Boa imperator (also known as common boa, northern boa) is one of the most common pet snakes in the world, who comes from Central and South America. They are often mixed up with their relative Boa constrictor or true red-tail boa, who has a slightly different colour, pattern and size. Taking care of these boas is quite similar and information on this page can be used for both of them.
Baby boas are 40 (35-45) cm long at birth. During their first year of life, they reach a length of about 1 meter. An adult male is on average 1-1.8 meters tall; female 1.2-2.4 meters. Some animals can grow up to 3 meters in length. Fortunately, boas grow slowly - it takes several years to reach adult size.
In addition to sex, the size of the boa also depends on its genetics. For example, Blood and Leopard boas grow to an average length of 150 cm.
The average lifespan of a boa is 20-30 years. There are also 40-year-old pet boas. Boa is a lifelong friend.
The best place for your boa is a terrarium. Terrariums are made of glass, plywood, wood, plastic, etc. Each type of terrarium has its pros and cons. As long as the terrarium is able to maintain the right temperature and humidity level, it doesn't matter what material it is made of. However, its size is important.
A 100-150 cm long boa's terrarium should be a minimum of 120x60x60cm.
A 150-250 cm long boa's terrarium should be at least 180x75x75 cm.
The bigger your boa, the more room it needs to move. Since boas also like to climb in the wild, it is important that the terrarium is high enough to accommodate plants / trees for climbing.
However, it is important to remember that baby boas are much smaller (about 40 cm at birth) and a terrarium that is too big is scary and stressful for them. In addition, such a big space is much more difficult for the animal to thermoregulate. So it is better to start with a smaller terrarium and move to a larger and larger habitat as the animal grows.
For young animals, paper towels can be used instead of a substrate. It is easy to clean and replace and you can monitor the digestion of your animal. You can also use newspapers.
Reptile substrate from pet shops (reptile bark), the most common of which are coconut fiber (Coco Husk, Coco Soil) and aspen, can be used as bedding for an adult animal. Coniferous bedding (pine, spruce, cedar) must not be used - toxic!
The bottom of the terrarium should be completely filled with bedding so that the animal can hide under it if desired (the depth should be a few centimeters). Cleaning is easy - remove dirty substrate when faeces are detected. Change the entire terrarium bedding once a month.
The terrarium must have a container of fresh water. Although we often do not notice this, snakes also drink water (more often after eating). Since many boas also like to swim during shedding, the water bowl should be large enough to accommodate the animal. In other words, as the animal grows, the water tank should be replaced with a larger one.
Climbing trees. As mentioned above, boas like to climb in the wild. Therefore, it should also be possible in the terrarium. It is possible to buy already prepared tree branches or make them yourself. It is important to remove small sharp branches that could harm the animal. The branches can then be heated in an oven or sauna to remove potentially dangerous bacteria.
Hiding places. As a nocturnal animal, boas like to hide during the day. Caves sold in animal shops are also suitable for this purpose, as well as homemade nests (for example, a flower pot or a plastic bowl with a hole for entering and without sharp edges). There must be at least two hiding places, one in the warm corner of the terrarium and the other in the cold corner.
In addition to hiding places, the terrarium should have a lot of material between which the boa can crawl, hide and investigate. For example, various tree branches, artificial plants, caves, etc. Here you can get creative. Create your own personal tropical corner!
The right warm temperature is vital for a boa. The ambient temperature in the terrarium should be 26-30 degrees celsius. In addition, the boa must have a warm spot with a temperature of 32-34 degrees. The snake will adjust its temperature - it will move to the warm or cold spot as needed.
The temperature in the terrarium must never fall below 22 degrees. This can lead to a potentially fatal respiratory illness!
There are different options to get the right temperature.
Heat panel - an infrared panel attached to the ceiling of the terrarium, which distributes heat evenly and stably. Used with a thermostat.
Heat mat - a mat placed under the terrarium. Suitable for creating a warm corner. Always used with a thermostat.
Heat tape - a thin material that is available in different lengths and widths. Always use with a thermostat.
Heat cable - convenient to bend as needed. Use only with thermostat.
Heat bulbs - direct heat from above. There must always be a safety net to prevent the animal from burning itself.
Heating stones are not recommended. There are many cases where an animal has suffered burns while lying on them.
To measure the temperature, there must be at least 2 thermometers inside the terrarium - one in the warm corner and one in the cool corner. In addition, it is wise to check the terrarium temperatures once a day, for example with an infrared hand thermometer.
The temperature of the heat sources must be regulated by a thermostat to prevent the animal from burning.
Since boas live mainly in tropical climates, the humidity level in their terrarium must be constant at 60-70%. During shedding, the humidity level should be as high as 80%. Too low and too high humidity are both harmful in their own way. Therefore, the terrarium must have a hygrometer that constantly measures the level of humidity. Moisture can be added to the terrarium by spraying water and placing the water tank in a partially warm place.
The terrarium should not be exposed to direct sunlight. The sun can quickly and dangerously raise the temperature of the terrarium.
The best light cycle for boas is 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. In other words, during the autumn and winter, when there is little daytime outside, it is good to offer some light to the boa, either in the form of a light source inside the terrarium or just in the form of lamps. The light can be adjusted with a timer.
The benefits of UV light have not been demonstrated in boas, so there is no need to buy a UV lamp for their terrarium.
As mentioned above, the faeces should be removed immediately when seen. Snake's poop is similar to the faeces of other animals, but the urine resembles yellowish chalk in appearance - it is SOLID. Don't be scared - that's normal.
Once a day, clean the water bowl and put in new fresh water. It is important to remove the biofilm that is formed during the day (you will feel the slime on the bottom and sides of the water bowl) - it is a nest of bacteria.
Once a month, the entire terrarium should be emptied, cleaned inside with non-toxic cleaners and add new bedding. All caves, plants and nests should also be cleaned, as bacteria accumulate on them.
The size of the food and the frequency of feeding depend on the age and size of the animal. The usual snakefood is a frozen rat or mouse that is thawed and warmed before feeding. Sometimes birds (chicks, quails) and hares can also be given. It is strongly recommended not to feed live animals as they may injure the snake.
Young boas eat mice or rats every 7-10 days. Young animals between 18 months and 3 years of age can eat every 10-14 days. Adult boas can be fed every 2-4 weeks. It is important to make sure that the animal is not skinny or too thick. In the right condition, the boa is in the shape of a "toast" or square and has good muscles.
To find the right food size, you need to look at the thicker part of your boa's body - the food item should be the same size or a little bigger than that part of the body. When the snakes swallows the food, you notice a small bump on the body of the boa.
To prevent food regurgitation (vomiting), boas should not be handled for at least 24 hours (ideally 48 hours) after eating.
Wash your hands thoroughly after handling food. If your finger smells like food, it can confuse you with food and grab your finger instead.
In the world of snakes, numbers are used to indicate whether an animal is male (1.0), female (0.1) or the sex of the animal is unknown (0.0.1). As mentioned before, males are usually smaller than females.
Genetics play an important role in the development of an animal's appearance. This is true for both pattern and color. Genes can be dominant, incomplete dominant / co-dominant, or recessive. In order for the recessive gene to be expressed (to be seen on the animal), the baby must receive it from both parents. The interaction of different genes makes different interesting babyboas.
Boas are usually calm and curious. They are extremely smart. They like to find a comfortable place near a person to turn into a pretzel and fall asleep.
Like all pets, boas can bite. This is usually for two reasons. First of all - you smelled like food. Second, you scared him or hurt him. By avoiding these things, your boa is unlikely to bite you.
Young boas who are not yet accustomed to the human hand can become more upset and hiss when handled. Therefore, they should be handled for short periods (15 minutes) every day to make them feel more comfortable. If you are very scared, you can put on gloves. But even without gloves, a bite from a babyboa is generally not painful. 99% of baby boas get used to handling quickly and may even refuse to return to the terrarium after chilling with their owner.
In case of adult boas, it should be kept in mind that, as a large animal, they need support points to feel comfortable. In other words, the boa should be supported close to the head with one hand and from the back of the body with the other hand. Then go with the boa until it finds a comfortable place to chill.
In good conditions, the lifespan of a boa is 20-30, even 40 years. Can I take care of my snake all these years? This is a friend for a LIFETIME :)
Boababies are small and cute, but an adult boa cna grow to a lenght of 3 meters. Do I have enough floor space to offer a terrarium with appropriate lenght and height?
Is a dead rat or mouse too disgusting for you? Boas also lurke and attack their food with fast movements - are you afraid of that?
It is a curious animal. Thay may hide and sleep during the day but during the night they may turn their terrarium upside down while roaming around. Do you have at least 15 minutes a day to connect and communicate with your animal? Can you offer them brain activities like climbing and hiding places?
In the long run, monthly costs on a snake are quite small compared to some other animals (they need food, substrate, water, cleaning appliances and electricity for warmth ). But at first, you have to buy the terrarium, drinking bowls, hiding places, heat sources, thermometers, hygrometers, decorative items, food etc. Do you have the money for all that?