Boa constrictors?

Question

I want to get one, and i want to know about the average cost of getting one, terrarium, light and all, an also how much I can expect to spend on mice every year

Answer 1

SNAKE COST
Boa constrictor- Boa constrictor ssp. $100

SNAKE- min. size of cage COST GRAND

Boa- 6'x3'x3' $300

Water Dish
Boa- $20

COST #4: THE SUBSTRATE- This has a very variable cost. It all depends on how elaborate you want to get! Personally, I think that astro-turf makes the best substrate, but I use plain old newspaper due to its low cost and easy maintenance. But many like the aesthetic value of barks and moss. Again this cost varies with the size of the enclosure. since newspaper will do and it is up to you, estimate below are just based on newspaper a year

Boa $30

COST #5: HEATING- Heating supplies can be very pricey! From Heating pads to Heat lights, these are a necessity you can't do without! Especially with tropical species. Once again, the enclosure will dictate your heating needs. I should add that I do not reccomend the use of "hot rocks" even though we use them with a few species. It is very easy for them to burn hot when they get old. I have seen sever burns from these devices and if used you must check their tempature daily.

Boa- Large pig blanket, ceramic heat emitter w/dome $100

COST #6: FOOD- Yes, snakes have to eat! And depending on the size of the snake, this can be your most expensive cost. The cost below is for those that will buy from pet stores. Many of us breed our own food, but this costs a lot as well; enclosures, water bottles, bedding, and yes food for the food! I cannot believe how much time and $$$ I spend taking care of the food for my snakes! I spend $20+ on them a week!


SNAKE- Food for one year @ adult size COST GRAND
TOTAL
Boa- two jumbo rats per week @ $2.50 ea. $260

COST #7: VET BILLS!- If you think you won't be making trips to the Vet, you should not get a snake! This cost will vary wildly from year to year, so I will not try to estimate your costs.

MISCELLANEOUS COSTS: There are many misc. costs you may encounter depending on your snakes and your interests- These can include; Hooks, tongs, sexing probes, incubators, snake bags, hemostats, hiding boxes, branches, medicines, Band-Aids (for yourself- LOL), and much more! Obviously breeders are going to need to invest a lot more time and $$$ to provide adequate care. The above 7 costs are merely basic costs that are needed to keep your pet alive!

Answer 2

I have two boa c.c.'s and they were both rescues however, the cost of a boa c. c. (red tailed boa) is about $100 as mentioned several times already. If you want a morph (color alterations) you will spend up to 4 or 5K depending on how rare and the markings.

I would start them out in at least a 20long and plan on moving up from there. If you had the money to spend, get a 55 gallon and start planning on a larger enclosure. I made my own and spent about 400-500 on the materials.

I used 2x4's 5/8 inch plywood and 1/4 inch thick Plexiglas.
I cut everything to fit the size I wanted, I made mine 6 foot tall, 6 foot wide and 3 foot deep. Once everything was cut to size I glued vinyl sheeting (like you would use around a shower stall in a bathtub) on the plywood to make everything waterproof and easy to clean. After a few days of letting the smell dissipate I put the enclosure together using screws so I could take it apart and get it into the house.

I also made a fake tree out of 3 inch PVC pipes. It basically goes up from bottom to top, has a Y with PVC going across the enclosure, so they have something to climb on. They love the tree and I have found them sleeping on it many a morning.

I also installed the hardware to put padlocks on it so no one other than myself could open the enclosure; I carry the key on my keychain. I spent about $200 on the Plexiglas, two very large thick 4 foot by 4 foot pieces were the most expensive single item besides the wood.

I know they do not need that much room and many people keep them in about a 4-6 foot long 2 foot high 2 foot deep enclosure, but I love watching them use the entire space. I really get a kick out of watching them move around the enclosure. I have several hides; some located half way up the enclosure on shelving and some on the ground level. I also keep a Rubbermaid tote in the bottom with about a quarter filled with water. They spill this often, several times a week, so I also used some bathtub strips and went around the bottom making it waterproof so it doesn't leak all over the floor.

Oh, I also used some hardware cloth and made some vents on both sides of the enclosure about 3 inches by 8-10 inches. I also cut circles in the top and installed the heat lamps there, with hardware cloth between the heat lamps and the top so they can't get burnt.

My female is about 11-12 foot and she eats about 25-30 rats a year, except from about Nov. to Feb. when neither snakes eats at all. My male eats about 20 rats a year and is about 8 foot long.

I would say I spend about $300-600 a year on them total. Not counting any vet visits for emergencies and colds, knock on wood I haven't had to take them in so far.

Answer 3

I just spent 600 setting up a new viv for my Dwarf Retic. But you can also build yourself (I'm going to do that next) There is the vet thing to consider. Also, you can buy used aquariums on Craigslist for very little-and petstores will often sell leakers for snake keepers. So there are many ways of cutting costs, however you should also have enough money set aside to take the snake to the vet should there be problems.

If you do your homework and get the husbandry correct, there shouldn't be that many problems.

There are several good forums-kingsnake.com and constrictors.com both have good forums and I would ask a lot of questions. Pay no attention to the occaisonal crank that says "If you don't already know this why are you buying a boa"....most people will applaud you for asking the right questions up front.

Answer 4

Oh wow, that's so weird, I just saw on Animal planet a boa that ate a mouse and a piece of wood from her cage, the wood got stuck in the middle of her and it was perforating the snake, it was awful, she had to have emergency surgery and it was really expensive. I don't know, I think you should consider the costs of the snake going to the vet mice, terrarium , lights and all that is nothing compared to the vet bill, she will need to go !.

Answer 5

some people amaze me with solutions. I often times thank they lead them to up. A Boa isn't poisonous as some have suggested. My sister has 4 of them. They do get very enormous and make tremendous pets even as raised proper. We artwork on them from time to time and if dealt with proper they don't seem to be risky. some should be even if so that you are able to be conscious of what your doing

Answer 6

average cost. snake approx $100 for common and price goes up from there. tank you should start with a 40 gal breeder with locking lid; critter keeper $110 at petco. under tank heater for 40 gal tank $30 heat light fixture with dimmer 25 light (get infra red so you can use it at night to see snake as well as heat) $15 water dish heavy enough to not tip over and large enough for snake to soak $15 hide spot (old shoebox free) small rubbermaid container a couple bucks (dont get clear) or a hide log for around $15. so you are at over $300 to start with. mice are relatively cheap, hoppers which your snake will start with are around 1.50 each and you feed every 5 to 7 days then you go to mice at around $2 dollars each, same schedule. as your snake grows so do the size of feeders, when he gets to small rats (6 months old or so) they are around 3.50 at around a year to a year and 6 months he should be on medium to large rats $6 to 9 dollars but your feeding every 7 to 10 days.
hope this helps i truly love my columbian boas they are wonderful pets that are not too aggressive.
but please do research prior to purchase i will list some terrific sites for you to read caresheets.
good luck and happy herping

Answer 7

Buyin everything will be like around $600-$900 and they eat about a mouse per week so it ain't that much.