New Guinea Tree Boa Arizona

Hi Everyone!!

So about a month ago I got a New Guinea Tree Boa (they said Dwarf, but i honestly don't know). It was a Female. She was my first snake. So far she's had he ups and downs and for sure doesn't really like being held. She will but she'll just wrap around your hand and hold on lol. The cute part is her flat nose and how how she slides around with her nose pointed down like a vacuum lol.

Last week I just got the male one that she was with before I bought her. Now they are just chilling hanging out together. She is more of a reddish color and he is just a darker brownish color The pattern on both of them is beautiful!

I'm not really sure how old they are, but I have a feeling they will stay pretty small. Sexual dimorphism seems pretty noticeable between them.

I can't find much info on them online. Wish my luck in my journey.

Female
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/f7osJPl.jpg

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/GHG2sjd.jpg

Look at her little eye lashes lol!!!
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/3d2M2gn.jpg

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/RVBRNqr.jpg

Male and Female together

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/cCxXR5o.jpg

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Originally Posted by Mistery510

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mistery510

The cute part is her flat nose and how how she slides around with her nose pointed down like a vacuum lol...





Look at her little eye lashes lol!!!
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/3d2M2gn.jpg

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:rofl: I love your observations! :rofl:

I have no experience with these & don't have time right now to research them, but MOST ALL snakes should be housed singly- & only put together for breeding- even then you need to watch as accidents happen! (Don't I know it!) Just because they do this (co-hab snakes) in pet stores doesn't mean you should. Remember these are your pets, not just merchandise you're trying to sell. If snakes mate before they've had time to really acclimate, it can go quite poorly for them- you could lose them. It's a good idea not to breed newly acquired snakes for a year, so you can make sure their health is optimal, no parasites, etc. Are these captive bred???? It can take even longer if they're w/c (wild caught). Don't be in a hurry- the best snake keeping experiences come with patience. ;)

When you co-hab snakes & find a regurgitation, how do you know which one did it? Same goes for nasty looking stool- don't expect any confessions. If one is sick, it won't be long before they both are, when germs & parasites are shared. So that's double the vet bill for treatments too.

Snakes 'compete' for the best spots (temperature & security) in their home turf, & it causes them stress to be unable to get to them because the other snake is already there. Over time, stress lowers their immune system functioning, making them more likely to get sick from whatever they were exposed to previously (pathogens & parasites).

And snakes are predators- even when their normal diet is not other snakes or reptiles, sometimes they fail to read the manual & will attack (try to EAT) their intended mate or room-mate. Been there, seen it happen & was too late to save her! :tears: Don't say no one mentioned this. Remember that snakes depend on their sense of smell- & after they eat, they'll be amped up AND have prey odor on them- that MAY get them attacked by their cage-mate. Please don't co-hab snakes- it doesn't end well, no matter how well-fed they are.

You make really good points. I just hear so much conflicting things... But ill definitely be looking for more cages!!

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Originally Posted by Mistery510

You make really good points. I just hear so much conflicting things... But ill definitely be looking for more cages!!

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Thanks- and I slightly revised what I wrote above- added a bit more. Please remember, we're not here to sell you anything- our only goal is for your snakes to do well in your care, & for you to have the best experience with them.

BTW, I've kept many many snakes- various kinds- for well over 3 decades. Bred some in the past, but not commercially oriented- just enjoyed keeping them, & rescuing some when I could. These days I am just enjoying fewer snakes, 14 to be exact- as pets only.

I know!! I'm here for info!!! and I found some great deals on OfferUp for some new tanks!! lol

Yeah my end goal is just to have happy healthy snakes!!

So, I am not sure if these are CB or WC.. Still trying to get more info... But neither have eaten Pinkie mice yet. I've tried 2 times... I've read they like to eat Anoles.. So I'm going to look into that.

Yeah i really just need to find more info on ALL my snakes lol

I have a feeling that these are not going to be easy, especially for someone new to keeping snakes- but I hope I'm wrong. If their normal diet is anoles, then you need to think about scenting their food. For example, I've kept multiple desert longnose snakes (I still currently have a TX longnose snake- age 22 years) & their natural food is small snakes & lizards. To get them eating pink & fuzzy (crew) mice is a challenge, to say the least, but one thing I've found that helps is to thaw the mice in water to wash off as much mouse scent as you can. After that, you might need to get an anole for adding scent to the mice, to get these feeding. I don't envy you, actually.

BTW, how big are these? (approx. length?) If (as I suspect) they're wild caught imports, they're likely to be heavily parasitized, & for them to survive, you'll probably need the help of a good vet. If you need to find one, this may help: https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661

Also, your Trans Pecos are likely captive bred- & they should be NOWHERE NEAR these New Guinea tree boas- they should be kept quarantined* separately. *I hope you are up on this?

O yes they are in separate rooms of my house!!! And in a few days Ill have 2 more cages to separate more.

Yes I tried scenting pinkies already and they had no want at all for them. I even did the whole putting into a small container where its touching the food and the pinkie died 2 days later... Maybe I do need to get frozen ones, then thaw them out, heat them up and scent them that way...

The female is about 15 to 18 inches i think.. the male is a bit smaller... female is about twice as thick as the male. she's like a good Thumb thickness size.

Yeah i know i have my work cut out... These were both in the store for almost 2 months before I got them...

Take them back. Caring for wild caught snakes that don't have established care guidelines is too much for a new keeper. I doubt the shop charged you much for them. Your first vet bill will undoubtedly be higher. Don't throw good money after bad. Return these snakes to the shop. Even if they won't give you your money back, you'll be way ahead.

And the money won't be the half of it. Frustration and concern over their declining health will give you grey hair. More importantly, it will keep you from attending to your new rat snakes. Do your research first and I'm sure you can find much more suitable snakes to fill those new enclosures.

What we're describing above isn't a worst case scenario. It's the most likely scenario. Don't feel too bad. Your not the first new keeper to fall prey to an unscrupulous pet shop owner. Most new keepers do. I don't know you, but, if you were my own brother, I'd give you the same advice. Good luck.

Thank you for the advise Homebody. I'm going to hold onto them for now. I'm waiting for the shop to get back to me on the information about them. From there ill base my decision.

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Originally Posted by Mistery510

Thank you for the advise Homebody. I'm going to hold onto them for now. I'm waiting for the shop to get back to me on the information about them. From there ill base my decision.

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If these are the Candoia carinata carinata subspecies of Candoia carinata then you're not kidding when you say there is very little information out there about them. All I found specifically on this subspecies are these articles from keepers detailing their attempts to feed them:
https://www.snakesociety.nl/jaargang...0captivity.pdf
https://www.snakesociety.nl/jaargang...20paulsoni.pdf.

You are probably going to have to rely to some extent on info about closely related species. Here's a link that may help: https://reptile-database.reptarium.c...h_param=%28%29.

Sadly, I have to agree with Homebody's post above. I was trying to think of a tactful way to say much the same thing. I hope some very experienced snake-keepers will be devoting time to these kind of snakes & successfully captive-breeding them, but it's an awful lot for a beginner, no matter how well-intentioned & determined. W/C imported snakes are usually heavily parasitized & highly stressed, and when they're not even eating, they don't fare well.

Plus, having them in your home puts your new & presumed healthy pair of Trans Pecos at risk. You can spend a lot of time & money on these others, but they'll most likely not survive. I have decades of experience with many kinds of snakes, & personally, I wouldn't take them on. But back when I was first into herpetology, I might have made the same mistake- almost everything appealed to me too. ;) Still does, but I'm a bit wiser now. :rolleyes:

I'm also against selling wild-caught snakes as pets in general- it's a very cruel trade, with many if not most of the animals dying along the way. I don't like to support the wildlife trade, because when you buy one, that guarantees that they have an incentive to catch & sell even more. Those sold make poor, & frustrating pets, and what's worse, taking them from the wild means wild populations may not survive either. Recommended reading: "Stolen World" by Jennie Erin Smith (It's a sad but true story.)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Sadly, I have to agree with Homebody's post above. I was trying to think of a tactful way to say much the same thing. I hope some very experienced snake-keepers will be devoting time to these kind of snakes & successfully captive-breeding them, but it's an awful lot for a beginner, no matter how well-intentioned & determined. W/C imported snakes are usually heavily parasitized & highly stressed, and when they're not even eating, they don't fare well.

Plus, having them in your home puts your new & presumed healthy pair of Trans Pecos at risk. You can spend a lot of time & money on these others, but they'll most likely not survive. I have decades of experience with many kinds of snakes, & personally, I wouldn't take them on. But back when I was first into herpetology, I might have made the same mistake- almost everything appealed to me too. ;) Still does, but I'm a bit wiser now. :rolleyes:

I'm also against selling wild-caught snakes as pets in general- it's a very cruel trade, with many if not most of the animals dying along the way. I don't like to support the wildlife trade, because when you buy one, that guarantees that they have an incentive to catch & sell even more. Those sold make poor, & frustrating pets, and what's worse, taking them from the wild means wild populations may not survive either. Recommended reading: "Stolen World" by Jennie Erin Smith (It's a sad but true story.)

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I find no fault with the OP's taste. These are really neat little arboreal boas. A few generations of captive breeding and these will make great pet snakes.

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Originally Posted by Homebody

I find no fault with the OP's taste. These are really neat little arboreal boas. A few generations of captive breeding and these will make great pet snakes.

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Oh, I agree. They're totally appealing, but just a rough choice for starting out. It's a lot of work to get some of these things figured out with respect to feeding & health issues. If the OP has a really skilled local vet to help, & plenty of funds, that helps...but they're still most likely a very frustrating project. Then again, "it's a dirty job but somebody's got to do it"? It's the OP's decision. But success is a real long-shot.

I thank you all for your honesty.

I'm really not deep pocketed at all so that is a factor. But I really think that if I just gave them these two back then some other shmuck like myself will buy them and if it doesn't work out then will just let them die or something... I'll at least try my best and learn everything I can from them.

Homebody is right and there's literally 2 websites with information on them and its barely anything. Ill have to splice knowledge on the Indonesian Tree Boa and the Solomon Tree Boa and go from there. If i succeed then I can learn a lot and teach a lot about this species.

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Originally Posted by Mistery510

I thank you all for your honesty.

I'm really not deep pocketed at all so that is a factor. But I really think that if I just gave them these two back then some other shmuck like myself will buy them and if it doesn't work out then will just let them die or something... I'll at least try my best and learn everything I can from them.

Homebody is right and there's literally 2 websites with information on them and its barely anything. Ill have to splice knowledge on the Indonesian Tree Boa and the Solomon Tree Boa and go from there. If i succeed then I can learn a lot and teach a lot about this species.

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There is no shortage of info on the forum about Solomon Island Tree Boas: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/sear...searchid=16565. If you need scents to help with feeding, Reptilinks sells them:https://reptilinks.com/collections/scenting.

Homebody, One of the other links you posted the personal actually fed their snakes Fish! lol... So I'm wondering about that.. I've seen where people feed their snakes from little dishes of small cut up meat and fish and such... I may have to just try some things because Pinkies just are a no go for these.

I'll for sure keep this forum updated on my journey with these two. I'm sure it'll be a graphic novel with many ups and downs.. Happiness and tears...

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Originally Posted by Mistery510

Homebody, One of the other links you posted the personal actually fed their snakes Fish!

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From what I read, these guys eat lizards and frogs in the wild. Fish as babies. So, sure, give it a try. Just do your research first. Fish high in thiaminase are supposed to be bad for your snake.

As of 10/20 the weights are

Female 43 grams
Male 27 grams

Just an update, they have both died. The male died back in March and the female died in June.

So sorry to hear this, but not really surprised either. :(

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Originally Posted by Mistery510

Just an update, they have both died. The male died back in March and the female died in June.

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I'm sorry to hear this. It's not your fault. The odds would have been against even an expert keeper.

Did you ever get them to eat? If so, what?

Nope, I tried literally everything I could. Took them to a Vet and they weren't sure either. All my other snakes are thriving and having a great time.