Bibron's bevel-nosed boa (Candoia bibroni)

Short answers

Bibron's bevel-nosed boa: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 150×75×115 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, Pacific boas over 1.5 m); semi-arboreal, height matters.

Bibron's bevel-nosed boa: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–30 °C, basking spot 30–32 °C, at night 22–24 °C.

Bibron's bevel-nosed boa: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB not essential (nocturnal/crepuscular), weak UVB (Ferguson zone 1) is tolerated.

Bibron's bevel-nosed boa: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 15–20 years.

Bibron's bevel-nosed boa: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–30 °C

Night temperature

22–24 °C

Basking spot

30–32 °C

Humidity

60–80 %

UVB

UVB not essential (nocturnal/crepuscular), weak UVB (Ferguson zone 1) is tolerated

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 150×75×115 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, Pacific boas over 1.5 m); semi-arboreal, height matters

Substrate

Coco humus or a peat substitute, moisture-retaining; a large water dish for bathing

Feeding

Food

Rodents (mice or chicks); juveniles often prefer frogs, lizards or anoles and need switching to rodents

Feeding interval

adults every 1–2 weeks, juveniles weekly

Key facts

Adult size

males ~90 cm, females ~150 cm (the largest Candoia species)

Life expectancy

approx. 15–20 years

Origin

Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Melanesia (the Pacific islands)

Protection status

Protected: CITES Appendix II, EU Annex B - proof of origin required at purchase and resale. Predominantly wild-caught animals in the trade - make sure of legal proof of origin.

Brumation

None (tropical); at most a slight seasonal drop to stimulate breeding

Cohabitation

Keep them singly – a territorial, solitary boa; put them together only briefly for supervised breeding, and never keep males together

Notes

Semi-arboreal, and more arboreal than the other Candoia. Common mistakes: wild-caught animals with parasites and import stress, and food refusal (many take only lizards and frogs at first). A large water dish matters (it bathes and defecates in the water). The taxonomy and terrarium size are partly uncertain vendor figures – treat them as a guide.

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Related species

• New Guinea ground boa (Candoia aspera) – Intermediate
• Solomon Islands ground boa (Candoia paulsoni) – Intermediate
• Viper boa (Candoia carinata) – Intermediate
• Amazon tree boa (Corallus batesii) – Expert
• Argentine boa (Boa constrictor occidentalis) – Intermediate
• True red-tailed boa – Guyana (Boa constrictor constrictor) – Intermediate
• True red-tailed boa – Peru (Boa constrictor constrictor) – Intermediate
• True red-tailed boa – Suriname (Boa constrictor constrictor) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Bibron's bevel-nosed boa (Candoia bibroni) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 150×75×115 cm (minimum size per the 1997 expert report, Pacific boas over 1.5 m); semi-arboreal, height matters), substrate (Coco humus or a peat substitute, moisture-retaining; a large water dish for bathing), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.