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The Ideal Corallus Setup
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When making the decision to take the "plunge" into an emerald (Corallus caninus)
or Amazon tree boa (C. hortulanus), a large portion of your decision should be
based upon the proper housing of the animals as rest assured that if the
necessary requirements aren't met in the long run the snake will not thrive.
Careful consideration should be taken in the design of the tree boas cage and
several criteria must be met for the success and comfort of the species. Below
you will see some of the cages I've been using for several years now with
varying degrees of success. This page serves as a baseline to hopefully give you
some ideas for designing enclosures. In all the years I've worked with treeboas
I have yet to find the "perfect" cage. Instead, It looks like a conglomerate of
cages have best filled my needs, it should be noted however that this is most
likely due to my personal taste which leans more towards aesthetics and
functionality. If you have any questions on the following materials please do
not hesitate to drop us a line at Urban Jungles.
1- Security
Today we are seeing a large population of captive born tree boas become readily
available which is absolutely wonderful for the species in question. It's been
well known that animals born in a captive environment will often settle down
quite nicely to the captive environment and is less likely to succumb to
stress-related problems. Unfortunately, animals of wild-caught origin are still
imported in relatively large numbers and so it is our responsibility to offset
the stress caused by the rigors of the importation process. Wild caught animals
will benefit from being placed in a secure environment, one which mimics the
original habitat from which they have been displaced. As a whole, emerald tree
boas will usually not take refuge in covered boxes or tangles as Amazon tree
boas are prone to do but they should still be given a place of refuge in which
they can retreat if they feel disturbed or nervous. This can be simply achieved
by either arranging the perching system in their cages to extend to the farthest
and least disturbed portion of their cages or providing some type of
naturalistic cover composed of natural or artificial foliage and branches. As a
whole, any cage that is not composed entirely of clear acrylic or glass will
offer some sort of safe zone to which the animals can retreat. An opaque
container (tupperware) or many of the commercially available plastic cages such
as Neodesha and Visions usually offer adequate protection and security. All you
need to do is simply arrange the perches to go up into a far corner away from
the main viewing area. I understand that in a relatively small cage the snake is
almost always in view but you'll be surprised at what a little bit of distance
can achieve. It can only benefit an emerald tree boa if you designate a corner
of the enclosure as a "safe zone" where some natural or artificial foliage has
been provided. This can simply be composed of several vines or long leaves
draped over or around perches of varying heights. I often find myself using long
artificial vines that are equipped with suction cups at the ends, these not only
make cages more aesthetically pleasing but they also provide great security for
the snakes. I've noticed that with emerald tree boas that initially come in as
difficult feeders, when placed in a more "secure" cage a feeding response
becomes much more prevalent. So in a nutshell, when it comes to wild-caught
emerald tree boas that are not yet established, try to keep away from completely
transparent cages such as tanks, at least for the first year. If you find
yourself with no other alternative then be sure to provide a "safe zone with
foliage". Although they can be classified as a bit more "nervous", Amazon tree
boas as a whole adapt to captivity much more readily and will rapidly make use
of any hiding areas provided. Being far from picky, a good old standard hide box
constructed of a sturdy and easily cleaned material will do just fine. Plants
are also a welcomed addition to an Amazon's cage as they will make use of potted
bases and foliage for cover, often intertwined along branches and vines.
2- Temperature Achievement
One of the most important factors that contribute to the proper maintenance of
Corallus as a whole is achieving the proper temperature regimen which is vital
not only for proper metabolic processes and overall health but also necessary
for propagation of the species, a goal which many hobbyists hope to achieve.
When considering your enclosure, it is vital that you determine what methods you
will use to heat/cool the enclosure as necessary and you must be sure that it
all functions within the necessary parameters. Proper ventilation in a cage is
vital in a tree boa cage. Too little ventilation will result in stagnant air
which will lead to fungal/bacteria growth and other complications, too much
ventilation will prevent the buildup of necessary humidity and temperature
levels. Be sure acquire a cage that will allow for adequate ventilation that can
preferably be adjusted. Many custom enclosures built privately as well as
commercially will usually offer options for flaps or slides that can allow for
ventilation and temperature adjustments, these are ideal. Conversely, fish tanks
will often make regulation difficult as the open tops will often allow to much
heat and humidity to escape and at the same time impeding proper airflow in the
cage. The problem can usually be remedied by constructing a moveable cover that
will not get in the way of the heating element of choice. If you choose to use
tupperware enclosures be sure to provide the necessary ventilation holes by
either drilling them in to the sides with a drill or using soldering iron or
cutting out rectangular portions and fitting them with plastic screens. Heating
the enclosures obviously depends on what type of enclosures you use but the most
commonly used items are either radiant heat panels (Pro-products heat panels are
unparalleled), heat mats or tape, and external lamps (clamp lamps) that are
fitted with either incandescent light bulbs or ceramic heating elements. Which
ever method you use be sure that it is capable of not only achieving the desired
temperatures and gradients but that it will also and most importantly not pose a
threat to its inhabitants either through direct contact or improper regulation.
It often pays to spend a little more money on a reliable thermostat system,
Helix and Biostats are personal favorites. If you live in an area that is
characterized as having hot summer seasons, be sure to have a method for cooling
the enclosures as well. Ambient temperatures over 85 degrees can result in the
death of a tree boa. Fans and air conditioning backups should be anticipated.
3- Humidity tolerance/achievement
Equally as vital as the proper temperature regimen is achieving and maintaining
the variable humidity levels necessary for the proper health and maintenance of
your tree boa. When designing or just considering a tree boa cage, it is
important that you realize how vital it is for the cage and its materials to be
able to withstand extremely high levels of heat and most importantly humidity.
The latter has a devastating effect on certain woods particularly particle
boards and melamine, two very popular cage construction mediums. It is
imperative that if you do choose to construct or purchase a cage made out of the
said materials you must be absolutely sure that all seams are sealed properly
and essentially waterproof. If water/moisture manages to get into these seams it
will cause expansions and warping which will quickly degrade the structural
integrity of the enclosure. And please keep in mind to allow adequate
ventilation/curing time for all epoxies, resins, varnishes or other sealants to
completely dry as fumes from these products will undoubtedly kill your treasured
pets. Basically, nothing surpasses the high impact plastics and resins that are
used to construct many of the popular commercial cages that are commonly
available today for moisture retention. At Urban Jungles we have used the
following cages or materials to construct cages with great success.
Neodesha Plastics Enclosures: The 2' models have proven invaluable for neonates
and yearling emeralds and Amazon Tree boas. The 3' models will easily house a
small adult emerald tree boa or pairs of subadult emerald tree boas. 3 footers
are also used for breeding pairs of Amazon Tree boas and single Trinidad Tree
boas. The 4' (standard) models are used for Amazon tree boa trios, Amazon Basin
and northern emerald adult pairs, these are heated with a 1 square foot radiant
heat panel. A fair amount of breeding has occurred in these cages with some
regularity. Heating varies according to each model but as a whole I use
undertank 4" wide flexwatt heat tape for the 2' models and Pro-Products 6 x 12
inch radiant heat panels for the 3' and 4' models. Some of the 3' models use
external clamp lamps instead of heat panels but these will soon be phased out.
Custom Melamine Enclosures: I like the water proof and easily disinfected
surfaces of melamine for Corallus caging. The only drawback is that you have to
seal them up really well to prevent warping and the fact that a relatively small
sheet of this stuff weighs a TON. Cages at Urban Jungles range from 2x3x3 to
3x4x5 with a few smaller 2' square models used throughout. Once again, be sure
to seal these up tight. The majority of them are heated using Pro-Products
radiant heat panels and external clamp lamps with halogen fixtures.
2.5 and 5.5 Gallon Tanks: These are used primarily for neonate emerald and
Amazon tree boas. They are placed into a rack system and are heated from below
using 4 inch flexwatt heat tape. Each enclosure has 2 removable branches.
Custom Acrylic and Glass Enclosures: These cages are generally used for display
purposes and are not advised for the average keeper unless you are dealing
primarily with well established or Captive born specimens. These cages require a
lot of work as they tend to immediately look bad with the slightest amount of
soiling. Water stains are a constant nuisance if you live in an area with hard
water (like I do). The generally advise you to use acrylic when possible for
display enclosures as glass constantly proved to be way too much of a hassle
being excessively heavy and fragile. The few used at UJ are hated with a 6x12"
pro-products radiant heat panel.
Tupperware: A perennial favorite of mine, tupperware proves over and over to be
one of the best cages for multiple animals, it is easily heated and the opacity
of most units will afford your tree boas the comfort it needs. As long as you
open up enough ventilation holes or screen sections you will have no problems
with air quality. Most importantly to me, they are cheap, easily disinfected,
and can withstand most temperature and humidity extremes with no problems. The
only downside is the reduced visibility but some of the newer models are
becoming clearer and clearer so this is minimal. The majority of my tupperware
containers are heated using flexwatt heat tape varying from 3" to 10" in width
all depending on the type of tupperware being used. I have one section of large
containers that is heated with the use of a 4 x 1' radiant heat panel positioned
vertically on the wall behind them. I also have a few large bins that are heated
using a 6x12" radiant heat panel.
Phillips Acrylic Shoe and Sweaterboxes: These are also favorites of mine for
keeping everything from neonate to juvenile Amazon and emerald tree boas. These
boxes afford the maximum visibility and with the use of a simple soldering iron
the proper ventilation can easily be achieved via some holes on each wall. The
downside to these boxes is that they don't hold up to wear and tear as much.
They tend to crack quite easily, warp if kept too hot, and scratch up with the
slightest provocation. The trade off from supreme visibility and the ultimate
display rack in my opinion. At UJ, we heat them using a 3 inch piece of flexwaat
cut to the length of the shelf they are on. The flexwatt keeps a nice
environment including temperature and ambient humidity which is controlled via
placement of the water bowl on or away from the tape.
Whatever cage you choose for your snake it is of the utmost importance that you
keep the snakes needs in mind, your needs for space or aesthetics should come
secondary to this, if it does not then perhaps a tree boa is not for you. Also
keep in mind that what works for one person may not work for another and as long
as basic requirements are met the sky's the limit on the type of caging that
would best suit you and your tree boa.
Copywritten 2000 Danny Mendez.
This article may not be reproduced wholly or in part without expressed written
consent.
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