Posted by:
dfr
at Fri Aug 1 23:00:41 2003 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by dfr ]
` I like Yellow Anacondas because of their "convenient" size. Well, convenient relative to Greens. If you get the right individuals, they can be incredibly calm and tame, as can Greens.
` I keep them in caging with low vents, to retain humidity. I use floor heat, ranging from 65 to 85 degrees. Heated water at 80 to 85 degrees provides all the humidity necessary, if there are no top vents/leaks to release it. I is always above 75%. I use 2 ft tall cages with branches across, at 18" high. They do like to climb. Occasionally I'll hear a thud, or splash. They can be clutzy. Some folks keep them without a soaking container, without problems. Mine sure seem to appreciate it, though. They like a cramped container just deep enough to submerge, 5 to 8" deep is enough.
` They are ambush predators, not foragers. This means that they spend very long periods, weeks, in one spot, so they don't need large cages.
` Mine tolerate a great deal of handling, with no protest. This large amount of time spent out of their cages, and in exercise "trees", indoors and outdoors, gives them more variety than they need.
` I feed my adults 10 or 11 times a year, which is probably too much. Their digestive system and ancillary organs need to atrophy between feedings. At feeding, their metabolism increases up to 4 times, as they "re grow" their digestive system. They use as much as 50% of the calories in the food just to digest it. After 4 weeks or so, they start to hunt, and I feed them within a week or two. When hunting, I'll sometimes let one or two out. They'll search everywhere, stopping for long periods of time to "stargaze", and taste the air. Needless to say, their food is in the freezer at this time, I'm not crazy.
` I was lucky to be able to pick out several babies from a large shipment, several years ago. I selected the babies which were calm, and had mild feeding responses. They have gotten even tamer, with age.
` It is all in the individual. I've seen Yellow and Green Anacondas wild-caught, or traumatized by humans, that I woulddn't want to approach, even with gloves. Some folks who have aggressive Anacondas, brag that they are "bad", and claim bragging rights for being able to keep them. Those with tame, calm idividuals, know better. Still, they are large, incredibly strong, and must be treated with great respect.
` There are more pics of my critters in earlier threads in this forum.
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To Buddhist hot dog vendor. "Make me one with everything."
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 Hardcore? Nah - dfr, Fri Aug 1 23:00:41 2003 
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