Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

I have a quick question...I have a recently caught, young male rubber boa. Can I get some advice on what the best husbandry would be for him (substrate, temps, gradient, humidity, and food) to get him started? If he doesn't eat soon, and so far hasn't acccepted pinkie mice, I'm gonna release him.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Micah

Have you tried visiting www.rubberboas.com/

Third Eye

Thank you very much! And to think I was beginning to stress. HAHA!

The key word when it comes to the husbandry of Charina would be patience. These cryptic critters do things at their own pace, and you will soon notice this when it comes to feeding, surface activity, etc.

From personal expierence, one of the hardest thigns to overcome is getting a wc boa to eat domesticated mice pinks. It will take time and some different tricks, but it is rewarding at the end. Washed, brained pinks seem to work well when placed with the boa is a dark container.

Thanks Zach!

I agree with what Zach said. Patience is key. I have had my wild-caught pair have since June 2010. My male shows no interest in domestic mice, so I keep a small colony of deer mice. Last summer he ate very little, so I think he had already shut down on eating for the year. This year he ate like a pig from late March through mid June, eating 2-4 deer mouse fuzzies every week or so, and putting on considerable weight. His last meal was June 12, and I am pretty sure he won't eat again until next spring.

My female ate very well last summer, eating both deer mouse and domestic mouse fuzzies, and again this year, starting in mid-Apri, then slowing down in July. She is still eating occasionally, but is probably about finished for the year as well.

This is a big change for someone like myself who has raised and bred corn snakes and king snakes.

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Kent

1.1 Hypo (het lavender, striped) corn snakes, 2010
1.2 Gray-banded king snakes, blairs phase, 2008
0.0.18 Gray-banded king snakes, 2011
1.1 Oregon rubber boas, w/c 2000 and something

Colossians 3:17

Thank you, Kent. That is all good to hear and is reassuring, for sure. I haven't had a rubber boa(s) for many years, and based on my memory, the ones in the past adjusted much faster for me and I guess I had lucked out with them, because I don't remember them being as finicky as this one. I remember feeding them regular domestic rodents without any issues.

This one's a young male that is very chubby, and active still, so I feel confident he'll be fine.

Thank you, and Zach, again.

They like access to a humid hide, at least a few days a week. They like cool background temps. They can heat up on a narrow strip of heater. No need to have a huge basking area, unless you are keeping a number in the same cage.

Imprint seems important. If you acquire a CB baby that has been started on domestic mice, then it will eat domestic mice no problem from then on. If you get a W/C and it has fed on a particular type of rodent, then there is no guarantee that domestic mice will be readily accepted.

Also, their appetites seem to be seasonal. So there are times when even the best feeders will not eat. Not uncommon with higher elevation snakes. Best to offer as cool a background temp as you can when they aren't eating.

I had a nice pair, but where I live it just gets too warm for too long. I was able to keep them cool enough on a concrete floor, but I chose to give them away to a friend who lived in an area that has more mild summers. Those things, especially the female, would eat so much during Spring it was amazing. She would eat 3-6 large thawed fuzzies in one sitting like it was nothing. She was not even a large female. I imagine it takes a good amount of wild rodent nests out there to support wild RBs. Come late June she was done feeding. Both would feed right out on the work table with no regard for me walking around cleaning cages. Calmest snakes in the world. Make rosyboas seem skittish.
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Mark

Awesome stuff Mark!

Thanks a lot.