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

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

Heat sources, Always used with a thermostat

Enclosure styles

Some suggested brands of equipment listed here.