Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My first pair I got back in the Summer of 05 lasted about two weeks. I believe I had there moisture level to low, but it was amazing that my Green Anaconda was doing fine with a similar setup.

The second pair had similar results. I had them for two days and fed them both 2 fuzzy mice. The mice together were still smaller than 50% of the width of mid body. Two days later one of them regurgitates both mice into a cup I had setup with a fogger, talk about a nasty clean up. He was doing fine the next few days and about a week later I attempt to feed him some pinky mice. He did not eat a single one while left alone over night in a feeding tub. He died later that day.

The second one I had no problems until this past week when I found his hopper mouse, still smaller than recommended, regurgitated in his cage, he had been eating 2 fuzzies every week prior. I put him into a tub with three pinky mice while I cleaned his cage, check heat ect. Everything was perfect. The next morning, yesterday, I checked on him in the tub and he ate all three pinky mice but you could barely tell do to how small they were. I left him alone all day and last night I put him back into his enclosure. Within 2 hours he regurgitated all three pinky mice and I found him dead this morning.

I know some people freak out when I mention feeding multiple mice. I do this based on the length of the snake and have never had a problem with it, I do it based on food available and snake growth. I have never and will never power feed an animal. I have had Red-Tail Boas, Corn Snakes, Hogg Island boas, a Retic, a Green Anaconda, and some Solomon Ground Boas, plus tons others I cared for while working at a Pet Store.

Needless to say I am done with keeping Brazilian Rainbow Boas and will continue to admire them in pictures.

I visted a guy who had gotten some babies from me and had a similair issue with one of his regurging and then dying. Upon seeing his set up I discovered that he had most likely cooked it. Humidity was right but he had put that one in a rack system with with his baby BCI with way to hot, hot spots, the others were all doing fine in a different rack at cooler temps.
I don't know what your setup is like but I would consider checking the temperature. Keeping them too warm, with hot spots above mid 80's can be problematic with BRB's. I also don't know much about husbandry for anacondas but if they like the warmer temps it could by why it's thriving under similair setup conditions and your BRB's didn't.
Of course I could also be way off base if your temps were in the right range and it could be something else although most problems with BRB's that I've experienced or heard about have been either temperature or humidity related.
Sorry to hear about your bad experiences with them,
Milo

>> Keeping them too warm, with hot spots above mid 80's can be problematic with BRB's. I also don't know much about husbandry for anacondas but if they like the warmer temps it could by why it's thriving under similair setup conditions and your BRB's didn't.

Good call, Milo. I googled care sheets for anacondas, they do in fact like/require warmer temps (ie, 5-10 degrees warmer than what most BRB breeders recommend.)

Thanks,
Ed

I doubt that improper (especially borderline) humidity would kill them so quickly. I had a BRB many years ago (when I was even more ignorant than I am now), and I basically killed it because I had it in a glass aquarium with a screen cover and a heat lamp (ie, humidity was too low.) But it wasn't a quick death, he lived at least 6 months, maybe a year.

I would think either temps were too hot and/or you got some
bad mice.

Did you get both pairs from the same source?

Thanks,
Ed

>>My first pair I got back in the Summer of 05 lasted about two weeks. I believe I had there moisture level to low, but it was amazing that my Green Anaconda was doing fine with a similar setup.
>>
>>The second pair had similar results. I had them for two days and fed them both 2 fuzzy mice. The mice together were still smaller than 50% of the width of mid body. Two days later one of them regurgitates both mice into a cup I had setup with a fogger, talk about a nasty clean up. He was doing fine the next few days and about a week later I attempt to feed him some pinky mice. He did not eat a single one while left alone over night in a feeding tub. He died later that day.
>>
>>The second one I had no problems until this past week when I found his hopper mouse, still smaller than recommended, regurgitated in his cage, he had been eating 2 fuzzies every week prior. I put him into a tub with three pinky mice while I cleaned his cage, check heat ect. Everything was perfect. The next morning, yesterday, I checked on him in the tub and he ate all three pinky mice but you could barely tell do to how small they were. I left him alone all day and last night I put him back into his enclosure. Within 2 hours he regurgitated all three pinky mice and I found him dead this morning.
>>
>>I know some people freak out when I mention feeding multiple mice. I do this based on the length of the snake and have never had a problem with it, I do it based on food available and snake growth. I have never and will never power feed an animal. I have had Red-Tail Boas, Corn Snakes, Hogg Island boas, a Retic, a Green Anaconda, and some Solomon Ground Boas, plus tons others I cared for while working at a Pet Store.
>>
>>Needless to say I am done with keeping Brazilian Rainbow Boas and will continue to admire them in pictures.

First off I am sorry for your losses. Honestly the losses point to one of two things, either improper husbandry or sick animals. Did they all come from the same place?

As a breeder I have had HUNDREDS of baby BRB's in my care. Most of which I have had in my care for multiple months. Many even longer like six to eight months, waiting on warmer weather to ship. Right now I have 80plus 2008 babies in my racks, most are sold waiting to ship the rest are my holdbacks for various projects. I have not had one single baby die in my care not one!!! It's not that I have a "orange" thumb it's simply that I provide them with the proper environment!!!!

My tub rack is heated to 80 degrees, NO WARMER!! At 85 degrees babies can and do perish!!! My tubs have NO holes, only the gap between the tub and rack for ventilation. They DO NOT NEED fresh air, they DO NEED humidity.

Many people have had very bad results keeping BRB's in screen top glass enclosures (modified fishtanks). Between the screen top allowing humidity and heat to escape and the glass sides also allowing heat to escape, the cage dries out in no time, the snake deydrates almost as fast and dies fairly quickly. I hate those type cages for BRB's. Yes they can be bandaided by covering the top with plastic and insulating three sides. Still, IMO they are not a good enclosure for BRB's!! Or any other herp requiring a warm, humid environment!!
-----
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:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I am also sorry for all of your losses. I lost one almost a year ago and it really bummed me out. I still don't know the answer. I know the humidity was right, but I think the temps may have been too hot; that or some bad rat pinks. I did get a new one, and thanks to all the help from people on this forum, I have a beautiful, healthy, 6 month old.

>>My first pair I got back in the Summer of 05 lasted about two weeks. I believe I had there moisture level to low, but it was amazing that my Green Anaconda was doing fine with a similar setup.
>>
>>The second pair had similar results. I had them for two days and fed them both 2 fuzzy mice. The mice together were still smaller than 50% of the width of mid body. Two days later one of them regurgitates both mice into a cup I had setup with a fogger, talk about a nasty clean up. He was doing fine the next few days and about a week later I attempt to feed him some pinky mice. He did not eat a single one while left alone over night in a feeding tub. He died later that day.
>>
>>The second one I had no problems until this past week when I found his hopper mouse, still smaller than recommended, regurgitated in his cage, he had been eating 2 fuzzies every week prior. I put him into a tub with three pinky mice while I cleaned his cage, check heat ect. Everything was perfect. The next morning, yesterday, I checked on him in the tub and he ate all three pinky mice but you could barely tell do to how small they were. I left him alone all day and last night I put him back into his enclosure. Within 2 hours he regurgitated all three pinky mice and I found him dead this morning.
>>
>>I know some people freak out when I mention feeding multiple mice. I do this based on the length of the snake and have never had a problem with it, I do it based on food available and snake growth. I have never and will never power feed an animal. I have had Red-Tail Boas, Corn Snakes, Hogg Island boas, a Retic, a Green Anaconda, and some Solomon Ground Boas, plus tons others I cared for while working at a Pet Store.
>>
>>Needless to say I am done with keeping Brazilian Rainbow Boas and will continue to admire them in pictures.

What gives? What gives is that your story is a common one. People who have experince keeping other boids KNOW that Boas should be kept hot and that snakes need plenty of ventilation. They try to transfer their experience with other boids and end up keeping Rainbow Boas way too hot and dry. You have to think differently with these snakes. If you provide a cage with a heater and the ventilation that other boids need all of the humidity is driven out of the cage by the heat. This is especially true with tanks with screen tops. The heater warms the air in the cage and it rises out of the cage and cool dry room air drops down into the tank to replace it. As that cool air is warmed by the heater it takes humidty from the cage and rises out of the cage taking the humidity with it. Many people do not understand that indoor air is extremely dry during heating and air condidtioning seasons. I live in a very humid location but in my house when the air conditioner or heater are on the room humidity is often below 35%. Humidity this low will dry out and kill a little Rainbow Boa in just a few days. If you close up the cage to prevent the loss of humidity you also trap the heat from the heater inside the cage. A heater that works great on a tank with a screen top for a Boa Constrictor will roast the tank if you close off the escape of humidty and heat. The problem is not with these snakes but with the way people keep them. When you provide the right temperature and humidity these snakes are extremely hardy. Many of mine have been in my care for 15 to 20 years with no health problems.

>>My first pair I got back in the Summer of 05 lasted about two weeks. I believe I had there moisture level to low, but it was amazing that my Green Anaconda was doing fine with a similar setup.
>>
>>The second pair had similar results. I had them for two days and fed them both 2 fuzzy mice. The mice together were still smaller than 50% of the width of mid body. Two days later one of them regurgitates both mice into a cup I had setup with a fogger, talk about a nasty clean up. He was doing fine the next few days and about a week later I attempt to feed him some pinky mice. He did not eat a single one while left alone over night in a feeding tub. He died later that day.
>>
>>The second one I had no problems until this past week when I found his hopper mouse, still smaller than recommended, regurgitated in his cage, he had been eating 2 fuzzies every week prior. I put him into a tub with three pinky mice while I cleaned his cage, check heat ect. Everything was perfect. The next morning, yesterday, I checked on him in the tub and he ate all three pinky mice but you could barely tell do to how small they were. I left him alone all day and last night I put him back into his enclosure. Within 2 hours he regurgitated all three pinky mice and I found him dead this morning.
>>
>>I know some people freak out when I mention feeding multiple mice. I do this based on the length of the snake and have never had a problem with it, I do it based on food available and snake growth. I have never and will never power feed an animal. I have had Red-Tail Boas, Corn Snakes, Hogg Island boas, a Retic, a Green Anaconda, and some Solomon Ground Boas, plus tons others I cared for while working at a Pet Store.
>>
>>Needless to say I am done with keeping Brazilian Rainbow Boas and will continue to admire them in pictures.

Porkins,
...I have been thinking about what you posted for awhile. It seems to me that you are saying that it is the snake's fault that they died. You wrote that "everything was perfect" but if everything was perfect the snakes would be alive. To me what is most telling is what is missing from what you wrote. You do not say what temperature and humidity you provided or how you controlled and measured the temperature and humidity. Providing the correct temperature and humidity is key to keeping snakes healthy. Different snakes have different requirements. The requirements of Anacondas are very very different than any other snakes I can think of. In the case of Brazilian Rainbow Boas keeping them several degrees too hot will result in quick deaths like you had with your first ones. Keeping them just a few degrees too hot will result in the exact symptoms you saw with the last ones that died. You do not mention asking for help with your Brazilian Rainbows and you do not mention doing any research on them. Have you ever read a caresheet for these snakes? You write that you have lots of experience taking care of snakes but you seem to be missing the important points in providing adequate care for them. Tell me if I am misreading your post.
Jeff Clark

>>My first pair I got back in the Summer of 05 lasted about two weeks. I believe I had there moisture level to low, but it was amazing that my Green Anaconda was doing fine with a similar setup.
>>
>>The second pair had similar results. I had them for two days and fed them both 2 fuzzy mice. The mice together were still smaller than 50% of the width of mid body. Two days later one of them regurgitates both mice into a cup I had setup with a fogger, talk about a nasty clean up. He was doing fine the next few days and about a week later I attempt to feed him some pinky mice. He did not eat a single one while left alone over night in a feeding tub. He died later that day.
>>
>>The second one I had no problems until this past week when I found his hopper mouse, still smaller than recommended, regurgitated in his cage, he had been eating 2 fuzzies every week prior. I put him into a tub with three pinky mice while I cleaned his cage, check heat ect. Everything was perfect. The next morning, yesterday, I checked on him in the tub and he ate all three pinky mice but you could barely tell do to how small they were. I left him alone all day and last night I put him back into his enclosure. Within 2 hours he regurgitated all three pinky mice and I found him dead this morning.
>>
>>I know some people freak out when I mention feeding multiple mice. I do this based on the length of the snake and have never had a problem with it, I do it based on food available and snake growth. I have never and will never power feed an animal. I have had Red-Tail Boas, Corn Snakes, Hogg Island boas, a Retic, a Green Anaconda, and some Solomon Ground Boas, plus tons others I cared for while working at a Pet Store.
>>
>>Needless to say I am done with keeping Brazilian Rainbow Boas and will continue to admire them in pictures.