Your opinions on RTB

[Lucara]

I've actually looked up the rainbow boa. I've seen them at shows before and I have to admit, they are a show stopper. From what i've read, they are VERY humidity dependant. Is there a trick to keeping their humidity up to around 80%? How are they temperment wise?

The show is the Florida International Reptile Show.

November 15 & 16
(Saturday & Sunday)


Manatee Convention & Civic Center
One Haben Blvd.
Palmetto, Florida 34221

http://www.repticon.com/tampa.html

 

[ballpython2]

I have a Brazilian rainbow boa. they are some of the MOST docile snakes around they have the temperment of a corn snake. whenever I go to petco on a day that's warm enough for my snake (cause I live in Boston,MA) I take him/her with me and he is always on his best behavior.

He never bites,hisses or strikes and people always hold him if they arent too scared from little kids to literally old ladies lol... I love to carry him around because i don't have to worry about unpredictable bites from on-lookers and curious people.

I have rub his head and under his chin and even over his eye and he'll just sit there with no reaction as if to be dead.

The other day when I took him to the mall with me he held on to my arm so tight and froze in one place on my arm so well some people didnt even see him on my arm and the ones who did, didnt know he was real until he either flicked his tongue or moved...they are wonder snakes and that's an understatement.

These snakes are very easy to keep some people think they arent for first time beginner snake owners but I say they are. I keep my BRB in a tub because it holds in humidity/heat well. I dont even use a heat mat.

Inside my BRB's enclosure is cypress mulch (because it holds water creating humidity), one hide (even though he barely uses it, instead he buries his self under the substrate which makes it hard for me to find him. thats why if your BRB is hiding and you have to under the mulch to look for him make sure your hand doesnt smell like rat/mice or you will find him the easier way by him striking at your hand lol), and a water dish.

Even though this enclosure holds humidity I still mist it however since it holds humidity well i only have to mist it when he's in shed or every two weeks.

 

[Lucara]

Do you ever have any problems with mites? I found a 55gal tank with locking lid for only $40 from a guy on Craigslist. (If I get the RTB)

How fast do these guys grow?

If I got one of these, I would probably keep it in something smaller to hold humidity well. I could always hot glue plexiglass to the top screen to help hold in humidity as well.

What is a decent price for one of these?

I've been reading up on these and post people say that they are fairly nippy and are more than happy to make a snack out of your incoming hand. They also say that they arnt the best for beginners due to their dependency on humidity. Is yours just the exception when handling or are most as sweet as yours?

 

[Lucara]

I kinda of like the Hogg Island boa as well. They arnt as flashy or pretty but still quite attractive and a much more comfortable size for me. I've been looking up care sheets for them but no one really going into detail with them.

How hard are these to come by at reptile shows?
How fast do they grow?
What is their basic care like?
What is their temperment like?

If anyone has a nice, indepth care sheet on them, I would appreciate it! =D

 

[ShellsandScales]

I kinda of like the Hogg Island boa as well. They arnt as flashy or pretty but still quite attractive and a much more comfortable size for me. I've been looking up care sheets for them but no one really going into detail with them.

How hard are these to come by at reptile shows?
How fast do they grow?
What is their basic care like?
What is their temperment like?

If anyone has a nice, indepth care sheet on them, I would appreciate it! =D

Pretty much just like any RTB. Just a smaller species. These should actually be easier because of their smaller size. No need for large rats/bunnies in the future.

 

[Lucara]

Hrm..okay =D So far the hogg island seems the best bet then! Its as easy as the rtb but doesnt get as large. Awsome! I'm so excited!!! I'm hopefully going to pick up the 55gal tonight sometime. =D Weee!!!!

Thank you again for all of your help guys!

 

[Will Hunting]

What day are you going? I'm probably going to buy one from Will Bird, but I love going to reptile shows. =p

I love to carry him around because i don't have to worry about unpredictable bites from on-lookers and curious people.

It seems those humans are more prone to biting you than your snake xD Beautiful BRB, though.

 

[Lucara]

I will have to go on Sat since i work Sun. We will show up right as it opens and will most likely purchase from BCI Joe since he breeds hoggs =D.

OH! I just picked up my tank! I'll post pics and measurements in a few. It needs a bit of fixing up first...the guy failed to mention a few things but its nothing a little hot glue cant mend =D.

 

[Will Hunting]

Alrighty, I'll see about going on Saturday, as well. Just got a promotion so I make my own hours now =p I might be taking my rl friend, to try and get him as interested in freakin' awesome reptiles as I am.

It needs a bit of fixing up first...the guy failed to mention a few things but its nothing a little hot glue cant mend =D.

Duct tape and hot glue keeps the universe intact.

 

[Lucara]

Okay well it ended up being a 40gal tank (not 55 as advertised) and the hotglue just wont cut it. Theres a crack at the bottom of the tank that I glued on both sides, which is fine, but the front left side of the lid comes off (its supposed to be glued to the tank!). The hot glue sorta kinda works but I'm going to go out and get the actual aquarium sealant for it. Better safe than sorry!

The dimensions are... 36"L, 18"W, 17"H.

For $40 it wasn't too bad I suppose! Lol..

Almost forgot the pics!

 

[Will Hunting]

That's exactly the size of tank I had at one point. Pretty good dimensions, usually easy to find a place against a wall or something. I'm partial to tanks a bit more square-ish, easier to set up a nice natural terrarium.


Oh, pictures! It looks great. Take more when you set it up!

Edit - I hope you intend to keep me company until I get off work at 8. xD

 

[Lucara]

Lol keep you company until 8am? LMFAO I have to head into work around that time!! No luck here. I'll be up for a few minutes more but my head is about as fried as its gana get tonight =D.

I'm going to set up my heat lamp tonight and check the readings in the morning. I almost think my 150watt might be a bit much for that tank. We'll see what it reads like though! =D

 

[Will Hunting]

D=

I've always preferred ceramic heat over any lighting, as I can still keep it warm during the night (I can pull it a bit away from the tank to lower it to evening temps). As for 150W being too much, that's exactly why you test it out before you get the snake. I've seen so many people get the snake and THEN try to perfect temps/humidity. Good to see you know what you're doing. =p

Edit - During the day I use an Exo-Terra Light Cycle Unit. Cord messy, but its dimming feature and automatic on/off is great.

 

[Lucara]

Lol I dunno about "know what your doing" but I refuse to get anything that I dont do research on first and I use a bit of common sense...something a lot of people seem to lack. =/

The one that i have is a ceramic heat bulb I used on my iguana a while back. If it is too powerful I have a 50watt laying around somewhere..if nothing else, PetSmart knows me by name now! >8D

 

[Lucara]

Hrm..I'm going to have to figure something out with the lamp..the tank doesnt have anything for the lamp to clasp onto so its just sitting directly on the screen.
I've put the thermometer right next to the heat lamp to see how drastic the heat is, I'll go from there. Its easier to warm it up than it is to cool it off =D.

 

[Will Hunting]

Lol I dunno about "know what your doing" but I refuse to get anything that I dont do research on first and I use a bit of common sense...

That's exactly what I mean. Many pet owners get the pet and THEN ask how to take care of it.

As for your heating, I'm thinking the 150W will be a bit too much, I recall using a 60W or 75W for my pythons. (I also used heat mats with the ones who seemed to dwell exclusively in the hot side of the enclosures)

Edit - Judging from your pictures, your thermometer is too high in the tank. Red Tail Boas are terrestrial, so your thermometer should be taking temps of the ground rather than up high =p

 

[Lucara]

I'm not getting an rtb, I'm getting a hogg island boa and I've read they like to climb every now and then SO the hottest spot in the tank would be directly under the heatlamp. =P
Unfortunately the silly thing fell down sometime last night but the bottom of the tank, under the heat lamp was 88*. I'm going to give it another 10min and recheck the temp directly under the heatlamp and then again on the complete opposite side of the tank.

 

[ballpython2]

I'm not getting an rtb, I'm getting a hogg island boa and I've read they like to climb every now and then SO the hottest spot in the tank would be directly under the heatlamp. =P
Unfortunately the silly thing fell down sometime last night but the bottom of the tank, under the heat lamp was 88*. I'm going to give it another 10min and recheck the temp directly under the heatlamp and then again on the complete opposite side of the tank.

Dont use those thermometers at all they arent good at giving accurate temps.
You should use a digital one like the one made by flukers. or get a temp gun or just get a thermostat hooked up to your heat pad and you can put the temps right where you want them.

 

[Lucara]

Its the Flukers digital thermo/hygrometer that I'm using. =)

Okay so right up next to the lamp is around 95*, below the lamp on the floor of the tank is around 89* and the opposite side of the tank is 77*

Is this too high?

 

[ballpython2]

Its the Flukers digital thermo/hygrometer that I'm using. =)

Okay so right up next to the lamp is around 95*, below the lamp on the floor of the tank is around 89* and the opposite side of the tank is 77*

Is this too high?

I think thats right because the 95 is the hot spot, the 89 is the regular temp and the 77 is the cool side...Sounds it works out to me.