How to Care for a Rainbow Boa

Provide proper housing. While baby Rainbow boas can be kept in ventilated plastic shoe boxes with minimal substrate such as just paper towels, the bigger your snakes grow the more space they will need. Adults should have between 4 to 6 feet in floor space, and need several feet of height since Rainbow boas love to climb. Once they have been placed in their large enclosure, give them a substrate such as coconut bark that they can dig around in. For furniture and decoration include a water bowl large enough for them to soak in, as well as branches to climb up and a hide box where they can feel secure.

Set up the proper environment. Rainbow boas need proper heat and humidity at all times. They can become dehydrated much more easily than other types of boas, so it is important to keep their humidity level between 70% and 80% at all times. This can be accomplished several ways. Their enclosure should be lightly misted on a daily basis so that it is damp but not soaking wet (as this could create mold). Use a glass or Plexiglass top instead of a screen lid, and make sure the water bowl is always full of fresh, clean water. Coconut bark as a substrate will also help maintain proper humidity levels, as it retains moisture better than other types of bark or wood shavings. Because Rainbow boas are tropical snakes, they must also have the proper temperature levels--around 80 degrees during the day and in the low 70s at night. Ensure that the heating stays in the appropriate ranges by providing an under-tank heating mat as well as an overhead light.

Feed the proper diet. Rainbow boas are constrictors and in captivity will survive quite well on mice and small rats. The size of the mice and rats should correspond with the size of your snake, with baby snakes eating the smallest size mice and gradually working up to the larger sizes as they grow. Young snakes should be fed frequently, at least once a week, while older snakes can be fed once every two weeks.

Maintain proper cleanliness. Many reptiles defecate in their water bowls, so the bowls need to be checked daily and changed if anything is in them. It is also important to remove solid waste and soiled substrate from the bottom of the cage as soon as possible, so that your snake is not lying in filth. Because of the high humidity levels that must be maintained for Rainbow boas, you will also run the risk of growing mold in the enclosure, so check for this often and if the substrate or cage itself show signs of mildew or mold, clean them out immediately.

Provide proper health care. Snakes can fall victim to parasites such as mites and ticks, as well as illnesses such as scale rot and respiratory infections. It is important to watch your snake's normal behavior patterns and pay attention if those suddenly change. If your snake starts refusing to eat or stops being active, there may be something wrong with it. Some problems are easily identifiable, such as mites (which will appear as tiny insects on the snake's scales) while others are internal and may be harder to spot. If you think your snake is sick, take it to a veterinarian to be checked out. Some snake illnesses can strike swiftly, and if you don't take them seriously right away you may actually lose your animal to them.