Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Six months ago, due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to give up my snake collection (including my beautiful BRB). Although not a long time on the calendar, not owning or even holding a snake seemed like an eternity. I've realized though, after owning balls, hognoses, CRB's, Bcc's, pine snakes, and other colubrids, that my passion is the Brazilian Rainbow Boa.

After looking at some babies from a light colored pair, I decided to purchase a light female. I brought her home after a week, to ensure my husbandry was correct. I fed her a large f/t fuzzy last week in a separate tub, and after a strike and coil, she took about a half hour before she attempted to devour it. She was successful. However, this week, I attempted another feeding, but wasn't successful. She was disinterested and evenutally struck after some teasing, but released. I placed the prey in her enclosure and left it overnight. Still unsuccessful. I'm thinking the little one is a bit stressed out due to overhandling, since the husbandry is in the norm. I'm going to attempt again this weekend after leaving it alone and waiting for a possible shed.

She's been handled daily due to over excitement and lack of other snakes in the collection at the moment. I have noticed that my former BRB wasn't as nippy this young and would roam the enclosure daily. This one is always in a hide. Hopefully, we'll have a successful feed this time.

I plan to start small, focusing on BRB's, and possibly waiting for a nice male to pair her up with in about 3-4 years. These are magnificient animals and I'm still awe struck at their beauty when I handle one.

You sound like you are doing everything fine. Check your temps!!!!!!!!!! First and foremost, BRBs can be overheated and dried out QUICKLY. Check to ensure you temps are below 85 degrees at ground level at your hottest spot.

Next step, you have already hit the nail on the head. Leave the little BRB alone!!! I know it's damn near impossible when you have something that pretty in your house, but you gotta do it for a little bit! If it were mine I would even limit distractions in the entire room and try to not turn on bright lights often etc.

BRBs are secretive, they live their lives in the forest floor and are mainly nocturnal. For babies, they need to be defensive to survive. Don't let this phase you!! Your baby will grow up and calm down. Also, once it grabs its meals and starts to wrap or just hold on even, you're good! Dim the lights, leave the room, and come back 2 hours later to find a full and fat snake!

You're definitely on the right track! Post us up a pic once she settles in!!! Where'd she come from?
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Ike Lightner
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Small, private, hobbyist level collection of SPOILED breeders, hold-backs, and future breeders. Working with 5.8 high end, captive-bred animals from well known bloodlines. Currently focused on:

-Hypomelanistic BRBs
-Striped BRBs
-HIGH Orange & Red BRBs
-Trophy JCPs

4.7 BRBs - "Dugo, Sultan, Diego, Nando, Roxxy, Lucille,
Rasheena, Liddia, Ireena, Juitta, Brazitta"

1.1 JCPs - "Truman & Tammara"

Also! how big of a tank or cage are you housing this little girl in? Large enclosures can stress out these snakes and cause them to go off feed.

If you're using a glass aquarium (I really hope not) then you need to do something about the only fashioned screens which drain humidity from such a setup!
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Ike Lightner
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Individually operated, privately held, VERY small-scale, hobbyist-level collection of SPOILED breeders, hold-backs, and future-breeders. Currently focusing on and producing high caliber, captive-bred specimens that originate from "big name" bloodlines. Specializing in:

-Hypomelanistic BRBs
-Striped BRBs
-HIGH Orange & Red BRBs
-Trophy JCPs

4.7 BRBs - "Dugo, Sultan, Diego, Nando, Roxxy, Lucille,
Rasheena, Liddia, Ireena, Juitta, Brazitta"

1.1 JCPs - "Truman & Tammara"

My other BRB did very well and I have gotten great advice from Mr. Jeff Clark. I have a few animal plastics cages ready for when my little one matures. For now, she is in a ten gallon glass with over ninety percent of the lid covered. Humidity stays in between 70 and 85 with minimal misting. There is also a large water dish and a humidity hide. In addition a small dry hide is provided. Ambient temp is in the mid 70's with a hot spot of 85 - 82. My first BRB had adjusted well and cruised the tank but this one is a little skittish. The nippy nature doesn't bother me. After being but by BCC, a little prick here or there is nothing.

I will definitely post pics once she is settled in and eating consistently.

Congrats on the new BRB! Definitely post some pics asap. Ike went over the whole gamut just to cover everything, but from the information you posted the most likely issue (if there even is an issue - the snake just might not have been hungry!) is that you are stressing the snake out. The combination of a baby snake, a new home, daily handling, and feeding attempts every few days could add up to a lot of stress. Personally, I'd leave the snake alone for a week, then try a feeding. I know that's hard to do, but it's probably best for the snake!

Thanks,
Ed

well if you've gotten most all of your info from Mr. Jeff Clark, join the group!!!! Jeff has many many many many BRB years of experience and seems to know something about everything!

I feel that Jeff would tell you, BRBs are feeding machines, so if you have one with an issue, there is probably a reason. Listen to your snakes!!!!!!!
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Ike Lightner
____________________________________________________________

Individually operated, privately held, VERY small-scale, hobbyist-level collection of SPOILED breeders, hold-backs, and future-breeders. Currently focusing on and producing high caliber, captive-bred specimens that originate from "big name" bloodlines. Specializing in:

-Hypomelanistic BRBs
-Striped BRBs
-HIGH Orange & Red BRBs
-Trophy JCPs

4.7 BRBs - "Dugo, Sultan, Diego, Nando, Roxxy, Lucille,
Rasheena, Liddia, Ireena, Juitta, Brazitta"

1.1 JCPs - "Truman & Tammara"

A few years ago, when researching Brazilian Rainbow Boas online (and even buying a guide to BRB's), I realized that the information out there was so inconsistent. That's why I turned to Mr. Clark and KINGSNAKE.com. Some sites mentioned keeping the snakes at 90 at the hotspot and 85 on the cool, while others stated low 80'2, and so on. I figured this forum would help, and it did. I appreciate any advice I get and I enjoy, even though I don't post often, the discussions on this forum and all the wonderful pics. I'm nowhere near a pro at these little guys and I'm sure I'll be back here for some advice sooner or later. Thank you everyone for the guidance and pics.

I tend to disagree with this statement. Yes, one can find some ridiculous caresheets if they simply google "BRB care" but the fact of the matter is, BRBs are exploding in popularity and their care requirements have all but been perfected in the past 10 years. They used to be "hard to keep" and even "harder to reproduce" in captivity, but anymore, people can predict due dates based off of shed cycles (POS) and have a MUCH higher rate of success than in the past.

Anymore, people are either reading old, terrible information that they should be able to realize is not trustworthy, or they are just too lazy to seek out legit help. There are soo many good caresheets out there now and experienced breeders available at the click of a mouse/email/phone call away. This stuff used to be crazy hard to track down, now its all but mainstream. You obviously found this group, that means you care enough to look. Props to you! But, I don't think it is a fair statement to claim that there is ALL inconsistent info all over the internet.
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Ike Lightner
____________________________________________________________

Individually operated, privately held, VERY small-scale, hobbyist-level collection of SPOILED breeders, hold-backs, and future-breeders. Currently focusing on and producing high caliber, captive-bred specimens that originate from "big name" bloodlines. Specializing in:

-Hypomelanistic BRBs
-Striped BRBs
-HIGH Orange & Red BRBs
-Trophy JCPs

4.7 BRBs - "Dugo, Sultan, Diego, Nando, Roxxy, Lucille,
Rasheena, Liddia, Ireena, Juitta, Brazitta"

1.1 JCPs - "Truman & Tammara"

Well, the little girl ate today. I dimmed the lights, prey was piping hot, and ... SHE DID NOT STRIKE in a separate enclosure and totally ignored it . I placed her back in her habitat, prey near one of the hides, and misted ( I read somewhere that BRB's appetites can be stimulated with "rain.". Unfortunately, I don't want to make it a habit of feeding her inside her enclosure. A little defeated, but at least she ate.

Ike, I apologize if I offended anyone with my remarks. Not all sites have misinformation. At the time, I was l looking at care sheets that we're listed under wholesale sellers. As I neared purchasing one, I discovered reputable sellers' sites with great care sheets.