How to start the adventure with Boa Constrictor?

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? 🙂