Columbian Rainbow Boa Help Please (Newbie)

[Saundo]

Hi Everyone,

After spending yesterday modifying a 48”x18”18” fish tank with a solid pine lid and cabinets/ draws underneath that I got off ebay I have a few questions. Also I have ensured it would be sufficient housing for my soon to be CRB (with no way of her escaping).
I was wondering what day and night temperature everyone would recommend for my juvenile CRB. I read in a Rainbow Boa book that Day: 29˚C - 32˚C and Night: 26˚C - 28˚C is this accurate.
Also I am not sure on how high the humidity should be in the tank is around 80% correct? Also because of the high humidity in the tank this will cause condensation so I have purchased a small fan to hopefully eliminate this. Is there a way of hooking this up to my Lucky Reptile Thermo Control Pro 2 so I can have both heating and cooling on the same thermostat?
Also has anyone got any recommendations to stop the condensation in the tank (And yes there are plenty of ventilation holes I have made sure of this).

Any views would be helpful.

P.S Also just to clarify I know this is a big tank for a juvenile but I have ensured plenty of hiding space as I spoke to the guy at Wilton Pets and he said this will be fine.

Thanks Dan

[capester]

Hi mate, good to see someone taking their first steps the right way! Personally I don't like fans but other people swear by them. Also I would be tempted to put your snake in a smaller box inside the bigger tank to start with as I have found with my BRBs they can feel insecure in a big tank and can even come agressive and go off their food. That said. young ones are normally little sods anyway and will bite anything within range! Good luck mate and don't be afraid to pick peoples brains, they are generally a friendly bunch on here (with the odd exception!)

[Jimbo26]

80% humidity is about right for a juvenile, adults can get away with a bit less, if keeping relative humidity in the tank at 80 is tricky you can add a moist box to the viv, just put a smaller plastic box in there with some moist sphagnum, then your boa can get more humidity if it feels the need. Good choice of snake too, colombians are lovely snakes !

[erewegoagain]

The only thing I would wonder about from your description is that I've heard pine can be quite toxic to snakes, so may be worth getting a new lid made from another wood or material, cabinet underneath should be ok as the snake isnt going to come into contact with it. Anyone else got any thoughts on the safety of this?

[Saundo]

Yes if any one has any views on the pine lid please inform me as i will make another if it would be better for Beau. Currently the set up I have at the top is I have masticked some wood down so I can fix the heat bulb to and masticked another piece of wood the other side. I also cut some groves in it to allow the glass & glass runners to slide into the wood (for extra security). I also cut lots of ventilation holes in the top and masticked a piece of glass in the right hand side of the tank (as I do not need access to this). So there are only two pieces of wood that she can get to the rest is glass enclosed. Also I do not believe the wood is pine I think I used a hardwood for the heat bulb and glass runners. (I will check).

Also I got her yesterday and i don't think she is that young as she is about 2ft in length and the guy from Wiltons did not know her age. I haven’t had a chance to measure her as she is a bit agitated with the move and everything. I knew that CRB and Rainbow Boas in general are quite snappy when young but whenever i held her in Wiltons she was fine. Also after she bit me last night there was a very potent smell coming from her do CRB’s release a toxin when they feel venerable?

Also can anyone give me any advice on how to try and calm her down I realize this is not going to be an overnight process and that lots of handling her should help but currently my mum, dad, brother and girlfriend do not want to go near her and I want them and Beau to feel at ease and comfortable. One last thing she is very active she will not sit still on my hand is this normal? I know that my old corn snake was a different species obviously but she was quite active and was also quite happy sitting there curled around my hand.

Thanks for the help, support and nice comments!!! J

[Essex_Nick]

Nice one on getting a CRB. I love 'em. They are often overlooked for their prettier relatives BRBs.

Your set up sounds fine. Providing there is plenty of cover you should be fine. Its just more of a pain when it comes to cleaning.

I have heard a few times that pine is toxic, how true this is i dont know. But is it really worth it? You could get a bit of melamine for next to nothing at B&Q.....Better safe than sorry i'd say.

The whole snappy when young is bit of a myth if you ask me. Ask anyone who has bought my young. I can say some certainty that none of them have been bitten. Its all about getting them used to being handeled. They become more tollerent. I think my young stopped biting after a week or so.

Its best to get bitten now than when they are ful grown! So just be confident when you pick her up and im sure she'll be fine.

Also, how do you plan on feeding. In the viv or in a tub. I find Tub feeding better at making them more handelable.

CRBs are very confident snakes in my opinion. Mine will happily come to me when I open up there tubs/vivs. The only time they sit still is when they have eaten or when they are shedding.

Oh yeah...pics!!!!

[Pleco07]

Originally Posted by Saundo

Also after she bit me last night there was a very potent smell coming from her do CRB’s release a toxin when they feel venerable?

-No

Also can anyone give me any advice on how to try and calm her down I realize this is not going to be an overnight.

-Persistence, eventually she will realise your not a threat and calm down

Originally Posted by Essex_Nick

Nice one on getting a CRB. I love 'em. They are often overlooked for their prettier relatives BRBs.

-Personally I much prefer CRB's to BRBs

The whole snappy when young is bit of a myth if you ask me. Ask anyone who has bought my young.

-I only have two (one is an 08 and one an 09). Neither has been snappy with me. My older female gets hissy very occasionally but thats only when I dig her out from the substrate. And my younger one from Nick is quite possibly the most docile snake I have ever come across!

Congratz on your new addition