BRB question

[geko]

Im in the process of getting my 2'nd snake which will be a brazilian rainbow. I have searched the forums for info and read all the caresheets i could find.

My question is could i mist my BRB tank once a day because i live a busy life with school and work so i couldnt really find the time to mist it *several* times a day like most of the caresheets say.

I can however put something over the top to keep it humid and provid moss.

If the BRB cant live unless being misted *several* times a day then i guess im in the market for a new snake :(

[foman]

How humid is it where you live? I keep mine in a rubbermaid with some holes poked in the top, my humidity hovers around 80 and I only mist once a week, I also have a water dish and moss that helps keep the humiity up. I have been suprised how easy it has been to keep it up. If you want a rainbow get a rubbermaid.

[JaredAren]

I agree rubbermaids are awesome for BRB's. I mist mine once a day or every other day. A large water bowl will help to raise the humidiy in the rubbermaid so that daily misting are not needed. A wet hide is a must and will also help to add humidity in the rubbermaid. I use a small rubbermaid container with wet paper towels in it for a wet hide. I place one of these smaller containers on each end of the large rubbermain tub. I place the wet hide on the cooler end. My BRB's stay in the wet hide 85% of the time. Be sure to change and check the paper towels regularly so that they stay slighlty damp and to change out soiled or old towels. My BRB's usually do there business right in the wet hide. I use flexwatt and a thermostat to heat the tub to 80 degrees F on the cool end. A human heat pad and a thermostat will work jsut as good. Good luck with your BRB if you get one.

[Jeff_Favelle]

I own 16 adults and I only mist mine maybe once per week.

[geko]

Originally posted by Jeff_Favelle
I own 16 adults and I only mist mine maybe once per week.

First, thanks for all replys people :D

Jeff, do you use rubbermaid?

[boa]

BRB's i find are better in rubbermaids with moss water dish hide with holes in the rubbermaid and like jeff said about misting them once a week if that the water dish will keep the humidity in the rubbermaid proper if set up right by you.as for babies i use paper towels little water dish and hide and never had an problems hope this helps.

[Invictus]

I have a few humidity loving species (though not BRBs, I do have Columbian Rainbows), and rubbermaids are the ONLY way to go with these guys unless you have a very wel built, moisture-resistant custom cage. Use an absorbent substrate like moss, and as Jeff said - mist once a week. They'll be fine. Another alternative is to place a large water source over an undertank heater or under a heat lamp, and lmit the ventilation. Instant 100% humidity.

[boa]

instant 100% humidity?never heard of people useing the high of humidity inless when incubating ball python eggs please correct me if i am wrong.

[Linds]

I rarely ever mist mine. I keep them in rubbermaids with newspaper substrate and a water bowl. I just wet the newspaper whenever I clean them out. Since their is limited (although adequately arranged) ventilation, it holds the humidity levels for a long time. If you want a snake you can keep in a glass aquarium, I would suggest another snake. These snakes do best in rubbermaids or custom enclosures. With the proper setup, BRB are very low maintenance.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Jeff, do you use rubbermaid?

Not for the adults. Can't find one big enough. They stay in Rubbermaids of increasing size until about 14-18 months of age. Then they go into wood 4x2x1 cages with sliding glass fronts. Here's an OLD pic of a stack in my last setup.

http://members.shaw.ca/JeffFavelle_new/cages.jpg

[Memnoch]

I have all my high humidity animals in Vision cages. They are awesome cages especially if you want to show off your animals. Tupperware just seems so cheap... and you can't even see your animals cause the plastic is usually opaque...

They are high impact plastic with glass doors on the front. I've been able to keep the humidity around 80-90% and it keeps heat really well.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Tupperware just seems so cheap... and you can't even see your animals cause the plastic is usually opaque...

I keep my animals setups that they like, not ones that I like. To each their own, but if I want to see a snake, I'll pull it out and see it. If I don't, then its doesn't get bothered and I leave it alone.

[boa]

well said jeff.

[geko]

Thanks for the replies.

I guess ill go with a glass tank because im setting up 3 main 40gal tanks for a BP, BRB, and a jungle carpet. I wanted them to be more of display so i guess ill just have to mist more often and use the tips youall have provided.

Thanks alot :)

[Jeff_Favelle]

Oooooo.... aquariums aren't the best cage for those 3 snakes you listed. In fact they suck. You are better off building your own, or buying Vison/Nedosha cages.

[geko]

EDIT: just found those cages and they are way out of my price range.

Is their any rubbermaids that can house all my snakes considering their size. Can anyone give me some links to DIY cage building because i know i can build a cage just like the kind for $400 for around $100 if not cheaper.

All those cages are is plastic with wholes in them and a piece of a glass.. wow big $400 for a POS IMO. I could build something so much better than those with a stand if i knew a little bit about what size i should be looking to build

[Linds]

If you are poor like me, click <a href="http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27408">here</a> for a thread on how to build nice *waterproof* cages for very cheap (they work out approx. $66 USD per cage).

BRB are not aquarium snakes. They aren't really much in the way of display either, they prefer to remain hidden for the most part. If you want something you can keep in a tank go for a dry climate species of snake. The higher the humidity requirements, the less-suited that snake is to a tank. Doesn't matter how much you mist, it goes right out through the screen. You just end up with a wet tank.

[geko]

Well now im really wanting to go with rubbermaid since its light, already made, and cheap. Is there any rubbermaids that can house full grown BRB's?

Could i still keep my bp and my carpet in a 40gal glass aquarium? I really wanted to use glass but i guess not for the BRB. People said that a full grown bp and a full grown jungle carpet can be kept in a 40gal so if i can use glass for my bp and JCP please let me know

[Jeff_Favelle]

Just build them, or get someone to build them for you. Here's the dimensions for each adult animal you want:

(Length x Width x Height)

BRB: 4x2x1
JCP: 3x2x1.5
Ball: 3x1.5x1

However, Rubbermaid totally makes a container big enough for adult Ball Pythons. Its 34x14x6. It works great and is about $10.

[geko]

Thanks jeff,

Sorry for all the questions but i want whatever is best for my snakes within my price range. The reason i dont want to full with building one is because it would probably look ugly as i am unskilled in building stuff and im also very lazy.

Basically you just said i could use a 40 breeder for my bp and JCP i think so im going to do that and as for the BRB i dunno what im going to do :(

I guess ill keep him in a large rubbermaid for now and when he gets big ill look into building a new tank and what not!

[JaredAren]

I purchase my tubs from Walmart. For adult BRB they sell sterilite tubs that are 44 inches long, 19 3/4 inches wide, and 6 3/4 inches tall. They sell several different sizes that work well for a variety of different boa species. Linds made a good point when he sated that BRB's are shy snakes. It is my opiniion that plastic tubs help them to feel more secure. The only downside to the tubs I use is that they are not very tall. Walmart does sell tubs this large that are also taller. I use the short ones due to having limited space. If I were keeping just one or two boas they would be kept in the taller tubs.

[sapphire_moon]

IMHO BP's need something bigger than a 40 gal when they are adults....(some of them, not necessarly *sp* all of them) need something bigger than 3ft Long.....

My male bp is 3.5ft long and in a 40 gal that is 3ft long. So we are building him a 4x2x2 custom enclosure.but if he gets to 4.5ft we are probably going to build him another enclosure probably 5x2x2 if not larger....He is one of my display snakes so I would like for him to have a nice spacious enclosure....

And I don't know anything about carpets but don't they get pretty big? The bigger the snake the bigger the enclosure needed.........

If you find any rubbermaids that get 4ft and over let me know! I am looking for them to house BP's when I get more.

[Memnoch]

Geko:

Like what every one said, fish tanks are HORRIBLE for keeping high humdity species. The reason is simply because hot air rises, and since the tank is opened from the top, all the hot air will leave the tank along with the water moisture. That would be prevented by putting a lid on the top, but then you'll run into problems with low air circulation which will lead to mould etc. So the best bet is to go with tupperware or something along those lines.

BTW I do agree with everyone that the health of the animal should be the number one priority. Tupperware isn't bad for hiders. But I wouldn't put my ETB or any other snake that is more active or isn't shy in something that I had to open in order to see. But then again I treat snakes like ETBs and GTPs as pieces of art which are meant to be shown.... but that's just my opinion...

Just one more housing alternative is to do an arcylic enclosure. John from JD Terrariums makes great acrylic enclosures...

[geko]

Iv decided to go with the biggest rubbermaid i can find or something simular to that as long as its the biggest i can find.

My main consern is buying a enclosure that will be big enough for my snakes. I dont want to go out and buy med sized tanks or whatever and 1-2 years later have to buy something big.

I agree that whatever must be done to keep my snakes happy is the way to go so for now ill use all the tips everyone has gave me and stick with big, humid, tanks or at least for my BRB since it needs the humidity.

Btw, where can i see those acrylic enclosures?

[Jeff_Favelle]

My main consern is buying a enclosure that will be big enough for my snakes. I dont want to go out and buy med sized tanks or whatever and 1-2 years later have to buy something big.

Then you shouldn't get into snakes because that is EXACTLY what is required to keep them. That is precisely the secret to properly raising a snake to adulthood. To move it sucessively into larger and larger cages until it hits adult size (3 years). That HOW THEY ARE GROWN!

[geko]

Yes jeff i know that. I currently have my 6month bp in a 20gal rubbermaid tub and when he was a baby i had him in a 10gal but what im saying is i want to go ahead and get whats needed for when their full grown because i have some extra money.

The snakes i will get can go in my 20gal tubs considering i have like 30 of them in my basement. The main reason i ask is because i have the money now to go ahead and get the big tanks so im kinda planning ahead!

[Memnoch]

If you want to be the most efficient, you could buy more little snakes to make use of the containers that your bigger snakes have grown out of...

Granted it may be logically flawed, but I'm sure you could rationalize buying more and more new snakes witrh that idea... :-)

JD Terrariums is usually at the Port Credit shows. Or you could try searching the gallery for JD Terrariums. I think he posted some of his pictures.

If you just want to see pictures, I think there are some enclosure links on the corralus.com website... and hey maybe you'll fall in love with some ETBs... :-)