Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

mrjingles · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 4:09 pm Post subject: general boa questions

Hi all, Ive owned a corn for the past two years and decided to buy a boa, with size in mind Ive decided on a El Salvador boa or some-kind of small dwarf.
Ive done enough research but still wanting to make some decisions that fall mainly on personal preference.

sooo...

I have a 2ft by 15inch deep by 18inch high wood vivarium to start off in.
I could do with some pointers on heating and substrate for starters.

I was going to buy a heat mat like my corn, with the corns viv being glass i had now problem with heating from outside the viv, but with wood I'm not sure with issues such as burning and moisture, so which would you suggest?

inside with slate cover ect or outside with stat probe inside?

Would it be better to have a ceramic bulb? i heard that snakes are normally more active with ceramics due to the whole viv being heated rather than mainly the mat surface

another question for you, what do you use for substrate with your boa?

Would be great if you could answer my questions and lead me in the right directions before i go out and buy my dwarf.

thanks all

Lynne · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 5:12 pm Post subject:

i have a ceramic in the boa viv, but mines is a common boa, may be differant for a dwarf. i always preferred mats, but must admit the ceramic in her viv is winning me round.
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Ailurus · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 7:17 pm Post subject:

mrjingles · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 3:39 pm Post subject:

thanks for the replies.

I have a ceramic laying about and a spare stat i used for my BD setup so i will try that out when my temp/humid therms come through the post and see what i have to work with.

I wasn't going to have any artificial light in the viv, or a UV. from care sheets i have look at they say its not needed, would you argue this, do they make a significant difference?

thanks.

Lynne · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 4:10 pm Post subject:

i dont have lights in any of my vivs. and i use a cat litter tray for water too as there is enough room for her to soak if she wants to.
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Ailurus · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 4:14 pm Post subject:

mrjingles · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 9:57 pm Post subject:

Hey all, thanks for you input. I've started moving a few things in and trying out ideas, i have the ceramic heating the hot spot to 30degrees I'm buying a guard for it don't worry!
there are currently: one long hide under the basking log that stretches the full 2ft of the viv, water container near the hotter side for humidity. one hide at the front cool side as well,
any ideas for the climbing side? it 18inch high. I'm thinking a few vines and dowel branches working it way to the back right and all along the front.
i have my digi therms and humid testers coming in the post so i can take time getting heat ect under control, this is just for decor ideas.
i'll be adding plants and substrate shortly.
any comments so far or ideas?
thanks alot.

Lynne · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 10:06 pm Post subject:

well i did give mine a plant, but its disappeared!!! Shocked

my viv has the ceramic at one end, and the probe for the stat is just off halfway down the length of the viv. i attached it to the wall with those phone clip things. her water is at 'cool' end. mine has some logs under the ceramic that she can bask on or if she wants she can disappear under them.she has a branch over her water bowl, which is a cats litter tray, and she loves to climb on this.
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Ailurus · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 10:34 pm Post subject:

It looks great!! you could put the water bowl at the other end, because it will evaporate very quickly and you may end up having to refill it more ten twice a day. Put it at the cool end and see what the humidity gets up to, if it doesnt get to the right amount just spary the tank with a spray bottle. If you use a good substrate such as orchid bark it will hold the humidity pretty well.

For climbing opportuinties you could get some pieces of cork bark tubes, and secure them in place, its up to you how you do that, if you can just wedge it in really firm.

For my corn snake viv i used an old tree branch which was cut down off a tree in a park near where i live. I put it in the bath and poured boiling water over it, and then washed it with a 1:10 mixture of bleach:water.

here is a pic:
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Tom

Snakes: :Pantherophis: :Coelognathus: :Lampropeltis: :Heterodon: :Antaresia:
Lizards: :Rhacodactylus: :Pogona: :Goniurosaurus:

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Stripey · I'm new here... Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 6

Looks good, hope you've got a bulb guard for the ceramic though.