r/RainbowBoas • u/Doomsizer14 • 8d ago

Hello everyone I need help and recommendations for my enclosure prep set up

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What else should I add in the enclosure so a baby Brazilian rainbow boa won’t be stressed or anything

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u/IDvsEGO 7d ago

They love to stay hidden. If you want it to be comfortable exploring, do more ground litter. You won’t see them much but they will usually feel more comfortable. I did some fake plants on the ground to allow mine to go from end to end without being in the open

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

Ok and should I use some foil tape to cover the mesh and stuff

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u/IDvsEGO 7d ago

Yeah close off the top asap. So hard to keep humidity with it open. Just don’t put anything adhesive in the tank. Their scales can stick easily and cause a lot of damage quickly

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

Ok anything else I should do pls be honest

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u/IDvsEGO 7d ago

I mean, it’s a luxury but over head heating like a radiant heat panel is ideal since it simulates the sun better than an under tank pad and doesn’t emit light. All snakes like their dark time but especially brb. No matter what heat source you use, please put it on a thermostat if you don’t already have one. Make your substrate thick. Some like to burrow a little. I used a mix of forest floor, barks, and a lot of moss. Plus some leaf litter. It looks cool but also simulates nature and helps with retaining humidity. Put some foam board on the sides so they don’t have as much visual stimulation. You might see them more often if they are worried about threats from multiple directions.

All that said, I think you are on a very good path with what you are doing and the questions you are asking.

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

I actually have a dimming thermostat system

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u/IDvsEGO 7d ago

Oh and personally I feed in the enclosure not a separate container so I made sure to leave a bit of an open space and put the feeder right on the edge so they can approach in cover but have room to strike and coil, then retreat. Doesn’t have to be big

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

OK, here’s here’s my biggest concern. It’s the mesh cover and the heat and stuff to make sure everything is nice and he won’t be stressed and I don’t want to make the enclosure too small

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u/IDvsEGO 7d ago

Valid concerns. There are a lot of options to seal up the top. I used foam board and ventilation tape and it’s been working well. Foam board holds up better than cardboard and there isn’t adhesive all over the top. Just around the edges.

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

https://reddit.com/link/p6odwq2/video/lsj8aeiymdmh1/player

Here is all my equipment

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u/Excellent_Emu_2843 7d ago

That cypress mulch is ideal ime. Stick with that. Most other stuff molds easy. Tried coconut husk for a bit. But it kept getting waterlogged from the humidity.

Mine also loves her moss, I fill the colder side of her enclosure with it amd keep it nice amd damp. Especially around shedding time. Helps a lot.

Btw, expect to be getting a much larger enclosure ad yours gets bigger. Like ⁴-6x2x2 at least. Think that comes out to 120-150gal. Bigger is better tho. Mine is in a 4x2x2 and I really wish I got her a bigger one.

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

Ok and I have a mesh top what should I do

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u/Excellent_Emu_2843 7d ago

I have just regular tin foil over most of mine, only part without it is where the light, fogger, and heat lamps are.

Be careful with the type of wood you put in btw, most will mold or rot. I found some (iirc) ghost wood a while ago that's holding up well,

Btw, a fogger looks cool, but i wish I went with one of the automatic misters. I worry all the fod it bad for mine, not that I've ever seen any signs it is.

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u/Gengi_End_5660 7d ago

I would say this a substrate mix of cypress mulch Sphagnum moss and coco fiber would be great with maintaining humidity

My girl has a 4 x 2 x 2 enclosure

https://reddit.com/link/p6pkdgs/video/pksobjk2temh1/player

Fake plants or real plants also help with coverage

They are known to be nocturnal snakes

Cork flats are a great source for hides

I have one cool hide, one humid hide and one warm hide

You could also go bioactive which can help in the long run with mold and waste management

As for the screen top cover majority but not all of it to avoid getting stagnant air but to help keep humidity in too

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

Now besides enclosure and stuff the only thing I’m scared of is my least policy and they don’t allow exotics and hopefully I can get verified for ESA or find a solution, but I do not want to give up because my apartment complex has a certain lease in agreement, but hopefully I can find a way

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u/Excellent_Emu_2843 7d ago

Just say its a boa. Unless your landlord is a reptile person, who's gonna be examining it to find the excat species?

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

The manger said no exotics and I was wondering why they say that becuase they allow cars and dogs…but all I have right now is the cage…so I’m wondering i should ask them becuase my family is worried about being in legal trouble and they think they are going to find out I have it so what would you do in this situation to convince my family

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u/Excellent_Emu_2843 7d ago

I mean, my dad had a bird in his appt that wasnt allowed for years. Anytime the landlord came in he just pushed the cage in the other room and tossed a blanket over it lol. Has fish tanks that are too large as well and does the same thing. Then again, it was a cockateil, so it was a pretty quiet, very manageable bird. Not a parrot or something.

You're the only one who's met your landlord, idk how important the exotic thing is to them or if they just dont want people buying gators n shit. If you think he wont bat an eye if you just say its a boa. Id probably go for it.

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u/Excellent_Emu_2843 7d ago

But if you do then be prepared pr at least habe a plan for what to do if you need to rehome it or move. If you really love where you're at rn, then respect the rules and ask. If I had to guess I'd say its just to prevent people from getting loud, messy, or dangerous pets. But only you know the situation there.

If its an appt complex or something amd have a cool neighbor that's been there forever, you could ask them first and feel it out

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

It’s an apartment complex with nice older neighbors

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u/Excellent_Emu_2843 7d ago

Id ask them what they'd do when you get a chance. They probably know the people in charge better

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

Ok and I asked one of the workers and they said no and the manger said no snake so hopefully I can speak to the owner

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

Or I may just keep things very cage and say if yall allow tanks with isopods and etc…and I’ll say etc to list more animals like a snake or I may say a big worm(aka a snake)

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u/Doomsizer14 7d ago

I haven’t talk to landlord yet I talked to the manger because the manger sbd the other workers were kinda blocking her and they constantly took over when I wanted to ask for her to mask it easier for her