The Rosy Boa 

Lichanura trivigata

The Rosy Boa (Lichanura trivigata) has recently become one of the more popular reptiles to own and keep in captivity. The reasons for the Rosy Boa’s popularity are numerous and well merited. They are docile, slow moving snakes, which seldom bite, are represented by a wide spectrum of interesting colors and stripe patterns, and are generally easy to maintain and propagate. 

Captive Care

Heat

Probably the single most important thing for the health of your Corn Snake is having a proper heat source. Since reptiles are cold blooded, the only way that they can regulate their body temperature is to move from a warm spot to a cooler spot, or visa versa. Therefore the heat source should be located at one end of the enclosure, so your snake can move to it, or away from it when they feel the need to. They also need heat to properly digest their food. 

Housing

Many different types of enclosures will work, e.g. glass aquariums or plastic sweater boxes, with proper thermal gradient and excellent ventilation the most critical elements. Use of an under tank heating pad or ceramic heat emitter are two of the more effective ways to achieve a thermal gradient, particularly when using a thermostat controller. Surface temperatures should provide the following thermal gradient:

Cooler side 78o-80oF<--->87o-90oF warmer side

Heat of this kind is much more preferable than use of a light. Lights rarely add value to maintaining healthy rosy boas and primarily serve to enhance the aesthetic qualities of the enclosure. Too much heat, or too little, can result in regurgitation, which often leads to more serious health consequences.

The size of the enclosure should be matched to the size of the boa. For adults, the equivalent a 10-gallon aquarium sized enclosure is usually large enough, but a larger enclosure may be desirable for boas exceeding 32 inches. The surface area of the cage floor is more relevant than cage height. The enclosure and ground substrate should stay as dry as possible, and excellent ventilation will help maintain low humidity, thus screen tops are preferred. The optimal enclosure substrate is a matter of preference. Several are recommended, including Aspen bedding, sand, shredded paper or newspaper. All of these substrates are more or less dehydrated and highly absorbent. Provide enough base substrate (1"-2") to prevent the animal from burning itself by direct contact with the heat source. Some rosy boas can become stressed without a hide box, resulting in non-feeding or regurgitation. Either provide a hide box or use a substrate, which permits burrowing, as rosy boas enjoy excavating and hiding. Your boa may also utilize a branch or small rock pile for climbing.

Feeding and Water

 Rosy boas predominately prey on rodents, and in captivity, this is almost exclusively the case. Feeding rosy boas properly sized mice at the right intervals is also critical to their health. The following table provides some basic guidance. Remember that larger or more frequent meals will require greater energy (heat) from your Rosy Boa to adequately digest. Rosy Boa Size Prey Item's and how often

Neonates- pinkie or young fuzzy mice 3-4 days , Juveniles- fuzzy mice or pinkie rats 4-5days

Sub adults- fuzzy or hopper mice or pinkie rats 4-7 days, Adults-small adult or hopper mice, or fuzzy rats Weekly, Large-Adult adult mice or sub adult rats 7-14 days.

Some of the frequent causes of non-feeding boas are stress, improper heat gradient, or over handling. If your Rosy Boa repeatedly refuses food, try using a hide box, offering smaller sized prey in the early evening, offering thoroughly thawed frozen mice, reducing handling, and/or providing a more natural environment

Water is offered sparingly. For adults, place a small water dish in the enclosure for 1 day every 2-4 weeks, or 1 day every 2-3 weeks for neonates and juveniles. Water dishes should also be removed to avoid increasing enclosure humidity.