This is one reptile pet that needs advance planning in its acquisition, and should never be an impulse purchase. The snake’s habitat will ultimately cost the owner 3 times the price of the snake. The minimum size they will need to thrive is around 10 square feet of floor space for a single snake.
Plan on providing an enclosure for an adult boa constrictor that is around 6 to 8 feet long, 2 to 3 feet wide, and 3 to 4 feet tall. This is one reptile pet that is going to need quite a bit of room as an adult. Boa Constrictor Housing Design Big Bucks and Lots of Space This is a pet you will need to prepare for a long friendship with, as most live beyond 20 years with proper care, and some as old as 40 have been recorded. Fatal mishaps, although extremely rare, have occurred.
At this age they weigh twice that of a 3-year-old human, so this may not be the best pet for homes with small children. They continue to grow throughout their lives, with imperators getting to about 8 feet for females (males are smaller) and female red-tails growing to 10 feet and weighing 60 pounds at sexual maturity when reaching 3 years of age. Red-tail boas get about 25% larger than imperators at maturity, which is a relative term when it comes to growth. A firefighter responded to the call and was able to get the snake off of her face. Therefore, it is wise to keep these pets away from your head and neck area.įor instance, an Ohio woman was forced to call 911 after a newly rescued boa constrictor wrapped itself around her head. An adult can exert 12 pounds of pressure per square inch from two or more body points. Just as they constrict around their prey, they can wrap themselves tightly-and painfully-around you. While both the boas mentioned in this guide are generally quite friendly and predictable in temperament, it is important to respect their inherent strength. The snake might loosely wrap itself around you for added support, but it typically won’t constrict unless it feels alarmed or stressed. One hand should be under its body near its head, and the other hand should be under the back half of its body. It’s important to know how to hold your boa so it feels secure. They might hiss or bite if they feel threatened, but consistent, gentle handling will usually tame them within a few weeks. They may crawl around for a few minutes before hunkering down to grab some heat.īoas are typically active, alert snakes, sleeping for 12 hours and being active for 12 hours, usually at night, but they don’t seem to mind being awake during the day, and many seem to enjoy it. They often seem to enjoy being held and will seek out an area on your arm or shoulders and enjoy your body warmth.
They Enjoy Being Heldīoa constrictors are usually very docile and tolerate handling very well. Check for snake mites, which are small, black, parasites that resemble ticks. Look for active snakes lacking any retained shed skin, possible respiratory infection (auditory breathing can be a sign of this) or spinal kinks or deformities. Be sure to purchase your boa from a reputable source. Before purchasing a snake labeled as a red-tail, shoppers should read up on them to be sure they know which one they are getting. Red-tails have bright red dorsal patches on a paler background. Both species have red-tails, but the imperator has mahogany tail patches on a darker background. Baby or juvenile imperators should sell for less than $200, while red-tails go for about $100 more. Shoppers should be aware that pet stores are notorious for selling imperators as red-tails, because of the difference in value. For the purpose of clarity, and because these snakes are known by a whole lot of common names, these species will be referred to in this guide as ‘imperator’ and ‘red-tail’. Other than a slight size difference, their care is fairly similar, and they both tend to do well in captivity. These snakes are native to parts of North, Central, and South America. Although there are several species of boa constrictors found in the pet trade, the two most common are red-tail boas (Boa constrictor constrictor) and northern boas (Boa constrictor imperator). Boa constrictors are an extremely popular snake in the pet trade and make an excellent adult beginning keeper’s pet.
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