Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just bought a baby Suriname red tail boa on Saturday and I want you guys to tell me if the set up is good. I have it in a 60 gallon long glass tank. The guy at Pet Depot said it is alright as long as I put a heat pad on one side and a basking light on the other in order to keep the temperature of the cage up. The basking spot is at 95 degrees and I am just using a normal 100 watt light bulb. The other side of the cage is at 80 degrees during the day and drops to about 73-77 degrees at night. I have a hide spot on the basking side, the middle and on the far end. The humidity is about 88. And I bought him two fuzzies (small ones) yesterday and he ate them with no problem at all. Please tell me if anything is wrong or any advice you can give me. Thanks.

Be careful with glass enclosures, they become very difficult to maintain proper heat and humidity. Although you mention your temperatures, what is the air temperature? If you are useing one of those stick on liquid crystal thermometers, they are measureing the surface they come in contact with only.

Your humidity sounds high, also you should consider a thermostat on a good under cage heat source, or a radiant panel. Light bulbs, while they can work, are not efficient or dependable.

Did you by your animal from a pet store, or a breeder. If you got it from a breeder they should help you out, if they can't or won't I would look elsewhere for your next purchase.

Good luck with your new animal, and ask any questions you may have.

What kind of heat source do you recommend? Like a ceramic bulb? I will have to check the air temperature when I go home.

Ceramic heater tend to reduce the humidity too much. i like simple flexwatt, or the preferred radiant heat panels (pro-products has great ones).

I have the radiant heat panels on the bottom of one side of the cage. But what is that other thing that you recommened?