TLDR; I need advice for what to tell my dad to buy for his setup. Its a 4 x 2 x 4, he currently has a single heat lamp (150W-center) and a deep heat projector (80W-right), a large peice of wood that stretches across the enclosure from left bottom back corner to right top middle/front corner, a large tub for water(approx. 4 gallons) on the left side that takes up most of the left side, and coco husk substrate >2 inches deep. Prior to adding the deep heat projector, the heat lamp did not reach the bottom of the tank, so the bottom of the enclosure was cold and very dry. Theres no regulation/monitoring of temp/humidity.
I am seeking advice on what to add to the enclosure to increase the boa’s quality of life. Cost will not be a concern, but i have to work with the dimensions given. I would love to go bioactive, but at this time, I dont think its possible. The owner is lazy, so keep in mind that anything that needs daily checking… probably won’t happen.
Very Long Version that Explains Everything…
Deep breath.
So, my dad has had a boa for a long time now, surviving on the luck of the ignorant. Three years ago, I noticed a decline in his health, he was loosing weight and having trouble shedding. I informed my dad of my concerns and told him what he needed to do to get him back to health. I live 200+ miles away, and only visit about once a year. The following year, i came back and was mortified by his condition. He had lost even more weight, to the point his rib bones were showing. He had a few wounds on his side, and his previous shed was still in the tank. At his healthy weight, he was 13 pounds - he was now 7 pounds.
I took a few days to compose myself, suggested I take him back with me to get his weight back up/wounds healed and we would then discuss what to do henceforth.
I took him home, patched him up, and after a few months, discussed with my father that maybe he was just too busy in this part of his life to care for a snake, and that i would take over the snake’s care.
Fast forward to last year, i get a text from him “what’s a good name for a female snake?”
He had gotten another boa.
Deep breath.
He assured me that she came with her own enclosure and that he’d be putting her somewhere more central in his house so that he could keep a better eye on her (the enclosure that the previous boa was in, was at the end of a long closet, out of sight, out of mind type of location). I expressed my concerns, but had hope that he would do better with this snake than the last one (as i could NOT take on another boa~ i simply did not have the room)
Well, January i went over for a reptile expo and much to my disappointment i found out that not only did he not have her in her own enclosure, central in his home as he said he would- she was in the old enclosure with the same old substrate the last snake was on, her shed was in peices, and she only had a heatlamp on her (which was off at the time). Frustrated, i held my tongue, and asked why he hadnt used her previous enclosure and in a central location. Needless to say, his excuse was inadequate but i realized that there was no use in arguing and that no matter what I did or said, he was determined to have a boa and keep them in that small enclosure that was and would probably be forgotten.
So, my question I’m coming to y’all with today is, how can i make this enclosure as good as i can make it for this new boa? I am not looking for a cheap option, i want the very best for her within the constraints of what i know to be a too small enclosure.
I would love links to products and full ideas, but here are some ive already come up with.
To note: she’s a common boa constrictor(i suspect, but shes small), adult, suspected female, approx. 5 feet long. (I didnt check to see if she was actually female, and her age is unknown, she appears to be adult though)
-The enclosure is built into the wall, 4ft wide by 4 ft tall by about 2 feet deep. He said it was treated to be water resistant/proof. The front is a sliding window that opens to the right so it can be difficult to reach the right side. The top is 1cmx1cm squared wire. The distance between the ceiling and the top of the enclosure is roughly 10 inches. From the bottom of the enclosure to the floor is maybe 3-4 feet (i didnt measure it)
-clean out/remove old substrate, replace with 1-2 inches of cocofiber topped with 1-2 inches of repti-bark.
-a smaller water dish with a sloped edge
-two hides on each end of the enclosure, one lined with sphagnum moss, the hides 11 x 15
-a platform of some sort for above the dry/warm side hide for basking/warming up
-hydrogmeter and two thermometers (hydrometer on cool/humid side, thermometer on each side)
-fake plants for decor/enrichment
-was toying with the idea of a bearded dragon hammock for basking/enrichment but wasnt sure if the holes would be troublesome?
-was also thinking of a small fan to improve airflow~?
I am open to ideas, suggestions, etc. Sadly, i don’t think trying to talk him into a proper sized set up, and i dont think bioactive would work in this type of setup with the constraints/lack of airflow.
I would also like suggestions of how to talk to my dad about proper husbandry? I get a little frustrated, and im sure he doesn’t like getting told what to do by hia daughter- but he did give me permission to tell him what to get for her enclosure, but make sure links are provided (lol).
Thank you in advance for any and all suggestions! Also, has anyone else had to deal with a similar situation?