Bigger snake advice

regi375 · 09-24-17, 12:53 AM

Well, after going to the reptile show this weekend I ended up with two new additions. One being a Motley Central American Boa (Sapphire), and the other a Columbian Red tail Boa (Diamond). Both are docile and beautiful young ladies. I'd just like a few tips as far as feeding schedule, how to manage a snake this size a bit easier, and any husbandry tips you'd be willing to share. Thank you!

**Minkness** · 09-24-17, 10:43 AM

Woot! Congrats! Lovely pair if ladies you got there. =)

As far as husbandry goes they still follow the basics for space and heat for any boa. Feeding could be once a week or every other week for the smaller one (maybe switch it up) and the every other week for the larger one. Small rat for Diamond should be enough and it's a bit hard to tell but maybe a medium rat for Sapphire.

I'm sure others will chime in with better, more specific info though.

regi375 · 09-24-17, 12:58 PM

Sapphire is between a medium rat and a large one as far as weight goes. Not entirely sure which one to go with.

riddick07 · 09-24-17, 03:12 PM

How I feed mine. Medium if she's still in between would be the best bet.

Mice – Every 14 days
Weaned-Small Rats– Every 3-4 weeks
Medium-Large Rats – Every 4-6 weeks
Jumbo Rats – Every 6-8 weeks

Warm Side: 84-86F
Cold Side: 75-78F
Hot Spot: 88-90F
Ambient: 80F
Humidity: 60-80%

Hook training is great for bigger snakes.

Reptaholic1 · 09-24-17, 06:54 PM

When they are young and growing I feed every 7 to 10 days never over 14 days unless they refuse a meal most boas don't turn down a meal

regi375 · 09-26-17, 09:17 PM

I've accumulated a few questions over the past couple days.
How big does a B.C.C. get? The reading I've done hasn't been very consistent. I'd like to hear back from a person who owns one.
Would it be better for me to use 10" hemostats or snake tongs for feeding?
Could I vary up their diet, or would they be likely to get stuck exclusively on one prey item?

jjhill001 · 09-27-17, 06:03 PM

Remember, if an animal is on adult rodents to never do the jumbo/biggest size available unless you have to those are always the retired fat breeders that aren't as healthy as say a "medium" or "small" adult.

By the way, freaking awesome. Still looking forward to more pics of the water snake.

DLLNP · 09-27-17, 08:39 PM

I just finished writing up a blog post on feeding boas. You may find it helpful: https://www.animalsathome.ca/2017/09...feeding-chart/

trailblazer295 · 09-28-17, 06:34 AM

Size will depend on their genetics. Some will be 6-7' others will be bigger. I use hemostats for all my snakes but really anything that keeps your hands away from dinner. I've fed mine a rotation of rat, asf, chick and quail. He is getting bigger so no more chicks. Never had a problem with feeding. He eats everytime.

regi375 · 09-29-17, 01:56 AM

I asked the guy for a locality, but he said he didn't know since he got the snake from a friend. Guess I'm out of luck there. Her being a bigger snake just makes me nervous about my hands being 10" away from food, lol. Not the little ones I'm used to. After spending a few days in her hot hide, she started exploring around today. Hopefully time will fly by so I can start handling her.