# 6ft boa viv with UV



## Sid85 (Dec 18, 2012)

Hey,

I currently have a 3rd old Hog Island Boa called Ruin. He's somewhere between 4 and 5ft long, and living in a 4x2x2 viv on news paper with minimal decoration.

Here's the guy in question:




I'm planning to upgrade him to a 6x2x2 (that until recently was a retic home, but he's now in a plastic viv because he's too messy for a wooden viv).

The viv is heated by a 120W tube heater (for ambient) and a 150W ceramic bulb (for the hot end) and there's a shelf in there.

Here's a couple of pics of the viv when i first set all the heating up:




My plan now for Ruin is to waterproof the viv, try a UV light source (never tried this on any of our snakes before), use a bark substrate with some moss, add plenty of branches and fake plants and some natural looking hides (possibly cork bark).

Stage 1. I picked up some clear pond paint (it's pretty much epoxy resin - but I felt safer using one for ponds so that I am confident it's non-toxic). I've pained the whole inside of the viv and shelf. I dont think I'll add another layer, as it was a pretty thick coat in the end.

Stage 2. Based on advice from ArcadiaJohn I've bought and installed a 24W ParrotPro UV light. There isn't a guard that is designed for this - but a guard for an AHS 500W rep radiator has done the job.

John's advice was:
"The hog is a secretive crepuscular species that takes small trips into direct and scattered sunshine, as such there is an evolutionary use for solar energy.

In a 6x2x2 I would use a product that we currently call ParrotPro. Don't be put off by the name! It us a UVFLOOD with a 2.4% UVB full spectrum lamp. 

You get everything you need in the box.

Fit this into the hot end and this will be the backing area as defined by the light and shade method.

I would use a timer for a 6-8 hour period a day."

That's installed at the hot end, and looks good already. Thanks John - I'll keep you updated when I have Ruin in there.

So the viv is currently looking like this:






My next steps are to get some branches in there, and properly secured in. I currently have a selection of fairly straight and thin branches, i'm not sure whether I can arrange them crossed around the viv. I have some cork bark, which I will edge the shelf with so that I can cover the shelf in substrate. And i'll try and pick up some more cork bark for hides.

Does anyone have any recommendations for bark substrate (and where to get it from to cover a 6ft viv)?

This may be slow ish to progress (although it's dominating our bedroom while I work on it, so I probably should get it finished and back into the snake room), either way i'll try to update this further.

Any feedback welcome (even if it's too late, i can learn for next time).
Sid


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

nope this is perfect.

just sit back and watch how he uses the gentle power gradients. you can then adjust your timers to supply the level of energy that your particular animal requires

This is a very nice system

john





Sid85 said:


> Hey,
> 
> I currently have a 3rd old Hog Island Boa called Ruin. He's somewhere between 4 and 5ft long, and living in a 4x2x2 viv on news paper with minimal decoration.
> 
> ...


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## Sid85 (Dec 18, 2012)

Cheers John.

Now it's time for me to mess it up by showing off my non-artistic skills with branches and decoration.

I'm really impressed with the light already, it gives a really nice gradient from dark in the corner to really bright under the light.


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## Sid85 (Dec 18, 2012)

Some branches are in. It doesn't look like much now, i'm hoping the bark, greenery and substrate bring things together a bit more - that's a job for this weekend.


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## Sid85 (Dec 18, 2012)

Vines went in next





Then cork bark added to the edge of the shelf





Then greenery













The viv is back in place. Ready to buy some bark hides and substrate.


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## Sid85 (Dec 18, 2012)

I've added orchid bark for substrate (and on the shelf) as well as some cork bark tubes. That has really brought the viv to life.





And after a couple of days of making sure the temperatures were accurate I move Ruin in. (I dont have any brilliant photos, but he did explore quite a lot on the first day and then settled down and found where his new hiding place is.





I'll try and add some more photos when I get some.


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

It's all looking marvellous , how's everything holding up - the vines and plants and whatever ?? My adult male Snow is a big fella and I've had to nearly strip out his viv of late as he was just moving things around and it just looked cluttered . He's on a bed of orchid bark like yours plus a couple of huge lumps of bark and some fake Exo ferns


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## Sid85 (Dec 18, 2012)

Nothing has broken so far... haha. I expect the first things to go will be all the plants will be flattened or dragged off things. Also the bark along the edge of the shelf might be a weak point haha. Time will tell.

He's not that big - he's only just over 4ft and relatively slender still - but i thought he'd appreciate the 6ft space.


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Sid85 said:


> Nothing has broken so far... haha. I expect the first things to go will be all the plants will be flattened or dragged off things. Also the bark along the edge of the shelf might be a weak point haha. Time will tell.
> 
> He's not that big - he's only just over 4ft and relatively slender still - but i thought he'd appreciate the 6ft space.


I'm sure he does appreciate the space !

There's many bigger ones around - trapped in small rubs so he's in paradise


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## Sid85 (Dec 18, 2012)

He's been in there a couple of weeks now - and spent most of the time in the darkest corner of the viv whenever the light has been on. I was beginning to wonder whether it was just a waste of effort and that he really doesn't like the light.

However, after a rat the previous night, we found him sitting on the edge of the shelf and under the light. It may be that he simply stopped there - but he was in the area for quite a long time. Here are a couple of pics. Hopefully he continues to use it more in the future.


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

its all about accurate self regulation and light and shade. 5 mins here, 1 min there and of course light does not just travel in straight lines and disappear, so we have the interaction via leaf and rock scatter

for these more crepuscular species and those that eat whole animals we use UV to activate colour vision and to allow them to "top up" any dietary shortfall...

honestly, nature knows best!

john




Sid85 said:


> He's been in there a couple of weeks now - and spent most of the time in the darkest corner of the viv whenever the light has been on. I was beginning to wonder whether it was just a waste of effort and that he really doesn't like the light.
> 
> However, after a rat the previous night, we found him sitting on the edge of the shelf and under the light. It may be that he simply stopped there - but he was in the area for quite a long time. Here are a couple of pics. Hopefully he continues to use it more in the future.
> 
> ...


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