Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So i owned a ball python when i was younger and he got to be ~ 3.5' long and i gave him away. Now im in college and i want a snake! So i went to the pet store yesterday (my girlfriend loves to go look at the furry things) When i am there i allways look at the snakes. So this time i was checking out the pythons and the kingsnakes etc I allways ask a lot of questions. Well long story short i went in looking for a 50$ ball python and i somehow left with a 139$ Brazillian Rainbow Boa!

This little guy is badass! BP's etc are boring this dude has some serious color and is super-friendly. He is only like 5-6 weeks old (or lesS) and he doesnt nip at all, no biting. I just got him in his new home and setup a tank for him. I had my girlfriend made two little houses for him on either side of the tank (one for the cold side one for the hot side)

Overall i am extreamly exited! I've never been so happy with a new animal and i've been reading about them for hours on end. I dont know if it is a male or a female . . when i asked the petstore they said it was too young to tell . . I read there is no easy way so i guess at home point i'll get it probed.

I dont have any pics yet because i want to let the little guy get use to his new surroundings so i havent handled him since i bought him. I want him to be comfortable before i handle him as to not stress him out. Right now he just stays inside one of the litle houses we made for him. He doesnt move much i guess he is a bit shy.

Well i didnt think i would be typing this much . . sorry for the long read with no pics! I'll try to get some up tonight when i get home.

Thanks!

-Russ

HUMIDITY

I appologise in advance if you're already aware and taking care of your snakes needs.

Obviously I have not seen your setup and you may already have read about the need for humidity and taken care of it. Baby BRB's need it VERY humid. Your typical "tank" setup is with a screen lid and that's NO GOOD for a BRB. To raise humidity, you'll need to very much limit ventilation. Foil or plastic over most of the lid or screened area should work fine.

I'm assuming you'll be going in there more or less daily (or several times a day ) so stale air is not an issue.

I jumped in with this advice since many pet stores are not real knowledgable. I had sold a baby to a store, told them all about the care which they proceeded to ignore since they were the store and I was just some hick breeder. Put him in a nice 10 gallon with lots of fake plants, a bark type substrate, a screen lid and a overhead heat lamp. They misted twice daily (like rain in the desert, wet for a short time then quickly dries back out) Needless to say he did not do well, never ate for them and they called me several (6 or 7) weeks later. I went in and the poor thing was all dehydrated with crappy sheds and looked horrible. I took him back home and put him back in my rack. I never mist, just set up the environment ot retain humidity. He thrived and was back to normal in a few weeks. When I returned him I layed into them and made it very clear how to set up the tank. They were a bit timid but did have to comment on how cruel a rack system and that they could never keep anything in one. To which I replied something about look how he did in your care vs mine. My babies THRIVE in the rack with nothing but paper towels and a water bowl.

If you read this far, you deserve some pics:

-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
13.26 BRB
11.16 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Thankyou for your concern but i do understand the need for humitity. It seems stressed in everything i've read about rainbow boas. My tank does have a screen top to it, but i have a sheet of plastic (with holes punched through it) over top of it to try to retain humidity. At the moment i am also misting the cage 2-4 times a day. I have a temp and humidity gauges in the tank and i keep the temp from 73*-83* and i am trying to keep the humidity at about 90% at all times untill it gets a bit bigger (then i figure 70-80% is good) My only worry is that he has to much space for being so small.

The little guy has yet to come out of his little cardbord house i made him, i actually had to shine a light in there to see if he ever moved spots to make sure it was alive. It seems he is just hanging out inside and not comming out (not even at night)

I believe he might be about ready for a shed soon so maybe that has to do with it, or maybe he is just shy.

I think when i get home from work i Will handle him some and see how he is feeling, as of now i havent touched him since i brought him home (it's been about 24hours now)

Thanks for your concern!

Dave,
...Even the Hypos at your house have bullseyes. Pretty neat.
Jeff

>>HUMIDITY
>>
>>I appologise in advance if you're already aware and taking care of your snakes needs.
>>
>>Obviously I have not seen your setup and you may already have read about the need for humidity and taken care of it. Baby BRB's need it VERY humid. Your typical "tank" setup is with a screen lid and that's NO GOOD for a BRB. To raise humidity, you'll need to very much limit ventilation. Foil or plastic over most of the lid or screened area should work fine.
>>
>>I'm assuming you'll be going in there more or less daily (or several times a day ) so stale air is not an issue.
>>
>>
>>I jumped in with this advice since many pet stores are not real knowledgable. I had sold a baby to a store, told them all about the care which they proceeded to ignore since they were the store and I was just some hick breeder. Put him in a nice 10 gallon with lots of fake plants, a bark type substrate, a screen lid and a overhead heat lamp. They misted twice daily (like rain in the desert, wet for a short time then quickly dries back out) Needless to say he did not do well, never ate for them and they called me several (6 or 7) weeks later. I went in and the poor thing was all dehydrated with crappy sheds and looked horrible. I took him back home and put him back in my rack. I never mist, just set up the environment ot retain humidity. He thrived and was back to normal in a few weeks. When I returned him I layed into them and made it very clear how to set up the tank. They were a bit timid but did have to comment on how cruel a rack system and that they could never keep anything in one. To which I replied something about look how he did in your care vs mine. My babies THRIVE in the rack with nothing but paper towels and a water bowl.
>>
>>
>>If you read this far, you deserve some pics:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>-----
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Dave Colling
>>
>>www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com
>>
>>0.1 Wife (WC)
>>0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)
>>
>>LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
>>13.26 BRB
>>11.16 BCI
>>And those are only the breeders
>>
>>lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Only credit I can take is picking them out.

And where have you been??? those are old, posted several times pics!!

Should we start calling you "Rip Van Clark" ?
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
13.26 BRB
11.16 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Dave,
...I have not been asleep for decades. Sometimes it seems like it though. I think I had been concentrating on the color of that hypo when you had posted it before.
Jeff

>>Only credit I can take is picking them out.
>>
>>And where have you been??? those are old, posted several times pics!!
>>
>>Should we start calling you "Rip Van Clark" ?
>>-----
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Dave Colling
>>
>>www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com
>>
>>0.1 Wife (WC)
>>0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)
>>
>>LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
>>13.26 BRB
>>11.16 BCI
>>And those are only the breeders
>>
>>lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

LOL, don't ya sometimes hate it when the light bulb goes on?

np, I'll put together a bullseye pic post later today with many of my bullseys pics.

I picked those hypos specifically because of the crescents. I know we both love the bullseyes and I'm planning on working bullseyes into every BRB project I have.

>>Dave,
>>...I have not been asleep for decades. Sometimes it seems like it though. I think I had been concentrating on the color of that hypo when you had posted it before.
>>Jeff
>>
>>>>Only credit I can take is picking them out.
>>>>
>>>>And where have you been??? those are old, posted several times pics!!
>>>>
>>>>Should we start calling you "Rip Van Clark" ?
>>>>-----
>>>>Thanks,
>>>>
>>>>Dave Colling
>>>>
>>>>www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com
>>>>
>>>>0.1 Wife (WC)
>>>>0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)
>>>>
>>>>LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
>>>>13.26 BRB
>>>>11.16 BCI
>>>>And those are only the breeders
>>>>
>>>>lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
13.26 BRB
11.16 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

A ghost with all bullseyes would be unreal! Of course it would be hard to show it off in a picture but something like that in person would be awesome.

colors of your rainbows, beautiful stuff, simply stunning animals, never mind dial up warning, how about sunglass warning lol, nearly burnt out my cornias
-----
Frank Roberts
..................................................

..................................................
John Rodriguez and Frank Roberts or vise versa

Well i came home and i've been handling her and i got a few pictures taken, when i picked her up she didnt nip or bite or anything. Here are some high Res pictures. Go to that directory to view them.

http://my.fit.edu/~rpellow/SNake/

BTW it looks like she has some pieces of skin from an old shed still on her, will this come off eventually or can i get it off somehow or what?

thanks
-----
Russ
Baby Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Melbourne, Fl

She does look a bit dry. IMO, leave the bits of shed alone and work on the humidity. Make her a moist hide box, A plastic box with a hole for her to get in/out. Put some damp green moss in it. Check it often, they can grow mold. Put it in her favorite place, or make a couple for different locations in the tank.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
13.26 BRB
11.16 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

The guy at the pet store told me to "Soak" the snake in water by filling up a cup half way and putting a lid on it, poking holes in the lid and letting it sit . . . that sounds a lot like drowning my snake!

Right now i gave her 2 little cadbord houses one on thedry side and one on the wet side. She seems to like thw wet side better So before i put her back in i sprayed the underside of her house with water.

I've been keeping the humidity at 80-90% mostly.
-----
Russ
Baby Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Melbourne, Fl

soaking your snake will definitely not drown it

That was actually the first thing I did for my BRB when I brought her home, was put her in one of those little disposable rubbermaid containers half full of warm water and let her hang out in there for about two hours. She loved it, and looked WORLDS better by the end of those two hours. Looks even better now, I'm expecting a shed sometime either tonight or tomorrow...

One thing, make it a wading pool, only deep enough so it can rest on the bottom and still be covered with water. No so deep that she has to swim or float with her head out of water.

>>soaking your snake will definitely not drown it
>>
>>That was actually the first thing I did for my BRB when I brought her home, was put her in one of those little disposable rubbermaid containers half full of warm water and let her hang out in there for about two hours. She loved it, and looked WORLDS better by the end of those two hours. Looks even better now, I'm expecting a shed sometime either tonight or tomorrow...
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
13.26 BRB
11.16 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I usually make the water just deep enough to cover the coils, not so much that they have to 'tread' water.

So i tried to soak him this afternoon and to be honest the little fella didnt look like he was enjoying himself as sooon as i put him partly in the water he kept trying to crawl back up my hand and then i got him all the way in and put a top on it i could see him in there trying to poke at the sides trying to get out and looking at me as if he was saying "why are you doing this to me!"

So after about 5 minutes i couldnt stand it and took it out.

The water was warm (but not hot) and the water was shallow she had no problem keeping her head up.

Oh well . . im just going to keep her tank super-humid and hope that that does the job.
-----
Russ
Baby Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Melbourne, Fl

They really do love damp moss in the hides!!
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
13.26 BRB
11.16 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I immagine i can get that at the local pet store huh?

Right now he likes to burrow a bit in the Forest Bark stuff i layed down for her. That stuff seems like it holds a lot of moisture. But i guess ill pick up some moss
-----
Russ
Baby Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Melbourne, Fl

Don't go to pet store, if they have, they'll charge a mint. Go to garden shop at hardware store, home improvement store etc. They'll have bags of the stuff. It comes dry and you add water. Used for hanging basket pottings of ferns etc.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
13.26 BRB
11.16 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Russ,
...Did you get the snake at Incredible Pets?
Jeff

>>So i owned a ball python when i was younger and he got to be ~ 3.5' long and i gave him away. Now im in college and i want a snake! So i went to the pet store yesterday (my girlfriend loves to go look at the furry things) When i am there i allways look at the snakes. So this time i was checking out the pythons and the kingsnakes etc I allways ask a lot of questions. Well long story short i went in looking for a 50$ ball python and i somehow left with a 139$ Brazillian Rainbow Boa!
>>
>>This little guy is badass! BP's etc are boring this dude has some serious color and is super-friendly. He is only like 5-6 weeks old (or lesS) and he doesnt nip at all, no biting. I just got him in his new home and setup a tank for him. I had my girlfriend made two little houses for him on either side of the tank (one for the cold side one for the hot side)
>>
>>Overall i am extreamly exited! I've never been so happy with a new animal and i've been reading about them for hours on end. I dont know if it is a male or a female . . when i asked the petstore they said it was too young to tell . . I read there is no easy way so i guess at home point i'll get it probed.
>>
>>I dont have any pics yet because i want to let the little guy get use to his new surroundings so i havent handled him since i bought him. I want him to be comfortable before i handle him as to not stress him out. Right now he just stays inside one of the litle houses we made for him. He doesnt move much i guess he is a bit shy.
>>
>>Well i didnt think i would be typing this much . . sorry for the long read with no pics! I'll try to get some up tonight when i get home.
>>
>>Thanks!
>>
>>-Russ

Actually i did jeff.

My girlfriend loves that stores because of all the sugar gliders bunnies etc So we go all the time.

Incredible pets right on wickham rd. in w. melbourne.

I take it this might have been bred from you?

If so, that would be a cool coincidence (sp).

-Russ
-----
Russ
Baby Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Melbourne, Fl

Russ,
....I really like that store. I have traded babies to them in the past but not this year.
Jeff

>>Actually i did jeff.
>>
>>My girlfriend loves that stores because of all the sugar gliders bunnies etc So we go all the time.
>>
>>Incredible pets right on wickham rd. in w. melbourne.
>>
>>I take it this might have been bred from you?
>>
>>If so, that would be a cool coincidence (sp).
>>
>>-Russ
>>-----
>>Russ
>>Baby Brazilian Rainbow Boa
>>Melbourne, Fl

Jeff,

Oh well. Yea it is an awsome store. They seem to know what they are talking about.

Was hoping this little guy was from you just so i could know who his/her parents were.

Oh well.

-Russ
-----
Russ
Baby Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Melbourne, Fl