Reptile & Amphibian Forums

In an earlier post someone had a BRB kept at mid sixties to low seventies on the cool side with a hot spot of 83F. At these temps the BRB was always hugging the heat and regurgitated. In a reply you stated that you have kept small BRB's at these temps without regurgitation. My question is, did you also have your hot spot at only 83F? I am sure this one BRB was stressed more than yours and that is a factor. Also why would you tell someone it is okay to keep there one baby BRB at these temps? I am confused. Your care sheet lists temps that are much higher? I am aware that they can handle a temp gradient but feel temps this low for a novice keeper is not a good idea.
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Jaremy Douglas

Jaremy,
. I read nothing in Iblis's post that says the snake hugs the hot side of the cage. He wrote that he had a temperature gradient with a cool end and with 83 on the warm end. I think this temperature is fine for little BRBs. As long as they have plenty of temperature gradient they can move to the part of the cage that keeps them where they want to be temperature wise. I just went into my snake room and used an IR temp "gun" to check little BRB body temperatures. My 2003 BRBs are in plastic sweater boxes with a temperature gradient of 71 to 82 and they were in the middle of the boxes and had body temperatures from 73 to 77. They eat every week and none of them have ever regurged. My website was written several years ago and says to keep temps near 80 for little BRBs and that deaths can occur at temps above 85. Last year I did keep some baby BRBs through the winter at much cooler temperatures and they ate every week and digested their meals well. If I get around to rewriting the website I may elaborate on the temps for baby BRBs with lower temp recommendations but I will not ever recommend keeping them with hot ends in their cages at the 90 plus you posted. If the hot end of the cage is this warm it takes a long cage for the cool end to be cool enough. The only time I have ever had health problems with little BRBs was when they were kept either too hot or too dry. I had seen your temperature recommendations before and I wondered if you have ever checked the body temperatures of your BRBs to see what they actually prefer? My adult BRBs move to whatever part of the cage they need to maintain body temperatures in the high 70s most of the time.
Respectfully,
Jeff

>>In an earlier post someone had a BRB kept at mid sixties to low seventies on the cool side with a hot spot of 83F. At these temps the BRB was always hugging the heat and regurgitated. In a reply you stated that you have kept small BRB's at these temps without regurgitation. My question is, did you also have your hot spot at only 83F? I am sure this one BRB was stressed more than yours and that is a factor. Also why would you tell someone it is okay to keep there one baby BRB at these temps? I am confused. Your care sheet lists temps that are much higher? I am aware that they can handle a temp gradient but feel temps this low for a novice keeper is not a good idea.
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>>Jaremy Douglas
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Jeff we only have 3 BRB's and they are adults now. Because of my limited experience with the species I respect and appreciate your input. The info I was giving was what I thought you and other experienced keepers reccomended for BRB's. I went to your website and it looks like you have changed it. Thanks for clearing that up. One thing I don't understand is that it doesn't get that cool in Brazil where these boas are found? When checked with my temp gun my enclosures have a heat gradient of 78-95F. I use tubs that are 3 1/2 feet long. The BRB's seem to prefer the cool side during the day with a body temp of about 80. They cruise all over at night. They do go to the heat after they have been fed. Also, I put a hide box over the heat. They are able to go in the hide for temps that are around 95 or they can lay on the hide for temps that are lower. They have many options to regulate their body temps. I have the ability to lower the hot spot to any temp. Do you think I should lower it?
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Jaremy Douglas

Jaremy,
. I would drop the temp at the warm end at least a few degrees. Though it does seem like what you have is working well. If we had cages long enough we could have the hot ends very hot and the cool ends very cool and the snakes would be able to move to whatever part of the cage best suited them. I just worry that someone will set up a short cage with the warm end above 90 and
the cage is short the heat from the warm end will cause too much heat at the cool end. You are right about the tempeature data for Brazil. I would love to go to Brazil for some field work. When I found Colombian Rainbows in Panama they were only out at night. I think that the tight dark and damp hiding places that Rainbow Boas use during the day must be much cooler than the daytime air temps.
Jeff

>>Jeff we only have 3 BRB's and they are adults now. Because of my limited experience with the species I respect and appreciate your input. The info I was giving was what I thought you and other experienced keepers reccomended for BRB's. I went to your website and it looks like you have changed it. Thanks for clearing that up. One thing I don't understand is that it doesn't get that cool in Brazil where these boas are found? When checked with my temp gun my enclosures have a heat gradient of 78-95F. I use tubs that are 3 1/2 feet long. The BRB's seem to prefer the cool side during the day with a body temp of about 80. They cruise all over at night. They do go to the heat after they have been fed. Also, I put a hide box over the heat. They are able to go in the hide for temps that are around 95 or they can lay on the hide for temps that are lower. They have many options to regulate their body temps. I have the ability to lower the hot spot to any temp. Do you think I should lower it?
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>>Jaremy Douglas
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