Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i own an adult female ball python, and im ready to get a bigger snake. i am looking into a regular brazilian boa. does anyone have any information about them. like size cage size temperment. websites to look into. any extra info would be great too. thanks.

Google "rainbow boa care" or "rainbow boas in captivity"
And spend some time researching.

A Brazilian Boa usually means one of the subspecies of Boa constrictor that occurs in Brazil (B.c.constrictor or B.c.amarali). They are large beautiful constrictors, but more expensive than standard Boa constrictor subspecies.

A more common species in captivity is the Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Epicrates cenchria cenchria). This is a totally different species than above. It is smaller reddish orange snake with very iridescent skin.
Brazilian Rainbow Boa is an unfortunate name because most of the lines of "Brazilians" in captivity did not come from Brazil.
-----
Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

I have Brazilian Rainbow Boas that I've been keeping for a few years now. They are big puppy dogs when you get them out, but kinda shy, and a bit harder to care for than say a corn snake. Make sure you're husbandry skills are up to par before getting one of these guys... but it's worth the extra effort... IMO. This is my favorite site for care info:
http://www.tooscaley.com/reptiles/BrazilianRainbowBoas/CaptiveCare.html
It is Mike Lockwood's site and, IMO, has the most comprehensive care info for these guys. It is most important that you understand with these guys that they need high humidity. This means a fish tank with a screen top will not suffice and they will dehydrate and die. They do great in boaphiles/reptiracks/other plastic cages. The size of the cage always depends on the size of the snake. For comparison's sake... a baby (about 1ft) would do well in a 10gallon tank, a yearling (about 2-2.5ft) does well in a 20L or 29H. My 2 year old that is 3.5 ft is in half of a 2'x4' reptirack, and my adults are in the same cages, but undivided. You can get away with a bit of a smaller tank, but do you homework first. There's some great info on the site above.

It's also important that they have a nice soaking bowl. Mine range from 1-2gal fishbowls (squat so they don't get knocked over) to tupperware containers, to those exo-terra waterfalls (left slightly ajar so the snake can get in). Again, depends on the size of the snake. They also need a warm humid hide on the warm side of their cage (a shoe or sweaterbox will do). Other than that usual snake stuff... like a warm and cool side of the cage... etc.

They have a great temperament unless you get a WC. Most breeders are breeding now, so the '08s are due out starting this summer, but there are some nice '07s variously about.

And of course my spiel would not be complete without a couple of pictures of BRB's to go by (always jump at a chance to show off my kids)

My high red male - Rocky (Mike Lockwood and Dave Colling)

My bright orange female - Vivian (Mike Lockwood)

My possible het anery female from Tom Chiang

Hope this helps in your decision making process!! These are not snakes to be picked lightly, you have to do a bit of homework, but they are great pets and totally sweet!! Good Luck!

N/P
-----
..1 Jayne "The Hero of Canton", Ball Python
..1 Edmund Slackbladder, Mexican Kingsnake
..1 El Diablo "They haven't built a cage I can't get out of" Pueblan Milksnake
(Currently serving 25 to life in a Maryland Supermax
______________________________________________________

Me; And finally monsieur a wafer thin pinkie
El Diablo: blaggh
Me: ah sir its only 1 leetle pink one
ED: ahh, sod off! I'm full
Me: ah sir hmm? its only wafer thin?
ED: bah! i couldn't eat another thing I'm absolutely stuffed. bugger off!
Me: ah sir, sir just ...just one......?
ED: ok just one
Me just the one.
Me: voila!
Me: bon appetite!.......