FAQ Suggestions

[Snakesitter]

(I’m not quite sure where to post this, as the FAQ thread is closed. I typed this before I realized that!)

Great FAQ, everyone!

I did have a few suggestions for the forum’s consideration, based on a lot of research and several years' practical experience keeping Brazilians.

For temperatures, I’d lower your range by a few degrees on each side. 88 is too high for these snakes to thrive. Most breeders keep it lower, even for gravid females. I’d advocate a revised range of 72 to 84 (I use 72 to 82 at home).

For size, it might be worth adding that females can get about a foot longer than males.

For food, it would be nice to add which prey sizes adult rainbows can handle, just as you have already thoughtfully done for neonates. For rats, for example, most adult rainbows top out at medium size prey.

For soaking, a quick disclaimer might be helpful: rainbows engage in this behavior much more often than other snakes. A soak for a day or so is not uncommon, especially just after feeding or before shedding. I’ve had a few adults spend multiple days in their waterbowls pre-soak. Thus, it does not indicate a possible problem as much as it might for other species.

Finally, just a random question: for substrate, why did astro make the “bad” list? I’ve never used it, but considered it, and know people who have used it successfully. So long as you keep more than one piece so that you can sanitize one while using the other, it seems like it would be fine?

Anyway, as I said at the outset, these are just a few suggestions to an excellent doc. Again, great job!!!