Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Finally I am picking up my new conda cage today. I hired a cabinet maker make a 6x2x2 cage, furniture quality, for my 9ft. green conda. Since it will be unfinished I was wondering what I should use for a sealant. I read prev. post that recomend epoxy resin. Any ideas?
Also she has been sort of a problem feeder in the past and so far, since I've had her, she's eaten a good sized quail and a large rat. Both happened when I locked her in the bathroom with the prey. She's about 9ft and the diameter of a softball. She's never had pre-killed prey, and from info I got when I got her, she wont take it. Should I try a live rabbit or keep with large rats?

I'll post pics of new cage as soon as I get it sealed and set up.

if you have money to spare i suggest using envirotex epoxy. Ask about sealants in the cage and habitat design forum. Also is that green a male or female?
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 normal ball python (felix)
1.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, and Bear)

When I got her a couple weeks ago they said it was a female. She's got a "good" temperment but I'm still not thrilled about the prospect of probing her to find out for sure. Her spurs are really small for a 9' snake so I tend to believe them but I realize that's not a positive way to sex a snake. I was told she was a problem feeder but I locked her in the bathroom with a quail and she took it right away. 2 days later I tried a large rat and again no problem. Once she gets set in her new cage she should even acclimate more. On warm days here in Texas I let her crawl around outside with me to get some sun. Anyone know of another way to sex a large conda without probes or a trip to a vet for x-rays?
I started sealing the cage with a few coats of polyurethane but I might get something else to finish it off. I expect alot of moisture in the cage.
The builder did an awesome job for $235

if it is a female she will soon need a much bigger cage.
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 normal ball python (felix)
1.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, and Bear)

She should be alright for awhile in this one. She's 9' now and with normal feeding she should start growing more in girth than length. Of course she's going to grow long but I've heard that at about 9 - 10' they start slowing down a little lengthwise. Anyone know more about growth rates for larger condas? Anyone know how to sex a large conda?

if it is a female i doubt it would start slowing down in growth that early. At 9'-10' that is probably only half the final length of the female, and she may possibly get a lot bigger than 20'. I think you should have just made her the final cage she should be housed in.
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 normal ball python (felix)
1.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, and Bear)

Well its a little tougher when they are larger. Insted of getting one of those little probing kits you will have to use your arm insted. Just stick you arm in there the same wat that you would a probing pin. Make sure that your steaves are rolled up and your arm is real lubbed up. You can try this or ask some one that might know a better way to do it, Id ask some one else lol. And dont try this at home kids!!

Sexing a green of this size is fairly easy. On females, the spurs will be conical shaped and about as long as they are wide at the base. They will be recessed into the skin and will not be fully visible unless you part the skin away from them with your fingers. Male spurs are completely external and almost twice as long as they are wide at the base. The spur will come to a sharp point at the end that is curved at an almost 90 degree angle with respect to the base of the spur.
If it is a female, and still young, she will probably only grow at approximately a foot to a foot and a half a year for the next few years. If she is an older snake, she may only grow at half that rate for the next few years. After that, her growth will slow considerably. It is probably unlikely that a female in captivity would exceed 20 feet. Not only would it take an extremely long time, but genetically speaking, I believe the females that grow into the 20 to 25 feet range are from isolated populations that are inherently large snakes. I don’t believe the majority of the murinus population has the potential for this size. Just my opinion.

Kelly

Thanks Kelly,
I feel the same way about the growth rates for the large snakes. This is my first large anaconda but I've kept numerous other large snakes over the years and have noticed they tend to slow down after they reach a certain age.
According to what you said about the spurs mine must be a female. "Her" spurs are flush with her body and actually need to have her body scales pulled away to get a good look at them.
I just got another digicam today and will get pics of her and her new cage on here shortly.
I still need to find a way to get heat and light inside the cage. I'm currently heating the whole room. There's no holes cut into the cage so I'm trying to find the best way to get the wires into the cage and still have it look good. Any ideas?
Also what do most of you other large conda keepers end up with for a food source for adult condas? Rabbits? Chickens? which are more nutritious?

If you have to dig down into a recess to see a short conical spur, then it definitely sounds like a female. As far as feeding, I have always used rabbits on boids when they hit the 6 to 8 feet range and above. Rabbits are higher protein than almost any other mammal, and have a greater bone and muscle density than birds. If bought locally, they are also usually cheaper per pound than any other food source. I personally would only use chickens if I did not have any other choice. Just my opinion.

Kelly