Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How are you old buddy?? Listen, I was admireing your website earlier and seen something that was really neat. I seen the page were you show how to build an outside enclosure and it looked really great and you broke it down to were anyone half way inclined could slap it together. I will assume that you use this for boas " since I have never seen you post any photos of Bearded Dragons. " If that is correct, I have a few inquisitive questions. Number one: Is the enclosure used for summer activity and do you leave them in there 24/7 or just for daily exercise? Number two : Do you feed them in it? Number three: Have you tried to breed in a outside enclosure? Number four: Do you worry about possible parasites? Number five: Do they seem to enjoy it? I was just wondering, I always take my boas outside during the warm months and give them exercise, but an outside enclosure, would be a tempting thing to maybe put them in the whole summer? Thanks and GOD BLESS........Johnson Herp

.. those outdoor cages in my site are something I have used for a variety of lizards and they work great.

But your question about boa outdoors is a good one.. I have put Boas in outdoor cages, most successfully with my first Hog island group back in 1982.. they were so defensive and refused any food or attention that I placed them March-September in a gazebo-like habitat with a sprinkler at the top and piles of flat stones and tree-limbs to climb on. I'd toss in a few weaned rats and run for my life! I have never before or since seen such behaviour in boas (even in other WC Hog is. snakes) .. they did not breed there but it got them settled in and feeding.

When I was last in Suriname an amateur herpetologist I knew (he published the first book on Suriname herps) was doing Corallus in outdoor enclosures (successful) as well as Boa (not so successful).. it is an interesting topic.

Thanks for your time and comments.
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Gus
A. Rentfro
RioBravoReptiles.com
www.riobravoreptiles.com

"Quality is not an accident. Perfectly healthy animals are a minimum requirement.. everything else is just salesmanship" gus

Oh, O.K. You do keep lizards also. I was just wondering. I have been tempted the last 17yrs to put my animals in outdoor enclosures( in the summer ) but have never done it. I may go ahead and explore the option this year. I have some big females that I have had to work hard with to get them to tame down and I am sure if I build them one of those ( outdoor lodges ) they will become full of " piss and vinegar " again.Hmmmm, oh what the heck!.......GOD BLESS.......Johnson Herp.......Oh ya!...P.S..........What kind of lizards do you keep? I love Maylasian Water Montiors ( especially the ones from the old days that use to be real yellow. )