New Snake - Page 2

lizlover · 12-15-04, 11:11 PM

Thanks Heather. I really really want a BP. But a small boa would be ok too. I want a snake that would be easy to feed like not a picky eater and one that could have 80 degree cool side and maybe 90-100 degree basking side. That could also handle about 50% humidity. I have kinda ruled out the garage just because I dont want anything bad to happen and my parents wanna park in there.

Alex

P.S. Is there any way I could get something that would clean the air in the shed thing I would keep the lizards in when my parents park in the garage?

JAdkins2451 · 12-16-04, 12:18 AM

I agree with Heather get something you will like and enjoy. Not something you might not be interested in.

DeviledDiablo · 12-16-04, 08:43 AM

lol i kinda had the same problems picking my first snake too.. so i kinda no wut ur goin through. i did tons of research for like 2 months b4 i finally decided wut to get. if u want a heavy bodied snake.. a BP would be ur best bet.. but i heard that they are the pickiest eaters.. so if u dun want a picky eater.. go wit a smaller type of boa.. they are great feeders.. i personally dun like too heavy of a bodied snake.. so i went wit a boa. ive had him since april 30 ( my first snake ever ) and he has never turned down a meal yet. but he probably would ( and hope to ) get over 6 feet. and i use to keep him in a 25 gal tank. ( when i first got him ) and he did fine.. all i did was cover 3/4 of the opening wit a metal street sign

and it kept in the humid and heat great.. but since then ive built him a 6X2.5X3(h) cage.. and hes doin awesome in that.. i dun think many of the boas would be too great livin in a tank as adults.. because it mite be too small for them. persoanlly i would pick a boa ( as i did ) but from wut uve told me.. i think the best for u is BP ( and also that u love it ) they mite not be the best feeders.. but if it comes down to it.. we are all picky eaters

juss do some research on BP eating habbits.. and ull find the hints/help to get them eating again.. BTW im NOT speakin from experience.. but juss alot of reading lol
keep us updated on wut u decide.. and trust me.. no matter wut u get.. as long as u like the snake.. u wont regret it.. I dunno wut id do without my lil boa "Romeo"
peace and have fun

JimmyDavid · 12-16-04, 09:25 AM

How about a green anaconda?
hehe, just kidding. For me i would choose a rainbow boa. Cute and not too big. And they can eat huge items even when juvenile, wich is good when you can't find nothing smaller than a hamster or adult rat. They are a mini-version of anacondas.
Some people are into ball pythons, but believe me, 80% of them will start having feeding problems at one point or another.

lizlover · 12-16-04, 11:08 AM

Hmmmm I really like the Rainbow Boas. But how big do they get? And how humid and hot do they need it. Those are pretty much my main concerns about a snake and where (in the house) i could put it.

Alex

JimmyDavid · 12-16-04, 11:41 AM

For a south american snake, they surprise me. Don't need much humidity and always seem to shed well. They Remain pretty active even when kept at low temps.
But i'm not an expert. You should get more info on them, good luck.

lizlover · 12-16-04, 12:11 PM

Thanks Jimmy but one more question for anyone that might know. How big do the rainbow boas get?

Alex

HeatherRose · 12-16-04, 12:38 PM

Rainbow boas, depending on the locale can get usually anywhere from 4-7 feet, but stay relatively slender and easy to handle.

Quote:

Don't need much humidity and always seem to shed well

:S

Possibly the BIGGEST issue in keeping these snakes is that they need very high humidity. Baby Brazilian rainbows need over 90% humidity while adults do well at 85% humidity. Other locales can handle slightly lower humidity, like Colombians Guyanans, but not by much. My cages are so humid I can feel the moisture hit me when I take the lids off. Keeping them in rubbermaids is usually the best way to achieve such high humidity, and another trick is putting their water dish over their heating pad.

Good luck

JimmyDavid · 12-16-04, 01:29 PM

A friend of mine had one that didn't like much humidity. She would eat more and be more active with less humidity, so i guess it can depend on the individual a bit too.
But like i said, i'm no expert about it.
That average size seems right to me as well (4-7 feet).

HeatherRose · 12-16-04, 01:40 PM

Thats strange...I guess stranger things have happened though. It'd be like me saying ball pythons are crazy, feisty eaters in general just because I got extremely lucky and mine is

The humidity issue is more important to their well being in general, however.

As a general rule humidity is way important with these guys. With my Brazilians, if the humidity is not above 85% they tend to look 'dried out' ,in their face especially, and I notice a definite change in their scales at higher humidity. They look 10 times more brilliant, bright, alert and eat like crazy.

If you're going to get a rainbow boa (which I highly recommend, they're my favourite snake) decide if you can provide an environment suitable for their needs first. It's not hard at all, like I mentioned above...a rubbermaid is probably the easiest way.

lizlover · 12-16-04, 08:19 PM

Heather what do you do to get the humidity that high? I want a BP but I wouldnt be able to get it till feb. if my mom even changes her mind. Do you have to mist it a lot or what? And are BP's not very good eaters? Or is it just what they like to eat?

Thanks
Alex

HeatherRose · 12-17-04, 02:59 PM

My Brazilian rainbow boas are in rubbermaids, misted often, and once in a while I put their water bowl over the heat pad.

My ball python needs less humidity (about 60%) so he's fine in a rubbermaid with 10 holes on each of the shorter sides.

Ball pythons are just well known to be picky eaters. It can be extremely difficult to switch them over from live to dead, or from mice to rats, things like that. It can be a challenge, but not always. Every individual is different...

If you can't get your ball until February, it gives you a great opportunity to get an enclosure set up, find a place to buy feeders from, and buy a book or two...

Good luck

ydnic · 12-17-04, 03:06 PM

Whe I lived in banff I kept a ball and found that when I kept a wet towel in the corner of the rubbermaid it kept it very humid and he seemed to like laying on it from time to time as well

especially if he was hot hor was about to shed

lizlover · 12-17-04, 04:01 PM

I have another question for you guys. Somone told me that i shouldnt worry about humidity with bp's. Should I not worry about it or should I spray it and try the towel thing? They said that 50%humidity was ok and if I sprayed it it would get too humid :S. I think I want to listen to you guys and what my reading has told me.

Thanks Guys For The Help

Alex

ydnic · 12-17-04, 11:39 PM

Yah you still need to worry about humidity - they still need over 50% maybe 60 or 65% especially before shed