Considering a pet boa as a first time snake owner

I personally never regretted getting a boa as my first snake. I would like to share some basic information that I have acquired over the years to help new keepers become confident boa owners. This is a page for very new keepers and the basics. I also want to let any new boa owners and future owners know that I am always open to talk about boas. I am always willing to answer questions and give advice to people. I love this hobby, I love boas, I want the hobby to continue and I want the boas who exist in the hobby to thrive. If you have any questions that I didn’t cover in this section, shoot me a message!

Lets talk Boas for a minute…

When it comes to keeping boas, there are many ways to do it correctly-meaning the enclosure is safe, secure, has a proper temp gradient and has proper humidity swings. It means your boa is growing at an appropriate rate, not too fast and not too slow. Your boa sheds, poops, and eats with no issues. It means your boa will live into its 20s or 30s or possibly even 40s if cared for properly. These animals are not hard to keep once you get all the necessary equipment.

Basic Boa care and info

  • A boa needs a hot spot between 88 degrees Fahrenheit to 92 degrees Fahrenheit with the air temps in the mid 80s range, the cool side can be in the upper 70s to mid 80s. in winter, the cool side could even dip to the mid 70s range. You will need a digital thermometer to monitor the temperature of the air in the enclosure. A thermometer monitors temp, a thermostat regulates the temp. It is always a good idea to use a thermometer and a temperature gun to double check that your thermostat is on point.

    Boas will spend more time on average on the cooler end of their enclosures. This is normal, boas need access to the heat when ever they finally decide they do need it, but sometimes, they even digest their meals on the cool end.

  • Humidity should fluctuate between 60% on up to 90% or higher. You can achieve this by misting the bedding or adding water directly to the bedding depending on the type you use. Allow the humidity to lower to around 60% before raising the humidity again. Boas do not like being constantly damp or constantly dry. You should use a digital hydrometer to monitor the humidity, at least in the beginning of your boa keeping journey..

    Eventually, you may become so in tuned with your reptile room, your misting schedule and using your own eyes to visually tell if your boa needs more humidity or not that you could keep boas without a humidity gauge in each enclosure. I personally have one wall mounted indoor humidity gauge for my entire boa room, and I check my boas daily to see if they need humidity. I generally mist my enclosures down every few days. A boa with proper humidity levels who is properly hydrated will have smooth shiny surfaces to individual scales, a boa who needs more humidity will have small dimples to the surface of each individual scale, if you see these dimples, the boa needs a heavy misting to plump those scales back up with moisture. These dimples are not to be confused with the phenomenon referred to as “lazy lines”. Lazy lines are long vertical creases that form along the flanks of your boa, the scales will fold in half and when the boa stretches out, the scales that were folded in half will poke straight out. this is a normal thing that occurs after a boa is coiled up tightly for a while, it is the boa equivalent to a bad hair day essentially and the scales will flatten back out, the creases will fade as the boa moves around and such. Lazy lines ARE NOT and indicator of an obese or dehydrated boa, many newer keepers think they are doing something wrong when they see this, but it is nothing to worry over.

    Boas should have their water changed every other day to every two days and should have access to fresh water at all times. Some boas will soak in their water or use their water bowl as a toilet. If you notice your boa enjoys soaking, try providing two water dishes, a large one to soak in and a smaller one for drinking in case they poop in the big one while you are away. This way, they will still have access to fresh water until you clean the poop water out. Boas tend to avoid drinking water that has been sitting in a bowl for longer than a few days, it is in their instincts to avoid drinking old stagnant water. I notice my boas will drink most often right after I refresh their dishes. Boas who are properly hydrated with fresh drinking water will shed better and have healthy smooth surfaces to their scales. Changing water frequently can encourage a boa to drink more.

  • A Boa must be able to stretch most of its body out while inside of its enclosure. A good rule of thumb is the length plus the width of the enclosures floor should be equal to or greater than the total length of the boa so for example, a 6 foot adult needs a minimum of 4 feet by 2 feet of floorspace. However, bigger is better. If a boa could live in an enclosure that is as long as it is, or longer, then the boa will likely be much happier. Boas will climb well into their old age if given the opportunity, it is a common myth that bigger boas stop wanting to climb. It is true that boas do not need to have very tall enclosures, but they absolutely will utilize the vertical space if it is provided, they are semi arboreal, meaning they climb but they do not live in the trees. Bare minimum, boas should have at least a foot and a half of height to their enclosures as adults. this will also be a handy feature when it comes time to clean. trying to clean the back corner of an adult sized enclosure under a foot tall is very much not fun.

    Every boa is different, some will climb more than others, some will soak more in water than others, some burrow in substrate, some will hide all the time, some will perch on a branch in the open and never hide. It will be up to your own observations of your boas to determine what enclosure set ups and features will work best for you.

    Pet owners will keep differently than most breeders for the simple fact that maintaining a large number of boas is hard to do with gigantic enclosures with extra features like lots of branches, live plants or fake plants, or elaborate water features or misting systems. Boas require space to stretch out, places to hide if they choose, fresh water always, and a clean environment. This can be achieved many different but correct ways.

  • Boas can be kept on a variety of substrates. Paper based options include Newspaper, indented craft paper, and corrugated cardboard. loose substrate options include coconut husk based bedding like eco earth, reptichip, or prococo. Aspen, orchid bark, cypress mulch, sphagnum moss, and peat moss are also good options. A boa can handle eating an accidental mouthful of any of those loose substrate, they pass hair and process bone, they can also process some bedding. You could even create a mixture of some of the above, I have experimented with half the enclosure with sphagnum moss and the other half with prococo. Some even use organic soil mixed with mosses, leaf litter, or mulches to create their own blends. You should check the enclosure for soiled spots really well every time you change water. Boas sometimes burry their urates and poop, so you have to really move stuff and look or you’ll miss a poop and it can grow mold. You can spot clean urates and smaller poop, but you should do a full bedding change and deep clean at least once every 3 to 6 weeks depending on mess levels. Spot cleaning is when you only clean the dirty spots and replace bedding that was removed, deep cleaning is when you remove everything, sanitize the entire inside of the enclosure and all the accessories and put all new bedding in.

    Things like paper towels and puppy pee pads should be avoided because boas have accidentally swallowed them with their meals. Usually if a boa swallows a paper towel or a whole pee pad, they do pass it eventually but if your boa isn’t large enough it may get stuck in the stomach and they could die. It really is best to avoid the possibility all together by using sturdier paper bedding that cannot be swallowed.

    If you live in a humid warm climate, you may need to use a paper substrate or aspen, or you can use the other beddings listed just do not mist as often. If you live in a dry area, you will need to mist more often and you should use bedding that holds humidity well, coconut based bedding are great for this, so are mosses. If your enclosure has poor ventilation and is kept too humid, you will start growing mold in the enclosure. Finding the delicate balance of proper substrate and how often to mist will be up to you and trial and error.

  • Ahhh yes, another touchy subject of boa keeping. Feeding…

    Boas are extremely efficient with storing fat. In the wild, they experience a wet season (in spring) and a dry season(winter). During the dry season, temperatures are cooler and food isn’t as plentiful, this is when boas naturally breed. Wild boas will eat as much as they boaly can in spring and summer so they pack on fat reserves for winter. Boas can go the full breeding season without food if they have enough fat stored up, this reserve fuels their energy for breeding and growing babies. In captivity, it is up to us as responsible keepers to ensure we are not over feeding or underfeeding. Boas in captivity just don’t expend as much energy as a wild boa who is constantly on the move traveling pretty far distances daily. Boas easily become fat and soft if you are not carful with their food intake. Breeder boas should be fed more than pet boas to prepare for the breeding season. Pet boas have no need for extra fat stores. The bulk of feeding schedule confusion with boas hinges on the fact that pet boa owners feed differently than boa breeders. To add to this confusion, some will change their feeding schedules with the seasons to mimic the wild, and others will feed their boas on regular intervals year round, not changing anything… So long as your boa has a good body condition and your boa takes about 4 to 6 years to reach adult length, you are doing it right. A boa with great body condition will have a square shape to their body, meaning the sides are flat, and the back is flat, creating a shape that resembles a loaf of bread. An adult boa that has grown properly will have proper proportions, their head length from snout to the back of their head should be a similar measurement to the widest part of their body, a little longer or shorter is fine. If your boa’s body is approaching twice as wide as the head is long, that means your boa needs a diet, or that it was pushed to grow too fast so its body grew but the head has not caught up yet. Keep in mind that younger boas will have larger heads, so these proportions only apply to mature boas over the age of 4.

    Baby boas should be fed every 10 days, some feed their newborns every 7 days at first while others start their babies at 10 days between meals right away. Baby boas should never be fed more frequently than every 7 days. Their digestive systems are delicate and cannot handle a lot right away, boas will throw up if fed too much or too large of a meal. Babies can be fed rat pinkies or fuzzy mice, rat pinkies are hairless and often come with milk in their bellies. This can cause loose poops from your boa, but that isn’t really too concerning, many prefer fuzzy mice for baby boas because the fuzzy fur helps hold poop together and their skeletons are slightly more developed than a rat pinkies mostly cartilage skeleton at that stage. However, I wish to be clear in saying rat pinkies are perfectly fine to offer, and your boa will grow just fine eating them. Once a boa is large enough to eat adult mice or weaned rats its time to increase the wait time to every 14 days. Once on medium rats you should increase time again to every 21 days or so, this is usually the point where you’ll see a massive growth spurt in your boas as well. For me, this is around age 2, they just seem to really explode in growth once the hit medium rats. Once on large rats, you really should be feeding them once every 28 days. anything larger than a large rat, you should go 5 weeks or more. Breeding boas will be offered food more frequently than this at certain points of the year. They may get a large rat every 2 or 3 weeks leading up to the season, that extra food is utilized by the boa and doesn’t sit around in the form of stored fat for long. They may go 3 or 4 months with no food whatso ever on their own accord during the breeding season, many will eat small meals while breeding, but too much food offered during breeding will make boas lazy breeders. Some people will put their boas on feeding/ non feeding schedules where they offer their adults meals every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and summer and they stop feeding them in winter for 2 months or so, or they will offer smaller meals, or they will simply increase the wait time between meals during winter. This can help boas use up any extra stored fat, it can also help boas to recognize the seasonal changes and prepare them to breed eventually by getting them used to periods of eating and periods of using stored fat.

    diversity in prey is recommended if you can do it. Boas love bird, Quail and chickens will happily be accepted. Once a boa is big enough that it can handle eating jumbo rats no problem, you could start offering the occasional 1lb to 1.5lb baby bunnies. The largest boas (beyond 8 feet) can handle bunnies that weigh even more than that. You should avoid feeding your big boas jumbo rats only, because jumbo rats are fairly high in fat content, baby bunnies are a leaner option at that point to toss in to mix things up. Bird can make for very smelly poop, do not be alarmed by that.

    Honestly, this is such a problematic topic and everyone has their own personal opinions on schedules and such. In my opinion, if your boa grew at the proper rate and looks good and is strong with good proportions, whatever you’re doing is correct.

  • Boas are weirdos, they do weird things that can make new keepers worried. So in this section, I will speak on some of the things you may experience.

    -Boas will always act hungry, especially right after eating. Boas are gluttons and its up to you to resist feeding them too much. Some people see their boas getting more active and cruising around as them being hungry and looking for food. They definitely are, but that doesn’t mean you need to feed them more. After eating, boas may be very on edge and alert looking for more food for up to 48 hours. They smell food and get into food mode and even after eating, food mode will still have a grip on their little brains. Do not be fooled into feeding your boa more than it should have, because a boa will absolutely eat itself to death if you keep offering. In the wild, they may eat whenever they get the opportunity to do so. They are opportunistic and in captivity, they will just keep taking whatever you offer

    -Some adult boas will refuse meals in winter. Boas who are sexually mature may feel the shift in seasons and decide to eat less on their own accord by refusing meals. Full boas are lazy breeders and they know this, so if they have breeding on the brain sometime they stop thinking about food. Most boas however will continue to eat whenever you offer food. A boa over the age of 4 can easily go 3 months off food in winter, so if your boa refuses food, don’t worry, just try again in a week or two, eventually they will eat again. If a younger boa is refusing meals, that is not normal. This is really something boas should only be felt compelled to do when they are mature, little ones may be refusing food for other reasons that demand your attention like improper temps or the food being thawed incorrectly.

    -Boas like to bury themselves in substrate and just poke their little noses out, this is normal behavior for them. They are ambush predators so they like to hide in an ambush position. Sometimes, boas will do this when they are seeking more humidity while they are in shed. They can also do this if they feel like there is no other places to hide. Sometimes they do this to get into contact with the belly heat if the air temperature is too low. If you check your enclosure and there are plenty of places to hide, the humidity is good, and the heat is good, them being buried is nothing to worry about.

    -Boas will spend more time on the cooler end of the enclosure on average. New keepers often wonder if they should move their boas to the warm end, as long as your temperature gradient is on point and there are places to hide on both the cool end and the warm end, there is nothing to be concerned over. Boas may even digest a meal on the cooler side.

    -Some boas will rub their noses raw on their enclosures. Some boas may damage themselves to the point of having an open wound on their muzzles or between their eyes, or they may develop a large bump on their noses from rubbing. Boas rub for many reason, too small of an enclosure, temperatures being off and they are desperately trying to seek a good temperature zone to rest, the enclosure having all clear sides so the boas think they can climb on things near by so they keep rubbing their face to try to get to the thing they want, having small animals like birds or rodents near them in the same room can cause some boas to rub, sheer boredom and wanting to get out to explore more. unfortunately, some boas will develop a nose rubbing habit seasonally, with breeding season and nothing short of putting them with another boa to breed will stop them. This is more common with males. In cases like these, the best thing you can do is soften any rough edges in the enclosure, many sliding plexiglass doors have sharp edges that should be sanded smooth or you could cover them. I personally have used nerf gun bullets, cut the tip off, cut a slit along the side and then glue those to the edges of the plexiglass to literally nerf the edge. You could also offer your nose rubber an additional small meal hear and there to slow them down but this should not be an option you resort to often, because boas can become obese very easily. Taking nose rubbers out more often can help tire them out as well so they don’t have the energy to rub as much. Unfortunately, some boas will not have this behavior resolved by quick fixes like a bigger enclosure or covering the sides and you just have to do what you can to lessen the damage they could cause to themselves.

    -Some boas like to hide, some never hide. You may find your boa is never out in the open and it may make you concerned that they are afraid or don’t feel secure. You may find you put plenty of hiding spots in an enclosure but your boa never uses them and they prefer to sleep right out in the open. Both of these behaviors are normal, some boas are just more brave than others. If you have a boa that hides all the time, do not feel bad for pulling it out of its hiding spot to clean or handle it.

    -Once a boa gets some size to them, you can hear them breath when you handle them sometimes. This one really freaks people out, Boas have one long fully functional lung and the other one is much smaller and nearly vestigial but does function some what. Their long lung extends through a good portion of their bodies, so when they exert themselves hard, air can be pushed out of their lung. this can happen when you readjust them, or they are climbing something really difficult to climb. The sound they make is like a soft puff/hiss sound when the air comes out. its actually pretty cute hearing this tiny hiss sound in your ear when they climb you. This sound doesn’t mean your boa has a respiratory issue. Respiratory issues will sound like a wet crackling bubbling sound when they breath, you’ll see drool and bubbles from the nose and mouth, the boa may even open its mouth to breath occasionally but most importantly, a boa with respiratory issues will sound like that when they are completely fully on the ground not exerting themselves.

    -Boas will occasionally look straight into the ceiling and hold that pose for long periods, sitting statue still. I like to call this behavior “praying for rats”. Boas are sit and wait predators. In the wild, they will find a good spot and wait for food to walk by them. In captivity, boas learn that rats basically sometimes come from the sky. They will just sit there and expect a rat to come to them, because in their mind, it does. This behavior does not mean you need to feed your boa more. This is just them doing what they do, waiting for their next meal. Sometimes, people mistake this for an illness referred to as “stargazing”. Stargazing is a neurological disorder that causes boas to look up in the air and then fall over or fall back on themselves, it causes them to twist their heads in painful looking cork screws. A boa suffering with this condition will appear wobbly and drunk, they physically cannot sit still. A boa praying for rats looks like a perfectly still statue.

    -Some boas love to soak in water just because they like water. Soaking can be a sign of a few things, such as mites, over heating, dehydration, or constipation. If you can rule out those things as causes for extended soaking, you may just have a boa that really enjoys water. If this is the case, I suggest using two water dishes, a large one for soaking and a smaller one for drinking in case they poop in their soaking dish while you are away. Part of owning boas is determining what their individual preferences are and finding ways to keep them happy and entertained in an enclosure, soaking can be a form of enrichment for some boas. Its best to allow the boa to choose when it wants to be in water over forcing it to soak in a bathtub or something when you want them to soak. Even water loving boas may quickly try to get out of a bathtub of water if they don’t feel like swimming when you put them in there.

Supplies you will need

There are good and bad products on the market. Its important to know which products come with a certain level of risk and I hope to clear things up a bit in this section. There are obviously many more things you will need, such as feeding tongs, cleaning supplies, maybe even a snake hook but here’s a basic list of extremely essential things you shouldn’t own a boa without.

  • A quality thermostat to regulate the temperature of whatever heating source you use

  • A quality heat source that reliably and consistently keeps your hot spot in the proper range

  • Access to an exotic vet within a reasonable distance in case your boa needs vet attention down the line.

  • A quality enclosure. boas can get big and they can break free from poorly designed enclosures or fish tanks with screen lids.

  • A temp gun. even if you have a thermometer tracking temps in the enclosure, it really is important to have a temp gun. you can point and read the temp of literally any spot, even the boa itself, its a great tool to have to double check your equipment in seconds.

  • Access to rodents for your boa. you could buy them from a local store or breeder, order them online from various websites, or breed your own.

Thermostats

There are different types of thermostats for different types of heating elements. A thermostat is something you will need because most reptile heating elements have the potential to get very hot when unregulated. they are designed this way so you can use a thermostat to keep the heat at a set desired temperature, this makes the heating elements extremely flexible for any reptile species, but also means if used incorrectly by being unregulated, it can burn your reptile or start a house fire. If you do not know what type of thermostat you need, here is some information on each type of thermostat

  • These thermostats are the cheapest and are suitable for controlling heat mats, heat cables and other similar heat sources which provide contact heat. They work by checking the temperature at the thermostat probe at frequent intervals. Once the temperature at the probe reaches the temperature set on the thermostat controller, it will turn power to the heat source off, and when it drops below this temperature, it will turn back on to maintain your set temperature within a few degrees temperature swing.

    To be effective, the thermostat probe ideally needs to be in contact with the heat source directly, outside of the enclosure sandwiched between the bottom or back of the enclosure and the heating element. Putting the probe anywhere else in the vivarium will not allow the on/off thermostat to maintain the heat source at the set temperature accurately.

    Because of their on/off nature, these thermostats are not suitable for controlling light emitting heat sources such as bulbs, or for ceramic heat emitters, as they have a tendency to blow the bulb frequently and also turning the light on and off regularly may be stressful to your reptile.

  • These thermostats are best for controlling non light emitting heat sources such as ceramic heat emitters and radiant heat panels. They are also suitable for more accurate control of heat mats where precise temperatures are important, such as in incubators.

    They work by constantly checking the temperature at the thermostat probe, and by changing how frequently pulses of electricity are sent to the heat source. If the temperature at the thermostat probe is too hot, then the frequency of electrical pulses to the heat source will be decreased, if the probe is too cool, the frequency of electrical pulses to the heat source will be increased.

    To be effective, the thermostat probe should be positioned at the spot where the temperature set on the thermostat is desired, preferably within 5 to 10 inches of the heat source inside the enclosure. This allows an accurate temperature to be maintained at the thermostat probe.

    Because of the pulses of electricity used to maintain an accurate temperature, these thermostats are not suitable for controlling light emitting heat sources such as light bulbs. If used with a light emitting source, they cause flashing of the light and tend to blow the bulb frequently.

  • These thermostats are more expensive, but are the only effective way to control light emitting heat sources such as light bulbs. They can actually be used to control pretty much any source of heat, and are very good at maintaining precise temperatures.

    They work by providing a 'sliding' amount of electricity to the heat source, which causes a light emitting heat source to 'Dim' up and down to maintain temperature. If the temperature at the thermostat probe is too hot, then the amount of electricity supplied is decreased and the bulb dims. If the temperature at the probe is too low, then more electricity is supplied, causing the bulb to get brighter and therefore increasing the heat provided.

    To be effective, the thermostat probe should be positioned at the spot where the temperature set on the thermostat is desired, preferably within 5 to 10 inches of the heat source inside the enclosure. This allows an accurate temperature to be maintained at the thermostat probe.

    Although these thermostats can be used with practically any heat source, it is usually more cost effective to use these for light bulbs

Heat sources, Always used with a thermostat

  • Belly heat is generally provided using heat tape or heat pads. These heating elements work by warming a section of the enclosure floor to create a warm spot for the reptile to lay on. however, these heating elements may not be very effective at heating the air in the enclosure.

    People who only need to use heat tape or heat pads generally have a warmer reptile room, potentially the room is heated using a small room heater to generate the warm air and the heat pad or heat tape provide the hottest spot for thermo-regulation.

    These heating elements are best suited for plastic tubs, glass enclosures, and smaller PVC enclosures that use more thin PVC. You may need to use heat tape or heat pads in conjunction with another type of heating element to achieve your proper temperature gradient.

  • Radiant heat panels mimic the sun’s direct radiant heat from above. They warm the air as well as the floor of the enclosure under the panel. They are mounted to the ceiling or side wall of an enclosure, inside.

    These heating elements are very natural feeling to most reptiles. they last very long, usually beyond 10 years. These heating elements are best suited for PVC enclosures, wooden enclosures, or other enclosures that are front opening and use thicker material that heat pads and heat tape cannot penetrate.

    The thermostat probe should be placed about 3 to 5 inches from the heat panels heating surface, you can either zip tie the probe to a sturdy immovable enclosure accessory under the heat panel, or you can zip tie it or use cord management clips glued to the ceiling of the enclosure to have the probe dangling about 3 to 5 inches from the ceiling next to the heat panel. the probe doesn’t have to dangle directly under the heat panel, it can be right next to the edge of the panel dangling down in the air

    The top tier brands are safe and reliable and will not burn your reptile if used correctly with a thermostat regulating the heat. Radiant heat panels are my personal favorite way to heat enclosures, I just find they are efficient, safe, and reliable in ways other heating elements are not.

  • Heat lights and ceramic heat emitters provide warm air as well as warm the floor of the enclosure. Some people use lower wattage heat lights or ceramic heat emitters in conjunction with heat pads or heat tape, especially with glass enclosures or very large enclosures. If your reptile room is not very warm, you may need to use two heat sources, both regulated by thermostat, to achieve warm air and a hot spot. these should be replaced every 6 to 12 months, and sometimes they may die out sooner than 6 months. keep backups on hand.

    Lighting is a somewhat controversial topic to argue over. Some claim boas do not need special lighting, some claim they do need special lighting. I personally am in the -boas do not need special lighting- camp but I do think that using full spectrum lighting can and will encourage a boa’s natural basking behaviors. Plus, having full spectrum lighting will likely bring some benefit to your boa’s mental health and physical health. They are living creatures who experience the sun in the wild afterall, why not recreate that in captivity. A boa can live a full life and thrive without any additional full spectrum lighting what so ever though. Lighting is up to you really and going above and beyond to provide special lighting is not necessary but likely a good idea.

Enclosure styles

  • Tubs come in all different sizes and have proven to be a great option for growing boas. Boas take roughly 4 to 6 years to really reach their larger sizes, so many people choose to use the affordable and easy option of tubs until their boas require something larger. You can use tubs by themselves with a modified lid or opt for tubs that have secure, lockable lids already. Boas are escape artists and will break out of a tub if it isn’t secure. You can also use tubs in a rack system. Boas do eventually outgrow the largest tubs ( the Iris 44 Gal. Storage Tote With Wheels) and will need something more permanent by the time they fully mature.

  • In my opinion, PVC is the best option for adult boa constrictors. There are many PVC enclosure companies out there and many even offer customization options, a few can even create an enclosure based off your own dimensions and design requests. PVC is easy to clean, last a very long time, the enclosures are sturdy and stackable, freeing up space in your reptile room. These enclosures hold heat and humidity wonderfully. They can be expensive, they can take forever and a day to ship, and in some cases you may have to assemble an enclosure yourself which can be intimidating to some people but I assure you, if I can do it, you can to. PVC enclosures just work, there really aren’t many downsides and if you have the money and time to wait, I recommend them above all else for boas

  • Aquariums can work, but there are a few things to understand before considering them as a housing option for a boa. Glass aquariums do not hold heat or humidity very well, if you have a warm home and live in a humid area, this may be exactly what you need. If you live somewhere where it gets cold and dry, a glass aquarium will require modifications to the lid to retain heat and humidity. You could cover most of the screen top with foil tape or an acrylic sheet with air holes drilled into it to trap heat and humidity. The screen can cause many issues on its own, boas sometimes rub their faces on their enclosures and if they rub on screen and they could develop some serious disfiguring facial injuries that way. If you notice your boa rubbing on the screen, you should consider a different enclosure entirely or get a custom lid with no screen built for your aquarium. Another modification you may have to do is blacking out 3 sides of your glass, you could do this by covering it with cardboard, or fish aquarium background paper, or just regular paper even. Some boas feel very insecure in glass enclosures, they feel exposed and this can lead to a boa striking the glass out of fear when people walk by. This could also be a problem for curious boas who rub their faces on the glass thinking they can get past the glass to climb on things near by. Covering 3 sides can reduce these behaviors.

    Glass aquariums are big and heavy and cumbersome to move but they can be stunningly beautiful display pieces, a small slice of living jungle in your home. If you really have your heart set on using glass, it is possible and you could really make it into something to behold

  • Custom wooden or melamine enclosures are a great option if made correctly. You must use the appropriate wood and it must be sealed so humidity doesn’t rot the enclosure away over time. Certain woods like pine, cedar, redwood and the boards made of compressed chips are not ideal. Pine, redwood and cedar have toxic oils in the wood that can cause issues. the compressed boards often use formalin byproduct or a solution with formalin in it which could be very problematic. Birch, Fir, Aspen, Oak, Walnut, Cherry, Luan, and Melamine are safe and far better options for custom enclosures. Drylok and pond shield are good safe brands of sealant to make sure the interior is water proof and protected against humidity. Wooden enclosures can be very heavy, but the pros outweigh the cons when you consider that a wooden enclosure can be whatever you need it to be, you can make it how you see fit, the possibilities are endless.

Some suggested brands of equipment listed here.

  • Top tier quality thermostats:

    -Herpstat by Spyder robotics.

    -Vivarium Electronics

    -Ranco

    Mid range quality thermostats:

    -Ink bird

    -BN LINK digital thermostat

    -Jump start

    For Heatmats/Cables use an On/Off Thermostat

    For Ceramic Bulbs/Accurate Heatmat Temperatures use a Pulse Thermostat

    For Light Bulbs use a Dimming Thermostat

    Always check that the thermostat you use is suitable for the wattage of your heat source. On/Off stats usually come in either 100W or 300W, and Pulse/Dimming Thermostats are usually rated to 600W.

  • Heat pads:

    -Zoo Med ReptiTherm Under Tank Heater

    -Fluker’s Heat mat

    Heat tape:

    -Flexxwatt

    Heat panels:

    -Pro heat

    -Sweater heater

    Heat bulbs:

    -ExoTerra

    -ZooMed

    -Fluker’s

    Ceramic heat emitters:

    -OMAYKEY 100W ceramic heat lamp

    -Fluker’s

    Full spectrum lighting:

    - Arcadia T5 10 Forest 6%

    - Zoo Med T5 HO Reptisun 5.0

  • Thermometers/hydrometers:

    -Govee Hygrometer Thermometer

    -AcuRite Pro

    -REPTI ZOO Reptile Terrarium Thermometer Hygrometer

    -Inkbird ITH-10

    Temp guns:

    -Lufei A530 Entry-Level Non-Contact Digital Infrared Thermometer Temperature Gun

    -Etekcity Infrared Thermometer 1080, Heat Temperature Temp Gun

    -Masione Temperature Gun Non-contact Digital Laser Infrared Ir Thermometer