Pearl Island boa (Boa constrictor sabogae)

Short answers

Pearl Island boa: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 180×90×135 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, American boas).

Pearl Island boa: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 27–32 °C, basking spot 33 °C, at night 22–25 °C.

Pearl Island boa: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Recommended (UVB 5.0).

Pearl Island boa: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 20–30 years.

Pearl Island boa: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

27–32 °C

Night temperature

22–25 °C

Basking spot

33 °C

Humidity

60–75 %

UVB

Recommended (UVB 5.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 180×90×135 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, American boas)

Substrate

Bark mulch, a cork hide, sturdy branches, a water dish

Feeding

Food

Frozen-thawed mice and rats

Feeding interval

every 10–14 days

Key facts

Adult size

120–180 cm

Life expectancy

20–30 years

Origin

The Pearl Islands, Panama

Protection status

CITES II

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

Keep them singly. Snakes are solitary and do not seek company — a shared hide is competition for the best spot, not social behaviour. 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 and separate them again afterwards.

Notes

A small-growing island form, often with a pink-grey tone. Popular because of its small final size – but genuine sabogae are rare, and many animals offered are hybrids.

Do you keep this species?

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

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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 – Costa Rica (Boa constrictor imperator) – Intermediate
• Common boa – Honduras (Boa constrictor imperator) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Pearl Island boa (Boa constrictor sabogae) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 180×90×135 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, American boas)), substrate (Bark mulch, a cork hide, sturdy branches, a water dish), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.