| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| justiceh2o |
Posted - 28/02/2012 : 23:19:22
Hi folks hope some of you can give me some answers and maybe some tips as this will be my first snake.
I have done some reasearch online and im thinking about getting a brazilian rainbow boa.
i just have a few hopefully simple questions that you could answer.
Is their a specific substrates or bedding i should get or stay away from?
What is the best form of heating? (heatmat/lamp/electronic heated rocks)
How often should they be handled?
I was thinking of implimenting a bathing area in the tank so can it be pretty deep (around 6-7 inch) or should i keep it shallow?
I plan on having the tank in my bedroom and under the tv which is on the wall so will the sound of the tv affect the snake in any way?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me plus any other tips you feel would be of use.
Another question is what size of vivarium should i use? can i get a larger one which would do it a few years or start really small and get new one as it outgrows it? |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Snakesitter |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 21:12:06
Hi Justice!
Oscar did a bangup job answering your questions, so I have only a bit to add.
For heating, undercage options are best. Heat bulbs especially tend to dry the air.
For placement, near a TV should be fine. Noise should not bother a snake. Vibration, however, is a different matter. (Oscar, this may be why Jade freaks out -- garage doors often cause lots of vibration.) Note that if the room sees heavy traffic that may bother a snake as well. Brazilians are pretty shy and secretive animals.
For your viv choice, glass tanks are not the best for Brazilians. However, they can be used if you remember to watch the temps (glass is a poor insulator) and cover the screen top with plexiglass (as otherwise you'll never keep adequate humidity).
Good luck! |
| justiceh2o |
Posted - 29/02/2012 : 22:04:04
Thanks for your help oakleyman
This is the viv i was thinking about getting is it suitable?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hagen-Exo-Terra-Glass-Reptile-Terrarium-Vivarium-Tank-60x45x45cm-/110818674941?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Reptiles_Spiders_Insects&hash=item19cd4ec8fd
I plan on having 2 hides 1 in the warmer are and 1 in a cooler area.
I think i will go for a bark base layer and use moss in the hides.
With regards to having it in my bedroom, my thoughts on it are that the snake will become more comfortable as it settles in instead of having it seperated most of the time. Would this help with their shy nature at all?
Thanks again for your time and knowledge much appreciated |
| oakleyman18 |
Posted - 29/02/2012 : 19:51:34
Sound waves are just vibrations though, so you can always feel sound  |
| soulweaver |
Posted - 29/02/2012 : 19:39:04
Snakes don't have ears so they can't hear but they do sense vibrations. |
| oakleyman18 |
Posted - 29/02/2012 : 18:31:26
Congrats on choosing a BRB justice!  Good to see you're putting in some research!
1) Pine I'm fairly sure is supposed to be hazardous to snakes, apart from that you just want something that can keep the humidity fairly well and won't mould too easily.
2) Heatlamps/Ceramics and heatmats are the most popular choices. Myself and some others on here would probably recommend heatmats first, because they seem to be better at creating humid environments, and produce less harsh heating.
*DON'T* use heated rocks though, seen and heard some horror stories about those. Besides BRB's won't use them anyway.
3) Handle as much as you like, generally 10 minutes at a time is about enough, don't want to stress them out. But make sure you don't handle at least 2/3 days after eating, otherwise they might regurgitate their food.
4) You don't really need anything more than 2 inches deep at maximum.. They're good swimmers, but no real need to have a deep area. It will just be a hassle to clean out!
5) Some people have differing thoughts on this, but I don't think it's a good idea. My BRB is in my garage, and every time the garage door opens she FREAKS out, so she's very suscpetible to noise, so I think its best avoided personally.
6) A general rule of thumb is that the length of the snake should be the length of its habitat plus the width, so two of the four sides. If you're struggling to find one the right size, then you can give them a bigger one without any real problems, so long as they have enough hiding places 
Hope that helps!! Look forward to seeing pics of your new purchase!! |
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