Common Name(s): Boa, Boa Constrictor, Red-Tail Boa
Latin Name: Boa constrictor ssp.
Ease of Care: Moderate
Native To: Central and South America
Adult Size: 6-12ft
Life Span: 30+ years
Brood Size: 10-60 newborns
Appearance: Boa constrictors are beautiful animals that come in an assortment of shades of red, brown, orange, and black – and that is all before considering the many designer morphs that can be find in the herp market today! The Columbian Red-Tail Boa, the focus of this caresheet, is a wide-bodied animal that normally has a higher saddle count (22-30) than most other boas (BCC for example) and is normally a little drabber in coloration. Their length can be deceptive when comparing them to other large snakes, but their power truly lies in their girth. These snakes should not be underestimated because they are very powerful when compared to pythons of the same length. Their tails do not get as bright red as other subspecies, and they’re ground color can vary between a grayish brown and dark brown with every lighter shade in between. Beyond these normal colors there are many different designer morphs on the market today that vary from bright red to yellow to orange and everywhere in between. These are truly remarkable looking animals that demand a place in every true herp keeper’s collection.
Temperament: The entire Boa complex is extremely variable when it comes to docility. I have actually never experienced any bad temperament with my BCIs, but they are known for their loud hissing and territorial nature during breeding season and gestation. So, the only good way to truly tell how your Boa is going to be is to handle it before you buy it. A lot of the time though it is documented that they can be little terrors when they are small, but with consistent handling they quickly calm down and can be tamer than family dog when they are full grown. This is a snake, however, that I will never underestimate because they get large, have large teeth, and can do some damage if you catch them in the wrong mood. Defensive signs to watch for are an S-shaped body posture, the head being tilted to a 45-degree angle from the body, gaping, and hissing. If your snake is doing this it is always good to be weary no matter how tame the animal may be.
In The Wild: Boas are some of the most intensely documented snakes in the wild and yet we still only have a small window into their amazing lives. They are found in a vast array of habitats ranging from temperate forests to wet savannah to tropical rainforests. They also have the ability to survive at an elevation from sea level all the way up to 3,000ft. Denning in not uncommon in boas in the wild, and it has been documented that boas of even the largest sizes will sometimes den with other snakes in order to obtain a proper thermal gradient when other dens are unavailable. BCIs are actually thought to be more arboreal in nature than other Boa subspecies, but they become more terrestrial as they age do to their immense weight and size. Boas are ambush predators in the wild, and can sit in the same spot for weeks along game trails waiting for a good meal. They often prey on small mammals, birds, and other reptiles. Although cannibalism has never been documented in the wild, it is always a possibility with snakes as they are normally apex predators.
Caging: It is often said with boas that you should go ahead and get a cage that will last the snake its whole life in order to save money. I personally don’t agree with this outlook at all. I have personally seen how a boa can become unhealthy due to being stressed out from an open environment. I would suggest allowing the boa to spend the first year or two of its life in a 20g-long tank or something of similar dimensions, and moving up as the snake grows. This will give them the security they need while still allowing them room to move around during their nocturnal activities. When the snake is over the 3-4 feet mark my suggestion is to move to an adult caging system. This cage should have the dimensions of approximately 6ft x 3ft x 2 ft (LxWxD) and this will give your snake enough room to move around and still feel safe. I also feel that when the snake is fully grown it feels much more comfortable and in this case bigger is always better as long as there are places to hide and the tank is secure. As always an appropriately sized water bowl – one that the snake can submerge and bask in because boas will utilize this often – and an appropriately sized hide should be provided at both the warm and cool ends of the tank so that your snake can thermoregulate. Beyond that, cage furnishings are truly up to the owner but it should be noted that a 50lb snake can crush things and move things very easily so all tanks should be very stable and furnishings should be able to withstand a good beating. I would suggest that thicker branches are good as well as tree stumps for them to climb on. Another note to make is that these snakes are largely terrestrial in nature and need a lot of floor space. For a substrate I would suggest aspen shavings, ground coconut husks, newspapers, or paper towels. These seem to keep the humidity needed and all of them are safe for snakes to live on.
Lighting: As with all snakes boas do not need UVB light, but these lights do allow for live plants to be placed in vivariums and the presence of UVB light may have some benefits to your snake’s health. A 10-12 hour light period during the day can be beneficial as well.
Temperature & Humidity: A good way to provide a temperature gradient for Boas is an undertank heater regulated by a rheostat or a thermostat. Good temperatures to shoot for are ones that have a hot end at around 90F (36C) and a cool end around the low 80s or high 70s (28-30C). I’ve noticed that with this gradient my snakes tend to stay at a place in the cage where the ambient temperature is about 85F (29.4C) so this is the ambient temperature that I would suggest you shoot for in your cages. For humidity I’ve found that a good sized water bowl provides all of the humidity I need on a newspaper or paper towel substrate, but as for a an actual percentage each keeper seems to disagree with the next but I try to keep mine in the 40-60% range. This keeps respiratory infections at bay, produces nice solid sheds, keeps my snakes properly hydrated, and doesn’t allow for mold to grow anywhere.
Feeding: As with every snake, the size of the prey and the length of time between feedings needs to get larger as the snake grows. Boas are generally very hardy eaters and will pound rats and mice with little or no hesitation. For young snakes I feed 1-2 properly sized feed items every 7 days. After the snake reaches one year of age I moved to rats and feed once every 10-14 days depending on how fast the snake digested the prey and if they look hungry. Full grown Boas need either a jumbo sized rat once every 2 weeks or a small rabbit or guinea pig. I feed on this regiment and I am hoping that this will control the size of the snake to a manageable size, keep the snake healthy by providing the proper amount of nutrition without overfeeding or underfeeding the snake. An obese snake is a sick snake and this should be watched for closely. Make sure the snake has a good muscle tone and doesn’t look swollen or bloated in any way. This should also get most snakes to breeding size within 4-5 years and the snake should be very healthy and viable because of the proper diet you’ve provided. Rushing things by power-feeding should always be avoided because it is unhealthy for the snake and you’ll end up regretting it in the long run.
Sexing: Boas can generally be sexed by the spurs at either side of the cloaca. They are present in males and generally very small or not present in females. But, once again the only way to truly know is to sex the snake properly with a sexing probe.
Breeding: Breeding boas is actually quite simple. A brumation period is needed of about 8-10 weeks where the temperatures drop down into the low 70’s at night and the low 80’s during the day. Some breeders still allow for a basking spot during this time, but I haven’t had any negative experiences bromating boas without a spot to bask. The photoperiod can remain at 12 on - 12 off because in their natural environment they are around the equator and this period stays the same throughout the year. After brumation bring the temperatures back up to their normal range and allow the snakes to take a food item or two before you introduce them. Introduce the male to the females cage or both into a new cage so that territorial invasion is minimal. Upon introduction it should be clear pretty quickly whether or not they are going to mate because the female will lift her tale and gape her cloaca, and the male will court her with his spurs. This is an experience that every boa breeder loves to see as the male will caress the female with his spurs to entice her into giving it up to him. Allow the snake to court and copulate multiple times over the course of a couple of days or weeks only separating them to eat and giving them time for the scent to wear off. When the snakes stop showing interest in one another they can be separated again because gestation does not require a male presence. Gestation period can vary considerably from snake to snake, but usually lasts between 3-8 months depending on the brood she is carrying and the temperatures she is kept at. Good temps to shoot for are 95F on the warm side and 85F on the cool side during gestation, and the female should be offered food items as usual. If she rejects them, don’t worry its completely normal and she may not eat the entire time she is gravid. It is best to keep disturbances down to a minimum only checking in on her every once in a while, cleanings, and feedings. When she gives birth you’ll know because it’s going to be a big, gooey mess full of little snakes and only a few slugs if you’re lucky.
Care of Young: Care of the young is fairly straight forward and does not differ much from juvenile care. The babies should be separated upon birth and kept on papertowels with a hide and a water bowl. I would suggest keeping the humidity a little higher than normal (70-80%) until their first shed, then bring them down to the range they need to be in for juvies and adults. After this first shed is when I would check for spinal kinks and other deformities as well as start offering an appropriately sized food item. The babies will be between 11-18in (28-40cm) long and can eat mice pinks or small fuzzies as their first meals. Most will take to f/t rodents immediately, but there will always be one or two problem feeders that can usually be enticed with a scenting of an anole or a live pink or fuzzy instead of f/t. Keep the temps the same as an adult or juvenile snake and enjoy your newborn babies!
This is a general guide to the amazing world of the Boa Constrictor complex. The many variations in pattern, size, and husbandry makes it difficult to compile into a short caresheet like this so if you are dealing with a certain locale of snake make sure to check other resources on the minor adjustments from this general sheet. Boas are wonderful snakes and make wonderful pets if they are cared for properly. I hope that this has furthered your knowledge and understanding of these snakes and that you will consider keeping them in your future collection.
Bibliography:
Aller, Ben, and Mark K. Bayless, and Riley Campbell. Red-Tail Boas. New Jersey: T.F.H Publications: 2006.