Getting a BRB: questions, concerns, and a couple pics

[cristacake]

So I found this pretty girl on Craigslist.





The current owner tells me she's 2 years old. Do they really get so big that quickly? I almost asked the owner how long she's had her and what size she was but I had already asked other questions and I didn't want to be annoying. Not complaining, though! I know that BRBs get to be rather large, I just didn't realize they could grow that fast. They're so tiny as hatchlings!

Also, I'm finding it sort of hard to get decent examples of BRB tub setups. I understand that they're considered "display" snakes so I get why most people seem to go with glass, but I'd much rather give myself and her an easy time with humidity. So I guess the question in there is something like: am I doing something wrong by wanting a tub for a BRB? Do they do as well in a tub as they would in a glass tank? Am I worrying about this way too much?

Last thing: She's being sold for $175 which seems like a fair price, correct? I feel that is perfectly fair for what she is but I am still relatively new to buying snakes so I want to be sure.

Thanks in advance for any help

[bcr229]

The price is more than fair for a two year old healthy female.

BRB juveniles do just fine in tubs and yes, since they need the higher humidity it will be easier on you to give her the appropriate environment to keep her healthy. They do like to climb though and adults can get up to six feet, so start saving now for a nice PVC-style 48"x30"x18" display enclosure to show her off if you want.

The biggest issue is heat, you want her to run 75-85*F, never higher than 85*F ambient. Since they run cooler than most snakes you need to feed lightly and less often than your BP's. By the time mine are two years old they're on 14-day schedules, with the prey leaving a minimal lump.

Also BRB's are never hatchlings, they are neonates since they are live-bearers.

[cristacake]

Ah you're right, I totally forgot about the live-bearing thing! Silly mistake, I was just looking at pictures of neonates about an hour ago.

Anyway thank you for that quick and helpful response. I have been reading wildly differing things about BRB feeding schedules so it's good to hear from someone who obviously has experience. I have heard that prolonged exposure to temps above 85 will be fatal to them so I am definitely going to be keeping an eye on temps. Even with a good thermostat I still check on my BP's temps at least a few times a day so I will definitely do the same for the BRB.

[pbyeerts]

What does BRB stand for? I don't know that one.....


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Pamela and GINGER, my wonderful BP

1 dog, 3 cats, 1 macaw, 1 husband, 1 daughter, and GINGER


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[bcr229]

BRB = Brazilian Rainbow Boa

[coldbloodaddict]

Be Right Back! lol


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[pbyeerts]

Thanks


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pamela and GINGER, my wonderful BP

1 dog, 3 cats, 1 macaw, 1 husband, 1 daughter, and GINGER


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[bcr229]

Be Right Back! lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

LOL we have an interoffice communicator at work and people use the acronym all the time... and I have to remind myself that they are NOT talking about snakes.

[cristacake]

Guess who finally came to her new home last night?



I gave her some fake flowers to pose with and she grabbed the bunch with her tail.

She's so huge (and heavy) compared to my little 4 month old BP! But so beautiful. I love those glimpses of iridescence whenever the light hits her scales in just the right way. Absolutely gorgeous animal.

Her name is Marmalade, btw

[hazzaram]

Beautiful! I love brb's. Mine was just born this season and it's hard to imagine her getting that big!! She's such a small little noodle.



My Willow loves to grab stuff in her tail. You can kind of see the cypress bedding on my hand there. Whenever I pull her out, she wraps a bunch of it up in her tail and it's near impossible to pull it free.

As far as tub setup... Willow has a large water bowl, a humid hide and one of those black box hides. She spends 95% of her time on the cool side in her black hide. She very rarely goes into her warm hide. I don't know if that's normal at all.

Yours is beautiful, though! Congrats! I can't wait until my girl gets that big.