

That being said, don’t be afraid to fill your boa’s enclosure with accessories - just make sure they’re the right kind. EnrichmentĬolombian red tail boas benefit from living in an environment that offers them plenty of stimulation and things to do. To ensure that your snake’s cycle isn’t impacted, we’d recommend avoiding these bulbs. However, there are mixed opinions on the use of these bulbs, because it’s unclear whether or not the colors of the bulbs can be perceived by reptiles. The thought behind this is that snakes can’t perceive the colors of the bulbs, therefore, they don’t affect the day/night cycle. Some snake keepers choose to use red or purple bulbs for nighttime viewing. The natural rising and setting of the sun should be adequate for keeping their day/night cycle in its natural rhythm. In most cases, as long as your snake’s enclosure is kept in a room that receives natural sunlight from a window, your boa will be happy. LightingĬolombian red tails don’t require any specialized lighting, which sets them (and most other snakes) apart from other reptiles like bearded dragons and most species of lizards. You can monitor both sides of your enclosures’ temperatures by installing thermometers on both sides or by using a temperature gun and checking periodically. Just be sure that you don’t throw a blanket over the top of a heat lamp or heat panel unless you’re looking to cause a fire. If you find that your snake is too cold, you could consider covering the cold half of the enclosure with a blanket or other insulation to help retain heat. Zoo Med Labs Digital Hygrometer and Thermometer For example, a bark-based jungle bedding will retain moisture, while aspen shavings dry far too quickly to affect the humidity within the air. Whatever you choose to use, though, be sure that it has plenty of ventilation holes.Ĭertain types of bedding can help maintain this level of humidity, too.

In this case, cover part of your lid with pegboard, plastic, or another insulating material to help retain humidity. If your enclosure has a mesh lid, you may lose valuable humidity. You can achieve this level by positioning a large water bowl underneath a heat bulb or heat emitter.

Inside your pet Boa imperator’s enclosure, the humidity should be between 60 and 80 percent. HumidityĬolombian red tailed boas are found across South and Central America, which means that their natural habitat is one with naturally high humidity levels. In many cases, it’s necessary to purchase a custom-made enclosure. It can be hard to find enclosures this large, so it’s a good idea to find a source for your enclosure before purchasing a snake that requires this size of the enclosure. A good rule of thumb is to have your boa imperator transferred into its adult enclosure by the time it reaches four feet in length. Like most snakes, red tails are carnivores and do well with a diet that consists of mice, rats, rabbits, and other mammals of the appropriate size for each of their life stages.Ģ0-gallon tanks work just fine for young Colombian red tails, but by the time they turn 6 years old, they will need to be upgraded to a 6 x 2 x 2. They require moderate to high humidity levels and large enclosures with plenty of enrichment in the way of things to climb and places to hide. However, you may also hear these snakes, especially in pet trade, referred to as Colombian red tail boa (or Columbian red tail boa).Ĭolombian red tails are known for their adult lengths and generous girth. The common names for this snake are common boa, Colombian boa and northern boa. They can be found in Central America and northwestern Colombia. Will My Colombian Red Tail Boa Stop Grow if It’s in a Small Enclosure?Ĭolombian red tail boas are large, full-bodied, non-venomous constrictors that are native to the Americas.
