Common boa – Costa Rica (Boa constrictor imperator)

Short answers

Common boa – Costa Rica: How big does the enclosure need to be?

200×100×150 cm (adult).

Common boa – Costa Rica: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 28–30 °C, basking spot 32–34 °C, at night 22–24 °C.

Common boa – Costa Rica: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Optional.

Common boa – Costa Rica: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 20–30 years.

Common boa – Costa Rica: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

28–30 °C

Night temperature

22–24 °C

Basking spot

32–34 °C

Humidity

60–70 % (up to 80 % when shedding)

UVB

Optional

Enclosure

Minimum size

200×100×150 cm (adult)

Substrate

Bark mulch or coco humus, moisture-retaining

Feeding

Food

Rats or mice; larger animals take rabbits (frozen-thawed)

Feeding interval

adults every 2–4 weeks

Key facts

Adult size

males approx. 130 cm, females approx. 150 cm, individual animals up to 200 cm

Life expectancy

20–30 years

Origin

Central America (Costa Rica), a locality form

Protection status

CITES Appendix II / EU Annex B (proof and registration required)

Brumation

None (a slight winter drop for breeding is optional)

Cohabitation

Keeping them singly is recommended. Snakes are solitary and do not seek company. The concrete reason is the feeding accident: if two animals grab the same food item, one can swallow the other along with it. On top of that, once they are kept together you can no longer tell which animal has eaten and which is losing weight. For breeding, put them together under supervision.

Notes

A powerful constrictor; above a certain size, handle it with two people. Observe the registration requirements (CITES and BArtSchV); proof of origin is required.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

Common boa – Costa Rica (Boa constrictor imperator) currently offered

• Boa Constrictor Imperator – Wildfarbe · Lommis · 100 €

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Related species

• 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
• True red-tailed boa (Boa constrictor constrictor) – Intermediate
• Hog Island boa (Boa constrictor imperator) – Intermediate
• Common boa – Honduras (Boa constrictor imperator) – Intermediate
• Common boa – Colombia (Boa constrictor imperator) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Common boa – Costa Rica (Boa constrictor imperator) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (200×100×150 cm (adult)), substrate (Bark mulch or coco humus, moisture-retaining), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.