customized insulation strips blocking some heat loss at the top.

Your experience & insight are welcomed, especially if you use standard, glass terrariums. I’m hoping that I can create suitable setup for my Boa, despite my local climate and cool inside temperature.

Don Jacobson
Portland/Vancouver

1.0 Boa constrictor imperator (Hog Island)
1.0 Lampropeltis triangulum nelsoni
1.0 Agrionemys horsfieldii kazakhstanica

Flicker link below shows some photos of my 55-gallon vivarium & snakes.
Link

Although we all would like large cages for boas, what you described often happens when 1) the ambient temps are below mid-70s and 2) the top is all screen. Screen tops let all of the humidity and warm air out. That likely is why your boa got sniffles in the first place.

Your solution of going to a smaller tank is good. Smaller tank is easier to heat volume-wise.

What you can do to really help is to cover much of the screen top with something. Plastic wrap works. Or a towel. Keeping the warm air in means less wattage needed. It also means that a bulb on one end will heat the air far more effectively throughout the cage. And, much better chance of keeping some humidity in.

Also, you can slip a heat mat under part of the cage during the cooler times. Make sure it does not get too hot.

Milksnakes are well adapted to using heated ground. That is why heat mats work well for them. Even in that case, cover much of the top. You may experiment with how much. Then you can ditch the bulb on the milk cage.

Agreed and one other mod would be to wrap three sides of the cage with insulation like Reflectix. That will help retain the heat and even out the temps more.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

If you have a screen top and the ambient room temp is cold, the top 1/3 of the tank might be warm, but the bottom where the boa is can be quite cold. Hence the boa getting a cold.

The end result of whatever you use should be a container that keeps heat in, and some humidity. In my opinion, this is why plastic cages and tubs can make good boa cages. Ventilation is typically limited in those enclosures, which means heat stays in better with less wattage. If you lived in the tropics, all this is a non-issue. But since you live in a climate where boas do not or cannot, your cage design makes all the difference.

The idea that snakes need "adequate" ventilation is overstated and suggests that the word "adequate" means "lots of". Limited ventilation coupled with the keeper opening the cage routinely is often adequate ventilation. It can be species dependent of course. For boas and milksnakes, they do not need all that much ventilation.

I like what rainbows said as well. Taping styrene foam pieces (or reflectix reflective bubble wrap) on the back and sides of the tank will help too.