Required fields are marked *, Reptile Cymru 391 Cowbridge Road East Cardiff CF51JG, Tel: 02920 190291 support@reptilecymru.co.uk. Defecation is likely to be a bit slower than usual, but should still be fairly regular. Hatchlings will eat every week, whilst a fully grown adult may only take one large prey item every 2-3 weeks. Home » Boa constrictor - Interesting Facts » Boa constrictor care » Buying a Boa constrictor » Boas & Pythons Submitted by admin on 18. Boa constrictor constrictor Linnaeus, 1758 – Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (Accessed Online) January 2020 Boa imperator DAUDIN, 1803 – The Reptile Database ( Accessed Online ) January 2020 Paper can also be used, this is cheap, easy to clean and very hygienic. Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. They are a deep red/brown colouration. An average female weighs between 10-15kg, but some have been recorded at weights of up to 45kg – that’s 100lbs, or the weight of a small human being and they are very strong. The babies should begin eating defrost fairly readily about a week after their first shed, and after a few months, you’ll be able to sell them to new homes. If you’re interested in breeding boa constrictors then this information might be useful to you. Sexing and Characteristics: When considering boa constrictors, it’s important to bear in mind their weight. And he actually bought me lunch as I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch! I affectionately call a litter of baby boas the angry goo pile. A small basking area should be provided of around 33C (90F), whilst the overall ambient of the vivarium should be around 26c-28c (80-85F). They are usually strike feedings who then constrict, so we’d always recommend you feed with tongs and not fingers, to avoid any misunderstanding – your hand is warm and they feed based on scent and temperature more than sight. Boa imperator, like other Boa species, are nocturnal ambush predators. Boa Constrictor Imperator: the “Common Boa” Boa constrictor imperator is also referred to as Boa imperator. A thermostat is an essential piece of equipment for the responsible owner. You are likely to find some of the babies are stillborn, and some may be “slugs”, which are infertile eggs. In addition, heat mats cannot obtain the desired temperatures in large enclosures. Substrate and Water Needs: I hope you’ve found my care guide to boa constrictors helpful. You should never house boa constrictors with any other species of snake. What’s the difference? Colombian red tail boa care is quite manageable for owners with a bit of experience. Ross & Marzec argue that ALL the Boas from the Amazon and The ghost is a combination of anerythistic (recessive) and hypo (co-dominant) for a snake that is similar to anerythistic but with even more lighter colouration and a silver tail. Breeding a female too young can result in permanently stunting her growth, a lower chance of live offspring or smaller clutches, so it’s not worth rushing a female who isn’t ready. When it comes to colour morphs there are now an amazing variety of different colour boa constrictors available in captivity; the care is considered to be the same. Hogg Island Boa Boa constrictor imperator Average Size Average Lifespan Diet Feeding Housing 3 - 6 feet long 20 - 30 years Hogg Island Boas are strict carnivores. These are simple devices that can help maintain the temperature at optimum, which helps with the overall health of the animal. This must be controlled with a thermostat and covered with a guard to avoid burns. Younger boas may initially be wary of handling and may hiss when touched. Boa constrictors, like most snakes, have some recessive genetic traits and some co-dominant traits. A fairly small species that rarely exceeds 6 foot, with a very dark black and white or black and gold colouration and arrow-head shaped head markings. Some of these may only get to 3-4 feet in length! Young Boas are best kept in small tubs, with secure hides as they may go off feeding if they feel insecure (as with most young snakes, boa constrictors are agoraphobic). Young boas will require more frequent feeding (approximately every 7 days) at first and will grow rapidly. while this can be disconcerting, be patient and continue to work with the animal. Even a small boa constrictor requires a bit of strength to handle and shouldn’t be handled by children unsupervised. This care sheet applies specifically to the Colombian boa constrictor, but can be applied to all localities and subspecies of Boa constrictor. Tarahumara Mexico Boa (Dwarf Boa) Boa Constrictor Imperator Family: Boidae Locale: The Sierra Tarahumara in Chihuahua and Sonora Mexico Habitat: Forested plateaus and intensely eroded canyons near rivers at altitudes of Only purchase a boa if you intend to care for it for the entirety of their lifespan. Breeding can be a lengthy and costly endeavour and finding homes for a large litter of boa constrictors can be challenging, so ensure you’ve really thought it through before beginning. Provide a hot spot of 32°C so the animal can bask, but ensure the enclosure maintains a thermal gradient so that the snake can thermoregulate effectively. Snakes don’t have social needs and adding two snakes to an enclosure means you need a lot more space and hiding places. Hatchlings or juveniles can start in smaller enclosures – just make sure you have the space and finances to upgrade to their adult size within two to four years. Jungle is a pattern gene that is co-dominant. If you need your snake sexed, make sure this gets done by a professional. The lifespan of those in the boa constrictor family is typically 25-30 years, so a boa constrictor is a lengthy commitment. A locality boa is one that is the same scientific subspecies as another, but comes from a specific part of the world that has resulted in selective breeding for certain traits. Males can reach sexual maturity as young as 18 months, but females need to be both a good age and a healthy size and weight. Whilst a simple enclosure can be created with just a newspaper and a few hides, we strongly recommend you try to create as natural an environment as possible. We recommend you have a snake hook if you have a large snake like a boa constrictor. Heating devices can be turned off at night to cause a nightly drop in temperature, which evidence suggests is the best practice for the long-term health of the animal. Interestingly, boa constrictor imperator was reclassified as Boa imperator in 2009, but is still referred to as boa constrictor imperator by the pet trade. Generally Common Boas reach between 5-9 ft, with the females being larger than males. The litter size is very variable and can be anywhere from 10 up to 50, but with an average of around 15-20 babies. The boa constrictor (Boa constrictor), also called the red-tailed boa or the common boa, is a species of large, non-venomous, heavy-bodied snake that is frequently kept and bred in captivity. As a heavy bodied snake, they can put a lot of pressure when lying direct on a heat mat which can cause burns even if a heat mat is controlled with a thermostat. You could commonly find boas for sale in pet Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: We separate the babies from the mum, but don’t be tempted to wash them off – this is valuable nutrition for them. The humidity levels in the enclosure should be around 60-70%, though this can be increased while the animal is shedding. In the UK I’ve only really ever seen Salmon lines and most Hypos are Salmon. There are two main species of boa constrictor referred to as “boas” and their care is very similar. Anery lacks red pigment, resulting in a boa that is grey/silver, white and black. Keep the babies in a humid tub together until they start shedding (7-10 days), and then separate them out into individual tubs. Fresh water should still always be available. Our boa constrictor cages and python terrariums have been used by a number of hobbyists, museum owners and nonprofit organizations. There are also several other species of boa constrictor which are less seen in the pet trade, some of them are very rare! Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. DNA sequencing found that there was a 5-7% genetic divergence between boa constrictor constrictor and boa constrictor imperator, which was enough to move it into it’s own genus. Introduce the male and female for a few days, then separate for a few days to a week. It has a distinctive brown and beige contrasting pattern that makes it look quite different to the common boa. These tubs must have a hot and cold end at the normal temperatures for keeping boa constrictors, so if you’re thinking of breeding, make sure you have the space and equipment to house them correctly. Your UVB bulb must be guarded because a snake will wrap itself around the tube, which can both damage the tube and burn the snake. HUMIDITY. BCC’s also reach larger sizes than boa imperator (BCI) and are known for their striking colouration and red / cream contrast on their tail. As with many reptiles, they are very long lived and will require many years of care. Repeat this up until March, at which point the temperatures are returned to normal. Live food should be avoided. True Red Tailed Boa, with localities occuring such as Colombia, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Venezulea. They may have some lavender tones in them. Cool end: 75-80°F (24-26°C) Overall your boa constrictor enclosure should have different areas that range from 75°F to 90°F for a complete thermal gradient. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. While boas are an attractive and low maintenance animal, they should not be purchased hastily. Boa constrictors can be a little viv defensive at times, and also have a high feeding response. Morph Boa Constrictor Costs In short, boa constrictor morphs are significantly more expensive than standard boas . This, along with their size, and confident nature with a high feeding response makes us class boa constrictors as an intermediate snake. Subscribe to my channel for more videos. I post every other day! Size: We have heard of beginners having success keeping these snakes as pets, but it’s not something we recommend. If you’re not convinced, check out our testimonials page for dozens of glowing reports from Boa Constrictor care sheet Housing: a well ventilated, large wooden vivarium Heating: basking temperature of 88 o F with ambient air temperature of 85 o F Diet: Carnivorous diet of mice, rats, and other mammals Decoration: I’ve personally heard quite a few stories about people paying a lot of money for dwarf boas that turn out to be common boas reaching 6-8 foot, so always do your homework and make sure you trust your seller. Please conduct further research if … Lighting and UVB: The Leopard boa is a Sonoran Desert boa morph. This is a genetic trait but is from Central American (El Salvador) locality boas, resulting in Blood Boas being considered dwarf species, rarely exceeding 5foot in length for females. Always buy from a shop or breeder with a good reputation and that you trust and ask about the size and locality of both parents. These snakes are native to parts of North, Central, and South America. Your email address will not be published. This is part of why we call them an intermediate species. A relatively unexplored mutation that affects patterning, forcing the saddles to form into block-type shapes. You can use newspaper or paper towel which are cheap but not very aesthetically appealing. The Sunglow combines the recessive albino gene with the co-dominant hypo gene for a brighter form of albino with more intense orange colouration. The most growth occurs during their first 6 years of life, but a boa constrictor can keep growing through age 15. Babies will start with Hides should be provided on both hot and cool ends, allowing the snake to thermoregulate. Reptile Cymru, 391 Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff, CF51JG, 02920 190291, Providing Captive Bred Exotic Pets & Supplies since 2007. Females are generally significantly larger than males, with giants topping out at 10-12’ (3.0-3.7m) long. There are now quite a lot of colour morphs available in the UK pet trade, including: Cream, white, yellow, lacking in melanin. Unfortunately many localities and subspecies are mixed. [2] [3] The boa constrictor is a member of the family Boidae , found in tropical South America , … Maintenance: A large water bowl should also be provided. Whilst UVB is not a requirement for a healthy boa constrictor, we now recommend UVB as best practice with all snakes, including nocturnal species. Aspen, Auboise, Orchid bark or similar is your best option, being fairly cheap and pleasant looking. ( Log Out /  Generally speaking a 6 foot x 2 foot x 2 foot or an 8 foot x 2 foot x 2 foot is considered adequate for most adult boas; although very large females may need larger and if you can provide more space then you’ll see more active behaviour. Super Hypo or Super Salmon is an extreme version of this, when both parents passed on the Hypo gene to the offspring. Hypomelanistic boas come from two lines, Salmon and Orangetail. A larger subspcies of boa, with females averaging 10ft. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Housing: There have also been documented cases of boa constrictors which have reached 40. These traits make them an excellent species for people with limited experience keeping snakes. The animal’s water supply should be refreshed every 1-2 days. You might ask. This is another reason this is not a beginner species, as using a hook takes some practice. Your Boa should be kept at an ambient temperature between 27-30°C. ( Log Out /  A variety of suitable substrates are available for boas. Pine & Cedar are to be avoided as these are toxic to reptiles. Young adults should be given 0.6-1.2 square meters (2-4 square feet) of floor space. The sharp strain of albino is called a Snowglow, whilst the Kahl strain is called Moonglow. ( Log Out /  Common Boa Constrictors require a secure well-ventilated cage. If you’re worried about size then males are considerably smaller and are generally easily handled by an adult, or an older child / teenager with supervision. In the case of a large vivarium this doesn’t need to cover the entire size of the vivarium, having UVB that covers a partial section will still allow the snake to choose its location and to gain some benefits. The birthing process will be quite messy and smelly, the baby boas will be slimy! Our worry with adult boa constrictors is not that they will do you any injury, but simply that they may end up neglected which is why we try to make sure new owners understand the potential of an adult. Both extremes of hot and cold can be very damaging to reptiles, as they cannot regulate their own body temperature like mammals. Motley is a colour morph mutation that results in clean patterning with circular saddles and stripes or dot-dashes on the sides. The boa constrictor (which encompasses a variety of localities and colour morphs) is a large snake that requires a reasonable amount of space as an adult so must be researched and carefully considered. We recommend using a low wattage light bulb to create a natural photoperiod and providing the majority of your heat through a ceramic heat bulb. A password will be sent to your email address. It results in variable saddles with aberrant patterning. Some Words on this Species: To achieve these temperatures several heating devices can be used such as: The choice of heating system used is a matter of personal choice, however in ALL cases, a thermostat should be used in conjunction with the heater, in order to avoid burns to the animal, and danger of fire. Ceramic heating elements heat the air rather than the ground and this creates a more natural and stable source of heat as well as being available in a wide range of strengths to suit larger enclosures. Whilst adult boa constrictors will rarely climb due to their girth and weight, hatchlings are quite happy to explore their surroundings. Getting used to it when the snake is a hatchling is a good idea, and we’re happy to show new buyers how to use one. We’d highly recommend housing boa constrictors separate unless specifically intending to breed. Handling your Boa should help keep them calm & easy to handle, however avoid handling in the days immediately after feeding your boa. Please note that popping should only be done on young animals. Change ). Our 48x24x24″ Boa Constrictor Setup is a great place to start. Controlling Temperature – Thermostats – A thermostat controls the temperature of the device it is attached to. If you need your snake sexed, make sure this gets done by a professional. Their care is fairly similar, and they tend to do well in captivity. Although the care of the family Boa Constrictor is broadly the same, there are several significant differences in the appearance and characteristics in the subspecies. If you are paying for a specific locality, make sure you trust the person you are purchasing from, have seen the parents if at all possible (this should be possible from breeders, but not from shops) and make sure you have a receipt stating what the snake is should you need to find a new home for it in the future. I’m referring to the common boa as boa imperator as this is the name now used in scientific journals, and no doubt will filter it’s way into the pet trade, although we can often be slow to move with change! This is because there is some debate between herpetologists as to whether they should be categorized as a subspecies Their housing also needs high humidity and high temperature, these specifications … You can either use a UVB tube with controller, or an all in one UVB kit. With correct care, boas can live for 30 years. This is what actually stimulates the growth of the egg follicles, and is a step that many boa constrictor owners can accidentally skip. It has been elevated to species status as B. imperator, occurring west of the Andes Mountains from Ecuador in northwestern South America northward to Mexico in North America, and including the two subspecies B. c. longicauda and B. c. sabogae (Hynková et al., 2009). Care Guide for Boa Constrictors including housing, temperature, feeding, handling, breeding, localities and more. Measuring Temperature – Thermometers – In the best case scenario you will know what the temperature is on the hot and cold end of your tank as thermostats can fail or be inaccurate, so you want to take manual readings regularly. A seasonal drop in temperatures will help encourage boa constrictors to breed. ( Log Out /  It is possible to keep this snake as a first time reptile pet, but you definitely need to research and where possible actually handle and experience an adult boa constrictor so you’re fully aware of their potential. We recommend waiting until boa constrictors are at least three years to breed them. You should always support the weight of the snake, but if your snake is defensive or aggressive, you can control the head with a firm grip behind it, ensuring that the pointy end is always away from people! An adult BCI can be housed in a 4/5ft x 2ft x 2ft vivarium although a bigger vivarium may be needed for unusually large specimens. The reptile trade does have unscrupulous dealers and they may capitalize on the fact that it can be difficult to visually identify some localities or subspecies. There are several varieties of boa constrictors found in the pet trade, including red-tail boas (Boa constrictor constrictor) and northern boas (Boa constrictor imperator). Common Boa (Boa Constrictor Imperator) Care Sheet. There are T+ and T- albinos as well. Exo Terras water bowlsor Flukers water bowlsare good decorative choices or a good ceramic crock dish. Because these are dwarfs, they rarely exceed 5 foot. In addition to there being two main species of boa constrictor (constrictor and imperator) sold in the pet trade, there are also a variety of other sub species as well as some localities. I have never seen one bigger than 8 feet but I read that the female Boa Constrictor Constrictor can reach 12 feet and 60 pounds with the males around 8. “Boa Constrictor Imperator” This snake is mistakenly referred to as the Red-Tail Boa, heck, every Boa I hold at shows people call a Red-Tail Boa. Boas originate in tropical and subtropical areas around the world, and the vivarium should be set up to reflect this. May 2011 - 22:21 Which snake is most suitable for me? Carnivorous- Snakes should be fed appropriately sized DEFROSTED rodent prey (mice/rats). In the UK you’ll most often hear two different strains of albino discussed, Sharp albino, which is T+, and Kahl strain which is T-. Keep a non-porous water bowl in with your boa constrictor, and make sure it always have clean water. Snowglow is a triple combination, the double recessive Snow (Albino and Anery) plus hypo. Boa imperator, like most Boa species, has a varied diet that consists mainly of rodents, birds, lizards and frogs. As in the pictures above, we primarily focus on albino and sunglow lines, although in the past we have bred motleys, anerythistic and ghost morphs as well. We do not recommend heat mats with boa constrictors. Back in 1970-1980, boas were quite boring and relatively affordable. This species is available in the UK but in fairly small numbers. Description Boa constrictors (Boa sp.) It is now possible to get captive bred boas in the UK that will reach as little as three to four feet as adults – but it’s important that you are buying these from a reputable source as once again, it’s easy for unscrupulous sellers to mislead and the last thing you want to do is buy an animal labelled as a dwarf reaching four feet in length and find out as she grows that she’s going to hit nine feet! When using disinfectants, ensure the enclosure has been adequately aired out before returning the animal. reference books about boas and pythons. The size of the prey item increases as it ages.

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