new amazon tree boa

[Bry]

Meet Killabyte...

 

[AudreyElizabeth]

I think ATBs have to be my favorite snake.... Do you have much experience with them? I'd like to get one someday when my life settles down a biit....

 

[Phillip]

They are one of if not the easiest arboreal to keep. They are also very good feeders without any real special requirements. The only drawback to them if you consider it a drawback is the usually bad temperment. They are quite prone to biting and calm ones are the exception to the rule. Other than that they are pretty much bullet proof snakes and a low priced option as opposed to and emerald with all the cool arboreal tendencies.

Phil

 

[Bry]

No, I don't have much experience with this species, but I have read up a lot on them. They like high humidity, and like their temperatures a bit cooler than your BCIs would. This is not a heat-loving species. If you are considering getting into the more expensive, more delicate arboreal snakes, like Emeralds or GTPs, amazons are a good one to start with. It's a good way to get the hang of husbandry practices before stepping up to the more delicate species. Like Phillip said, this species is known for it's rather irritable disposition. They also have slightly elongated teeth near the front of their mouth that helps them get a better grip on their prey when they are high up in the trees. So, apparently bites don't feel too good. However, I've been told this species has a rather weak bite, and they do strike slowly that makes it fairly easy to dodge. So far, mine seems to be the exception to the rule. She seems fairly calm and easily handleable. But we'll see how that goes with time.

Bry

 

[AudreyElizabeth]

I have read that ATBs are commonly misnamed as Cook's Tree Boas, is this true? I heard the CTB are not common in the hobby. The ATB will certainly be my first aboreal snake, and I really think they are more attractive then ETBs, and a lot cheaper, even if you get one of the beautiful red/yellow/orange ones. Something about that streamlined body just strikes me as gorgeous. The huge eyes get to me too.... I can deal with the bad temperment, I think, I've been bit before; it just scares you more than it hurts!
I also read that juvs are hard to start feeding, and can be quite picky!
By the way Bry, your ATB is beautiful!
Geez, I really want one someday!! I want to order one from thedarkgrove.com. They usually have really great looking juvs!

 

[Freddie]

Almost as beautiful as mine.

Corallus hortulanus is really nice species.
They are wonderful.

 

[Phillip]

There has indeed been a problem with amazons being called cooks. Cooks are a lot less common and only come from one island where amazons have a much larger range. They look very similar though and that's where the problem comes from. Importers have called a certain morph of amazons cooks which has added to the confusion. Scale counts are suppossed to be the only way to tell them apart.

The babies aren't hard to get feeding at all as they tend to strike and grab pretty much anything you wave in front of them and annoy them with. They are also good about hanging on and eating what they grab. I can't imagine where you heard that they were picky but that's not the case at all.

Phil

 

[ArachnoPapa]

Hi Bry,

Very kewl!!

 

[Bry]

To add to the confusion of the species' nomenclature, I have seen colored ammies referred to as Cook's. I have also seen garden phase ammies referred to as Cook's. I've even seen snakes named Cook's Amazons. Basically, 99% of the snakes found in captivity are ammies. Also, if memory serves, Cook's don't come in a wide variety of colors like ammies do. They basically look like ugly garden phase ammies, but other than that, they're still pretty much the same in terms of care, temperament, etc. Scale counts would be the best way to determine species if you can manage to keep count while dodging teeth.

Bry

 

[AudreyElizabeth]

Phillip- Just read that on some web site about neonate care of ATBs, might have been the Dark Grove website. They don't sell the amazons anymore though, but they still have the caresheets. What you said makes sense, as this is a species which has a rep for being nippy!

Bry- could you post a picture of your enclosure? What I have in mind is a tall enclosure with a door at the bottom for cleaning and changing subtrate and a door situated more towards the top for offering prey items. I have my old cham enclosure that I built that could easily be fitted with plexiglass. The cage is lightweight, tall, and deep but not very wide. Could be a nice weekend project when I decide to try my hand at aboreal snakes.

 

[Beardo]

ATBs are definitely my favorite snakes as well. I currently have 1.12 of them....here they are:

unsexed baby 1:

unsexed baby 2:

Yearling Male:

Juvenile Female:

 

[skinheaddave]

Originally posted by DavidBeard
I currently have 1.12 of them....

I was stunned when I first read that, but then I realized you had forgotten the second period. 1 male and 12 females would be an impressive sex ratio -- the poor guy would be tuckered right out! 1.1.2 makes a lot more sense.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Beardo]

LOL...whoops. Yes, it is 1.1.2 not 1.12, LOL.

 

[MrT]

i saw what was called a Amazon tree boa today, but it was green.
Does that sound right? It is priced at $140.00.

Ern

 

[Beardo]

ATBs aren't green....what you saw was probably an Emerald Tree Boa.....but they are MUCH more expensive than $140....thats weird.

 

[Bry]

$140 for an Emerald??!! Dude, where is this place? I'm coming right over!

Bry

 

[MrT]

Originally posted by Bry
$140 for an Emerald??!! Dude, where is this place? I'm coming right over!

Bry

Ok Bry.
This snake is very young,and its green.
Arn't Emeralds orange when young?
I'll take my camera tomorrow.

What else can you think it might be?

Ern

 

[Phillip]

Emeralds are orange or red when young. Even GTPs are red or yellow when babies but ATBs aren't green ever. If someone popped out a green one you could bet your arse it wouldn't be $140. Probably and import emerald but even so a very cheap price.

Phil

 

[Bry]

Okay, that's true. If any Emerald Tree Boa were going for $140, it's very likely the thing is an import and probably won't live very long for any number of reasons. The closest any ammie would come to being green would probably come from looking at them under a certain light that makes them look greenish-gray. But I've never seen anything like that. Even if there was one, it wouldn't be anywhere near as bright green as Emeralds or GTPs. I'm thinking the pet shop got an Emerald and named it "amazon tree boa". The only other green tree boa I can think of is a Malagasy (Madagascar) tree boa.

Bry

 

[AudreyElizabeth]

Can anyone help me to locate an ATB breeder? There are never any shows that I have heard of in my area, and I don't want to purchase a WC ATB.

Feel free to PM me with names, websites, email addresses, ect....
Help me to cure this itch that I've had for about three years now!


=D