Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone, I've been wanting an Emerald Tree Boa for a while now. I'm into Ball Python morphs, and have quite a few, but I'd love to have an ETB for a pet. I think they are absolutely beautiful animals. I have no intentions of breeding and don't particularly care what gender it is.

Only problem is, where can you go to buy plain, normal baby ETBs? I haven't been able to find them anywhere, nor have I ever seen them for sale at shows (unless they were some super comlicated morph for thousands of dollars).I want to start off young, simply becuase I know they are naturally aggressive.

Anybody know anyplace I can buy normal baby ETBs? Or know anyone that has tame ETBs? I'd appreciate the help! Sorry for all rookie questions

I live in New Jersy if that helps.

Again, thanks!
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

Emeralds are not naturally aggressive. They are naturally calm snakes. Most will accept handling from the beggining.

There are roughly 2 kinds of emeralds: Northerns and Basins.
Here you´ll find how to distinguish between them:
http://www.emeraldtreeboa.org/daemons/morphs.htm

Basins are generally more calm while northerns can be a bit nervous.

I believe that as long as you start with a CBB it will be calm. I have basins (WC adults) and 80% of them are tame to handling. The proportion would be lower with WC northerns.

In USA its not hard to find CBB so there´s no reason to buy a WC that could give you more trouble than enjoyment.

If you dont want to spend too much then buy yourself a northern.
Here you can find some:
http://www.forumboard.net/48696/

If there are no babies then at least you can get in touch with someone who breeds and wait until he/she has any available.

Most of our animals are calm and allow limited handling, but the operational word is "limited". ETBs should only be handled for very short periods of time, one because they don't really like it, and two because they aren't comfortable in the temps/humidity you are comfortable in. If you want a snake that you can handle and have out with you for hours at a time then ETBs are not for you.

I'll second buying captive bred and born. If somebody advertises as captive born, make sure they aren't farmed imports that have been brought into the country. While sometimes these animals are okay, sometimes they have just as many problems as wild caughts. Ask lots and lots of questions and take note of the answers.

Another good place to go for answers is corallus.com.

Good luck.
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Karen Clark
Gems of the Rainforest