Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm planning on getting a baby and I have a few questions to clarify:

How long do they get? I've read that they max out at 7 feet and I've read that they max out at 5, so I wanted to get advice from owners. I'm planning on getting a male.

How is their general health as long as humidity and heating requirements are met?

What do you use for humidity control?

What type of overhead heating would you recommend? For my Ball Python I use an infrared 50 watt and that seems to keep the tank temp at a nice 80-90 degrees.

Any other advice would be helpful

Sorry folks I forgot to add that this is for a Brazilian Rainbow, sorry about that.

Jadewolf,
....Most adult female BRBs are between 5.75 and 6.75 feet long. Adult males are usually between 5.5 and 6.25 feet long. Specimens over 7.5 feet are not often seen. Maximum size is around 8 feet. If you maintain them with proper temperature and humidity they do great. These snakes are very nocturnal and very secretive. They require cages with the cooler end in the low 70s and the warmer end in the high 70s to low 80s. If you use very large cages you can have the warm end warmer but the snake will spend most of the time in parts of the cage that are in the 70s. With cage temperature over 80 and no place to get to temperatures in the low to mid 70s little BRBs will overheat, dehydrate and die. Most of my BRB cages are heated with under the floor heating under one end of the cage. Unless you use a very large cage a 50 watt heater at full voltage will be way too hot. BRBs, especially little ones require very high humidity. Most people get the humidity this high in their cages by using damp substrate and large water bowls with limited ventilation.
Good luck,
Jeff

>>I'm planning on getting a baby and I have a few questions to clarify:
>>
>>How long do they get? I've read that they max out at 7 feet and I've read that they max out at 5, so I wanted to get advice from owners. I'm planning on getting a male.
>>
>>How is their general health as long as humidity and heating requirements are met?
>>
>>What do you use for humidity control?
>>
>>What type of overhead heating would you recommend? For my Ball Python I use an infrared 50 watt and that seems to keep the tank temp at a nice 80-90 degrees.
>>
>>Any other advice would be helpful

My largest was 56 inches at last measure and that is a male, the female was 54'. It is my understanding that 5 1/2 or 6 foot is more the average. So far the largest I have is my adult male, so I don't really know what the difference in lenght is in adults...but females are supposed to get a bit larger.

I have had no illness in the few (4) years that I have kept BRB's. I try to keep their enclosures as perfect as possible.

I have 2 different set-ups that they're housed in. BARRS cages...with Flexwatt heat tape and Lizard Lounges with Flexwatt and ceramic heat elements. I prefer the BARRS cages much better and if I could start over I would never have purchased a LL. I am currently using the heat tape on rheostats with sphagnum moss in their hides on a cypress mulch substrate. The LL cages have all but one of the vents capped off but need to be watched more closely than the others cages.

If you do a little reading, challenge what you have read by asking questions, and set them up correctly it will be relatively easy to maintain them.

Linda

>>I'm planning on getting a baby and I have a few questions to clarify:
>>
>>How long do they get? I've read that they max out at 7 feet and I've read that they max out at 5, so I wanted to get advice from owners. I'm planning on getting a male.
>>
>>How is their general health as long as humidity and heating requirements are met?
>>
>>What do you use for humidity control?
>>
>>What type of overhead heating would you recommend? For my Ball Python I use an infrared 50 watt and that seems to keep the tank temp at a nice 80-90 degrees.
>>
>>Any other advice would be helpful

-----
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance- that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer

When I first got my BRB I made a big mistake and housed her in a regular screen top terrerium. So, I had to cover up almost all of the screen top to keep the humidity in.
Basically, having the right set up for your possible new BRB will make it easy. The cages that are best for a BRB are the plastic moulded type with an under the tank heater and rheostat/thermostat. With these plastic moulded types of cages you can easily get the humidity and temps just right. Jeff and Sunshine had some of the specifics in their posts. My BRB has been a great addition and joy for my snake collection. Be sure to keep asking questions and do as much research on the snake before you buy it and think set-up (captive environmental conditions for the snake) first and it makes the transition simple and stress free.
Good luck,
Uncloudy

listen to your snake!