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Care
Experience: Experienced snake keeper
Food: Live or dead prey.
Feeding adults: Every 14 days
Feeding young: Every 7 days
Water dish: Yes
Change water: 3 times a week
Food
In the wild, the viper boa feeds on reptiles and amphibians and will occasionally take a small rodent. This makes viper boas that are not accustomed to rodents more difficult to feed. If a viper boa is accustomed to eating rodents, they are quite manageable. One way to accustom the animals to rodents is to rub them with a lizard or frog. The other option is assisted or force-feeding. Please be mindful of your own safety and that of the animal. The rule of thumb for prey size is that the prey should be as thick as the thickest part of the snake. These prey can be offered live or dead. Although it's recommended to offer dead prey for convenience, this is more practical, and live prey can sometimes injure the snake. We recommend offering the food animals with feeding tongs and feeding your snake outside its enclosure. This has the advantage that your hand isn't associated with food.
If you do choose to offer live food, you must supervise feeding. If you keep the boa with other snakes, you will need to separate them before feeding, as they can easily injure each other during feeding.
Water
This boa, like other boas, is a true water lover. In addition to drinking, they also bathe in it. Therefore, the water dish must be large enough for the snake to bathe its entire body in. This bathing can cause the water to become dirty, so changing the water more than three times a week is not a problem.
Cleaning
To prevent disease and bacterial buildup, the enclosure must be kept clean. You can do this weekly, but it's also wise to thoroughly clean and disinfect the enclosure a few times a year. This prevents bacteria buildup. When cleaning, make sure to also clean climbing branches and raised areas.
Handling
To feed the viper boa and clean its enclosure, your snake will need to be handled. This must be done properly to ensure both the snake and you are safe. Handle the snake with a snake hook or lift it with both hands. Don't hang your snake around your neck, as if it falls, it will clamp around your neck. There are also some other important things to keep in mind when handling a viper boa. First, make sure your snake understands that you are handling it and move calmly while handling it. Also, make sure your hands are washed and do not smell of food. Finally, don't handle your snake while it is shedding, and don't handle it in the dark.
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Housing
Minimum enclosure size for one snake: 80 x 40 x 50 cm
Lying area: 1.2 m²
Daytime temperature (warmer side): 27-32°C
Daytime temperature (cooler side): 21-27°C
Nighttime temperature: 22-24°C
Light hours: 12 hours
Humidity: 70%-80%
Substrate: Cocopeat, soil, or peat litter
Equipment
The New Guinea ground boa is, as its name suggests, a true ground dweller. A high enclosure or climbing possibilities are therefore not necessary. The enclosure should have a good layer of soil of about 5 to 10 centimeters (the rule is, the more, the better). These boas like to bury themselves. To encourage this behavior, it is important to keep the soil as loose as possible. These boas don't only hide in the ground. Various hiding places should also be provided. This can be in the form of a den, cave, or piece of wood. Keep in mind that the hiding place must be large enough for the snake to lie completely under. Finally, like other boas, they need to be able to bathe. To achieve this, they need a water bowl large enough for the snake to lie down in with its entire body.
There are a few additional things to consider regarding the enclosure. Adder boas, for example, are quite adept at escaping, and it will be important to ensure they can't simply open their door. You can do this by placing a lock on the enclosure. Ventilation is also necessary to keep the air fresh, and it's advisable to position the enclosure out of direct sunlight and as vibration-free as possible.
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Behavior
Hunting Mode: Constrictor
Life Style: Testicular & Nocturnal
Temperament:
The Viper Boa is a shy snake that, once habituated, will not quickly become aggressive. However, most snakes do not enjoy being handled. In wild specimens, the snakes themselves are very defensive when handled or disturbed. This characteristic is less evident in captive-bred specimens.
Points of Consideration
Please note that this is not a suitable snake for enthusiasts who enjoy handling their animals.
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Costs and Purchase
Legislation: The Ader boa is covered by CITES II. To own this snake, you need CITES or transfer papers. You should receive these upon purchase.
One-time costs: These include the costs of the enclosure, lighting, heating, water tank, and decorations. This can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand euros. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the cost of food, which amounts to several tens of euros per year.
Unexpected costs: There are costs incurred if your snake accidentally becomes ill or your equipment breaks down.
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