Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Dear all,

Let me first apologise for the long post...

On 22nd April 2005 I got a red tailed boa, I dunno wat it is but looking at the pictures on the forum - I think its probably a gunayan.Shes about 4 feet When I handled her at the pet shop, she was a complete sweety, moved around in a slow deliberate manner and loved to wrap around your neck.

After a long shipment, she arrived home on 24 April 2005. Was a bit cranky and would flinch when I touched her. Ate a full grown hamster on 25 April 2004. Passed urates on 27 April 2005. Calmed down and became sweet again on 29 April. On 30 April 2005, when handling her I heard a whistle, it happened abt 5 mins apart, barely audible. Have not heard it since.

Fed her 2 mid sized hamsters on 1 May, which she took with gusto. On 2 May 2004, she took on a weird blotchy darkish look, especially on the head. Its at least 3 shades darker than her normal color.

Shes now really testy and seems to want to get away from me everytime I want to handle her. Also, my girlfriend said after she handled the snake today, her hand felt "sticky". Is she in shed?

Does anybody have any advice? Is there anything wrong with her? I love this beautiful girl and it would kill me if I have been doing something wrong.

With regards housing, I live in a TROPICAL CLIMATE where its about 93 in the day and 80s at nite. Humidity is about 70%- 80%. I have a custom built 4 x 2 x 2 feet cage for her. Ventilation is through a mesh top about 2 x 1 feet. The cage is in a completely closed room 20 x 20 feet. Becos of problems with the cage, shes now in a 2 x 1 feet sweater box with holes punched in the top. She gets a shoe box for a hide and water to drink but not bathe. Is this OK? taking into account my climate and the fact that she is in a closed room?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Will try to post pics when I get my digi cam.

Thanks in advance, Im really at a loss.

Merlot,
First thing I recommend that you do is...Please go to the nearest petshop and get a BOA COSTRICTOR BOOK.Single handingly the MOST IMPORTANT tool in owning a boa.
Now for the size of your enclosure, it depends on the size of your boa.A rubbermaid sounds good just make sure there is ample air flow.
MOST IMPORTANT, HEAT !!! Even though you live in a tropical enviroment I reccomend a heat pad on one end of your enclosure.Snakes NEED heat to thermoregulate and DIGEST FOOD!!!By no means put your boa by a window in the sun.
Your feeding your boa WAY TOO MUCH.Once every two weeks only,till you get to know your boa's metabolism.Try pre killed rats.You really don't want them getting used to hamsters.Rats are cheaper and readily more available.REMEMBER PRE KILLED then on to FROZEN.UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES handle her for at least 24/48 hours after the boa has eaten
YES !!! your boa is probably in shed.Don't HANDLE HER UNTIL she's done.
I can go on,and on however a BOOK HAS MORE DETAILED INFORMATION and probably better expert advice.PLEASE PROMISE ME THAT YOU WILL GET ONE They're only $10.00/$12.00 dollars.GOOD LUCK. Ash Lopez

Here's my GUYANA female.

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Dear Ash,

thanks so much for the advice. I do own some great books but like my girlfriend said, I'm a bit of a mother hen when it comes to my Boa. I found the "Boa Constrictor Manual" to be especially good. I am also getting "whats wrong with my snake?". Its in the mail. In any event, I have been reading about Boas on the net and in publications since I was 12. Its always been my dream to own a big, beautiful, gentle Red.

Yah, I read that u are only supposed to feed them once a week(especially at 4 feet) but she looked like she was thinner than at the pet shop, whose owner told me that he fed her a rat twice weekly. She is by no means fat, so I thought somemore food would be neccessary.

I hear you, hamsters are expensive! Plus killing them is making me feel like a very bad man. Am expecting a shipment of 30 rats next month, wat I dont use I will freeze.

As for the heat, its been around 34 degrees celcius recently, do I still need a heat pad? I have a infra red lamp which I bought from the shop, will that do?

Your Guyanan is sooooo gorgeous, looks like a big fella though. Hows the temperament?

In summary, thanks again. Your advice has been invaluable

I lamp will do fine AS LONG AS IT'S COVERED!!

A heat source is necessary. The snake will find it much easier to absorb heat directly, rather that through radiation.

Other than that, i'd say feed her once every 10 to 14 days... feeding her too much too fast will not fatten her up properly... i.e. if you went and ate take-away for a whole day, you wouldn't put on as much weight as if you ate it once a day for a month (ps i do not condone the consumption of such high levels of fatty foods

happy herping

thx Austherps,

I am probably suffering the "I love my snake, hence I should overfeed it" syndrome.

My infrared lamp is the type that u put on top of the mesh-topped cage. Its not in the cage itself. Should be OK. How long should I keep it on per day? The guy at the petshop said I should only turn it on a few days either side of feeding.

Out of curiousity, if u are from Oz, do u know whether it is legal to keep a Boa in Perth?

Mucho Gracias

Sounds like your ON YOUR WAY !!!Get a low wattage heat lamp,like 20-30 watts and keep it on.Let the snake decide wether or not it wants to heat up or cool down.Make sure there is a cool side.Other than that your golden.Hey Merlot check out my 7 footer.Oh yeah,by the way they are both puppy dogg tame.

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Okay, pay attention. You need to read your books again! You did not let you boa settle in before feeding her. Also, you did not overfeed your boa, I think people are thinking quantity and not the size of the rodent but a 4 fot boa should be eating medium sized rats which is the equivilent to about 3 adult hamsters. My 4 footers eat 2 medium rats every 10 to 14 days which would be the equivilent of 6 adult hamsters but if the main gurth of the boa is not similar in size to the rat then the prey may be too big or small. But I definitely don't think you are overfeeding. I noticed some horrible advice.... if you are in 93 degree weather and add a heating device with no control, you will most likely kill your boa, does anyone know the word thermostat? Having 93 degree weather and adding a heat pad or light will only bring your ambient temperatures to the 100's with an even hotter warm side air temperature and a hot spot of maybe 120, your boa will not have anywhere to go to cool off.
Also, most people seem to have trouble keeping humidity, but it seems your may be too high, make sure there is plenty ventilation, I keep my humidity at around 60 percent. Temperature wise.... I like my ambient temperature at around 85 degrees with a warm side of 95 with my hot spot being about 104 degrees. Do alot of reading and I would also recommend the All About Boa Constrictors DVD by VPI and Rich Ihle. I hope this information helps.