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Rosy Boas (Lichanura trivirgata)

     Rosy boas are a beautiful, gentle snake found throughout the western United States and Mexico.  They are a small boa and usually don’t exceed 40 inches in length.  These boas inhabit desert, scrubland, and rocky areas and you should duplicate this environment in captivity.  Rosy boas are secretive snakes and will do best if provided with some type of hiding place.  The typical sub-species found in captivity are the desert rosy, costal rosy, Baja rosy, and the Mexican rosy.  Like all boas, rosy boas have live birth and they are sexually mature within three years.  Healthy female rosy boas can give birth to 5-10 babies every year.  With proper care rosy boas are long-lived snakes and can live up to 20 years.  Prehistoric Pets promotes responsible snake ownership and we recommend locking cages that prevent accidental escape.  Escaped snakes can have a negative impact on the general public which can lead to a ban of snake ownership. 

Temperature

     Rosy boas should be maintained between 80-85 degrees during the day with a basking spot of 90 degrees.  Nighttime temperatures need to range between 65-75 degrees.  Rosy boas inhabit dry areas and humidity should be kept to a minimum. 

Housing

     Rosy boas can be kept in 29 gallon or larger terrariums.  Ideally the larger the snake the more room you want to provide.  Never place a cage near a window where sunlight can directly shine on it.  Cages placed in direct sunlight can easily overheat and ultimately lead to the death of your snake. 

Bedding

     Different beddings have positive and negative effects when used for reptiles.  Our recommendation is some type of sand or crushed walnut shells.  The bedding should be a few inches deep to allow your boa to completely bury itself. 

Food

     Rosy boas feed on pinkie and fuzzy mice as babies and juveniles.  As your snake matures it will soon move up to adult mice.  We recommend that you feed baby and juvenile rosy boas 1-2 times per week.  Adult rosy boas can be fed once every 7-10 days to maintain proper body weight.  Like most snakes, rosy boas typically will not eat when they are preparing to shed.  After your snake has shed you can return to your normal feeding regiment.  If your snake doesn’t eat make sure you remove the rodent from the cage.  Rodents can bite snakes when they are hungry and can injure or kill your snake. 

Cleaning and Handling

     The terrarium should be cleaned as necessary. Any fecal matter should be cleaned out several times a week. The bedding should be completely changed once a month and fresh clean water should be provided at all times.  The inside of the terrarium can be cleaned out with an appropriate reptile cage cleaner, we recommend Natural Chemistry’s Healthy Habitat.  Rosy boas can be handled on a daily basis and always wash your hands before and after handling them.