Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,
I'm just wondering if anyone can offer advice as to whether there's any advantage to offering water to brumating Rosy Boas. During the active season, I offer water approximately once a month just to give the boa the choice. Some don't drink, some do. Some hobbyists never offer water to Rosy Boas. I am brumating yearlings and adults and I would prefer to not disturb them at all during their 12 week sleep at 52F. So, what do you guys do?
Thanks!
-----
The best 100% locality pure Rosy Boa website!

always given water to my rosy boas once a week to every 10 days in brumation. Now, you ae right, I usually give my boas water every month (sometimes even longer) from march thru oct but during the winter, they should be regularly hydrated. I feel in the wild, rosys would do most of there drinking in the winter or spring and probably little to no water in the summer or fall. Just my theory but I really wouldnt want to know the outcome of a boa that didnt get a drop all of brumation. some may do it but I would definately advise against it. Also, i would never leave water in w/ a boa for over 24 hrs, regardless of the time of year. It gets the humidity too high and may cause a respiratory infection. Some people may keep water in 24/7 but the enclosure wouls have to atleast have an open top and well vented sides. Just my $.02 'Rootsrok'

-----
FREEDOM PEACE UNITY ONE LOVE

Keeping lichanura trivirgata since 2000

What humidity level would be to high? I hear about the dangers of this and I would like to know approximately what I should shoot for?

During the winter it gets so dry here (maryland) so I have a humidity box and my rosy uses it often especially to shed.

Hi Ryan. You might want to put in one of those small Dollarama bowls... It would provide an initial drink and humidity, then when it goes dry, by Jan or Feb no big deal. I provide a small water bowl for mine during brumation, but they are also in screened racks with high ventilation. Winters can get dry here, so you need to be sure the animals don't dehydrate, but water requirements depend on the container ventilation and RH in the room.

I originally had all boas take a good long drink days prior to being cooled. They are currently in small rubbermaids with holes drilled in the plastic. Each rubbermaid is inside a large wood-framed, styrofoam-lined box so that I can maintain temps. Ventilation is minimal since air-current is virtually non-existent. Also, relative humidity shouldn't be too low as the temperature-controlled box is in the cellar. Since they just drank prior to brumation, perhaps I will place a small water dish in with each boa for 24 hours or so some time at the beginning of Jan and Feb. This seems like it might work. I do not wish to leave a permanent water source in there, given the setup, and I would prefer to disturb them as little as possible during this time.
Cheers.

That makes sense. I agree if you have them all closed up in styros you won't want to leave standing water in there, as it will get too humid. You should be fine.. just check them mid winter.
Best of luck producing some Felipes in 06

This is what I have them setup in. I like it since it provides very good temperature control in a room that goes way lower than I would want (~40-45F). I have a piece of heat tape on the inside hooked up to an inline rheostat that I made out of a Leviton dimmer. Since the box is insulated, any variance in the ambient temp hardly affects the inside at all and I get a consistent 51-53F in there all the time. I have 10 snakes in there currently and it cost me less than $30 to fabricate, including the rheostat.



I have two adult female Felipes that are ready for 06, and they are getting a good brumation, so there's a good chance I'll have some babies from this locale...
Cheers,
Ryan

Nice Job!! You know what they say "necessity is the mother of invention"
Just one warning about dimmers. You might have seen me post on it before, but the cheaper 6 buck ones will fail to restart after a power blip if they are turned way down. Unplug and replug yours several times fast and make sure it will always come back on without you having to first manually turn it up.

..

First off, thanx for the kind words about my web-site. I keep water bowls in with my kids during hibernation, but that's because I have the ventilated cages. I wouldn't leave water bowls in the enclosure if I were using any other format. Again, just a suggestion. They should get water offered to them at least every 2 weeks for just a couple of days though.

Jer