Red-Tail Boa Frequently Asked Questions

My Boa looks like it's constantly losing its balance, even when just sitting on the ground. What is going on?

What should I check for when picking out a new Boa?
You should check for any noticeable injuries or any signs of being underfed or neglected. If you're buying from a pet store, check that everything in the tank is properly and neatly kept. Most of the time, snakes in bad environments in pet stores are often unhealthy and won't last for more than a month or two in the care of a novice.

Make sure the Boa is healthy and is being kept in good conditions before buying. Quizzing the keepers and assuring they know how to care for the Boa is also a good idea.

If buying from a breeder, make sure you know others that have good recommendations toward them, and also assure that you can have access to the most recent pictures of the Boa you are interested in.

Make note of the last time they ate, shed and what they ate. If the pet store or breeder has a sheet of records that show all of the Boa's activities, obtain that if at all possible.

Why should I buy directly from a breeder and not a pet store?
Generally, breeders of Boas are much more concerned about the health of baby Boas compared to pet stores. In pet stores, the turnaround rate on a Boa is low since they usually buy from a breeder and resell the snake to a customer. They don't have much concern for the health of the Boa and usually won't know how to properly care for one. If buying from a pet store, please assure that they are knowledgeable with reptiles, and that the snakes are being kept in top-notch conditions.

What tests can I perform to assure my new Boa is healthy?
The first thing you should do is locate a good reptile or exotic animal vet. You should have them take a fecal sample (bring in some fecal matter from the Boa as soon as you have it), to check for parasites and other harmful viruses.

How important is it to find a good reptile vet?
It's VERY important. Sometimes Boas take special care to keep healthy, and sometimes, alive. Baby Boas in particular are prone to parasites or sickness in their first year of life much more so than in the latter years of their life. Making sure you have access to a good reptile vet is extremely important at all times.

My Boa is constantly regurgitating his food. What is going on!?
This could be caused by a number of things. The reason why a Boa regurgitates its food is because it was unable to digest it.

The first and most common reason is that your Boa does not have proper heating in its tank. You'll want to assure that the Boa has some form of belly heat in the tank, by way of an under-tank heater or some type of heat tape that heats the ground instead of the air. Also make sure that this heating element is not too hot. A good idea is to probe the GROUND (not the air) with a digital thermometer, over the area with the ground heating element. You should aim for a ground temperature of no higher than 95, and no lower than 85. The air temperature should be at 86-88 on the warm side, and 77-80 on the cool side. Use the dimmers!

Another reason for regurgitation is possible presence of a parasite, virus, or some type of blockage in the Boas stomach. Take a fecal sample to the vet (or if you don't have a sample, take the Boa) and have him/her checked out for worms. If at all possible, also have X-rays done and see if you can figure out what the problem is.

Your vet should be able to clear everything up if they are knowledgeable with snakes.

My Boa is getting kind of skinny, even though I feed him regularly. What's going on?
Again, your Boa might have a parasite, and this is a pretty good indicator that it might. Take it to the vet and see what they can do.

Also, if you are feeding mice, switch your Boa over to RATS. They are much more nutritious and will help your Boa grow and stay healthy.

My Boa looks really weak! He doesn't move around much and can't hold on to my hand very well when I handle him. What is going on!?
This is a sign of fatigue or stress. If you have an odd day/night lighting cycle, something that is bothering the Boa, bad heating... anything you can think of that is improper, GET IT FIXED.

If you can't figure out why and your Boa has been eating regularly, take it to your reptile vet to get checked out.

My Boa looks a little dehydrated. How can I help?
You should assure your humidity is at the proper percentage. 55-60% is ideal. If it's anything lower and you can't get it up at all, consult the section of this caresheet regarding humidity tips.

If your humidity has been fine and never drops below what it should, your Boa might have a parasite. Consult your reptile vet and get a fecal sample done to check for worms.

My Boa hasn't defecated in a long time! How long does it usually take, and when should I be concerned?
It usually takes about 1-3 weeks. You should check to make sure you Boa is defecating at least every 3 feedings. If they aren't, try soaking the Boa and assure that their water is always cool and fresh. They might also have some sort of blockage.

Hold off feeding after 3 feeds if your Boa hasn't done its business. If it does not go for more than 6 weeks, consult your vet and have an examination done.

There are little bugs all over my Boa and all over the tank. What are they and how can I get rid of them?
These are mites. They are very bad and could kill your snake.

Mites are a parasite. They suck your Boas blood and can transmit diseases if not treated immediately. They also stress out the snake, and STRESS CAN KILL A SNAKE.

If you are using some type of wood chip or loose bedding, throw it out. In the future, bake the substrate at about 250 degrees for 20 minutes to make sure everything is dead that was once living inside it. You should also soak the snake very, very well to assure that all mite eggs are also gone. There are also simple mite-ridding solutions at most pet supply stores that work pretty well. A good soak, change and fixing of the substrate, and deep clean of the tank and all objects inside should usually do the trick, though.

Why does my Boa soak in his/her water dish all the time?
It can mean a few things. Boas traditionally like water if they feel safe in it. Sometimes they soak just because it feels good, or they are used to it.

However, sometimes this indicates a problem. Closely verify that he/she does not have mites and make sure your temperatures are not too hot. If the tank is ever above 90 on the warm side and 82 on the cool side, lower the temperatures. The warm side should be 86-88, the cool side 77-79.

Consult the previous sub-section for information on mites.

My Boa seems stressed. How can I fix this?
Take out anything they might not like. Some Boas also don't like direct light. If you have anything vibrating the tank, or if you don't have hides, don't supply fresh water, don't use a day/night cycle for light and heating, or don't have ALL of the proper elements to a snake's enclosure, this could cause stress. Read up on this caresheet about housing and assure that you are doing everything correctly.

Also, your Boa can be stressed during shed or while digesting a meal. You should always leave your Boa alone during this time.

If your Boa is still stressed after this, leave it alone for a few days and see if things fix themselves. If not, consult a vet or other knowledgeable keeper. Make sure to take good pictures and descriptions of your environment to inform others and see if they can tell what is going wrong.

It looks like my Boa got burned by something. What could have caused this?
You have a bad heating element somewhere. A snake can get burned by anything that is too hot and exposed to them, and won't notice occasionally, as they are cold-blooded.

IF YOU HAVE A HEAT ROCK, REMOVE IT IMMEDIATELY.

Burn Mark

If your Boa has a minor burn, treat it with some Neosporin or other antibiotic cream. Most human healing aides will work well on reptiles. If the burn is very serious and has more effect on the snake than just burnt skin, consult your vet immediately.

My Boa got cut by something! What can I do to help him/her!?
Remove whatever might have cut him/her. Treat the wound with Neosporin or any other antibiotic cream. If it's more serious than just a skin cut, take him/her to the vet immediately!

My Boa has snot or bubbles coming out of its nose... what is going on!?
These are signs of a respiratory infection, which is similar to a severe cold, bronchitis, or pneumonia in humans.

An easy way to assure it's taken care of is to raise the temperatures in the tank by 2 or 3 degrees, and lowering the humidity to around 30%. If your snake doesn't improve in a few days, take it to your vet.

I can hear my Boa wheezing or whistling when he/she breathes. What does this mean?
This is also a sign of a respiratory infection.

My Boa has a weird scar or scratch on his/her nose from rubbing against something... What caused this and how can I fix it?
A lot of times, Boas will rub their noses on a screen surface or some other rough object and might cause an injury.

Wound from rubbing nose on a rough surface

If your Boa does have this, remove whatever might have caused it (screens, rough objects...). Treat the wound with Neosporin or other antibiotic cream.

My Boa has red spots that look like wounds or bruises on his/her stomach. What is this?
This is quite possibly scale rot. This happens when your Boa is sitting on something that is too moist and it causes their belly scales to mold. If your humidity is higher than 65%, lower it to below that and above 50%. Also, if you can feel moisture on the ground, find a way to get rid of it and the bedding, and get everything corrected. Consult your vet for treatment.

My Boa looks like it has some kind of infection or swelling, or lots of mucus or pus/bacteria in its mouth. Is this bad?

Mouth Infection

YES, it is very bad. This is very often mouth rot or some other type of infection. It's occasionally caused by not having fresh water or getting some kind of infection lodged into their gums or teeth.

Consult your vet right away for treatment. DO NOT TRY FEEDING WHILE YOUR BOA IS IN THIS CONDITION UNLESS YOUR VET INSTRUCTS YOU TO.

My Boa has a weird lump on its body or head. What is this?
This is most likely an infection from a rat or parasite bite.

Lump from rat bite infection

Sometimes if it's swelling down by the vent or another part of the body, it could possibly be some kind of deposit or other mechanical problem (tumors.. etc.)

Have this inspected by your vet immediately. It's very possible that they will try to drain the wound, so you need to be sure that you have plenty of time and money always saved up for situations like this!

My Boa looks like it's constantly losing its balance, even when just sitting on the ground. What is going on?
There's a good chance your Boa has IBD, or Inclusion Body Disease/Disorder.

The symptoms of IBD are star-gazing (or constantly looking at the ceiling, day and night), and the inability to right itself while sitting on the ground. If you see a snake with IBD, it should not be able to sit upright if placed on the ground, or not be able to recover after being placed on the ground, upside-down. Parts of the body should slouch over or be completely upside down.

Sadly, there is no known cure for IBD, and no known cause for it to occur. The disease starts to attack the snake's nervous system, to the point where the snake can no longer control normal bodily functions. It will usually eventually die of heart failure or other vital organs shutting down without warning.

If you see a snake with IBD, DO NOT TOUCH IT!! This disease has been known to spread from snake to snake if in contact with one another.

Further research on IBD is being conducted, but it's still in its early stages. It's extremely fatal and irreversible once it starts. Please do not allow this disease to spread by keeping snakes by themselves unless they are medically cleared of all IBD suspicions.