Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, I'm at the end of the research and development phase of getting a Brazilian Rainbow Boa, and I just wanted to ask the opinions of you all on some things. The majority of sites recommend a 80 to 90% humidity for hatchlings and a day time temp of 80 with a night time temp of 75ish. Would every one agree with those numbers?? ( Yes, I know 80 sounds low but BRB can be killed with temps higher than that, according to most sites I looked at. )

Agreed. The temps in my BRB's cage are usually about 76-80, and she does very well with this gradient. High humidity for hatchlings is VERY important. My BRB is roughly a year and a half old, and she does well in a humidity range of 70 - 80%.

Just one additional tip... if you have the space and desire, go for a deep (3", burrowable susbtrate. I use Bed-a-Beast, but any coir fiber should work. I can't believe how much time my BRB loves to spend creating elaborate burrows and nests under the substrate. It's fun to wake up in the morning and see the "snake trails" all across the cage...
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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

My Growing Zoo:

1.0 Husband (Byron) ^_^
0.1 black cat (Shade)
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Zia)
1.0 Leucistic Ratsnake (Houdini)
1.2 Cockatoo cichlids (A. cacatuoides yellow-gold)
1.2 Panduro cichlids (A. panduro)

Thanks for responding. With they're love of burrowing, can you still use an UTH?? Wouldn't want the little guy to get burnt. I'm a big fan of coconut bark for subtrate, my friend keeps his lucy rat in coconut with little ill effects, but again, opinions are welcome.

Yes, a UTH is fine as long as you run it on a thermostat. I run mine on a proportional thermostat, and it never gets too hot to burn her (when you set it up, just make sure you feel the glass with your hand). The most important thing is to ALWAYS bury the thermostat's probe into the substrate. It will require a little tweaking to get air temps where you want them when you do it this way, but if you don't bury it, the temps under the substrate could get too hot.

In fact, I'd recommend a UTH as the only source of heat - bright lights tend to disturb BRB's. They are extremely secretive animals. Mine instantly retreats into a dark, cool spot as soon as she's exposed to lights; although I know there is at least one keeper on the BRB forum with the opposite experience.

Definitely go ask around there... here's the link:

http://forums.kingsnake.com/forum.php?catid=189

Nobody seems to be able to find that forum anymore since they changed it to a Boa subforum.
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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

My Growing Zoo:

1.0 Husband (Byron) ^_^
0.1 black cat (Shade)
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Zia)
1.0 Leucistic Ratsnake (Houdini)
1.2 Cockatoo cichlids (A. cacatuoides yellow-gold)
1.2 Panduro cichlids (A. panduro)

Thanks for the responce! I've got an extra Helix laying around, think it a proportional one, I'll have to check on that! And that's how I have my Ball Python set up with a buried probe. I was going to use a very low watt white light for day viewing, and a same watt red light for night time, or acutally prolly none at all at night. I've heard of some BRB's breeder/owners making privacy screens/curtains for they're snakes during the day time. Have you gotten a stronger feeding responce during the night time hrs or are they pigs at any hour of the day??

Oh, definitely a stronger feeding response from her at night. Mine has never refused a meal, not even when she's in shed. However, she sometimes needs a little enticing by placing her in a small rubbermaid tub with the rats inside, then placing that in a very dark room (bathroom or closet works well). I usually give her 20 minutes by herself this way, and when I come back, she has always eaten. Before I started feeding her this way, she would sometimes balk at a meal for a long time before accepting it.
-----
::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

My Growing Zoo:

1.0 Husband (Byron) ^_^
0.1 black cat (Shade)
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Zia)
1.0 Leucistic Ratsnake (Houdini)
1.2 Cockatoo cichlids (A. cacatuoides yellow-gold)
1.2 Panduro cichlids (A. panduro)