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NERD
Herpetocultural Library
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| Name:
Brazilian rainbow boa Scientific name: Epicrates cenchria cenchria AKA: "BRB" |
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General
Information
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| Distribution | ||
| Northern South America: Amazon basin Brazil (as the name implies), but also Surinam, Guyana, and parts of Peru. | ||
| Wild Status | ||
Brazilian
rainbow boas fairly widespread throughout their range, yet habitat destruction
& human encroachment threaten wild populations. |
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| Description | ||
Brazilian
rainbow boas are slender snakes, typically bright orange, red, or reddish-brown
in color. The dorsal pattern consists of dark brown or black rings that
start behind the head and continue down the length of the body. Lateral
markings are cresent-shaped yellow or orange blotches, and the entire
body reflects a rainbow iridescence. placid disposition and limited
size make this an attractive constrictor to hobbyist. Hardy as long
as humidity requirements are met, tolerant of cooler ambient temperatures
than many other boids. Semi-arboreal (climbs) and often nocturnal (active
at night). Young animals tend to be nervous but in captivity they generally
calm and make reasonable pets. Newborn maurus are heavily patterned,
as the animal grows much of this patterning fades until an even brown
coloration is reached. |
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| Size | ||
Hatchlings
approximately 15" - 18"+/-. Females average 5.5', males average
4.5' adult size. Maximum size for this species is around 7 feet in length. |
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| Lifespan | ||
| Brazilian rainbow boas may live 30 years or more in captivity. | ||
| Color Mutations | ||
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Color & pattern
mutations of Epicrates cenchria cenchria include hypomelanistic, anerythristic
and calico. |
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Captive
Maintenance Guidelines
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| Difficulty Level | ||
Intermediate.
Easy for the keeper who has some boid experience, we would not recommend
Brazilian rainbows to the beginning herpetoculturist. Brazilian rainbow
boas require very specific temperature & humidity to thrive. Babies
are nippy & defensive until tamed. This is a good "next step"
for the keeper who has successfully managed other species, i.e. Colombian
boa constrictors or ball pythons. |
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| Enclosure | ||
Enclosures
can be as simple or elaborate as one is capable of caring for. Remember
that the more "stuff" you put in a cage, the more "stuff"
you have to clean & disinfect on a regular basis. That said, there
are many different enclosures that work well for Brazilian rainbows,
including but not limited to: plastic sweater boxes (i.e. Rubbermaid),
melamine racks, Freedom Breeder cages, and any of the commercially available
plastic-type reptile cages, (i.e. those from Vision Herp & other
similar manufacturers). Glass aquariums & tanks are rarely adequate
for this species; keep in mind that the screen tops on such enclosures
will make it difficult to maintain the humidity levels essential for
keeping a healthy Brazilian rainbow. Also refer to our Snake Caging
care sheet for more information. Juvenile Brazilian rainbows seem to
do well in smaller enclosures that make them feel more secure; a small
snake in a big cage can become overwhelmed & stressed. They also
need higher humidity than adults, and this can be easier to control
in a smaller enclosure. Small plastic shoeboxes work very well for housing
juvenile Brazilian rainbow boas. For adult Brazilians an enclosure measuring
48" x 18" x 16" will be sufficient. As rainbow boas are
semi-arboreal, a vertically-oriented cage will allow your snake more
room to climb & is something to consider if you have the space to
accommodate this sort of setup. Remember that ALL enclosures must allow
for a proper thermal gradient that the snake can utilize, with a hot
spot on one end and a cooler spot on the other. |
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| Substrate | ||
There
are a few substrates that work well. Newspaper is the cheapest &
easiest with regards to cleaning & disinfecting: out with the old,
in with the new. The downside to newspaper for rainbow boas is that
it does not hold humidity well and quickly deteriorates in moist conditions.
Cypress mulch is great for controlling humidity, as are the various
coconut-husk beddings available in the pet trade. Never use any substrate
containing cedar, as this is deadly to reptiles! |
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| Temperatures & Heating | ||
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Provide your rainbow boa
with a basking spot of 85°F and an ambient (background) temperature
of 75-80°F. It is vitally important to KNOW the temperatures at
which you are keeping your snake(s). DO NOT GUESS!!
These snakes will neither tolerate wildly fluctuating temperatures,
nor temperatures over 88 degrees for extended periods of time. A
great way to monitor temps is to use a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer
with a probe. Stick the thermometer to the inside of the cage on the
cool end and place the probe on the warm end, and you'll have both
sides covered at once. There are several ways to go about heating the enclosure: undercage heating pads, and radiant heat panels seem to work very well for this temperature-specific creature. Ceramic heat emitters and basking bulbs (both regular daytime & red "night" bulbs) may also be used, but it will be necessary to really keep an eye on the humidity within the enclosure, as both will dry the air quickly. Use thermostats, rheostats and/or timers to control your heat source. Do not use hot rocks with snakes as they often heat unevenly over too small of a surface area & can cause serious burns. |
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| Humidity | ||
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Providing proper humidity for Brazilian rainbows is crucial. This is a species that seems to be much more resistant to "scale rot" and blister diseases caused by excessive humidity, but it is still important to maintain a clean enclosure to prevent any possible problems. First off, let's establish "humidity" as the amount of moisture in the air. To provide your snake with a humidity level of 70% you have a couple of options:
2. Make a "humidity box" for your snake. This consists of packing a plastic container with damp sphagnum moss (think well-wrung-out wash cloth to gauge moisture), cutting a hole in the top or side & placing it in your boa's enclosure so that it may access the box as it pleases. Keep in mind that if you have a screen top on the enclosure you will probably want to cover it most or all of the way with plastic, a towel or some other means of keeping moisture from escaping. This is also where having proper, reliable ambient temperatures (back to that thermometer!) is important, as warm air holds more moisture than cool air. You want the enclosure to be humid, not WET and soggy. |
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| Lighting | ||
Supplemental
lighting is not necessary for this species, but if used should run on
a 12/12 cycle, meaning 12 hours on & 12 hours off. Continuous bright,
overhead lighting is stressful to snakes. |
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| Water | ||
Always
make fresh, clean water available to your rainbow boa, as they have
a tendency to drink copiously. The size of the water dish is up to you.
If it is large enough for the boa to crawl into and soak, sooner or
later your snake will make the most of the opportunity, and most seem
to enjoy a nice soak from time to time. Ensure that the bowl is not
too deep for juvenile animals - 1" or so will suffice. Snakes of
many species will defecate in their water bowls from time to time, so
be prepared for cleaning, disinfecting & a water change when necessary.
It is often beneficial to have a spare water bowl for such occasions,
so that one may be used while the other is being cleaned. |
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| Accessories | ||
One
cage accessory that is beneficial to your rainbow boa is a good hide
box...maybe even a couple of them. These are sensitive snakes that appreciate
& utilize a hide spot. Provide one on each end of your snake's enclosure
so that it doesn't have to choose between temperature & security.
Clay flowerpots, plastic flowerpot trays, and commercially available
hide boxes all work quite well. Brazilian rainbow boas also seem to
enjoy climbing. If your enclosure can accommodate a branch or two, your
boa will most likely utilize them from time to time. |
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| Feeding | ||
Feed
your Brazilian rainbow boa an appropriately sized rodent weekly. By
"appropriately sized" we mean prey items that are no bigger
around than the snake at its largest point. Rainbow boas can eat rats
from the time they are young - starting off with rat pinks or fuzzies
for younger snakes & moving up in size as the animal grows. Do not
handle your snake for at least a day after feeding, as this can lead
to regurgitation. Rainbows are generally pretty easy to convert to frozen/thawed
or pre-killed rodents and have a great appetite and feeding response
(see Snake Feeding caresheet). Never leave a live rodent unattended
with ANY snake. |
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| Maintenance | ||
Spot-clean
your snake's enclosure as necessary. When feces/urates/uneaten prey
items are present, remove them as soon as possible. Clean & disinfect
the water bowl on a weekly basis. Depending on cage conditions, remove
all substrate & cage furniture and completely disinfect using a
5% bleach solution approximately every 30 days. Rinse the enclosure
thoroughly and allow to dry before replacing cage furniture & your
snake. |
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Basic
Reproductive Info
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Brazilian rainbows reach sexual maturity anywhere from 18 months to 3 years of age. Breeding size occurs at lengths of 3' for males and 5.5' for females. Breeding season in captivity typically ranges from November to March. Stop all feeding at this time. Animals should be well established and in excellent condition before any breeding is attempted. Breeding may be induced by reducing daytime photoperiod to from 12 -14 hours to 8 hours, dropping nighttime temperatures in the 68 - 72 F range, and daytime temperatures into the low 80's F. Introduce the female into the male's cage. Misting the animals with water may induce breeding activity. Use of multiple males in a breeding situation may prove beneficial to breeding success. Females typically shed within 30+ days of ovulation. After 115 - 135 days of gestation, female Brazilian rainbows may give birth to litters of 10 - 30+ live young. These snakes are bred extensively in captivity, with several breeders specializing in nothing but rainbow boas. |
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Notes/Comments
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Brazilian
rainbow boas can be quite a joy to experience, with a natural beauty
& iridescence that has attracted a large following of dedicated
keepers. CB specimens typically become docile individuals that are fun
to care for and interact with. As these snakes are being bred more and
more in captive situations their popularity has begun to grow. Rainbows
make an excellent choice for the intermediate keeper looking for an
attractive, alert, yet medium-sized serpent. |
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