Creating A Comfy Home For A Red -tail Boa

If you've never owned a reptile before, you may be feeling a bit intimidated at the idea of bringing one home. As you have probably already surmised, their needs are much different than those of a dog or a cat! But unlike mammalian pets, reptiles are not needy for attention, they do not cause allergies, and they can be left alone for a few days: making them unobtrusive and ideal pets for many. Red- tail boas are great reptiles for beginners, and are one of the gentlest of all snake pets. Here's an overview of what you will need to create a comfy home for your new red- tail boa.

Enclosure

The size of the tank or enclosure you need will depend greatly on the size of the snake when you bring him home. Most people get baby red-tails and will only need a small rectangular fish aquarium until he starts to grow a little larger. But the basic rule is, the tank your snake lives in should be at least as long as he is when he's completely stretched out.

Fixing up his home

Astroturf is an ideal covering for the bottom of the tank as it can easily be removed for cleaning. Snakes do poop! And they like to live in a clean environment. Snakes are cold-blooded animals that need a constant source of heat for when they want it. Red-tails are tropical snakes, and will also need a humidifier to keep their environment pleasingly moist. Your tank will therefore need to be outfitted with the following:

--Reptile lighting: usually a heat lamp rated for 100 to 250 watts: Do NOT use a heat rock as it might accidentally burn your snake!
--A ceramic heat emitter
--An under-tank heater
--Two digital reptile tank thermometers
--A humidity monitor
--Water dish large enough for your boa to coil up inside when desired

If you are using a boa-specific enclosed tank, you will not need to worry as much about maintaining appropriate humidity levels. For tanks with wire-meshed tops, you'll need to keep the top partially covered by a damp towel during the day to help keep your snake happy.

These are just the basics: be sure to work closely with your reptile shop owner to make sure you fix up the boa's new home just right and keep it that way. Red-tail boas are great pets, but they do have specific environmental demands in order to stay healthy.