Lichanura trivirgata (Rosy boa)

Origin: Mexico
Length: up to 1 meter
Age: up to 30 years
The colors of the rosy boa are quite varied, but one thing that all specimens have in common is that they have clear lines across the body. There are variations that are gray with brown or red stripes, but there are also variations that are yellow with black stripes.

Care
Experience: Starting snake keeper
Food: Live or dead prey. Primary prey animals are mice and rats.
Adult feeding: every 2 to 3 weeks
Feeding young: Every other week
Water basin: Yes
Change water: twice a week
Food
The rosy boa is not a difficult eater and will accept most prey animals. Already in captivity is mainly fed with mice. It is advisable to offer dead food. This is because it is more practical and prevents the food animal from injuring your snake. In addition, it is advised to offer the food animal with a pair of tongs and feed your outside the accommodation. This ensures that your hand is not associated with food and prevents your snake from grasping your hand during feeding. If you go for live food, you must supervise it during feeding. The prey can also injure the snake. If you hold several Rosy boas together then feed them separately, as it may happen that the snakes injure each other during feeding. The ideal prey is about the same width as the widest part of the snake.

Water
Because the rosy boa comes from drier areas, it does not need too much water. Provide a small water basin that is firmly in place at the bottom of the accommodation. After all, it sometimes happens that the water basin falls over due to tossing; then the enclosure is too humid for the rosy boa.

Cleaning
To keep the rosy boa healthy, it needs a clean enclosure, you can achieve this by regularly cleaning the enclosure. Removing faeces once a week is enough, but it can always be done more often. You will need to coordinate this with the current situation. In addition, it is advisable to disinfect the entire enclosure a few times a year, so that no bacteria accumulate during the enclosure.

Handling
The rosy boa is easy to handle and hassle-free because of its character. Although there are a few things to look out for. For example, handle your snake with a snake hook or let it rest in both hands. While handling, make sure you support the body well and never put the boa around your neck. Before handling, make sure you wash your hands and do not smell of food. Finally, do not handle your snake when it is peeling and do not handle it in the dark.

Housing
Minimum enclosure size for 1 couple: 80 x 50 x 40
Lying area: 0.4 m2
Day temperature: 24-26C
Night temperature: 20-22C
Hours of light: 12 hours
Humidity level: 50% or lower
Ground cover: Bark or beech chips (at least 5 cm)
The rosy boa is a true bottom dweller. The terrarium will also have to be arranged accordingly. The accommodation does not have to have high climbing branches, but structure such as branches or stones that can be climbed on is appreciated. The bottom must have a thick layer of substrate, because the rosy boa likes to toss in the bottom. In addition, several hiding places must be offered in the form of artificial caves, branches, bark or an inverted flowerpot. Because the rosy boa is a bottom dweller, it cannot regulate its heat by sitting higher or lower in the enclosure. In order to offer a heat difference to this snake, a warm and a cool part will have to be added to the accommodation. The warm part must be between 29-32c and the cool part between 21-23 degrees. To get a heat difference in this way you can look at a heat lamp or a heat mat.

For the enclosure there are some extra things to look out for. The rosy boas, for example, are quite good at escaping and it will have to be ensured that they cannot simply make their door. In addition, ventilation is needed to keep the air fresh and it is advisable to set up the enclosure out of the bright sun and as vibration-free as possible.

Behaviour
Hunting method: Strangle snake.
Lifestyle: Testrial & night active
Character: The rosy boa has a calm character and is not a very active snake. This also suited to his lifestyle in the desert. They are easy to feed and handle and that makes them good pets.
Points of attention
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Costs and Purchase
Legislation: The rosy boa falls under CITES II, to own this snake you need CITES or transfer papers. You should get this when purchasing.
One-off costs: This includes the costs for accommodation, lighting, heating, water bowl and decoration. This can together cost a few hundred euros to a few thousand euros. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the costs for the feed, this is several tens of euros per year.
Unexpected costs: Costs have been incurred if your snake happens to fall ill or your equipment breaks down.