Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I notice a lot of posts here about Amazon tree boas but not very many in the recent past about emerald boas.

I just became the owner of an emerald with a few problems and am wondering if this is the correct forum on which to ask questions, or is there a different forum that I should go to.

Thanks.

n/p

I didn’t get right back here because I’ve been busy solving most of my problems.

I got, from a local pet store, an adult female emerald who was, both, severely dehydrated and also has not eaten since at least early September. I immediately force fed her (because she acted so weak) about 15 cc. of water and put her in a cage with a water dish less than a foot away from her. She drank (on her own) almost 10 fl. oz. of water over the next couple of days.

She immediately started acting better. Then, to give her some electrolytes, I force fed her 30 cc. of unflavored Pedialyte (which she kept down, no problem), and a day-and-a-half later she had a bowel movement, which was probably the last of whatever-it-was that she ate... whenever-it-was that she ate last (her history is almost unknown to me prior to September 12, 2003).

She had, from early September until I got her, shown no interest in eating a mouse. She would watch it, but never try for it. I couldn't get her to try one when I first got her, either. Now that she's feeling better, I’ll try again.

She is very tame, and a fraction-of-an-inch over 6 feet long (my wife and I measured her). I take her out every day for some climbing exercise and to continue the human/animal relationship that she is obviously used to.

Her scalation indicates that she probably is a Surinam emerald, though her deep-green- and bright-yellow colors, and her temperment, belie that. (I know of another Surinam emerald near here... smaller but active and feeding, no problem... and the little bastard will bite you any chance it gets!)

I will post some photos when I get them; I want to show some of the skin lesions that she has. I need opinions from experienced keepers about which of these might be old scars, which are recent things that need treatment, and which are perhaps dry skin. (She has no suppurating sores or anything like that.)

But I’ll get some food in her first. That’s next.

Nice to see that she is starting to come around for you! It's amazing what simply hydrating an animal can accomplish. One thing I will definitely suggest is that you refrain from handling her for a good couple weeks and then start on getting her feeding. You'll surprised how a little seclusion and privacy will also get her comfortable enough to start prowling for food. I wouldn't say that regular handling sessions with an emerald will accomplish a whole lot, seeing as she is an adult anyways as it is more important to get her feeding than getting her accustomed to handling. Hope this helps.

Rob McRobbie