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Kysy ensin itseltäsi: Olenko valmis hankkimaan käärmeen?

Ennen kuin hankit käärmeen lemmikiksi, varmista että olet varautunut sen vaatimaan hoitoon. Mikäli vastaat seuraaviin kysymyksiin myönteisesti, on se jo hyvä alku!

– Onko minulla tilaa suurellekin terraariolle (mikäli käärme kasvaa odotettua kookkaammaksi)?

– Onko minulla tarpeeksi varallisuutta ostaa iso terraario tai taitoa tehdä se itse? (Valmisterraarioiden koko harvoin riittää suuremmalle aikuiselle boa constrictorille…)

– Olenko varma että ruokinta sujuu minulta vielä käärmeen ja ruokaeläimen kasvaessa?

– Osaanko pysyä rauhallisena jos käärme esittää kiukkuisemman puolensa? Tiedänkö miten toimia, enkä luovuta liian varhain esimerkiksi käsittelytotuttelua?

– Onko minulla tilaa pakastimessa ruokaeläinten säilyttämiseen? Onko pakastimeni tarpeeksi kylmä pidempään säilytykseen?

– Olenko valmis sitoutumaan lemmikkini hoitoon jopa 20 – 30 vuotta?

Joskus näkee myynnissä olevia käärmeitä, joista luovutaan muuttuneen elämäntilanteen vuoksi tai tekstillä “tarvitsee isomman terraarion”… Ymmärrän, että elämässä tapahtuu muutoksia ja joskus näille ei tietenkään mahda mitään. Ohjeeni käärmekuumeen iskiessä kuitenkin on, että harkitset tarkkaan ja hartaasti, että olet varma päätöksestäsi. Käärme on yhtä arvokas ja rakas lemmikki, kuin mikä tahansa muukin. Vaikka sanotaan, etteivät käärmeet kiinny omistajaansa, kuten useat muut eläimet, tähän haluan mainita yhden havaitsemani asian. Tämä ei toki ole kiintymystä, ehkä paremminkin tottumista, mutta… Ainakin meidän boamme ovat tottuneet meihin niin, että ovat helposti käsiteltävissä ja ruokittavissa, mutta jos joku vieraampi ihminen tulee lähelle tai haluaa koskea käärmeeseemme, ne tulevat levottomiksi, eivätkä tunnu pitävän tästä laisinkaan. Ajattelemisen arvoinen asia? Palaamme tulevissa teksteissämme käsittelemään tarkemmin kysymyslistan asioita.

Did you get boa fever?

First ask yourself: Am I ready to get a snake?

Before you get a snake as a pet, make sure you are prepared for the care it requires. If you answer the following questions in the affirmative, it is already a good start!

– Do I have room for a large terrarium (if the snake grows bigger than expected)?

– Do I have enough wealth to buy a big terrarium or the skill to do it myself? (The size of the ready terrariums is rarely enough for a larger adult boa constrictor…)

– Am I sure that the feeding will still work for me as the snake and the size of food grow?

– Can I stay calm if the snake presents its more angry side? Do I know how to proceed, and I will not give up too easy?

– Do I have space in the freezer to store food animals? Is my freezer cold enough for longer storage?

– Am I willing to commit to caring for my pet for up to 20-30 years?

Too often we can see snakes for sale because of life situation changes or with the text “needs a bigger terrarium”… I understand that changes in life sometimes can happen and we can’t do anything with that. However, my advice is when you get snake fever is that you will consider carefully and earnestly that you are sure of your decision. The snake is as precious and beloved pet as any other. Although it is said that snakes are not attached to their owners, like many other animals, I would like to mention one thing I have noticed. This is not an affection, perhaps a habit, but at least our boas are used to us and being easy to handle and feed, but if a stranger comes close or wants to touch our snake, they will get restless and don’t seem to like it at all. A thing worth thinking about?

We will return to our list of questions in more detail in future texts.

If you are planning to buy and keep these wonderful animals, you should answer a few questions.

As time passes, you will gain practice and what seems unusual now will become your normal activity. To this day I remember the first feeding of my first two-year-old female Ecuador (Het. Anery 2). My heart was biting fast.

I will try to answer a few basic questions, but I have to warn you that there will be more. 🙂

One of the first questions is:

How big does Boa grow?

There are so many answers as subspecies of this snake. For example Tarahumara Mountain boa reaches an average of 120 cm. On average, because, as it happens in nature, there are exceptions, but do not expect 3 meters from this representative of the Imperator from Mexico. Going south you can meet the Boa Constrictor Occidentalis, i.e. the Argentine Boa, whose adult female can be more than 3 meters long. That is why it is so important to know the parents, to have contact with breeder and basic knowledge about the origin of the pet.

What size should the terrarium be?

We have different “schools” here. From the size of the guest room to math calculations. 🙂 Personally, we prefer minimum terrarium size: length + depth = snake length. In the literature, you will also find for snakes up to 1.5m – L 1,5m x D 0.75m x H 1.25m. Of course, the bigger the terrarium, the better for the animal, but let’s not go too far. Our observations show that some individuals love climbing, while others, especially the older ones, prefer a more terrestrial lifestyle. Laziness comes with age. Do not place the terrarium in a place of high traffic. Boas are nocturnal animals. During the day, they ask for peace.

Terrarium equipment.

There are two basics. A hiding places (2) and a water container – absolutely. The hideout is only slightly larger than the pet. One in warmer and second in cooler place. Fresh water we suppose to changed every 2-3 days and whenever it is contaminated. The container must be thoroughly washed – preferably disinfected. Soil? Hmmm and it depends on the Boa subspecies again. Central American boas require more humidity than their northern cousins. Coconut husk is widely used, but there are cheaper solutions, although not always aesthetic. As for climbing – plastic garden mesh for babies and for larger ones, wooden branches well protected against moisture and stable.

Feeding.

All living organisms on this planet consume food. Boas are predators that hunt rodents, birds and lizards in nature. Their diet is varied. In home conditions, rodents are the basis – mice and rats. For the biggest ones – rabbits. This is another thing to consider on your part. Are you able to feed the rodent and clean the terrarium after some time? We do not give live rodents. It is associated with a high risk of injuring the reptile and our psychological comfort. Please check your local law in that mater. (In Finland is forbidden to feed a live food mammals to reptiles by law). Do you have space in the freezer and a source of good-quality frozen food?

Did I mention any further questions? 🙂