Just bought a Rainbow Boa!!! tips and comments needed

[JGB24]

So i just picked up a baby girl Rainbow Boa today. First time with boas of any species. I was told that they function similar to most snakes and the caresheets I looked at confirmed that. Of course these guys need more humidity which Is what I was told. SO Im gonna explain my setup and let me know if everything seems good.
Its a 10g long tank about a foot high.
I was told wet moss is a good substrate to use for the entire enclosure so I have exo-terra "Forest moss" as my substrate throughout.
I have two hides and both ends. one is over an UTH set at 85F. there is a water bowl in the middle.
The ambient temp in the tank is 75F

Does this sound like Im doing it right so far?
Thanks!

[JGB24]

Heres a picture. its not pretty but I just got her, so its not a really a big concern right now. I just want to know if this is good for the snake and then I can worry about looks later.
[/IMG]http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=38165&c=3[/IMG]

[MoonlightBoas]

It looks like you have a pretty decent setup. I have a couple recommendations. You may want to use a larger water bowl, and be careful you don't make the substrate too damp. Also, you should probably cover most of the top of the cage to prevent the humidity from escaping. 85 degrees is okay, but I usually aim for about 82-83 degrees on the warm end. With a large water bowl that takes up about 1/3 of the floor space and limited ventilation, the cage should just about maintain proper humidity on it's own. Let me know if you have any questions. Also, here is a Brazilian Rainbow Boa Care Sheet and a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Take care.

[SilverDemon]

Something I think I remember reading on this site, in regards to another member's BRB.

Do NOT use PAM if you think it has mites, I think it's dangerous for them.

[purplemuffin]

Something I think I remember reading on this site, in regards to another member's BRB.

Do NOT use PAM if you think it has mites, I think it's dangerous for them.

That was from me. Scared the hell out of me. We had a snake who was fine for a while(eating, pooping, living) but had mites, and the next day was dead. The rest of our snakes were fine and went through the same treatment(Our BRB possibly went through the least amount of treatment too as we were worried since she was so small)! I didn't know if my snake had IBD or some horrible disease and I couldn't tell. I asked the breeder...The breeder told me that he had found brbs to be highly sensitive to mite spray(at least the babies)... I've been told things by different people at this point, some telling me to out this guy as a liar, but others telling me to find more research on the topic because it could be true. Honestly at this point I still plan to use predatory mites if I ever have another BRB again that gets mites. I don't want to risk being the one who proves this is a problem by having another snake die. It could be a breeder who sold a sick snake, but it could be a real thing. I honestly try not to think of it because it breaks my heart. The snake I dreamed of since getting my first herp, passing away so quickly. My boyfriend found her first and buried her before I was told to get her body checked out at the vet, so I was unable to really learn anything..

Take it as you will, I only know what happened to me and what I've been told. I'm not going to claim I know anything I don't.

[SquamishSerpents]

here is a post on my local forum regarding a boa and NIX mite treatment.

NIX and PAM are different, but I don't think PAM is available in Canada, but from what i've heard it's the same thing.

A warning for those who use NIX!!

i think it can adversely effect some snakes, and there is really no way of knowing which ones it will effect. scary stuff!

anyways, the setup sounds good, though you may find that in a tank it's hard to keep the humidity right.

we've had great success though with BRB's in tubs. in 32 quart tubs, we use "Eco Earth" which is those bricks of dirt you can buy in stores, you soak the brick, and it expands into dirt. we put a 7-8" dish in the tub, with i think 6 or 8 holes on each side of the tub for ventilation.

for our big female, she is in a 41quart bin with a wider water dish.

never had a single problem regarding RI, humidity, or scale rot. they shed perfect every time. when the Eco Earth dries out, i just add a bit of water and stir it into the dirt.

[blushingball419]

Congrats!! BRBs are awesome snakes!!

Your setup looks pretty good, lots of stuff to climb on which is good. I second what Moonlight Boas said... they like humidity and seem to be more resistant to scale rot than something like a bp, but you still don't want the substrate to be completely soaking wet. I also use coco fiber for mine and with weekly misting it stays around 80%, and if you do ever have any problems keeping the humidity up, some aluminum foil taped over the screen top works wonders.

Behaviorally they are very different from a bp. They are very curious and very active, almost constantly moving while you're handling them. So don't think that you're doing anything wrong if she never settles down and chills on your hand, because that's just the way they are. I know mine was really stressed out when I first got him because he was shipped, but they are a little more timid when they're babies and need some time to relax in their hides before you start handling them.

Good luck!!

[MoonlightBoas]

I'm sure we'd all love to see a picture of your little girl