The Dumeril’s Boa is a ground dwelling Boa that is native to Madagascar. They are often confused with the Madagascan Ground Boa who is actually a close relative of the Dumeril’s Boa.
They are a smaller species than the common boa and they are becoming more and more popular in the pet trade. However, if purchasing a Dumeril’s Boa, it is very important to buy a captive bred animal as they are endangered in the wild.
This Boais named after the French Herpetologist Andre Marie Constant Dumeril. The Dumeril’s Monitor is also named after the same Herpetologist.
Description
A Dumeril’s Boa will generally grow to between 4 and 6 feet in length with females generally being larger than males. They generally have a light brown base color with darker brown patterning or patches.
The color and patterning of the snake helps them blend into the forest floor with their base color matching the ground while their pattern will blend in with the dead leaves. This helps them to stay hidden from both predators and prey.
Males are generally smaller than females and have a longer, skinnier tail. However, this method of gender identification can be inaccurate unless you have multiple specimens for comparison.
If you are interested in keeping a heavy bodied Boa species but don’t want a snake that will grow as large as a Boa Constrictor, then this snake is a great option. The grow to around the same length as a Hog Island Boa. If you want an even smaller Boa, a Viper Boa is a good alternative.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Dumeril’s Boa is native to the island of Madagascar. This is a large island in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Mozambique, Africa. It is one of the largest islands in the world and is similar in area to the State of California.
While most people associate Madagascar with dense jungle and rainforest, the Dumeril’s Boa prefer drier conditions. Therefore, their primary range is restricted to the South-Western portion of the island.
Other species that can be found on the island of Madagascar include the Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko and the Carpet Chameleon.
Their habitat can be described as semi-arid with less rainfall than other parts of the island. They can be found in forests, savannahs and on the central highlands of the island.
They can also be found on farmland, eucalyptus forests and in villages. They are sometimes found close to human settlements. This is likely due to the abundance of food around farmland and villages.
Feeding a Dumeril’s Boa
A Dumeril’s Boa will eat a wide variety of prey. In captivity, their diet should consist of appropriately sized rodents. Rats are more nutrient dense than mice so these should be offered if your Boa will eat them.
A general rule of thumb is to offer a prey item that is no larger the girth of the snake at the snake’s largest point. If you have a large Boa, you may choose to feed them a small rabbit.
A Dumeril’s Boa generally isn’t a picky eater but if you find that they won’t eat and their husbandry is correct, you could try to offer them a different prey item. Many Boa’s will readily eat a variety of commercially available animals such as Chicks, Quail, Guinea Pigs and Gerbils.
These snakes have a slow metabolism, so they do not need to be fed as often as many other species of snake, providing they are being fed appropriately sized meals. If you overfeed them, they can quickly become obese.
A juvenile Dumeril’s Boa can be fed every 10 days or so. At this age, they are growing and will use the energy for growth. Adult snakes grow at a slower rate and don’t need to be fed as often. An appropriately sized meal every 2-3 weeks is all they need.
We recommend feeding your Boa frozen/thawed prey. When thawed, the rodent should be placed in a zip-locked bag and warmed in water before offering it to the snake. Make sure you don’t boil the prey, you just want to warm them up to around the same body temperature as a person.
Dumeril’s Boa Enclosure
A Dumeril’s Boa will do well in a large enclosure as they are an active species. An adult will do well in an enclosure measuring 4ft x 2ft x 2ft but larger specimens may need an even bigger setup.
You should not keep more than one Dumeril’s Boa in an enclosure. They are a solitary species and are even known to eat other snakes. Keeping two of these snakes together could potentially be fatal especially if one is a lot bigger than the other.
A juvenile can be kept in a much smaller enclosure. A tank measuring 2ft x 1ft x 1ft will be big enough for the first year or two. Ensure you have a hide on both the warm and cool end so the snake can feel secure.
An adult Boa enclosure can be very expensive so many keepers choose to build their own. A glass vivarium will work for a younger Boa but will be extremely expensive or impossible to find for an adult.
Most people choose to build an enclosure out of wood. This is because the material is easy to source and relatively inexpensive. However, it isn’t a great choice for these snakes as the humidity levels can cause the wood to rot and mould.
A better choice is to use a plastic enclosure. This can be a commercial moulded enclosure which work great or a custom build PVC enclosure if you are looking for a less expensive option.
Light and Heat
A Dumeril’s Boa does well with a basking spot of around 88F. It is recommended to use an overhead heat source to achieve this. The most popular choices are heat lamps and ceramic bulbs.
Undertank heating isnt recommended as it is too difficult to achieve the required thermal gradient using this method. Heavy bodied snakes can also cause hot spots to occur if a heat mat is placed directly in the enclosure.
The heat source should be placed at one side of the enclosure. This will allow for a thermal gradient as the snake moves away from the source of the heat. The cool end of the tank should be around 78F.
Don’t worry about exact temperatures. A difference of one or two degrees will not harm the snake. At night, temperatures can safely drop to as low as 70F as long as it is brought back up again the following morning.
A Dumeril’s Boa does not need any special lighting such as UVB. However, if you choose to add lights to your enclosure, make sure you turn them off again at night. This is important to provide your snake with the correct dya/night cycle.
In their natural environment, a Dumeril’s Boa is exposed to a day/night cycle of close to 12 hours each year-round. This should be replicated in captivity.
Dumeril’s Boa Substrate
Where the Dumeril’s Boa lives, the soil is generally dry and sandy. They can often be found around shrubs, branches, and leaf litter. This should be replicated in captivity.
These snakes will sometimes burrow so it is a good idea to offer a deep substrate of 4-6 inches if possible. To replicate their natural environment, you can mix a soil-based substrate with a sandy substrate.
Alternatively you can buy commercially available substrate such as Aspen, ReptiChip or Coco-Fibre.
Dumeril’s Boa Humidity
While a Dumeril’s Boa comes from the drier regions of Madagascar, the humidity levels in the air are still quite high. This should be replicated in captivity.
It is important to note that these snakes do not live on wet or damp substrate so humidity should be increased a different way. The easiest method is to place a large water bowl in the centre of the tank.
If this isnt enough to raise humidity, lightly mist the walls of the enclosure in the evening and cover up any unnecessary ventilation. You can spray down the substrate from time to time to create a humidity spike, especially around shedding.
Handling a Dumeril’s Boa
A Dumeril’s Boa can be a great snake to handle. Boas are very intuitive animals and will enjoy time out of their enclosure to exercise and explore. However, it is important to remember that they are still a ‘primitive animal’ and there is always the possibility of being bitten.
These snakes can be very food orientated so it is important to get them into a good handling routine. Some snakes can also be cage defensive. If this is the case, you can remove the snake from the enclose with a hook before handling. This is often all that is needed to prevent a strike.
While handling your snake, always support their weight with your hands. Allow them to crawl over your hands by placing one hand in front of the other. Never allow your snake to coil around your neck.
Breeding Dumeril’s Boas
A Dumeril’s Boa does not lay eggs like many other species of Snake. Instead, they give birth to live young. Species that give birth to live young are known as ovoviviparous, while snakes that lay eggs are known as oviparous.
After mating, the young will develop inside the female. The gestation period ranges from 6 to 8 months. After this time, the female will give birth to a litter of live snakes. On average, around 12 babies are born but this can vary greatly, ranging anywhere from 6 to 20 babies.
The babies are relatively large when born, measuring around 12-18 inches in length. However, it can take them up to five years to reach maturity, which is much longer than many other snake species.
