yellow anaconda care

Lrptls · 01-10-05, 08:05 PM

i just purchased a male yellow anaconda, hes about 5 feet, maybe 12 lbs or more and actually very tame. i bought him at a reptile show, the guy said that day was the very first day he ever bit him. he said the snake hadn't been fed in a little over a week and he did suprise it when taking it out of a bag. when i picked him up he did open his mouth but the last 4 or more times i'v held him hes very calm.

i'm going to get him a new cage soon, the one he's in now is 4 feet long, 2 feet high and only 1 foot wide. he hides in a small kitty litter box and soaks in a small kitty littler box. once i get him into his bigger cage what can i use for him to soak in?

and also what are the best temps and humidity for them? i can't seem to find that info any where on the net.

Bartman · 01-10-05, 08:50 PM

Quote:

once i get him into his bigger cage what can i use for him to soak in?

At work we use a big blue rubbermaid container. It can be a hassle to clean out almost every day, as they use this as their toilet, but giving them water to soak in is good for their mental well being. Im still not 100 percent if its neccessary for their health as Ive read greens dont need it, but if you can id give it to him.

Lrptls · 01-10-05, 09:09 PM

i was thinking big rubbermaid. most of the ones i see that are actually big are really tall but i'm sure if i went looking around i'd find a big wide one. thanks for the help. if any one uses any thing else please give me any suggestions.

dfr · 01-11-05, 01:12 AM

` They can get along without soaking; however, I've found that they feel more comfortable if they can soak, especially when young. The soaking temperature should be 75 to 83 degrees. A warm spot on the floor will heat the water. This warm water will provide needed humidity if your cage has a sealed top, with vents low in the cage. Floor temperatures should run from 68 to 85 degrees. Floor heat is the best way to warm them. They don't need overhead heat, and if the floor temperatures are correct air temperature is not important. A cheap hand held, Infrared non-contact thermometer is a must for measuring floor temps. You can also use it to measure body temperature, and check their circulation.
` Warm soaking water is a bacterium's paradise. I add vinegar to my water to lower the pH to 5.0, using a test kit. Anacondas don't mind acid water and it inhibits bacteria growth, for a couple of days.
` Anacondas seem to prefer a cramped soaking container which they just fit into, so you don't need much water, they'll displace it when they get in. Those who like to defecate in the water make clean up easier by doing so. Since you're going to be cleaning the water container often, constant use of poisonous disinfectants is hazardous. I use vinegar and peroxide for cleaning. I spray them on separately, then scrub with a brush, rinse with very hot water. Neither are poisonous in moderate amounts.
` If you don't have the time to keep the water container very clean, they're better off without it. Just a small bowl to drink from.

` Here's a pic of 20 feet of Yellow Anacondas who stuff themselves into a 20"x13"x6" container. There's an empty one next to it, but they like to share one. Those are plastic food storage containers from a wholesale restaurant supply house. Cambro makes them, and the plastic is food grade. I don't like to use non-food grade plastic containers. The critters are drinking that water, too.

`

Lrptls · 01-11-05, 07:23 PM

thank you so much for your help and for the awesome pictures, i love your anacondas. one last quick question-what size cage will i need when mine is full grown (probably 6-8 feet or so)?

Bartman · 01-11-05, 08:30 PM

Id say for a male, you'd need minimum a 6x2x2

dfr · 01-11-05, 10:36 PM

` Yellow Anacondas do not need gigantic cages. When healthy, and content, they just don't move around much. In the water for a few days, then out for a few days. I exercise mine regularly, as like other Boids, they will get fat, and have short lives, with too much food and too little exercise.
` When they get hungry, they get active and start to hunt. That's when they are the most interesting. I have a group of Yellows with very mild feeding responses, so I let them out and watch them hunt around the house, as I have a few rooms which are snake proofed. Once they are fed, they become totally sedentary. I keep adults in 6x3x2 cages.