Brazilian Rainbow Boa husbandry question - Page 2

Sapphyr · 02-01-11, 08:17 PM

Oh, ok, so 80 is fine? Well that's good. I do know the towel trick is a fire hazard, but I'm home pretty much 24/7 on account of being unemployed. So, I'll save up money from what ever commissions I do get and get a thermostat.

Anywho, pics!

He decided to hide in my pants leg.

serpentshideawa · 02-01-11, 09:01 PM

is that world of warcraft on the screen? and that is a gorgeous snake

natedog · 02-01-11, 09:56 PM

pretty lookin snake you got there.

Sapphyr · 02-02-11, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serpentshideawa

is that world of warcraft on the screen? and that is a gorgeous snake

Heh, yeah... That is WoW, I'll admit, I'm a WoW addict.

Anywho, thankya both~ He is quite beautiful. Very tame personality too~

serpentshideawa · 02-02-11, 12:24 AM

i love that game its helped kill lots of time lol nad stress as well

Ch^4 · 02-02-11, 01:33 AM

Great looking snake!

I just wanted to clarify something; the temperature spike in your cage was likely not due to increased humidity, it was due to lack of air circulation. Essentially, with no ventilation, the bulb kept heating the same air. That air could not escape at a fast enough rate. Thanks to the 2nd law of thermodynamics, the temperature of the stagnant air began to approach the temperature of the bulb, resulting in a temperature spike.

The extra humidity may have exacerbated the situation; humidity is a measure of water vapor in the air. The more water vapor in the air, the more light is scattered. The basking lamp is now more effective at heating up a larger area thus increasing the temp of more air. Albeit the contribution of humidity is negligible when compared to the lack of ventilation.

With a BRB, you really want to find a good balance of ventilation, temperature, and humidity. Snakesitter is the man to listen to. As you mentioned, the towel trick is a fire hazard, so be careful. It's amazing how fast a fire can spread in a home in the time it takes to shower.

Keep us updated! (Sorry for the rambling.)

Sapphyr · 02-02-11, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serpentshideawa

i love that game its helped kill lots of time lol nad stress as well

Yeah, was working on my 70 worgen druid~ Had just got her swift flight form after farming a crapton of elementium. Actually met my bf on there, looking to move in together in a few years. He's loving the BRB.

Anyways, the hot side's temp is 82 F right now, so cool side is probably 75 - 77 F right now. Though, the hot side looks dry on the glass and is at 70% humidity and the cool side is abundant with water droplets on the glass, so I'd guess the humidity is higher over there. Should I be concerned that there's uneven humidity or that the hot side is 70%?

Also, I'll look to replace the towel method soon. Though, the towel doesn't seem hot to the touch. If anything, it feels like it's not even heated...

Oh, also, how long can you hold your BRB for, at a time? I figured that since he has such humidity requirements and heat, it wouldn't be wise to have him out for more than an hour, and putting him back for atleast 3 or 5 hours before holding him again.

Snakesitter · 02-02-11, 05:47 PM

One, wow, he’s great-looking little guy, Sapphyr! Just be careful he doesn't become addicted to WoW, too. ;-)

Two, Ch^4, *great* post! I would have been hard-pressed to even name a law....lol!

Don't worry about the humidity reading, as I suspect it's actually even throughout the tank. Remember, water condenses on cool surfaces, you you're probably just noticing the visual symptom rather than a true imbalance.

I've never tested the limits on holding, but I'd say your method is pretty safe. You are smart to think of his needs and give him frequent long breaks.

Good luck, and keep us posted--

Ch^4 · 02-02-11, 07:28 PM

^^ Thanks! I geek out on occasion

@Sapphyr: I typically hold my snakes every other day for 20-40 minutes each (depending on the snake--age, temperament, *snake's* comfort level, etc.). No handling for 48-72 hours after feeding.

If he's a relatively new addition, I'd try to limit holding to every other day. If you do hold him on a daily basis, 5-15 minutes is a good starting point (again, if he's a new addition...I don't remember what you said in the first post). Extended handling can lead to elevated stress and an unhappy snake--remember, snakes don't really have a good way of telling you they're stressed. They may hiss or bite, but they might not show any signs.

IMHO, start with short sessions and over the course of a few months, increase the length of handling. Hope that helps!

Sapphyr · 02-02-11, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ch^4

^^ Thanks! I geek out on occasion

@Sapphyr: I typically hold my snakes every other day for 20-40 minutes each (depending on the snake--age, temperament, *snake's* comfort level, etc.). No handling for 48-72 hours after feeding.

If he's a relatively new addition, I'd try to limit holding to every other day. If you do hold him on a daily basis, 5-15 minutes is a good starting point (again, if he's a new addition...I don't remember what you said in the first post). Extended handling can lead to elevated stress and an unhappy snake--remember, snakes don't really have a good way of telling you they're stressed. They may hiss or bite, but they might not show any signs.

IMHO, start with short sessions and over the course of a few months, increase the length of handling. Hope that helps!

Mmk then~ I'll keep it in mind~

And thanks Sitter~ I don't know, he seemed pretty intrigued upon seeing it, stopping at the mouse pad before moving closer to it and getting on the screen. I'd swear he thought he could get in the game if he slithered into the screen. He was probably disappointed to find that's not the case.

Well, if I shouldn't worry too much about that percentage then I guess everything is stable for now. Thanks~

Sapphyr · 02-03-11, 06:19 AM

Oh, by the way, should I be concerned if he just stops moving and stares? Like, he'll wrap around my hand or arm, then sit there and stare or look around. I do find it fascinating that he can move his pupils... 'cause I thought they couldn't... but yeah, just sits there and stares or looks around, doesn't even flick his tongue. It just irks me because my last snake wouldn't flick her tongue at all before she died from some kind of neurological issue. So, should I be concerned or is it just in my head?

He also had two whitish 'bumps' or scales on him and I've noticed he's accumulated more. Is he just adding up dead scales or some sort for a shed in the very near future or is this some sort of 'skin' condition I should looking at?

marvelfreak · 02-03-11, 07:39 AM

Beautiful snake. Rubbermaid tubs or totes is what i was talking about. Could you post a picture of the bumps. Sound like water blister or retained shed. Pics Please.

Lankyrob · 02-03-11, 01:54 PM

Whitish marks on the snake could be mite faeces, do they come of easy? Or are they "part of the snake"?

Sapphyr · 02-03-11, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Whitish marks on the snake could be mite faeces, do they come of easy? Or are they "part of the snake"?

They flake back when I gently run my nail against their edges but they don't detach. He's now accumulated a few lengthy patches of faded scales, so I can only guess he's about to shed.

Sapphyr · 02-04-11, 03:11 AM

Also, here's a photo. This is before I'd touched them and before he'd accumulated more faded scales/bumps. Taken about 2 or 3 days ago.

Edit: Here's an update, just took it.

Looks like a shed to me. Right?