Ok.... Im a n00b when it comes to Boa's so bear with me. What size enclosure / tub do you use for an adult RTB. After looking at some of the images on here... I think I really want one.... or two.... or three.

Im looking at either BCI or Hog Island

Thanks

My favorite cage is a boaphile 421D. I have animal plastics too, but I prefer the boaphile hands down. This cage would be great for both male and female boas.

You can check them out here: http://www.boaphileplastics.com/

We use Visions , 48"L x 26"D x 14"H.

Any standard 4 foot cage will work for up to 8 feet of snake easily. I don't recommend anything taller than 14" since its wasted space and can cause heating issues.

So basically a rack is out of the question for boas.... gotta look for more space

Most of the boa keepers who use commercial cages instead of tubs or a homemade enclosure seem to prefer either the 421D from Boaphile as Larry has already mentioned or the T10 from Animal Plastics.

Larry just out of curiosity what do you find superior about the boaphiles? I have an AP cage but no Boaphiles. Im thinking of getting some more cages in the future and was wondering which to go with.

I use tubs/racks for my babies and larger cages for bigger guys 4 footers

So basically a rack is out of the question for boas.... gotta look for more space

It can be done. You just need some might big tubs. I think JC built a huge rack with some Christmas tree tubs that might fit the bill. Also I believe Freedom Breeder makes a big boa rack system but its mucho dollars.

Dont forget Boaphile and AP cages do stack so space shouldnt be a problem.

My dream cages when I replace my plastic bins and christmas tree boxes....

http://www.constrictorsnw.com/cagessupply.html

This season....different construction and material all together. Not really that much more considering what they are....

Most of the boa keepers who use commercial cages instead of tubs or a homemade enclosure seem to prefer either the 421D from Boaphile as Larry has already mentioned or the T10 from Animal Plastics.

Larry just out of curiosity what do you find superior about the boaphiles? I have an AP cage but no Boaphiles. Im thinking of getting some more cages in the future and was wondering which to go with.

A few things:

- I don't like the center brace. I love the big door on the boaphiles
- AP's do not maintain heat like a boaphile
- I don't like how the AP has seams that need sealing. I love the molded design of boaphile
- I can stack more boaphiles than AP

A few things:

- I don't like the center brace. I love the big door on the boaphiles
- AP's do not maintain heat like a boaphile
- I don't like how the AP has seams that need sealing. I love the molded design of boaphile
- I can stack more boaphiles than AP

Ah ha. So the boaphiles come already assembled one piece molded design? I see what you're saying.

Yes, they are totally sealed. A full water bowel can be tipped over and you won't have to worry about it dripping out the seams. Sure you can seal APs, but it does not hold up.

Yes, they are totally sealed. A full water bowel can be tipped over and you won't have to worry about it dripping out the seams. Sure you can seal APs, but it does not hold up.

I see. I use the cage for lizards and its full of dirt so spilling isnt an issue for me. Plus they are dwarf monitors, just little guys. But I can understand what you mean when it comes to large snakes.

Ill have to look into Boaphiles if/when I finally get the Peru red tails Ive been wanting :D

So basically a rack is out of the question for boas.... gotta look for more space

I keep my dwarf boas and males up to 5 ft in a 74 qt rack. Females being bigger get cages. You can do a rack and Vision has tubs that are the same floor space as a 4 ft cage.

Ok... looks like I will be opting for caging.

I'll see if I can find the link to the tubs I was looking at. If I remember right , there were some on there big enough to tub females.

Look at the boa tubs , plenty big for a nice 6ft female.

http://www.visionproducts.us/htm7/tubs.html

My favorite cage is a boaphile 421D. I have animal plastics too, but I prefer the boaphile hands down. This cage would be great for both male and female boas.

You can check them out here: http://www.boaphileplastics.com/

421D are perfect for a small collection. For a growing collection I would use 421D for females and 41quart tub rack for the males.

Now, if we are talking racks, I prefer AP and RBI racks. I have vision racks too, but do not like them so much.

wow.... some of those tubs are expensive. Thanks for all the info... gives me something to think about.

wow.... some of those tubs are expensive. Thanks for all the info... gives me something to think about.

Still cheaper than caging when you put together a rack that can hold a couple more in comparison to how many 12" high cages you can stack.

True... were the boa tubs you were refering to the 40" ones? I noticed they had some huge tubs in the $200+ range.

Rich over at Reptile basics makes a pretty nice 4 footer too. Molded, so no assembly, and working just fabulous so far. Also a bit cheaper then the Boaphiles, and equally good IMO. I got 4 of them, and will end up with 4 more at least.

But I have a difference of opinion on the adult cage size. Different Boa tend to be different sizes as adults. Colombian Boas have the potential to reach a pretty good size, as do most BCC, so their cages should be a min 5'x2' IMO, but I tend to go with the 6'x2' for them. If you're talking most others, like BCI, CA Boa and several Island Boa, a 4 footer should work fine, because they stay a tad smaller then Colombians and BCC.

Find out what exactly you think you want as far as type of Boa, and work from there as far as the final cage size goes.

I have a 5 stack of Boaphile 321D for my Nics. Love them. I'm starting to put $$ aside for the stack of 421D I'll need for my BCI(they're only a year old, so I have some time. lol). I have AP racks, along with a few other arboreal cages from Barrs, but for the boas you just can't beat the Boaphile for reliability. The boas shed well, the heat is well controlled, the one large door is great(who wants to wrestle a snake from a side door when he's wrapping around the middle support?) etc. etc. Plus everything will be installed for you. Just unpackage, let it air out ( a little stinky coming out of the wrap) and plug it in. Ready to go. Shipping included. The racks even come with the containers!

Rich over at Reptile basics makes a pretty nice 4 footer too. Molded, so no assembly, and working just fabulous so far. Also a bit cheaper then the Boaphiles, and equally good IMO. I got 4 of them, and will end up with 4 more at least.

But I have a difference of opinion on the adult cage size. Different Boa tend to be different sizes as adults. Colombian Boas have the potential to reach a pretty good size, as do most BCC, so their cages should be a min 5'x2' IMO, but I tend to go with the 6'x2' for them. If you're talking most others, like BCI, CA Boa and several Island Boa, a 4 footer should work fine, because they stay a tad smaller then Colombians and BCC.

Find out what exactly you think you want as far as type of Boa, and work from there as far as the final cage size goes.

Thanks for the post... I want some Sunglows and some Hog Islands... Im assuming the Sunglows are BCI..... I hope.

4 footer for the Hog should work out fine. That's what I got mine in.
Unsure about adult Sunglow size. I Haven't seen any really large ones, but who's to say there ain't any? The Albino gene comes from Colombian Boa, as does (in theory) half the Salmons genes. So they probably have the "potential" to reach decent size. That would be my guess anyway.

Do you breed your Hogs? The colombians... dont they get in the 10' range? or am I off?

Do you breed your Hogs? The colombians... dont they get in the 10' range? or am I off?

Got plans for it. Picking up my male soon. Not sure when I'll breed them though. Another season or two I'm sure.

I haven't seen any real large Colombians in many years. I personally had one 12 ft and +/- 70 lbs. My mom had a 13 footer @ 85 lbs, the late Lloyd Lemke had several in that range. Not sure what Ronne's large girls are going, but if the genes are present, Colombians can get pretty good size. That's not saying all of them will though.

Those sizes are definitely the exception. If fed moderately, Colombian females can be maintained around 8ft. Males should be much smaller. I have males that are almost 10 years old and only about 5ft. Although, I only feed small / medium rats to my adult males. Big fat females are not good for breeding either. Keep them lean and small.

Those sizes are definitely the exception.

Didn't used to be. Personally, I think captive propagation has played a role in their size over the years, because you just see less and less of the large ones anymore. Used to see them a bunch.

Rich over at Reptile basics makes a pretty nice 4 footer too. Molded, so no assembly, and working just fabulous so far. Also a bit cheaper then the Boaphiles, and equally good IMO. I got 4 of them, and will end up with 4 more at least.

But I have a difference of opinion on the adult cage size. Different Boa tend to be different sizes as adults. Colombian Boas have the potential to reach a pretty good size, as do most BCC, so their cages should be a min 5'x2' IMO, but I tend to go with the 6'x2' for them. If you're talking most others, like BCI, CA Boa and several Island Boa, a 4 footer should work fine, because they stay a tad smaller then Colombians and BCC.

Find out what exactly you think you want as far as type of Boa, and work from there as far as the final cage size goes.


I have some racks from Rich and I like them very much. I will have to look into his cages. Decisions, decisions!

Ok... more n00b questions.....

and just so ya'll know....your all bad influences. I had no real desire for a boa till I came here...its all your fault.

now for the questions.... how are you heating your cages... I use flexwatt for pretty much everything... can you install that inside the cage?

Need some help here... point me in the right direction.

Ok... more n00b questions.....

and just so ya'll know....your all bad influences. I had no real desire for a boa till I came here...its all your fault.

now for the questions.... how are you heating your cages... I use flexwatt for pretty much everything... can you install that inside the cage?

Need some help here... point me in the right direction.

Most folks position the flexwatt on the outside of conventional caging. It can be taped by the edges to the outside bottom of the cage.

but how would that heat thru a plastic cage... I know it works good with racks and tubs... what about the boaphile type cages?

It works plenty well. I use it on the outside of my cages, but the thermo probe is inside.

If you wanted to put it inside, you could, but with some mods. I slot the back of the cage at floor level, and slide through the slot, with enough extra so the wiring is outside in the back. Silver strips down, and cover with a thin piece of plexiglass that's slightly wider then the flex, and metal tape the plexi along the edges makes it a semi sealed unit from water spillage.

Or you could buy an Ultra-Therm (http://www.reptilebasics.com/Ultratherm-Heat-Pads-p-1-c-273.html) heat mat, which is essentially Flex encased in thick laminate, and pre-wired. Probably safer if you wanted to go with the inside.

But they also work outside, because I'm using 4 of the 11"x24" ones, and they're great so far.

but how would that heat thru a plastic cage... I know it works good with racks and tubs... what about the boaphile type cages?


Expanded PVC is an insulator, no getting around that fact. However flexwatt will still work on that material and conduct heat at a sufficient rate through it.

I hear the heating works very well in cages from the manufacturer you mention.

but how would that heat thru a plastic cage... I know it works good with racks and tubs... what about the boaphile type cages?

Like everyone said as long as your probe is on the inside you should be just fine...I have seen it both ways and the only advise I can give is boa's don't do anything small...urine and feces so if it is on the inside...you get the picture...lol

I use it on the inside of GTP cages...but that is also attached to the top of the cage.

Thanks for the heads up Jeff.

If you have 4 cages stacked... do you have a t-stat on each.. or just on the one in the middle to regulate all?

Thanks for the heads up Jeff.

If you have 4 cages stacked... do you have a t-stat on each.. or just on the one in the middle to regulate all?

That's up to debate....

I found that when you solder the connections with exactly the same amount of cord to each and put the probe on the middle one you get it pretty close. Granted you still need the cages a foot or two off the floor to make sure you don't get to much help from mother nature.

I slip a piece of 1/4 luan ply in between my cages then tape my 17 x 24 flex watt to the ply. I slip my probe between the cage & heat tape and use a temp gun to dial in the hot spot.

I believe the Boaphiles come with already installed in the interior.

Any other advise for a Boa n00b?

On the Boaphile 421D.. would you get the 11.5 tall or the 17.5 tall?

I prefer the 11.5 because I can stack more and they are very easy to control the heat. However, if you get the 17.5, I would get the shelf. I you do not get the shelf, I don't see a reason to get the taller cage.

Give Jeff Ronne a call. He'll help you pick the correct heating setup for your room temps and answer any other question you may have.