Common Boa Care (BCI) Sheet

From Exotic Pet Wiki Pedia

Contents 1 General 1.1 Latin Name: 1.2 Size: 1.3 Longevity: 1.4 Active during: 1.5 Behaviour: 1.6 Temperament 1.7 Ease of care 2 Housing 2.1 Vivarium: 2.2 Accessories: 2.3 Humidity 2.4 Heating 2.5 Light 2.6 Substrate 3 Diet: 3.1 Food 3.2 Water 3.3 Frequency 3.4 Supplements 4 Breeding 4.1 Requirements 4.2 Seasons 4.3 Incubation 5 Further information or considerations:

General

Latin Name:

Boa constrictor imperator

Size:

Can vary greatly but averages size of 4-8 foot in captivity are generally seen.

Longevity:

A long lived boid captive lifespans of 20+ years have been recorded.

Active during:

Mainly active during the evening but can also be seen on display basking during daylight hours.

Behaviour:

Usually mild mannered snakes very tolerant of handling. Slow moving most of the time, but dont be fooled, when there is food present they can be lightning quick!

Temperament

As with all snakes temperament can vary from snake to snake but generally very docile, laid back snakes. Can be snappy as babies but with regular, responsible handling can grow into adults tolerant of handling. Some adults can be agressive and care must be taken at all times ,as they can grow to an excess of 6 foot it would be prudent to not handle alone.

Ease of care

Relatively easy to care for with only humidity being an issue. Due to the size they can grow to they shouldn't be taken on without some thought to adult size.

Housing

Vivarium:

Babies can be kept in tubs for the first couple of months of their lives but do grow at a fast rate and will need to be moved into larger tubs/vivs often. For an adult male of average size of 6-7 feet a 4x4x2 vivarium is ideal although some keepers keep them in larger plastic tubs for their whole lives.

Accessories:

Humidity

A relative humidity of 60% should be aimed for. A large water bowl placed in the warm area can help with keeping humidity up. Warning: Too high humidity and/or too low temps is just as dangerous as low humidity (if not more)!

Heating

Heat can be provided in a variety of ways, heat mats, bulbs, and ceramic heating elements are among the most popular. ALways use a thermostat and a thermometre to ensure you are providing the correct temperatures for you boa as too high or low temps can be fatal in a short space of time! An ambient (background) temperature of around 82-84 degrees Fahrenheit should be maintained with a warm basking area of 90-95 degrees F. These temperatures are essential in the well being of your boa and should be maintained all year around unless cycling for breeding.

Light

Most keepers do not provide any special lighting for their boas although some breeders use a day/night cycle when preparing their boas for breeding.

Substrate

There are many different types of substrate available and many are good to use with your boa. It is a good idea to bear in mind the humidity requirements of this species when choosing a substrate as some can turn mouldy in humid vivariums.

Diet:

Food

In captivity nearly all Common Boas will feed on frozen rodents easily from birth. In all but the biggest specimens they can remain on rats for their lifetime but some may take small rabbits.

Water

A large bowl of fresh drinking water should be available at all times.

Frequency

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Supplements

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Breeding

Requirements

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Seasons

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Incubation

This species is a live bearer therefore no incubation is required.

Further information or considerations:

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