Snake question- Red Tail Boa?

Question

I have a 6ft Red tail Boa and he is having trouble shedding recently. His humidity is low and I was wondering what kind of plants could I put in there with him to help raise the humidity. Any help would be greately appreciated. Also if you know sites to order the plants that would be great to

I mist his cage daily and he has a large water bowl in his cage. He has been to the vet and they said it is a humidity issue

Joe parker. Hey bud I did soak him in the tub for 2 hours a day, and I tried putting him in a trashcan with towls soaked in luke warm water and it didnt work, and he had tree extremely bad sheds in a row, he was cracked to where you could see blood. So i think Maybe I was right for taking him to a vet for the bad shed dont you

Answer 1

dont worry its totally common for snakes to have a bad shed now and then.

yeah cover most of the top of the tank. the humidity is escaping. good for you contacting the vet. most idiots here wouldnt do that if the snake was stuck up their ..... so....anyways... theres a cheap thermometer with humidity at walmart. get one of those bad boys and try to keep it around 80 percent. also make sure he has a few things to rub on to get the shed off.


you dont need plants. whoever told you that is misinformed. if hes in an aquarium, mist the aquarium with a clean water bottle twice a day. you can , and should already have, a cheap 10 dollar walmart digital thermometer/ with humidity % on it in the tank. if not, get one. if its a big tank, cover most of the screen top with paper or plastic or whatever that will keep the humidity in. just dont put the paper too close to the heat light. adding plants wont do anything and hell probably just knock them over. also dont handle him while he is shedding the oil on your hands could keep the shed from coming off in one peice as well. make sure he has a water bowl big enough to get in and soak if he wants. dont take him out and soak him in the bath tub. if he wants or needs to soak he will. youll just stress him out.

Answer 2

I'm a 5'5" female weighing about 120 lbs. One time at a reptile show I got to hold a 20lb 6ft boa. She was quite calm but curious and kept trying to investigate different people/things. Because she was at ease and her keeper was there, i wasn't concerned, but I realized how powerful they are compared to ball pythons of similar length. If she had been agitated I would not have been able to keep control. She was too strong for me. And a red tail boa will get 8-12 ft. Not an animal to keep on your own. Though I love some of the larger snakes, I keep to the rules of how big of a snake I'll get because there will be points when I may be living alone and want to be able to handle my animals without needing someone else nearby just in case. Someone else suggested Hogg Island boas. Yes they are more expensive. I have looked into them. A good alternative, but there is a catch. It is getting more and more difficult to find pure Hogg Island boas. All but one I have found were not a guaranteed pure hogg island. In other words, many have been mixed with other boa species--the result being babies that end up growing larger than hogg island boas. I personally would not advertise saying you want a hogg island boa. I'd find a professional breeder of them so you know for sure you're getting what they claim it to be. One more thing. You said you "currently don't have that problem" concerning your living situation. Is it possible that you will run into that problem again? If so, hold off on getting a snake. I've taken in too many animals that people had to get rid of for one reason or another. And, especially with boas and pythons once they get big, it's much more difficult to find someone who will take them. So please make sure you will be able to keep this snake for the entirety of its life.

Answer 3

wow ryan whats your problem, thats cool he called the vet but for a bad shed there is no need to call a vet. soak the snake in some warm water for an hour and help with the shed, and next time just increase the humidity before it sheds. calling someone stupid for not calling the vet for a bad shed is stupid. not sure how many or what kinda snakes you keep or have had. but dont say that everyone here doesnt know what they are talking about just cause there are some answers you dont agree with.

Answer 4

a water bowl and misting are fine, but what helps my red tail the most is soaking in warm water at the first signs that the snake will be shedding soon(opaque eyes).after that soak approximately 6-10days she sheds one complete skin.she shed partially once that's when i started the practice.also my substrate is a bath to well which will hold moisture longer from spills or splashing in the water dish. as for plants be sure they are not aromatic, the oils may cause skin problems in fact what kind of plants do you have now?

Answer 5

While working out the plants, try spraying the inside of his cage with a misting spray of water - just a bit, that would raise the humidity too.
If he's having problems shedding, also try and vary his diet.

Answer 6

I have had problems with this myself, what I've done is fill up my bath tub and let my snake soak 4 a while ....they like it , but be prepared to clean up after them, the warn water halps the go to the bathroom also.....But it helps them loosten up the patchy parts of there skin....Good luck...

Answer 7

there is a product called eco earth.it is compressed coconut fibers. it comes in the form of bricks.once you get it wet it expands greatly and is excellent for retaining moisture. it basicly ends up looking like dirt and if your set on the whole plant thing ferns are really food for retaining humidity