This page contains information relevant to the captive care of Boa constrictors and details related to health concerns.
Housing/Cage:
Before purchasing a new boa you should have a cage set up and ready for it when it arrives. Keep in mind that a boa needs to be kept in a cage of suitable size for its current age and size and you should not drop a baby into an enclosure for an adult. Typically babies start out in plastic shoebox size bins, best kept in a rack specifically designed for such bins. Herp Enclosures, Boaphile Plastics, Animal Plastics, Vision, Herp Cages, and Habitat Systems all offer great racks to house young boas. As your boa grows its cage size should be increased to accommodate their growth. Most boas can live out their lives in a 4'x2' cage once they reach maturity. Some smaller locales, or small males can be kept in CB-70 bins housed in racks. Plastic cages are the best route as they hold heat and humidity well and are typically easy to clean. Be aware of the material the cage is made out of. Some materials (although the company makes them for reptiles) are not suitable for live animals, also some may be difficult to clean or perhaps weak and prone to cracks or breakage. I feel it is best to keep adult females in cages vs. large racks like Freedom Breeder. This also applies for smaller females. When you breed your boa it is much easier to check on a female or mating pair when you can look into the cage via a glass door. Pulling out bins in a rack can disturb breeding and may stress out gravid females. For cages I use and recommend Proline, Boaphile, and Animal Plastics. Showcase Cages, Habitat Systems, and others are great options as well. I suggest finding one company that you like most and using them, often this requires some trial and error.
Substrate:
While many substrates are on the market, only a few are really acceptable for boas. Aspen, Cypress, Paper Towels, Craft Paper, Newspaper, and Corrugated sheets can all work well. Most keepers find one of the paper products easiest to use. There is no worry of ingestion of substrate material when feeding on paper and they are easy to clean. Often when a loose substrate like Aspen is used the keeper simply spot cleans, while with paper the keeper is more likely to fully clean and disinfect the cage when it is soiled. I personally keep all of my boas on Paper Towels, which are absorbent, and sterile.
Climate Regulation:
Perhaps one of the most important aspects of keeping Boas are proper controls for the environment. As such it is also important that you use safe heating products. Boas need belly heat and can best obtain this from flexwatt or well installed heat cable. Use the lowest wattage of heat possible to maintain proper temperatures. While many people use radiant heat panels for other snakes such as Green Tree Pythons these should really be avoided for boas. They can be used to raise ambient temperatures if the room the cage is in is too cold, but the cage should always have belly heat. It is important to use quality thermostats to regulate your temperatures. Digital proportional are best. In fact the on/off are NOT designed to work with flexwatt. Herpstat and Helix make some excellent products. I use a combination of both brands. A lot of keepers tend to use one thermostat for multiple cages, while this can function well I do not recommend it. If that thermostat fails there are a lot of animals at risk. For this reason I personally use one thermostat per cage. The Herpstat Pro is an excellent product for this. It offers four independent thermostats in one unit, each with its own resettable fuse. The Herpstat models offer an easy way to raise and or lower temperatures which works well during cycling for breeding. The Pro and ND offer built in night drop features as well for those who choose to use them.
Feeding:
Feeding regimens vary for boas dependent on subspecies, sex and age of the individual animal. Typically babies are fed every 7-10 days depending on the subspecies. Boas benefit from meals on the smaller side rather than large. Smaller meals will ensure good growth and strong muscle development versus a fat boa. As such your boa will not only live a longer and healthier life but will breed very well. Adult females can be fed every 7-14 days, again it depends on the type of boa, BCC and BCA may be better off with more time between meals, while BCI can handle more frequent feedings. One thing is certain, adults do not need to eat often. Males are fed much less and I find that my males do best fed every 3 weeks to once a month. When people visit and handle my male boas they respond how the animals feel like iron because of such strong muscle tone. These strong and lean males make champion breeders. Typically in preparation for breeding a month or two before cooling males are fed on a 7-14 day schedule. It is best to feed your boas frozen thawed rodents. Rodents that have been frozen for at least 2 weeks have killed off any viruses or parasites they may have had. Freezing does not kill bacteria and for this reason it is even more imperative that you know the condition of your prey animals. Female boas that contract round worms from live prey may not be affected in general health because of the parasite if the parasitic load is small but they will not breed. More reason to always feed frozen thawed.
Disease/Treatment:
Consult with a reputable reptile veterinarian. Your local Zoo should be able to put you in contact with numerous qualified reptile vets, but try and find someone specialized in your species. Miss diagnosis and improper medication often cause more problems for your boa than before the visit. Also be cautious of antibiotics to treat your boa and only do so if there is no other means. Antibiotics cause kidney damage which lead to a shortened life. Many keepers report that babies treated with antibiotics may only live 5-7 years, much less than the normal life span of a Boa. Amikacin is one drug that is best avoided as it is very easy to overdose. If there are any other stresses on the boa during treatment with this medication a frequent outcome is death. The best treatment for health issues in captive boas is preventative medicine. By that I mean proper care for your boas so they do not develop any problems that would need treatment.
Mites are something that every keeper has at least heard stories of infecting collections. This can pose much greater problems than it may seem. Besides little bugs that annoy you and your boas, these creatures can carry and pass on many diseases. Here is an example, a new boa enters the collection, acquired at a recent weekend reptile show. The breeder of the boa never had mites in his or her animals, but the new owner walks around all day and handles other snakes and other people may handle their new boa after handling other snakes. Regardless, the new boa becomes infested with mites. The keeper takes the boa home and sets it up, eats well, and everything seems fine. Now the mites begin to leave the boa to lay their eggs and may travel to a near by cage, which results in an infection of another. One of the boas in the collection ends up being a carrier for IBD, it is in a dormant stage and symptoms are never noticed. If a mite bites this boa and travels to another cage for its next victim that mite will pass on IBD. This little pest is on the verge of total destruction of the keeper's collection. If nothing else has pressed the many concerns of mites, this should. All reptile medicine is best practiced on a preventative measure, and mites are no exception. Treating and thorough inspection of new arrivals, and strict quarantine is a must.
By being proactive about the health of your collection you can go without ever experiencing any issues and fully enjoy your boas. Always acquire new snakes from reputable breeders, follow strict quarantine periods and never cross contaminate. Use disposable gloves to clean out a cage, and wash your hands before and after handling each snake. Assign water bowls to one animal, and never use one snake's water bowl or un-eaten food for another. Spot clean cages on a daily basis and fully disinfect cages as often as you are able. Never use harsh chemicals to clean, soap and water work perfectly with the addition of Chlorahexadine solution if needed.