Welcome...
Here you will find a hand written caresheet for
Brazilian rainbow boas.
I will also include a caresheet for the columbian rainbow boa.
Here is one thing i want to make clear,
Rainbow boas are NOT for the bigginer hobbyist,
You should have experience with other medium sized boas or pythons and with other forgiving snakes for a least two years befor buying one of these snakes,
you wouldent want to kill one and have it be your fault now would you!?
Brazilian rainbow boa care
Captive information:
As i stated befor this snake is NOT for the bigginer hobbyist they require quite a lot of humidity ALL the time.
but if you are a experienced boa/python keeper then these snakes are the best snake to own!
If you are not experienced get a Columbian boa or
simular snake and read up on rainbow boas while u experience having a snake and await the day you get a Rainbow boa of your own.
Chosing a baby Rainbow boa:
Chose a heathly looking bright colored baby,
try holding it (most will be nippy).
It should almost immedietly start flicking its tounge.
If possible try checking in its mouth for any signs of mouth rot (cheesy like substance).
also look hardly for mites and ticks and other parasites.
then once u have narrowed it down to a few just go pick the one you like the best!
Feeding:
Neonates can easily tackle a fuzzy mouse...
as they they get older (20-22 inches) they can eat small-medium mice.
adults can eat medium-large rats.
Feed freshly killed mice/rats or f/t (frozen and thawed) mice to avoid exposing your snake to parasites or decieses that mice/rats might carry and to avoid your snake being bitten.
Housing:
Baby rainbow boas 22 inches and below can be housed in rubbermaids,
once bigger then 22 inches keep in 10 gallon or more
(purrferably 20 gallon) and as they get to about 3-4 feet bring them up to about a 40 gallon breeder.
Adults can seporate can live in a 40 gallon tank,
(of course i do not recommend keeping two together year round).
Cage furnishing:
Well first of all they require a hide box,
there is lots to choose from, you can buy one or get creative and make your own!
next you nead a substrate (I highly recommend paper towels or newspaper) as it is the cheapest and is readily availible (You keep paper towels in your house dont you!?) you can also use Repti bark.
now you need a climbing brach and some plastic plants for climbing, these can be found at almost any petstore.
next you need a UTH (under tank heater) place this under the cage in the warm area of the cage.
you will also need a reflector lamp and a reptile bulb. Next you need a large water bowl place the waterbowl over the UTH for humidity reasons.
Heat/Humidity:
Keep tank at 78-88 days and
70-78 nights,
a good humidity level to keep it at is 75-90% mist cage at least once daily to atcheve this.
Prices:
Rainbow boa prices that are reasonable are anywhere from -.
Columbian rainbow boa care and information
REQUIREMENTS: Tropical ambient temperatures of 75 - 85. A 60 - 80% relative humidity level must be provided to ensure the animal's health. This can be achieved by the presence of a large water dish located over a heating pad (under the cage), misting cage with water, and providing a hiding container with moist bedding. Do not expose to ambient temperatures over 90F. Enclosure at least 3/4 as long as the animal's body with a width at least a third of the animal's length. Buy captive born whenever possible. Ensure the animal is feeding.
DIET: Mice, rats, chicks, and guinea pigs. In the wild the diet consist of rodents, birds and possibly some forms of aquatic life and lizards.
SIZE AND LIFE SPAN: May exceed lengths of 5', with an average size of 4 foot. Quick growing and typically aggressive feeders. Ages of 25+ years in captivity.
DIFFICULTY RATING: Moderate, this is not a beginner's snake, experience with boas or pythons is recommended. If this snake is not provided with adequate humidity and dries out, severe health problems may occur.
BREEDING: Sexual maturity reached in the first 2.5 - 4 years. Refer to Boa Breeding care card if sex of an animal is unknown. Males may breed at 4' and females 4.5'+. Use of multiple males in a breeding situation may prove beneficial to breeding success. Breeding season in captivity: October - April; peak breeding activity generally occurs in the fall and winter. Animals must have excellent weight before breeding is attempted. Breeding may be induced by night time temperature drops down to 68 - 72F and daytime temperatures in the low 80's. Reduction of light cycle from 12 - 14 hours to 8 hours and misting the animals with warm water prove beneficial. Gestation 115 - 135 days. Gives birth to live young, litters may vary from 10 - 30+ babies. Frequently bred in captivity
MUTATIONS: Nine subspecies of rainbow boa occur throughout South America. Epicrates c. barbouri - Marajo Island, crassus - Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, xerophilus - Rio Branco, polylepis , hygrophilus, assisi - Brazil, cenchria - S. Venezuela, Surinam, Guyana, Brazil, gaigiae - Peru, Bolivia. Albino, Hypo, Leucistic, striped and more in the works.
STATUS IN THE WILD: As our rainforest are cleared for agriculture, ranching and development this snake loses much of it's habitat. Not a common occurring animal in it's range.
SETUP
Caging: Includes Neodesha, Vision reptile cages, Freedom Breeder Rack systems (925) 838 -2331 Top Notch!, plastic sweater boxes, aquariums and custom built vivariums. Cages must be escape proof, easy to disinfect, free of sharp edges, ventilated, and hold heat to ensure proper temperatures. Avoid unfinished wood and porous surfaces when designing custom cages; these surfaces are difficult to clean and disinfect. Refer to the Snake Caging care card. Heating: Variable setting under cage heating pads (used for people, never rest weight of cage on pad), thermostatically controlled lights and/or under cage heat strips, and hot rocks. Don't use a small hot rock for an animal that is proportionately larger; burns often result if the animal is forced to rest on this type of heat source. A heat source should warm 1/3 to 1/2 of the cage with a basking floor temperature of 88 - 92F. Use a thermometer! The unheated area should never drop below 75F. It may be necessary when using aquariums to cover part of the lid with plastic to maintain ideal temperatures. It is essential to allow the animal an area that provides an optimal basking temperature and a cooler area (provides a heat gradient) so that the snake can thermoregulate. Caution should be used when using lamps, blood pythons do not tolerate being dried out! It is better to heat with an under cage heater. Humidity: a tupperware style hide box with an entrance hole and filled with moist spagnum moss (or equivalent) provides the needed humidity and an attractive retreat. Lighting: 12 hours on, 12 hours off, incandescent or fluorescent. Never leave visible lights on continuously, this causes stress. Furnishing: A water dish must be large enough to allow the animal to soak , located near the heat source. Always provide clean water, disinfect bowl weekly. A hide box (essential) or shelter in the heated end of the cage provides security. A hide box may also be provided in the cooler area; always locate at least one in the heated end so the animal does not have to choose between security( hide box) and heat. Disinfect (bleach & rinse) branches and rocks since they may harbor ecto parasites. Substrates: Newspaper, paper towels, paper bags, or artificial grass are safe and inexpensive. Aspen bedding and cypress mulch also may be used, but it is advisable to feed on a different surface, since the bedding could lodge in the snake's mouth. Gravel, sand, mulch and shaving may cause health problems such as intestinal blockage, skin lesions and "mouth rot." Cedar is deadly to reptiles! Cleaning: A solution of water, detergent and 5% household bleach is safe and disinfects, rinse surfaces thoroughly with clean water.
FEEDING
A baby rainbow should begin feeding on fuzzy mice 10 days old). A snake may be induced to feed by placing it in a locking plastic shoe box style container (with air holes) with crumpled newspaper and leaving it for an hour, then introducing a food item. At 2', the snake is large enough for pinkie rats and jumper mice. At 3', it is capable of consuming adult mice and young rats. Frequent feedings of 1 - 2 times weekly will result in quick growth and a healthy animal. It may be wise to consider how large you wish the snake to get, feed less often to slow the growth rate. Feed at least once every 10 days, when the snake begins feeding on large meals such as rats feeding can occur less frequently. Many animals may be conditioned to accept pre-killed or thawed warmed rodents at feed time. This technique is safer, than feeding live rodents since this prevents the snake from being bitten by a rodent. Shedding is dependent on the animal's growth rate and condition and may occur every 3 - 6 weeks. May refuse feeding attempts while shedding. Increase the humidity as a rainbow approaches a shed, this helps to avoid dry shed. Avoid handling after a sizable meal; it is stressful and may cause regurgitation. Never leave a rodent in the snake's cage for lengthy periods; a rodent can cause serious damage to your pet! Provide food and water for any rodent left in the snake's cage longer than 30 minutes. Never handle rodents and then handle a snake; you may be mistaken as food. Develop proper feeding habits. As the snake grows it may be wise to feed the snake only dead rodents and move it to a feeding container prior to food offering. If moved to a feeding container for all feedings it may become conditioned not to expect food while in its' cage. This may reduce the possibility of being mistaken as a food item by an over zealous feeder. Best method is to place dead rodent in container and let snake discover it, encourages gentle food acquisition. Maintain accurate feeding and health records. Reluctant Feeders: May be more apt to eat at night or with lights off, and may prefer to ambush prey from a hide box. Try a variety of rodents and sizes. Is the animal sick? Reduce handling to a minimum. If an animal refuses all feeding attempts and appears to be wasting, consult a veterinarian or experienced herper.
