Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I hear that rainbow boas are high strung is that true? How easily do they calm down, I just do not want a snake that will always be alittle nippy. Any reccomdations?

Those Brazilian Rainbows are EXTREMELY high strung! I say stick with the much better and cooler Colombian rainbows...

Just kidding. Just saying that to annoy the other regulars of the forum :-P. They aren't that high strung. With regular handling they tame down very quickly. My Colombian Rainbow was supposedly cage aggressive according to the previous owner I bought it from. Complete bullcrap. When he said it was getting agressive..it was merely sitting there just crawling around like any snake!

Still I say say stick with a Colombian Rainbow. It really stinks being the only person here with one(Jeff Clark has them too...but he doesn't boast about them much) and not having anyone to discuss CRBs with. lol If you think they're unattractive...how's this for convincing??

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Scott

Reptiles
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1 Colombian Rainbow Boa (Rocky)
1.0 Ball Python (Sultan)
0.1 California Kingsnake (Leota)
1.0 Eastern Painted Turtle (Yugi)
0.1 Red/Gold Bearded Dragon* (Irwin, R.I.P.)

Other
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1.0 Betta Fish (Tyrone)
1.0 Hooded Rat* (Clubber, R.I.P.)
0.1 Albino Rat (Isis)

i bought a BRB my first one, there is a big difference in well handled ones and those who aren't she goes wild if i let her outside, she strikes once in a great while with shadows and movement, but all part of the learning process, all snakes start out defensively striking until well handeled.
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1.4 various boas(Flicka,Felony,Nova,Alias,Abby)
0.1 BRB Abalone; ABBI
1.0 Rott X (OSO)
2.0 cats (Simba, Morris)

fish & feeders

I have to agree with you that CRBs are the far superior snakes. While they may not have the flashy colors of their BRB counterparts they don't need them because they are nicer and more forgiving of little slip ups in humidity. Overall they are just much better pets. My CRB is the best snake I've ever had
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Tim

0.1 Colombian Rainbow Boa
1.0 Albino Motley Corn
1.0 Black cat

...CRBs are really hardy snakes. I know of several of them that have been kept for over 20 years with no problems.
Jeff

>>I have to agree with you that CRBs are the far superior snakes. While they may not have the flashy colors of their BRB counterparts they don't need them because they are nicer and more forgiving of little slip ups in humidity. Overall they are just much better pets. My CRB is the best snake I've ever had
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>>Tim
>>
>>0.1 Colombian Rainbow Boa
>>1.0 Albino Motley Corn
>>1.0 Black cat

Based on my research (as I only have baby brb's) the babies can be nippy, but with regular handling they become very docile and quicly lose their nippy attitude. Plus, as babies the nips do not hurt, and they will realize fairly quick that people are not food.

I bought my female at 1 week old, and in a month and a half it has calmed down quite nicely. It has only nipped 3 to 4 times total, and only when startled or scared. It gets handled about 3 times per week.
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Mike

1.1 BRB
1.0 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

here is an idea i had a problem with my rainbow and i couldn't handle it every day so I put a recently worn shirt in there with him and after a month he didn't try to bite me again

All and I do mean ALL baby BRB's are nippy at birth. Like others have said, getting bit by a baby does not really hurt. I've had litters that I didn't find until all had crawled out of sacks and had piles of babies with all the heads poking out and tracking my like a battery of gun turrets. Every single one of those struck at me, sometimes several at once. Was hilarious (in hindsight).

The key in having a calm baby is handling and NOT showing any fear. If you are tentative and/or back away when they do strike, they learn striking is at least somewhat effective against "the hand". I always reach in and simply scoop them up. No pause, no hesitation and rarely get bit past the first month or so.

I have dozens of BRB's of all ages and even among the adults, almost all are totally calm. I just reach in and pickup whoever I want. Except, I do have two exceptions, most notably a WC female. Without exception both of the more difficult adults and even all the rest, it's simply a matter of paying attention to them and seeing what attitude they have. Once out of the cage, thay are all handleable.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Dave's 100% right especially about the "no fear" handling. The only exception I would say is to the ALL baby BRB's being nippy because it might depend on your definitions of nippy.

My current pair of BRB's have never struck me but they have acted like they were going to. However when I went ahead and picked them up they never struck and quickly quieted down.

LOL, I was referring to right after birth. That's when they are all nippy. Most calm down within a few weeks with normal tub maintenance and the handling needed to move them in and out to clean. Unless you produced them yourself, any baby you get should have already been fed at least twice and typically is already weeks old. That "breaking" process is already well started by the breeder who, if experienced, is already handling with no fear.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

LOL yeah different things then. Mine were arround 12 weeks old when I got them and definitely feeding and most likely, given the nreeder, had been handle plenty.

Sean.