Problem with heating

[MythsBishop]

Ok, I just got a BCI. The previous owners didn't keep the snake anywhere near warm enough, so she hasn't been eating. Now that I have her, I have not been able to get the temp over 77 degrees F. Even at that low a temp, she began to show signs that she was hungry. I am going to attempt to feed her tomorrow.

I have a lamp, a heat rock, and even a small space heater pointed towards the encloser and still cant get over 77 degrees. I am going to get a better lamp, and probably a bigger heat rock if i can find one.

Does anyone have any other suggestions as to how I can raise the temp even more? I am keeping her in a 50 gallon aquarium at the moment and I know that it is just a tad too small. I have begun to draw up plans and should have the large enclosure built by the end of this week. [/i]

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[Ed_r]

Ok your right the 50 gallon is too small for her.
For an adult boa a minimum cage size should be something 4'Wx2'D and at least 12-13" high. depending on the construction you can use a heat lamp only, it works fairly well, just make sure the floor temps reach 88 degrees on the hot side so the snake can thermoregulate. Other ways is an undertank/cage heater, but this usually wonks best in addition to a heat lamp. Snakes need the belly heat to digest well.

The hot rock is only good for throwing at your rowdy neighbors. Never use it it WILL burn your snake.

Depending on your ventilation on the cage and the ambien room temps a 75W bulb should get you close to start. Get a good did thermometer to get accurate temps. heat is crucial to getting a boa to eat and be healthy.

[MythsBishop]

The snake has been with the heat rock for as far as i know 9 years. Should I go ahead and unplug it or wait untill tomorrow afternoon when I can provide alternative heat?

[Ed_r]

Well id like to say take it out now, but the snake needs heat. Tough call, but id take it out.

[MythsBishop]

Ok. No more problems for the time's being. unpluged the rock, got a space heat set up underneath the stand of enclosure. The temp at this moment is about 85.6 with the way i have the heater set up. The stand that the enclosure rests on is wooden and the aquarium is glass, so I am sure that the heater won't cause any burn problems. However, do correct me if I'm wrong. My main concern is the happiness and well-being of the snake.

[Ed_r]

Almost 86 is good for now. The snake is really going to need a temperature gradient. Hot side cool side. So keeping the entire room at the temp is not a good thing either. can cause stress over a period of time.
It's hard to tell you the ideal way to set up your cage, it just takes some experimenting to see what works best. trial and error. But when you try something, make sure you monitor the conditions in the cage so the cahnges arent too drastic.

[louise]

are you using a dial thermometer or digital. i can promise you the dial ones are at least 5 degrees off? i went through it myself!