Who Here Has Rainbow Boas?

[olstyn]

I have a 40 gallonish tank with slide on screen top...

You're going to want to cover at least 80% of that top with saran wrap or similar in order to limit air exchange; screen tops are great for letting humidity out, which is the exact opposite of what you want with BRBs. One thing I didn't see anyone else mention about them is that they are not balls or red tailed boas; they need lower temperatures. Low eighties is their maximum. Basically think of them as crested geckos in terms of temperature and humidity. Too hot and/or too dry and they suffer. Keep them a bit cooler and moist and they'll thrive.

[PrettyInInk87]

You're going to want to cover at least 80% of that top with saran wrap or similar in order to limit air exchange; screen tops are great for letting humidity out, which is the exact opposite of what you want with BRBs. One thing I didn't see anyone else mention about them is that they are not balls or red tailed boas; they need lower temperatures. Low eighties is their maximum. Basically think of them as crested geckos in terms of temperature and humidity. Too hot and/or too dry and they suffer. Keep them a bit cooler and moist and they'll thrive.

Oh awesome, so all I would need is a small heat pad? It stays pretty warm here in SD and seems like we just skipped winter this year.

[olstyn]

Oh awesome, so all I would need is a small heat pad? It stays pretty warm here in SD and seems like we just skipped winter this year.

Yeah, shouldn't need much heat at all; just enough to get one end of the enclosure up to around 82 degrees F so they can thermoregulate. It would, of course, be beneficial to look into getting a proper cage in the future; something like a boaphile or animal plastics cage would make holding humidity easier, and of course they also tend to be more secure than an aquarium style tank.

[PrettyInInk87]

Yeah, shouldn't need much heat at all; just enough to get one end of the enclosure up to around 82 degrees F so they can thermoregulate. It would, of course, be beneficial to look into getting a proper cage in the future; something like a boaphile or animal plastics cage would make holding humidity easier, and of course they also tend to be more secure than an aquarium style tank.

Awesome, thank you! Good thing is that I don't have the snake yet so I can still think about it and look around at some other species of snakes. But they are just so darn beautiful!

[PigsnPythons]

I've had my two for 2.5 years and I love them. My male was pretty nippy as a baby and even now gets VERY excited on feeding day. I have gotten a lot of enjoyment out of mine, but I would not consider them "easy." I think that NERD categorizes them as an intermediate species...they are harder to keep than a ball python: high humidity, larger size, more active snake The biggest issue that I've had to deal with is figuring out is how to get the right humidity w/o mold growth. Having a humid hide def helps!! Also, this might sound odd, but I think they are smarter than my ball pythons. haha I'm not sure how to describe it, but they just seem...more aware? Anyway, keep us posted if you get one!

[carlisleishere]

I have had my BRB since he was a baby, and he is now 2.5 years old. Difficulty level would depend on personal experience, but he was my first snake , and I didn't find it to be a real chore to maintain humidity. As someone else said, they are sensitive to higher temperatures, and I have mine set at 82. As far as humidity goes, I found the whole cage doesn't have to be extremely humid, but a large water bowl and a humid hide definitely helps. Using a tub helps, especially when their babies, and not drilling holes in the lid to prevent moisture escape. And finally, best of all, they eat like pigs. Handling is no big issue either, they calm down pretty quickly.

[MoonlightBoas]

Brazilian Rainbow Boas are one of my favorite types of snakes. People tend to make too big a deal about humidity. With a properly set up cage, it's easy to maintain the high humidity that this species requires. The essential components for maintaining high humidity for BRBs are using a cage with limited ventilation, a large water bowl, and a damp hide box. Glass cages aren't ideal, but it's easy enough to cover the majority of the top of the cage to prevent moisture loss. For a water bowl, I try to use one that covers about 1/3 of the floor space in the cage. Additionally, I use a damp hide box filled with moist peat moss. When you have a cage that's set up properly, you never need to spray. Aside from being a little nippy when they're babies, Brazilian Rainbow Boas have a great temperament. Also, they have a great feeding response, and it's rare to have one that refuses a meal.

[PrettyInInk87]

Wow Moonlight! That is one beautiful snake. Thank you all for your responses, I still haven't fully decided yet. I was going to get a Colombian Boa for free from a Reptile Rescue but the person never got back to me. Ultimately I want a Brazilian so i'm going to save up and buy one if i'm not able to adopt.

[MoonlightBoas]

Thanks

Ambrosia is one of my favorite Brazilian Rainbow Boas. It's always great when people can get a snake from a rescue and give it a good home, but it doesn't seem like you see BRBs at rescues very often. If you ever have questions about Brazilian Rainbow Boas, I'd be happy to answer them for you.

[PrettyInInk87]

Thanks

Ambrosia is one of my favorite Brazilian Rainbow Boas. It's always great when people can get a snake from a rescue and give it a good home, but it doesn't seem like you see BRBs at rescues very often. If you ever have questions about Brazilian Rainbow Boas, I'd be happy to answer them for you.

Yes, I know a guy who runs one and the one he has is the only snake he has had to pay for just because he never gets them.

Thank you!