[Purchasing] 48"L x 24"W x 16"H - Options?

[BlackHazard]

I have a store nearby that makes PVC enclosures and I'm looking to pick one up. Here's the options on their site http://www.pvccages.ca/products and I figured an appropriate choice would be the 48"L x 24"W x 16"H (SC482416) model. I'm new to boas but I understand what most of them need besides the type of enclosure they'd need when "full grown". I've heard that my options for this type of enclosure are: Dumeril's/Hog Island/Crawl Cay (Male/Female) and I've heard that you could put a Red-Tail boa in there as long as it's male, which is the biggest one I need to fact-check. I'm not trying to cram a species into an enclosure that's unsuitable for it but Red-Tails seem to be the easiest one to come by. Thanks for any help

[natieb]

Re: 48"L x 24"W x 16"H - Options?

That's an excellent size for a full-grown boa, unless it's abnormally large.

[BlackHazard]

Re: 48"L x 24"W x 16"H - Options?

That's an excellent size for a full-grown boa, unless it's abnormally large.

I was looking at an anerythristic boa constrictor imperator, but I'm afraid that it might outgrow it's enclosure, I'm assuming if I wanted something like that I should get a male? But that's good to hear

[acephantom903]

Re: 48"L x 24"W x 16"H - Options?

I have not kept any boas yet, but from the theory I've seen, the ideal cage size for terrestrial snakes is SnakeSize <= (L+W)/(2/3)
So that would mean a 4'x2' should be sufficient for a 9' snake. Females can get larger than this so you may have to upgrade in size or add a shelf so it can stretch out.

This is just book theory I saw at one point and I cannot find a link. If someone wishes to correct me, please do.

[Kung Fu Joe]

Re: 48&quot;L x 24&quot;W x 16&quot;H - Options?

A 4x2 is way too small for a nine footer IMO. There just wouldn't be enough room to really thermo regulate. My nine footer is in an 8X2 and she makes that look small when she's not curled up.

But a 4x2 should be big enough for most boas.

[acephantom903]

Re: 48&quot;L x 24&quot;W x 16&quot;H - Options?

I did say that was the theory.

[Kung Fu Joe]

Re: 48&quot;L x 24&quot;W x 16&quot;H - Options?

I know

That standard seems to keep getting smaller... Poor cramped snakes... When I was a teenager the common equation was L+W>Boa... So a 4X2 would have been big enough for up to a six footer. Now most go by L x W>Boa or at minimal one square foot of floor space per foot of the snake.

But then take a look at an eight footer in a 4X2... I wouldn't want to be that cramped.

[theartbook35]

Re: 48&quot;L x 24&quot;W x 16&quot;H - Options?

Snakes do like to curl up in tight, dark places. But their entire habitat shouldn't be a tight, dark place. I'm a firm believer that an adult boa should be able to stretch out the majority of, or all of their body length inside their enclosure. My CRT is 5 feet long, and she already needs a larger enclosure, based on how she behaves (Sophie's habitat is 48'L/24"W/12"H). Snakes travel quite a bit in the wild (as do most predators), and they typically have a good sized territorial radius. Boa's climb in the wild as well, it's a major part of their prey seeking behavior to hang from low-ish branches and watch for prey. So 16 inches for a 9 foot boa isn't much room. Granted, going higher than 16 inches means that you'll have to mist more often to keep the humidity up, but a lot of people house their boas in taller enclosures quite successfully.

[Pandorasdad]

Re: 48&quot;L x 24&quot;W x 16&quot;H - Options?

A 4x2 is way too small for a nine footer IMO

Agreed. At 8 foot or above, I'd say a minimum of 6 feet wide for any cage.

So a 4X2 would have been big enough for up to a six footer

My 7 footer is in a custom built 4x2x2.5 cage and almost never takes up more than one corner at a time. But still. If she keeps growing, I'll build her a new one.

[Primolilla]

Re: 48&quot;L x 24&quot;W x 16&quot;H - Options?

If you are looking to keep the four foot, footprint and worried about space down the road, consider some depth as a possible option. I have my 6 foot male in a 48" x 30" x 20" cage. He is 3+ years old now, and I don't expect him to ever pass the 7 foot mark.

He utilizes much of the cage, and adding perches gives him not only exercise, but different types of thermo regulating levels and the ability to stretch out, hang or whatever else he likes.

I set the cage up with 4 perches. 3 are thick dowels wrapped with vines, and the 4th is a very thick natural tree limb. He will often dangle half of his body on the ground, and the other half of him up in the perches. This is a great option for 6-7 foot, in shape boas.

I don't think you will get away with it if you have the larger, heavier animals. BCC females that end up long and heavy will demand more of everything if you want to display them like I have done here.

However, an average BCI when maintained properly, would do well with a 4 foot wide cage if you add some depth and in my opinion, some ceiling space too.




My fella feeds from his perches a lot. I usually wait him out and allow his hunting/foraging instincts to kick in. When I see him roaming, I know he is ready.


A lot of your decision will be based on the space you have available, the species being kept, the ease of heating the enclosure and the style of caging you want.

If I had more room, and a reptile budget that I wanted to go nuts with, then I'd go bigger.

Plan it out, set it up and have some fun!

[Primolilla]

Re: 48&quot;L x 24&quot;W x 16&quot;H - Options?

Follow up,

I read the post wrong. You are looking at snake options and not cage options. My apologies for not paying attention to the post more closely.

You would be fine with almost any BCI male or female but preferably a male. My male is a Barranquilla, Colombian. He is right at 6 feet and 3 plus years old. I don't think he will ever go beyond 7 feet long in the next 20 years. Boa constrictors IMO are more interesting than Dumerils boas. Your cage size will be right on par with the species you mentioned.

[Pandorasdad]

Re: 48&quot;L x 24&quot;W x 16&quot;H - Options?

I read the post wrong. You are looking at snake options and not cage options. My apologies for not paying attention to the post more closely.

I totally did the same thing. My apologies.

You could also look into the central american locales. They tend to be smaller. My CA boa is right at 4 feet and a fully grown male. But with the cage size you've mentioned, you should be fine with most BCI males. Now you just have to decide on any number of beautiful morphs!