For your convenience, we have put together a list of supplies that ReptiFiles personally recommends for the health of your new pet red-tailed boa, as well as your own peace of mind. In other words, we did the shopping for you!
Click the link for each item below to see which specific products we recommend. And just so you know, this page does contain some affiliate links, but using them won’t cost you a penny extra.
- 48”L x 24”W x 24”T front-opening enclosure
- 22″ 5.0 T5 HO UVB bulb
- 24″ T5 HO UVB fixture
- 90w halogen flood heat bulbs, x2 (required wattage may vary)
- Dual lamp fixture
- Power strip with programmable digital timer
- Plug-in lamp dimmers, x2
- Substrate
- Sphagnum moss
- Leaf litter
- Extra large water bowl
- Hides/caves (at least 2)
- Climbing branches
- Other enrichment items: plants, cork logs, etc.
- Infrared thermometer
- Digital thermometer/hygrometer
- Calcium supplement w/low D3
- Multivitamin supplement w/retinol
- Appropriately-sized frozen rodents or Reptilinks (meat only)
- 12” feeding tweezers
- Snake hook
Approximate cost before prey or red-tailed boa purchase: $680 USD
Keep in mind that everything should be purchased and set up BEFORE you get the snake. This will save you a lot of stress, and does your new pet a big favor, too.
We also recommend finding an ARAV-certified reptile veterinarian in your area. It’s always better to do a little bit of research when nothing’s wrong than to find yourself in a panic when your pet gets sick. Start here: Finding the Reptile Vet of Your Dreams.
Downloadable Shopping List
Do you prefer to have a physical shopping list in hand as you peruse your favorite independently-owned pet shop? We like shopping lists too, so we made one that you can either pull up on your phone or print out:
- Red-Tailed Boa Shopping List (Google doc)
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Wondering why you need all this stuff? Why we chose what we did? Keep reading! ↓
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Red-Tailed Boa Care Guide:
- Introduction to Boas
- Members of the Boa Genus
- Red-Tailed Boa Shopping List & Starter Kit ← YOU ARE HERE
- How to Select and Buy a Pet Boa
- Enclosure Size
- Lighting & UVB Requirements
- Temperature Requirements
- Humidity Requirements
- Substrate Options
- Enclosure Decor & Environmental Enrichment
- Feeding Your Boa
- Taming & Handling Tips
- Common Illnesses & Other Health Information
- Additional Resources