Do red tail boas make good pets?

Question

Do red tail boas make good pets?

Answer 1

Hello; Colombian Red tails are wonderful animals that can make great pets, for the right keeper. They certainly aren’t for everyone though. Red tails are large, intelligent, medium to high upkeep snakes that can be a bit moody at times. Just because of their size and care needs, I wouldn’t recommend them to people without at least some experience handling large reptiles, and I wouldn’t dream of recommending them to beginners. I have owned five of them, so I'll type up a care sheet for you for further details on them; hopefully this will give you some of the information that you'll need should you be considering one of these guys. :)

Size: Males average between 5-8 feet, females average between 7-10, though I have had females that have been 11-12 feet in length. Keep in mind that a snake that large is very awkward to handle, and can be fifty plus pounds. If you don’t have someone to help you handle the snake as it grows; I would suggest getting a male. It simply isn’t safe to handle any constrictor over eight feet long without another person around, no matter how docile your snake may be. Accidents can and do happen.

Feeding: Feed one appropriately sized rodent weekly. The general rule of thumb is to feed a prey item that is roughly the same in diameter as the widest part of your snake’s body. They have a massive feeding instinct, so it is often best to offer food on tongs. They are capable of taking rats from the time they are babies, and some of the larger females do best with rabbits. PLEASE remember that with rats in particular, it is imperative to feed pre-killed or at least stunned rodents to your snake. I NEVER recommend offering live rats. Rats are very intelligent animals that will fight back; and are quite capable of seriously injuring or even killing your snake.

Temperament: They are generally docile, but must be handled regularly throughout its life in order to make it as friendly as it can possibly be. Babies can be nippy when young, but usually grow out of that stage with frequent handling. Most of them are quite mild mannered, and are one of the best tempered larger constrictors. Please remember that you’ll need someone to help you if you handle any snake longer than six to eight feet long. They seem prone to being moody at times, (particularly the females, for whatever reason) and while not all; some of them will randomly decide that they don’t like certain people for no good reason. For example, my eleven foot female, Bella, loves everyone and is an exceptionally friendly snake, however she absolutely loathes my best friend’s brother. She will strike at him if he so much as walks by her cage, God forbid he get near her when she is being handled. He has learned to give her a wide berth. They bites aren't all that serious (nowhere near as nasty as a Monitor bite), it is about like having a cat scratch. I've only gotten nailed once by one of my Boas (which was completely my fault), and I hardly felt it. I just cleaned it up afterwards and went back to business as usual.

Lifespan: If well cared for; they can live 20+ years in captivity.

Caging requirements: As adults; they need a minimum cage size of 10 square feet. I generally keep my females in cages that are eight feet long by two feet high by two feet deep, and my males in cages that are six feet long by two feet high by two feet deep. They do grow pretty quickly, so be prepared to purchase several different cages for them. They seem to do best in closed top, front opening cages that keep the humidity in. If that isn’t practical and you use a typical tank with screen lid set up, try covering most if not all of the top with a towel or something similar to keep the humidity from escaping.

Heating/Humidity: The temperature gradient in the cage should be maintained with a basking spot of 95-97 degrees with an ambient (background) temperature in the low 80’s. This can be achieved by under-tank heating pads, heat lamps, or ceramic heat emitters. They are medium-high humidity snakes that should be kept with a large water dish for drinking and soaking, and should have their cage misted every other day or so, or depending on the substrate you use, up to twice daily.

Substrate: While there are plenty of options out there (repti-bark, aspen, cypress, paper towels, etc) mine have done best when kept on Eco-Earth substrate by Zoo-med. It is compressed coconut dirt that holds humidity very well, doesn’t need to be misted often, seems resistant to mold, is relatively cheap, looks great, and my snakes have all been healthier and better hydrated since I’ve been using it.

A suggestion, though, if you'd like the over-all look and disposition of a Red tail with a bit less moodiness, smaller size, and easier to accommodate care and maintenance needs; I would highly recommend a Hog Island boa. They are the smallest (averages four to six feet, though it isn't common for them to exceed five) and in my opinion the prettiest member of the Boa Constrictor family, and they have all of the great aspects of the Colombians and very few of the bad. :)

Here is a care sheet on them; if you are interested.

http://s48117.sites45.storefront-hosting...

And here is a picture of one:

http://www.riobravoreptiles.com/images/i...

I hope this helps, and if you have any further questions at all on the subject; please feel free to message me and I will be more than happy to assist you. :)

Good luck!

Answer 2

If you like snakes, and don't mind feeding him mice,to eventually g****a pigs and then rabits,Keep your little dog or cat away,and sure there cool.

Answer 3

My neice had one for years and he seemed OK for what he was, a snake.  He lived in a fish tank with a heating pad and had some live food and some dead food that had to be warmed in a microwave.  He was a finiky eater.  He had a good disposition and was a pleasant snake except when he was shedding his skin. At that time , he did not want to be bothered until he was done.  Overall, he was very friendly and put up with the humans exceptionally well and with a pleasant personality.