Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a male Rosy boa, and I am about to buy a female. I currently have my male in a 20L style terrarium and was wondering if both the male and female could live togeter in this much space. They are both around 30" long.

Currently I have aspen as the substrate is there a problem changing to sand? Of course I would get the stuff for reptiles, not just Lowe's cement sand or whatever....

Thanks for your help.

Brandon

Regarding sand:
Try looking for the type used for sandblasting, it has more rounded grains rather than crushed grains that are sharp. The pet store sands are not sharp but are pricey.

Sand has good qualities and bad qualities. Would be great if it was more compact than loose. To get that, adding coir fiber helps bind it a little more. 50% sand and 50% coir (coconut husk fiber aka Eco Earth) and a little water makes a more compact soil compared to loose sand. Rosies do not live in loose sand.

Honestly, try the dimpled Kraft paper sold at Uline for example or online in the kingsnake.com classifieds (sold as cage liners). Really great rosy substrate, and really easy. Rosies are not woodland animals, and they don't bury themselves under leaf litter. They like burrows, crevices and/or objects to hide in/under. That is why a paper substrate with hides is fine. Slightly crumpled newspaper makes great hides/crevices and traps warm air. Rosies like to "feel" the hide, meaning it touches their bodies on top and bottom, and newspaper over a rosy does a fair job of that. Just watch the feeding response of a rosy setup this way (carefull putting your hand in there..)

Regarding cohabitating:
This can be frustrating. I've done it successfully - by that I mean each individual did not stress over the situation and each fed as if separate - but I've also had it where one individual seemed stressed by the other. I haven't figured these animals out in that regard, unlike milksnakes where siblings raised together will cohabitate beautifully. Generally, cohabitation means a larger cage, and some rosies do not like larger cages. So try it and see, but be prepared to have two cages if things do not work out.
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Mark

Mark,
Thank you very much for you reply. I appreciate the info on the sand and the tip about paper substrate. I was looking for something a little more appealing to the eye than newspaper, but that is good to know in any case. I think I will try to keep them both in the same cage for now, but I do have an extra cage I can use if they don't get along. What would be some signs that they are not getting along? I mean would they actually fight, or stop eatting, etc?

Thanks again,
Brandon

Brandon,
The dimpled Kraft paper I mentioned is textured and brown. It actually looks good in cages because of the texture and color, compared to say newspaper.

Yes, one rosy may stop feeding, or may cruise the cage all of the time whereas the other snake is hiding/resting.

Two snakes can "learn" to cohabitate; that is, the one with the problem eventually accepts the other snake. I don't know if it happens all of the time or just some of the time, as I only kept the ones together that seemed to be fine with each other initially.

Another tip, cooling snakes together in the same enclosure can help them bond or tolerate each other from then on. This has worked with kingsnakes in my care on many instances.

So you see, you will have to watch, learn and perhaps try some things. Offering many hide spots will help. I think eventually going with a larger cage may be a good idea too, depending on the rosy locale, as some locality rosies get much larger than others. What kind do you have?
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Mark

Mark,
I will take a look at that Kraft paper you mentioned. I am slightly ignorant as to what that looks like and assumed it looked like packing paper you wrap something in before you ship it... They are both Coastal Rosys, but they came from pet shops so i don't have any specific locale on them. I believe they are both CB06 animals. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, you have been very helpful. I'm going to look at that Kraft paper right now...

Brandon Eller