Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone, I do not own any tree boas, or pythons, but I have been looking at adding one to my collection. I wanted to get an emerald tree boa. I love the colors and how they look. Yesterday I was at a swap here in IL and someone was selling one for 150 dollars. It said on it sticky eater. I walked by it and looked at it and then came home. I now am regretting this. I have taken sticky eaters and made them great eaters, I am kicking my self that I did not buy it. Are tree boas harder than most other snakes. I currently own a ball, redtail, and a burm. I should have taken the chance for that price. I have never seen one under 750.00.

Next question at the same show I saw these Amazon Tree Boas, they where orange. Do they keep there color or do they turn brown.

Thank you
Jeff

Jeff,
Be glad that you didn't buy that WC $150.00 ETB that is a sticky eater! I have a freezer collection of "Great Eaters" only problem is they puked it back up and it is very frustrating to work with an animal for up to 18 months just to watch it die. Kidney damage from improper handling during collection and waiting at the exporters facility is not repairable. These animals can not go long periods being dehydrated.

CraigC

Sorry Jeff,
Look in the classifieds and you will find some very nice cbb animals for a lot less than $750.00. These animals have specific temp and humidity requirements that can be some what more challanging than other species.
CraigC

Well, I feel better now knowing this. I always have my eye out for one of these snakes. This is one of the snakes I wanted as soon as I got one. I wanted a burm and a ETB. I got the burm and now would like the ETB.

Craig says it all, any animal that is a bad eater is a seriuos liability. I only purchase WC for breeding stock, Always for for CBB, I think If i am not wrong Craig has some of the niceist northerns arround this year. just look

http://www.forumboard.net/48696/messages/852.html

j

Joesph,
Thanks for the compliment! That male is from an LTC female which is one of 3 wc animals of 10 or so that we have purchased that has been a solid animal and not become part of the freezer collection. Anyone buying wc animals must go into the purchase with the understanding that it is a high risk animal. IMO, 80% of wc etb's don't make it past 2 years, with basins having better odds of survival. At least in my experience of purchasing wc basins.
CraigC

Jeff,

I was about to buy the same snake you're talking about this past Sunday. Be glad you didn't. I have bought snakes from Lee in the past, and they have all been great snakes, but I talked to him and he told me this Emerald had eaten only 3 or 4 times in the past year. It would have been a huge risk and you probably would have ended up without $150 and without a longterm Emerald. The sad thing is that I saw the kid who did buy this emerald. It was a younger kid who was with his friends. Not to pass judgement on a younger owner, but the fact that he walked outside with it to his car covered by nothing does not show real intelligence (if you know what the temp. is like here in Chicago you'll understand). He will probably get bit up pretty bad and the snake will probably not do too well. Anyway, just thought I'd help reinforce your decision not to take a chance on this animal.

matt

Hey im not writing this to make you mad but i am the one who did buy the ETB from Lee at the last show. It is a Biak female and she has not eaten yet. She actually hasd a small temper i am able to handle her but only when i switched her cage she is a beautiful snake and if your gunna be at the swap i might bring her.

I thought Biak was a locale for GTP not ETB?
CraigC

It is. The owner unfortunately does not have experience and is uninformed about the Emerald species. He bought a snake on impulse and now the animal will suffer. Kids who buy on impulse and carry exotic animals out in the 15 degree chicago weather should be stopped and banned from these reptile shows.

Actually i covered the cage with my extra pillow case that i had my BP in that i tdared at the swap. As for the Biak that is what lee told me. The snake is doing great in a small arboreal vision. Any way the snake isint for me, its gunna be part of my friends breeding project. I have held the snake three times since i purchased him while cleaning his cage and has not ever hissed or attemeted to bite or attack me, there is no need for any of you to jump to conclusions!

Atlas,
So is the snake an emerald tree boa or a green tree python? Did Lee explain or are you familiar with the care requirements of a neo-tropical, arboreal snake?
CraigC

It is a Female Emerald tree Boa (Corallus caninus) i have a fogger and a mister in her cage, my digital thermoneter reads Humidity 77% and temp 79 i have 6 pearches with 4 different diameters and high. I also have two burms a retic and a blood, im into pythons thats why i didnt buy that snake for myself. Its a great snake, yes it hasent eaten but its supprisingly active late night and early morning. i have tried live and frozen but nothing yet. And she hasent even tried to bit me.