Boas

Today's blog post is all about boas and the boidae family, the variations, size, colours and why they make great pets. I myself am a huge fan of sand boas as they do not grow overly large. Boas also are one of the only snakes that give birth to live young. They are closely related to pythons and are considered primitive. They are found living in Asia, America, Africa and Europe.

Boas are different from pythons because: 

1. Their heat pits are between the scales as opposed to on them.
2. They give birth to live young.
3. They do not have premaxillary teeth or postfrontal bones.

Boas are constrictors like most non-venomous snakes and kill their prey by asphyxiation, which means they coil around their prey and tighten their muscles to stop the heart working. Depending on the size of boa depends on it's prey item, some will feed on small rodents and others can eat prey the size of a house cat or tapirs. 

Green Anaconda

The largest boa in the world is an anaconda, averaging 17ft in length and weighing 200lbs. They currently have the record for being the largest living snake. The largest snake remains ever found was of Titanoboa, a type of boa that lived 60-58 million years ago, estimated to be 40-50ft and weighed up to 2500lbs. Smaller boas are available in pet shops and one of the most common is a Kenyan Sand Boa. Fully grown they normally max out a 3ft. There is a great variety of boas available to keep as pets. They include: red tail boa, common boa, amazon tree boa, rainbow boa, green anaconda and yellow anaconda to name just a few.

Housing

When keeping a reptile, housing is vital. There are many options available for housing a snake and depending on the size of the animal depends on the size of the housing. Larger snakes like anacondas may need a custom built viv due to their large size and this will need to be heated with a ceramic source. An amazon tree boa will need a branch in their enclosure due to them being tree dwellers and they too require a ceramic heat source. A kenyan sand boa, will only need 2ft x 1.5ft vivarium when they are adults and this can be heated with a heat mat. Due to sand boas mostly burying themselves, they will need extra bedding. Like all reptiles, hides may need to added and of course they will need fresh water daily.

Kenyan Sand Boa

Safety

Some breeds of boa are more placid than others, a few others can be more aggressive and are not recommended for beginners, for example, amazon tree boas. Larger breeds of snake should always be approached with caution. Like with Burmese and reticulated pythons, never handle alone in case the feeding response is triggered. If you are bitten, the snake may not let go and in this case, use tongue suppressors and pour a cold drink, preferably juice, into their mouths so they dislodge. Also use a hook when handling. Safety is vital.

Morphs

Like most captive bred snakes, boas are available with many colour options and mutations. Amazon tree boas come in many different variations that have been proven including tiger and orange phase. You can also get dwarf boas if you are concerned with their size but are still an impressive animal. Other boas have various morphs and I have listed a few below. 

Blood Boa

Orange Phase Tree Boa

Tiger Tree Boa

Sunglow Albino Jungle Boa

Burmese Pythons

Following yesterday's post about reticulated pythons, today I will be posting information regarding another large python and that is the Burmese python. Found living in sub tropical environments in Asia, often near water as they are semi-aquatic animals. Again like reticulated pythons, Burms grow rather large: on average reaching 12ft and maxing out at 23ft. They can also weigh up to 200lbs and can be as wide as a telephone pole. They are one of worlds largest snakes. They have a lifespan of up to thirty years in captivity.

Albino

Burmese pythons are generally dark in colour with brown blotches bordered with black down their backs. This makes them attractive in the pet trade and a favourite with breeders. They also have a docile nature and are often considering as gentle giants. Although like retics, caution is advised while handling. 

When the pythons are young, they like to climb trees to avoid contact with predators but as they get bigger they loose the ability to climb trees due to their weight. They also make extremely good swimmers and can say submerged for up to thirty minutes, which is why they are known as semi-aquatic.

Albino Green

Breeding

During the breeding process, females can lay up to 100 eggs although the average is 35. During incubation the mother "shivers" her muscles, a bit like a spasm motion, to keep the eggs above air temperature. When the babies hatch they are 1-1.5ft long. Mothers need to incubate their eggs for up to 3 months. Males can breed at 7-9 feet and females at least 9ft.

Burmese Hatchlings

Diet

A Burmese python's diet consists of large rodents and rabbits. In the wild they can eat deer and other large prey items although will not need to feed again for up to a year after such a meal. The majority of Burms are highly aggressive feeders so caution is needed when feeding due to the fact that if they bite out of hunger, they will not let go easily and may also try to constrict. Bare in mind to always feed the right sized food item to any snake as something too large can cause digestive issues or worse problems.

Caramel Albino

Housing

Housing a Burm can be a challenge due to their large size. For a hatchling you will need a 30-55 gallon tank and a custom built one for an adult. They are also solitary animals so should be housed separately. Humidity is ambient at 70-80%. Temperature needs to be 28-35 degrees Celsius and due to their size they will need heat from a ceramic source. 

Morphs

Like most captive snakes, there are a variety of colours and patterns available. Morphs include:  caramel, super hypo, fire, albino, green, granite, labyrinth and many more.

Green Granite

Handling

As Burmese pythons are very large, caution is advised when handling them. Some people prefer to use snake hooks to let the python know they are going to be handled and to also coax them out of their viv. Once they are out, you are able to handle them. When handling, ensure there is at least another person in the room in case the burm bites and constricts. If one does bite you, pour cold juice in their mouth as they dislike the taste and temperature, therefore, letting go. Tongue suppressors can also be used for the more stubborn pythons.

Reticulated Pythons

Today's post is going to be dedicated to reticulated pythons as they are growing on me due to the variety of morphs and colour phases available. Retics are found throughout southeast Asia and can often be found living near water. Reticulated pythons are named due to the distinctive colour and pattern of its scales. The word reticulated means having lines inter-crossed forming a network. The scientific name for a retic is Python reticulatus.

Size

Reticulated pythons are the largest pythons in the world today and also have records for being the longest breed of snake, although the anaconda is the largest breed as they are more heavily bodied. Reticulated pythons or retics as they are known, average 10-20 ft in length. 

Platinum Phantom Tiger Retic by NERD

Diet

Their diet consists of mammals, mostly rodents in the wild and more domesticated animals such as dogs if they happen to wander into human territory in their natural habitat. The biggest prey item to be documented is a half starved Sun Bear, eaten by a 23 ft retic. As a rule of thumb, retics can eat prey as large as one quarter of their length and up to the same weight. Attacks on humans however are rare and far between.
 
As they grow, their prey item will need increased to reflect their size. For pythons, rats contain more nutrients but mice is also an option, especially as a change of food if they go off rats.

Eggs

After retics procreate, expect between 15 to 80 eggs per clutch. If you breed them, keep the eggs at 31-32 degrees celsius and wait 88 days for them to hatch (approx). You will find the hatchlings are 2 ft in length so you should take this into consideration regarding housing requirements. 

Retic Hatchlings

Safety

If considering keeping a retic as a pet, careful consideration should be given regarding safety. It is a good idea to keep smaller species in order to get a working knowledge of reptile keeping and generally work your way up to the larger species. When handling a large snake such as the reticulated python, ensure there are two or more people in the room with you, just in case the feeding response is triggered. There is a big difference from a royal biting you than a retic's bite! Retics are more unpredictable when it comes to their behavior than other snake species such as royal pythons. You will also need extra equipment such as a snake hook. Some shops train you how to handle large snakes responsibly using the hook method. Assuming a retic has bit you and latched on, the best way to get it off is to pour cold juice into their mouth. This is not harmful to them but they dislike the taste or temperature of the juice and will let go of you. Safety is key when handling a big snake.

Orange Ghost Stripe Tiger by NERD

Close Up of that Insane Contrast

There are other breeds of reticulated pythons such as the Super Dwarf retics which are purposely bred smaller. Males are roughly 5 ft and females are not much bigger. This means it is safer to keep this breed of retic all round. Reticulated pythons can live some 20-30 years and sometimes well over 30 years if their conditions are just right! So be prepared for the long-haul with these reptiles.

Normal Reticulated Python

Morphs

Like most snakes captive bred reticulated pythons can come with many different colours and morph options. These include: albino, albino purple phase, caramel tiger, pied, snow and sunfire to name a few. To see more morphs visit world of retics. 

Purple Super Sunfire

 

Southeast Asia. Their range includes the Nicobar Islands, Burma through Indochina, and Borneo, Sulawesi, Ceram and Timor in the Malay archipelago

Southeast Asia. Their range includes the Nicobar Islands, Burma through Indochina, and Borneo, Sulawesi, Ceram and Timor in the Malay archipelago

Southeast Asia. Their range includes the Nicobar Islands, Burma through Indochina, and Borneo, Sulawesi, Ceram and Timor in the Malay archipelago

Southeast Asia. Their range includes the Nicobar Islands, Burma through Indochina, and Borneo, Sulawesi, Ceram and Timor in the Malay archipelago

Southeast Asia. Their range includes the Nicobar Islands, Burma through Indochina, and Borneo, Sulawesi, Ceram and Timor in the Malay archipelago

Southeast Asia. Their range includes the Nicobar Islands, Burma through Indochina, and Borneo, Sulawesi, Ceram and Timor in the Malay archipelago

Southeast Asia. Their range includes the Nicobar Islands, Burma through Indochina, and Borneo, Sulawesi, Ceram and Timor in the Malay archipelago

Southeast Asia. Their range includes the Nicobar Islands, Burma through Indochina, and Borneo, Sulawesi, Ceram and Timor in the Malay archipelago

can be found throughout Southeast Asia. Their range includes the Nicobar Islands, Burma through Indochina, and Borneo, Sulawesi, Ceram and Timor in the Malay archipelago.

can be found throughout Southeast Asia. Their range includes the Nicobar Islands, Burma through Indochina, and Borneo, Sulawesi, Ceram and Timor in the Malay archipelago.

Q&A

Today's blog post is about Q&A, what questions are most asked about reptiles. I have researched on the Internet and came up with the following questions. I will do my best to answer them in this post. Of course if anyone can think of any questions that they would like me to answer, please comment below and I will add them into my next post.

1.    Are reptiles slimy? This is a question that I have been asked frequently and the answer is no, reptiles are not slimy. Reptiles have scales that reflect light and therefore makes them appear to look slippery when in fact they are not like eels. They feel soft and dry and can be a joy to handle. I highly recommend going to your nearest reptile shop and holding one of their animals and find that you will be pleasantly surprised.

Indigo Snake

2.    What will my reptile eat and how often do I need to feed them? All reptiles are different and depending on what your intending to buy depends on what their food requirements are. Snakes for example will eat frozen or live rodents and lizards will feed on vegetables and live insects. Time between feedings can vary depending on your animal and size and weight need to be considered. For example, most adult snakes will eat one large rodent every 10-14 days, whereas lizards need fresh vegetables daily and insects every few days to build up their protein. All reptiles are different so it is highly important to conduct your research. A valuable source of information regarding feeding is care sheets and these can be found on many different websites. The welfare of your animals is vital and a proper feeding regime should be adhered to, so don't listen to ridiculous stories that snakes will only need fed once per month.

Large Locust for lizards

3.    Do reptiles make good pets? Yes and no. It really depends on what reptile you are keeping or intend to buy. Some animals enjoy being handled and others do not. I personally believe that all animals make good pets as long as they have responsible owners who meet all their care requirements. Also try to ensure that your reptile is captive bred as wild caught animals can be more aggressive and harder to care for. Always research thoroughly before purchasing any animal.   

4.    How many types are there? According to the EMBL Reptile Database there are approximately 8,240 species throughout the world. These are divided in to 4 main groups. The CROCOPYLIA which has 23 types of species, CHELONIA (turtles) with 307 species, SQUAMATA (lizards) with 4930 species and SERPENTS with 2,978 different species. This does not include sub species and tuatara.

5.    How did I start keeping reptiles? From a really young age, I have always admired reptiles especially snakes since they can move with no arms or legs. I remember always watching programmes about rattlesnakes and loving the noise that they made. I first held a reptile just over a year ago after visiting a local reptile shop and they allowed me to hold a Burmese python and now I have three snakes and hope to add more to my collection.

Example of a rack

6.    Where do I keep a reptile? The most common way to house a reptile is in a vivarium with a heat source. There are many available on the market from wooden vivariums, rack systems to plastic boxes and specialised glass tanks. There are also many different ways to add heating which is vital for a cold blooded animal, and can range from heat mats to cable and ceramic bulbs. It is important to research your animal to see what size of housing you require and what is an ideal way to heat it. For example, heavily bodied snakes may be better housed in a large vivarium with ceramic bulb. Also check what bedding your animal needs and also what temperature is required. A thermostat such as made by Microclimate is also important for regulating temperatures to ensure your animal does not get too cold or overheat.

7.    Do snakes sting with their tongues? No snake tongues are forked so that they can fit into a special organ called the Jacobson's organ and this allows the snake to smell by flicking it's tongue. No snakes sting, although some are venomous and the venom is injected via fangs. Not all snakes are venomous and many are harmless to be around. 

8.    Is an anaconda bigger than a reticulated python?  While retics hold the record for being the longest breed of snake, anacondas (the green anaconda) holds the record for being the biggest. Reticulated pythons are the longest breed of snake with some reaching over 9 metres. Although the anaconda are more heavily bodied as they eat larger prey, in fact everything about them is big! The largest specimen of anaconda was recorded to be 11 metres which is impressive. Bare in mind an 11 metre reticulated python can be dwarfed by an anaconda of the same size.

Green Anaconda

9.    What is the biggest snake to ever live? Titanboa lived approximately 60-58 million years ago and is the largest and heaviest snake ever to be discovered. Estimated to reach a maximum length of 12-15 metres (40-50ft) and weighed 1,135kg (2,500lb). Found in South America. 

10.What is the difference between reptiles and amphibians? Reptiles and amphibians are two entirely different types of animals although do share some similarities. Different types of reptile live on land or on both land and water. Amphibians are born in water and spend most of their lives in water and also form larvae, although when they grow into adults they usually live on both water and land. Young amphibians breathe through gills whilst adults use lungs although some adults may have both. Amphibians do not have scales like reptiles, they generally have smooth bodies some species may be rough and leathery. Reptiles are normally larger in size and include four groups of animals: snakes, turtles, crocodiles and tuatara. Amphibians have three groups of animals: frogs, toads and caecilians. Amphibians also undergo metamorphosis.

Toad

For further information about reptiles, please look at some of my previous posts. Click on the following links at the bottom of this post to take you to the page. Also feel free to add your questions below and I will answering them in upcoming Q&A posts.

Venomous Reptiles

Bedding

Housing

Starter Snakes

Choosing a Snake

Heating

Frozen vs Live Feeding with Snakes

This is a controversial topic for animal lovers, snake keepers and breeders alike. There is debate amongst the reptile community regarding feeding a snake live prey as opposed to frozen thawed. Some find that live feeding is cruel and inhumane. This post will outline what points both sides of the argument make and of course my views.

Frozen Thawed

The majority of reptile keepers feed their snakes frozen thawed prey. Using this method prevents any injury to the snake and provides the snake with most of it's nutrition, if not all of it. Also, this is very cost effective as frozen prey does not cost a packet and they are easy to keep in the freezer. You also have more control of frozen prey than that of live prey as their is no chance of the rodent biting the snake and damaging it. If you have a problem feeder, you can leave the prey in it's tank overnight on the heat mat, without fear of the snake becoming injured or worse as snakes will not defend themselves in most cases.

Live Feeding

Some keepers prefer to feed a live rodent to their snake. I have heard cases of people claiming that their snake will only eat live prey. There is a risk with live prey as they can attack the snake and will not go down without a fight. Furthermore, wild caught rodents can carry parasites. If you use this method, ensure your rodents are captive bred and are purchased from a reliable and reputable source. To feed a live prey item, you will need to care for it before sacrificing it to your snake which may cause emotional distress to the keeper. Most keepers who opt for live feeding may choose this method as it is more natural for the snake.

My Thoughts

I would never feed my snakes live prey as they are worth too much to me and I could not bear it if one got seriously injured or worse. I also believe that any snake can be weaned off live prey with a few smart tricks such as:

• Pre-killing the rodent just before offering to the snake.
• Warming the frozen rodent in either warm water or with a hair dryer.
• Braining the rodent by sticking a nail or tack into it's skull.
• Move the frozen warmed thaw about in a 'zombie' like motion.
• Leaving the frozen thawed in the tank overnight on the heat source overnight.
• Be patient as this may take some time and don't worry if your snake misses a meal as this will make it more hungry for the next one!!

Tortoises

Today's post is all about tortoises and why they make great pets. Tortoises are hard shelled reptiles that grow large and live for a very long time. The typical size of a tortoise depends on the breed but expect this to be between 6 and 26 inches although they can grow larger than this. You should take this into consideration when purchasing a tortoise as, even though they grow slow, they do grow the most within the first 5 years after birth.

As with all reptiles, tortoises can become stressed, especially after just being introduced to a new home. This should last around a day and they may go off their food within this time period. In order to make the tortoise feel more at home, soak the reptile in warm water.

African Spur Tortoise

Enclosure

If you live in the UK, the chances are you will want to keep your tortoise indoors to avoid the cold weather. Enclosures will need to be considered in this case. A baby tortoise would be happy with 3 square feet of space. Furthermore, consider the type of enclosure you are getting: if it is a glass tank then you may want to place a piece of paper over the lower front of the glass as the tortoise will not realise it is glass and will persist to try to walk through it. Glass that is 'foggy' or frosted works well while still being aesthetically pleasing. An alternative would be a tortoise table which is essentially an open top enclosure that has a hide and a 'run' for the tortoise to get exercise. The walls for this type of enclosure seem low but a baby tortoise will not be able to climb over it.

Yellowfoot Tortoise

Substrate

When it comes to substrate, you must take into consideration the breed of tortoise you have as they all require different humidity and therefore, different substrate. If your tortoise requires mid to high humidity, you can choose substrate such as coconut coir, sphagnum moss, and peat moss. If your tortoise is more used to a desert environment, select a substrate such as dry hay or grass clippings. Shredded paper can also be used if you wish to be economical. Many people use flat paper and while this would be a cheap option for the keeper, it would not stimulate the animal as well as some other substrate. Avoid using sand as there is a risk of the tortoise ingesting it.

Tortoise Table

Lighting and Heating

Like some other reptiles, tortoises require a UV-B source. This provides the tortoise with the tools needed to process and absorb it's food. They also need a spot bulb to give the tortoise heat. Temperatures would depend on the species but a 40w - 60w bulb would be fine for a 3-4 square foot enclosure. Take in mind, you do need to drop the temperature for night time and if the enclosure is within direct sunlight, try to mimic what the temperature would be as the sun goes down. Make sure the temperature does not drop less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Enclosure Decorations

'Furniture' for the enclosure can be purchased but unlike lizards and snakes, tortoises do not require tunnels etc, but instead, prefer rocks for them to walk around and climb on. You can also use rocks as a sort of pavement in order to file the tortoises nails down. Also, ensure large and heavy objects are on the floor of the enclosure with the substrate placed around it, to avoid the tortoise injuring itself if it goes digging. Do NOT get fake plants or greenery as the colour will attract the tortoise to the artificial plant as a food source. 

Horsefield Tortoise

Hides

Tortoises require hides in order to feel secure. A humid hide should also be placed in their enclosure as this will keep their shell growth smooth and will prevent 'pyramiding' of their shell. It is recommended that you provide fresh water for the tortoise so it does not dehydrate. Baby tortoises should also be bathed in warm water at least twice a week. 

Diet

A tortoise will eat a mixture of leafy greens that you can purchase from a supermarket. Babies especially require calcium added to their diet to aid the growth of bones and shell. Ensure you do your research into the dietary requirements for your species of tortoise.

A Tortoise Enjoying a Meal

If you find that your tortoise is acting odd, check the conditions of their enclosure, in particular, the humidity and anything that could be stressful for the reptile. Don't forget, they count on you to stay alive.

Adult Sulcata Tortoise