Amazon Tree Boa vs Emerald Tree Boa vs GTP

I've never kept atb's or GTP's but I do have a couple ETB's and they're amazing. The only advice I'd give on the height is to make sure they can reach the water bowl from the perches you provide.mine very rarely climb down to the ground to drink, they usually just hang down to get a drink so I make sure they can reach their water easily from each perch and offer different heights and sizes so they can choose. You want to always give him the option to thermoregulate as well by moving along his perch to get closer or further to the heat source or Also switching perches and going higher or lower. Meaning if his preference is a high perch that's close to his heat source then he needs to be able to reach his water bowl on the ground by hanging down. I keep my adult emerald in a 3 by 2 by 2 cage and it works quite well.
My amazon basin tolerates handling very well; she's very sweet and although I don't handle her as often as my balls and boas, I do still handle her about once a week and she's never bitten me. My northern emerald does not tolerate handling as well but he's not too full of attitude. I still handle him but I have to be careful to wake him up before unraveling him and be very gentle and steady with him (you should do this regardless but with him, you just have to be extra careful). I bought my first ETB's expecting them to be observe only pets but I was pleasantly surprised at how chill they are.
Good luck with whatever you choose!!

OK, so how do you guys prefer to heat neonate tubs? I will be using a Radiant Heat Panel in the adult cage, but am unsure on the best method for tubs (I'm guessing UTH's aren't much good for an arboreal snake. are Heat Bulbs/Ceramic heat emitters the way to go? Anything that I use will be regulated by my herpstat 4

Thanks

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Originally Posted by bioteacher

Start with a much smaller, think like 5-gallon rubbermaid shoe-box tub. They need to feel secure otherwise they may go off feed...

Here's a good link: http://amazon-alliance.com/forums/in...p?topic=2416.0

Good advice, although the neonate enclosures should have some "green plastic fencing" as a half-dome in the cage to allow several points of contact for climbing

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Totally agree with this!

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

OK, so how do you guys prefer to heat neonate tubs? I will be using a Radiant Heat Panel in the adult cage, but am unsure on the best method for tubs (I'm guessing UTH's aren't much good for an arboreal snake. are Heat Bulbs/Ceramic heat emitters the way to go? Anything that I use will be regulated by my herpstat 4

Thanks

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I have considered a UTH (ultratherm) placed on the side of the tub. The snake can move sideways on the perch closer to the heat source, or along the perch away from it. Bulbs are hard with tubs. I love my radient heat panel in Hunter's cage! :gj:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

I have considered a UTH (ultratherm) placed on the side of the tub. The snake can move sideways on the perch closer to the heat source, or along the perch away from it. Bulbs are hard with tubs. I love my radient heat panel in Hunter's cage! :gj:

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I guess that could work, my apartment stays in the mid 70's year round so the UTH wouldn't have to do too much.

Anyone else have a method for heating arboreal tubs?

And keep in mind that GTPs like slightly cooler temps than BPs. Mid to upper 70's is about right, so your apartment should be just fine. Not sure about ATBs or ETBs though - most of my experience is with GTPs... :gj:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

And keep in mind that GTPs like slightly cooler temps than BPs. Mid to upper 70's is about right, so your apartment should be just fine. Not sure about ATBs or ETBs though - most of my experience is with GTPs... :gj:

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Yeah, I'm actually more worried about it being too hot lol

On that note does anyone use fans to simulate a breeze/keep the cool side temperatures correct?

What I've found with ETB's is that regurgitation is a huge issue and I was really concerned about this when I first starting keeping them bc once it starts it's really hard to stop. From research and talking to many really knowlegable people, I've found that part of the problem is an environment that's too hot. Owners base their temps on the temps in their natural habitat and this isn't actually correct. These snakes live in trees and there's a lot more fluctuation in temps and breeze up high than there is on the ground. At nighttime, many snakes will burrow down and get hear from the ground but the aboreal snakes will endure fairly cool nighttime drops. ETB's and GTP's also take a long time to metabolize food so if temps are too high and it's stuffy, then imagine that rat sitting in it's stomach.....it starts to decay, produces toxic gases and thus the snake starts to regurgitate.
I keep temps on the low end or the spectrum, I also provide a nighttime drop, I have a mister that goes on twice a day for ten minutes and once overnight for 5 minutes and I use fans to circulate the air. All I can tell you is from my own personal experience and thus far my ETB's are doing awesome. They feed great, handle exceptionally well for ETB's, defecate regularily and never regurgitate. So to answer your question - yes I think a fan is a great idea!!

Thanks, that's pretty much what I got from my reading but I wanted a confirmation from somebody with experience. It makes sense that an animal that lives up in the trees all the time would need some sort of breeze to simulate it's natural environment correctly.

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

Yeah, I'm actually more worried about it being too hot lol

On that note does anyone use fans to simulate a breeze/keep the cool side temperatures correct?

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When I worked for a breeder who specialized in GTPs and ETBs the cages were not super ventilated nor did he have elaborate Fans for a breeze. The ceiling fan was rarely on in the room, so i wouldn’t consider it a need. Plus you may find keeping humidity in the enclosure extremely difficult as a result of a fan.

just my :twocents:

I should also add the room they were in was rather large and he climate controled the whole room not just each cage.

I'm not too worried about humidity as the cages I have now stay at 60% without misting so a humidifier/ misting system/manual misting should be able to keep the humidity in the proper ranges. (not necessarily all three at the same time)

I understand that it isn't a necessity but I'm wanting to go all out on this one.