Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all, I'm new to the forum and to boas in general. I've put a deposit down on a baby female hypo het albino and will be getting her sometime next month. I've ordered a boaphile cage - 4' long x 2' wide x 1 1/2' tall with an expandable end, thermostat, flex tape heating, etc.

My question is twofold. First of all, can she possibly escape through the sides of the glass of the boaphile cage? Do people normally keep their babies in something else for awhile? then transfer them to a larger cage? She is my only snake. Is there such a thing as a cage too big for a baby/juvenile?

When I go to meet the breeder, several hours away, what is the best thing to transport her in to bring her home?
thanks,
Donna

Well many if not most all people usually keep their neonates in smaller enclosures and graduate them as they grow. Large enclosures can stress young animals out, making them feel less secure.

Although, you certainly can house your neo in that enclosure until she grows to fit it. Especially if you went the naturalistic route and outfitted the cage with bedding, hide spots and maybe even some limbs and artificial plants. These things will make the animal feel more secure and let it utilize the space it has by climbing around, ect, ect. Either way though you want to make sure there are plenty of hide spots for a little animal in a big enclosure. One on the hot end, one on the cold end, and one in the middle wouldnt hurt either ... LOL.

Transportation: A cloth snake bad or pillow case would work just fine, assuming it will be riding in the car with you on the trip home and the temps in your care arent extreme in either direction. Never leave a snake in a car while you run into a store, the temps can get hot extremely quick and kill your boa.

Hope this helps;

There is absolutly no reason you couldn't keep the boa in a huge enclosure as long as you have plenty of coverage and hides. In nature they live in gigantic enviroments not some rubbermaid

most boas aren't born in the wild. many are initially kept in small containers and if the animal is used to that... a large enclosure could be stressful.

Unless they are now on the endangered species listing at risk of extinction, I'd think there are WAY more born in the wild. Yes, the wild born babies do probably hide a lot but their "enclosure" is as far as they can slither in any direction.

There are only three reasons I can think of for raising them in smaller containers.

1) by it's nature, is a great hiding spot, except for that pesky hand that always shows up and seems to know exactly where to find the snake.

2) It's easier for the owner to care for, set up, and find the snake.

3) The owner can keep more in a smaller space.
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

np

np
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

because... they're not! No one has anything against larger cages. People are against enclosures that will cause the animal stress (i.e. 12 square feet of open space and a small water bowl and maybe a bright light on 24 hours a day). Does not matter if the boa is in the wild or in captivity; do you think that if you put a boa in an OPEN field in the "wild" it would not get stressed? Most people prefer smaller enclosures or rack style rubbermaids because they make a boa feel secure and it's just plain easy and cheap to keep maintained. If people wish to use larger enclosures that is okay as long as they provide areas for the boa/s to hide.

I use both and it takes me about half the time to clean one rack of 5 rubbermaids as it does to climb in half way and clean one large enclosure (especially when you get to the enclosures up high).

In regards to transporting, anything secure and with good ventilation can be used. Just keep it out of the sun and make sure temperatures don’t get to high in your vehicle.

We can all agree that the yearlings and smaller subadults can be easily kept in the rubermaids/ sterlite's but what about as a boa get's larger, say. 5ft (subadult) or so what do you all use as a general rule for cage size?

Andy

That is a hard question. There is no rule of thumb. It all comes down to preference. Many people will keep their boas in large rubbermaids or 4 x 2 enclosures and are okay wit it. Many people will feel the space as insufficient and will opt for bigger enclosures.

I use the Boaphile 421 enclosures for my males and use the Vision 432 for my females. I'm not saying that my way is the right way, that's just what I'm comfortable with.

BTW... my adult females are around 6.5 to 7.5ft and my adult males are anywhere between 4.5 and 6 ft.

The rubbermaid pictured is not used to house them. These are used for baths, feeding and pictures of course.

"There is absolutly no reason you couldn't keep the boa in a huge enclosure as long as you have plenty of coverage and hides"

You just said the same thing I did -

thanks for the advice. I'll be sure and put some hides in 3 spots in the cage plus some safe climbing branches/plants, whatever - it will be a jungle snake play pen.
Donna