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Dumeril's Boa
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0
Snake
Intermediate
Acrantophis dumerili
Lifespan
15-25 years
Adult size
150-200 cm (max about 260 cm)
Temperament
Very calm and slow-moving
Temperature
20–30°C
Humidity
40–60%
Vivarium
180 x 90 x 90 cm (adult); floor space matters most
Wikipedia →
Endemic to western and south-western Madagascar, where it lives on the ground in dry forest and spiny thicket, sheltering in leaf litter and burrows. A heavy-bodied boa with an intricate pattern of browns, greys, pinks and tans that camouflages it among dead leaves. Keepers like its calm, gentle nature and manageable size for a boa, though it is heavy and strong. It is CITES Appendix I, so any sale in the UK needs Article 10 paperwork.
Care information is provided for educational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice.
🔥 Heating
Use a guarded overhead lamp on a thermostat at one end, with a ceramic heater or radiant panel for night heat if needed. Aim for a basking area of about 29-31 °C, a cool end of 21-24 °C and nights no lower than 20 °C.
💡 Lighting
About 12 hours of light a day (11-13 hours with the seasons). Low-output UVB giving a UVI of 2-3 at the basking spot is recommended.
🪨 Substrate
Aspen, cypress mulch or a topsoil and coir mix about 5-10 cm deep, with leaf litter to burrow under. Avoid cedar and pine shavings.
🍽 Feeding
Frozen-thawed rodents, moving to rats as it grows, no wider than its widest point. Babies every 7-10 days, subadults every 14-20 days and large adults every 21-28 days. Some are shy feeders, and adults gain weight easily.
💧 Water
A large, heavy water bowl to soak in, changed daily or when soiled. Keep humidity at 40-60%, misting occasionally at night before a shed; below 40% causes shedding problems and above 60% risks respiratory illness.
🏠 Enrichment
Large hides at both ends, cork bark, leaf litter and low, sturdy branches. It is mostly terrestrial and likes to burrow under cover.
🩺 Health Considerations
Shedding problems if too dry, respiratory infections if too humid, obesity, and stress-related food refusal. Fumes from pine or cedar shavings can cause neurological problems, and as a boa it can carry inclusion body disease, so quarantine new animals for 3-6 months.
🤲 Handling
Usually very calm and rarely bites, though some are shy; hook-training helps it tell handling from feeding. Support the heavy body with both hands. Non-venomous.
⚖️ Legal Restrictions
No Dangerous Wild Animals licence needed in the UK. It is CITES Appendix I (UK Annex A): buying, selling or commercially displaying one requires an Article 10 certificate from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), so always get the certificate with the snake.
📋 Additional Notes
Gives birth to live young, usually 6-28 per litter. Males have longer, slimmer tails; probe to confirm sex. Captive-bred animals are readily available, so there is no need for wild-caught stock.