Getting a Brazilian Rainbow Boa

[Umbrax]

After many years I finally decided to buy my first snake. I’ve decided on a Brazilian rainbow Boa. Now I am aware that these snakes are considered relatively difficult to keep and not recommended as beginner snakes because of their humidity requirements, but I’ve decided to do it anyway because if I’m going to have a snake for 20+ years I’m going to want it to be awesome to look at and hold. The rainbow boas are absolutely stunning and I fell in love with them the first time I saw a picture. I’ve done an absolute ton of research and I want to make sure I do this absolutely perfectly and don’t make any stupid mistakes. I’m going to build my own enclosure because that seems like the best decision. Here are some questions I wanted to ask anyone familiar with these snakes:

1. Who are the best breeders that I can get one of these snakes from? I want to make sure I’m getting my snake from a good place.

2. I plan on getting a fogger and keeping on a timer to keep the humidity up, does anyone have experience doing this, does it work for the humidity? Is it a good solution? How long would I need to keep it on/off to maintain the humidity I need?

3. Exactly how big of an enclosure do I need for one of these snakes? I was planning on 3’ by 2’ by 2’. Is this big enough? I plan to build the enclosure out of wood, but where can I buy the glass/acrylic door I would need for the front of the enclosure? Is there a particular kind of sealant I need to use on the wood?

4. What size mice do these snakes eat as adults? Are they good feeders?

5. What’s a good thermostat and humidity/temp reader I can use?

6. If I held the snake everyday (other than 2 days after feeding), is their a time limit to how long I can keep them out of their cage? Will they dry out? Would I be able to hold the snake in my lap while I watch TV or is it not that kind of snake.

7. Are they nocturnal? Do they stay on the ground or are they semi arboreal.


Thanks so much for reading my thread. Sorry if it’s a lot of questions, I just want to make sure I do this right. If you have any recommendations or questions to ask me just let me know. I appreciate any and all help given.

[bigsnakegirl785]

1. Dave at Rainbows-R-Us, Ike Lightner, and Cliff at Living Gems are the ones that come to mind first, but there's many other breeders out there (I just don't see them around as much).

2. If you set up correctly, you won't need a mister. Misters are more of a short term fix for a long term problem, they raise the wetness level but don't do much for the overall humidity. Keep ventilation limited (but still enough to get fresh air) and use a high humidity bedding, and you shouldn't have any problems.

3. Length+Width should be equal to or greater than the snake's length. So, a 4'x2'x2' or 5'x2'x2' should be enough for most adults, but you can always go bigger if you want. I wouldn't necessarily advise wood because of the high humidity, but if you do I'd use marine grade sealant in the edges and seal with water-based polyurethane or something else that might keep more moisture out (I haven't tested poly with BRB levels of humidity but it works just fine for my boas at 70-80%).

4. BRBs will far outgrow the need for mice. Most adults do well on small or medium rats every 3-4 weeks. They are generally good feeders, but babies are infamous for feeding problems more than some other food-oriented species. They will refuse food or regurge if humidity falls a tad too low. Some may still eat, but I've encountered this problem with my rainbows and heard about it with other keepers.

5. If money isn't an issue, I'd advise Herpstat thermostats and whatever digital thermometer that seems to agree with other thermometers when read at the same location. Hygrometers are not as important, as they become unreliable above 80-85%, and the high humidity needed for rainbows can quickly deteriorate hygrometers. I've had readouts blow out and probes stop working within a couple months of being introduced to the enclosure. You can tell the humidity is dropping too low, as their thin skin will begin to stick together and their scales will get a dry look before any shedding problems arise, so I'd raise humidity. But, in correct set ups, the humidity basically takes care of itself, so once you have it established you should have little issues keeping it up.

6. I would not advise handling any snake every day, overhandling is extremely stressful and can affect feeding habits and overall health. Rainbows desiccate very easily, so I would not handle them for more than 10-15 minutes at a time, and no more than 2-3 times a week. Even less for shyer individuals, as rainbows are known to be shy and moody. If you're wanting a lap snake, rainbows are not that kind of snake. They can be handled more, and I'm sure other users may advise you can handle more, but it's in the best interest of the animals' comfort and overall health to not push them too far just because you can. I would also refrain from regular handling during shed cycles, it's stressful and you can damage the new scales forming underneath. Taking them out to do maintenance and putting them right back is one thing, but don't handle them like you normally would.

7. I believe they're nocturnal, or at least crepuscular, they seem to be more sensitive to bright lights than other species. They're semi-arboreal, especially as babies.

[Umbrax]

Thanks so much for all the info, I appreciate it. If wood doesn't hold up to humidity as well, what would you recommend as a material? I know glass is completely out of the picture and I've looked at some of the Animal Plastics cages, but I don't have a whole lot of money right now and I can't afford to buy one. Money is a bit tight for me right now. I've also recently done some research on the Columbian rainbow boas, do they have the same care requirements as BRB's? I've heard some people say they are slightly easier and more docile. Also, as far as humidity goes, would the bedding and evaporation of the water dish keep the humidity high enough without a mister if the cage was setup properly, or would I still have to hand mist a few times a day?

[bigsnakegirl785]

Thanks so much for all the info, I appreciate it. If wood doesn't hold up to humidity as well, what would you recommend as a material? I know glass is completely out of the picture and I've looked at some of the Animal Plastics cages, but I don't have a whole lot of money right now and I can't afford to buy one. Money is a bit tight for me right now. I've also recently done some research on the Columbian rainbow boas, do they have the same care requirements as BRB's? I've heard some people say they are slightly easier and more docile. Also, as far as humidity goes, would the bedding and evaporation of the water dish keep the humidity high enough without a mister if the cage was setup properly, or would I still have to hand mist a few times a day?

You can get PVC and have it cut, not sure of the expense on that. What I generally do, is start my babies out in the biggest clear plastic totes I can find, usually 66-100+ qts. These are large enough to house 3.5'-4.5' snakes, which gives me 2-4 years to save up for a 4'x2'x2', but I do feed my snakes conservatively. The tubs can be set up for under $100, but won't last for life, just gives me time to save up.

Iirc Colombians stay slightly smaller and are more forgiving of husbandry mistakes, yes. Care is similar, they're just not as sensitive, from what I hear.

If you keep ventilation limited, yes, evaporation of moisture from the bedding and water dish will provide 100% of their humidity. I don't spray or mist any of my enclosures, and I'm able to keep humidity high enough. You want to pour water into the bedding just enough to make it slightly damp, and then let it dry out before wetting it again. How you can tell you've added too much water will depend on the bedding you choose to use.

[regi375]

Wood will hold up if you use a water based polyurethane paint/stain like Verathane. I've personally never been able to find PVC sheets to build enclosures with. Just make sure the wood is coated and sealed properly, and the enclosure should last past the boa's lifespan.

[Umbrax]

I like the idea of using plastic totes, that way I can save up for the bigger nicer cage later on like mentioned. Would I be able to use a UTH on those? I’d be worried about the plastic melting, but I assume that doesn’t happen. I’m going to an expo in a few weeks, and I might pick up the snake there (if I have the enclosure setup by then of course). I’ll see if I can pick up one of the totes you mentioned, and I’ll post an update on here once I get everything set up. Again, thanks a bunch for the help.

[bigsnakegirl785]

I like the idea of using plastic totes, that way I can save up for the bigger nicer cage later on like mentioned. Would I be able to use a UTH on those? I’d be worried about the plastic melting, but I assume that doesn’t happen. I’m going to an expo in a few weeks, and I might pick up the snake there (if I have the enclosure setup by then of course). I’ll see if I can pick up one of the totes you mentioned, and I’ll post an update on here once I get everything set up. Again, thanks a bunch for the help.

I use flex watt, it heats more evenly and is more reliable. You can buy them on Reptile Basics, by the foot.

As long as you have a thermostat, the totes shouldn't melt, and they have an absurdly high melting point anyways. The thermostat probe should be outside of the enclosure in between the bottom on the tub and the flexwatt. Before you put the bedding in, you will need to use an IR temp gun to scan the floor of the tub over the flexwatt and set the thermostat so that the surface reaches about 85-86F. Then you can put the bedding in, and the BRB can and will bury itself or push bedding aside to get extra warmth. You don't want ambients above 85F, but a hot spot around there should not harm them, and you do want to provide enough heat for them to properly digest.