# central american boas



## GATORS (Mar 2, 2005)

I was in my local pet store today looking at the snakes because I plan on buying one soon and they had baby central american boa constrictors. I really liked the look of these and I got to hold one and it just chilled in my hands and went throught my fingers and stuff. I was looking at some pictures of some boas and it looks like a red tail boa but I didnt notice the tail on it. It was a greyish color. Do these have the same care as ball pythons I know they get bigger so a bigger tank would be needed?

thanks
steve


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## quickdeath (Jan 15, 2006)

I have had a snake or snakes for a lot longer than I have had fish. I am only a few months into piranhas but I have a columbian red tail that I have had for about 5 years. I have also had 2 breeding diamond back rattle snakes, and a carpet python. For your first snake I think a boa is a great choice. They are a lot more easy-going than a python with the exception of a ball python. I noticed you were talking about putting you snake in a tank. I had my boa in a tank for a long time and then decided to put fish in the tank. I bought a 175 gallon reptarium on e-bay (new) for $50. If I were you... I'd get a reptarium! They are awesome. Mine is the 175 tall. Boas like to climb and being in a tank they miss out on that. With the 175 tall, I built a ledge about 3 feet off the base and then just bought some cheap lattice from home depot and the snake climbs all thru and up it. My snake is almost 8 feet so she doesn't even have to use the lattice, sometimes she does, sometime she doesn't. Also you will want to buy a "soft tray" for the tank... a worth while investment. I got mine on e-bay for $17. That keeps your floor clean from spills etc.. plus it stops the rats from eating through the mesh netting (although they only live for about 20 seconds when I put them in.) The snake is so much more active in this reptarium. You could buy the cage, the bottom and the heat rock along with some vines etc.. and build a few levels for under $100.. I also like it that the snake gets fresh air and isn't locked in with a lack of oxygen and breathing the fumes from her own waste. Snakes are super easy and low effort. They eat and then crap about 24 hours later..so clean up is easy. Also with the reptarium you can get the snake out and let it know that you are getting it out to play easier and with less room for bites due to her thinking you are feeding.. versus comming in from the top like how you would drop food in. The cage looks really cool and is impressive to viewers and you don't have people jacking with the sides like they would on a glass tank. Most of all... it gives much more room and lets the snake climb! I can't express this enough. Boas love to climb.. after buying this repatarium I feel bad for having her in a tank. She's 100% more active and has been super easy going.

Man I love my snake.. swatching her eat is awesome even after all this time. The price of food in consideration to often they have to eat is super minimal, there is virtually nothing you "have" to do.. just let the snake chill and take it out when you want. 
I would definitly go with a boa. My carpet python grew 13 feet in under a year!!! I gave it to the local zoo who said it was the fastest growing snake they had ever seen. She was 17 feet long at the time and is now 21 feet long (that's an expensive pet to say the least).. and rattlesnakes.. well... that's just a dumb idea... ha ha!

If you have any questions just message me, I would be glad to help and consider myself knowledgable about snakes of all kinds. My snake (the boa) was a rescue.. so I had to work her back into health and diet.. I learned a lot along the way!

good luck and check out the reptariums!!!

QD


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2006)

Greyish? Well, the color boa constrictors can vary widely over it's wide geographic distribution. For example, the Argentine Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor occidentalis) can be completely grey, while the Hog Island Boa Constrictor (Boa consrictor imperator) has an oranga-salmon color to it.

To add to the confusion, many breeders don't pair their animals off by the locality of their capture, but instead pair off whatever will mate or sometimes they breed snakes will the goal of creating unique color morphes. All this adds up to a confusing variety of color morphes on the pet market.

[/quote]


> Do these have the same care as ball pythons I know they get bigger so a bigger tank would be needed?


The average boa can easily reach 5-to-9 feet in legnth and 11 feet isn't unheard of. In my opinion, an adult boa should be kept in at least a 6'x2' cage. TThat's a big cage and one of the reasons I've never kept a boa.


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## TANK (Nov 18, 2003)

Most of the "common" boas have a greyish color to them when they are babies, I think that is what he is seeing.

As far as size goes if you dont want a 10+'er get a male. They tend to stay much smaller than the females.

Also in an earlier post someone said to use a HOT ROCK.......DO NOT USE HOT ROCKS!! They can be dangerous for your animal!! I have seen many snakes and lizards suffer from thermal burns from them things. I wish they would stop making them altogather.


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## jiggy (Jun 27, 2004)

arent central american boas BCC's? a little harder to take care of than BCI


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## GATORS (Mar 2, 2005)

Well I went back today and it was a red tail boa they just got it in and had not changed the labe yet. 
I really like the looks of these over the ball pythons. What is the growth rate of a red tail boa? If I was to put it in a 20L how long would it be before I would have to upgrade.


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## TANK (Nov 18, 2003)

I would say that a 20 long would last maybe six months to a year. If you really want the snake be prepared to buy/build an enclosure within that time. Here is a pic of one of my enclosures. They are 4'x2'x2' and cost less than $150.


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## huntx7 (Nov 13, 2004)

jiggy said:


> arent central american boas BCC's? a little harder to take care of than BCI


They're BCI.


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## GATORS (Mar 2, 2005)

TANK said:


> I would say that a 20 long would last maybe six months to a year. If you really want the snake be prepared to buy/build an enclosure within that time. Here is a pic of one of my enclosures. They are 4'x2'x2' and cost less than $150.


Did you make that? If so do you have the plans to it?

thanks
steve


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## Red Eyes (Nov 25, 2003)

steve15 said:


> Well I went back today and it was a red tail boa they just got it in and had not changed the labe yet.
> I really like the looks of these over the ball pythons. What is the growth rate of a red tail boa? If I was to put it in a 20L how long would it be before I would have to upgrade.


Here's a profile on Red Tail Boa by ABB.


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## TANK (Nov 18, 2003)

steve15 said:


> I would say that a 20 long would last maybe six months to a year. If you really want the snake be prepared to buy/build an enclosure within that time. Here is a pic of one of my enclosures. They are 4'x2'x2' and cost less than $150.


Did you make that? If so do you have the plans to it?

thanks
steve
[/quote]

Yeah I make all my own enclosures. Shoot me your E-Mail via PM and I can send you a bunch of pics with details on the build including heat and glass door.


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## quickdeath (Jan 15, 2006)

TANK said:


> Most of the "common" boas have a greyish color to them when they are babies, I think that is what he is seeing.
> 
> As far as size goes if you dont want a 10+'er get a male. They tend to stay much smaller than the females.
> 
> Also in an earlier post someone said to use a HOT ROCK.......DO NOT USE HOT ROCKS!! They can be dangerous for your animal!! I have seen many snakes and lizards suffer from thermal burns from them things. I wish they would stop making them altogather.


I'm the "someone" dumb ass!
Show me a snake that got burned by a "HOT ROCK" brand hot rock.. and I'll mail you my thumb!


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## Guest (Feb 26, 2006)

quickdeath said:


> I'm the "someone" dumb ass!
> Show me a snake that got burned by a "HOT ROCK" brand hot rock.. and I'll mail you my thumb!


No need to overnight that thumb, I can wait for a UPS shipment.








Hotlinked from: http://petstoreabuse.tripod.com/hotrocks.html

If someone lives in an area that has cold winters, I can't imagine a 'hot rock' being an adequate heating device for a thick, heavy constrictor in a large cage.


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## TANK (Nov 18, 2003)

quickdeath said:


> Most of the "common" boas have a greyish color to them when they are babies, I think that is what he is seeing.
> 
> As far as size goes if you dont want a 10+'er get a male. They tend to stay much smaller than the females.
> 
> Also in an earlier post someone said to use a HOT ROCK.......DO NOT USE HOT ROCKS!! They can be dangerous for your animal!! I have seen many snakes and lizards suffer from thermal burns from them things. I wish they would stop making them altogather.


I'm the "someone" dumb ass!
Show me a snake that got burned by a "HOT ROCK" brand hot rock.. and I'll mail you my thumb!
[/quote]

You need to visit some of the better reptile forums and do a couple searches on your hot rocks, or better yet join the forums and start to recommend them and see what kind of replies you get.

Do a little more research on your animal before "flaming" someone else for thier opinion. Did I "flame" you personally in any way?? NO I just offered a different opnion on husbandry than yours.

You can keep your boa any way you want, its your snake, I just disagree with your heating advise.

One more point on YOUR choice of a heat source......Have you thought about how even the largest available Hot Rock is even going to be sufficiant enough for a 8-12' snake ?? Dumbass.....

Bullsnake, GREAT LINK!!! It should be pinned at the top of the board.


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## huntx7 (Nov 13, 2004)

Yeah, heat rocks are bad... although, some of them are supposedly safe to use now, but I still wouldn't recommend it.

Under tank heating is the way to go.


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