| The Emerald Boa, or Emerald Tree Boa (Corallus | | | | 36" x 36" x 36". As an arboreal snake they will spend |
| caninus) is native to tropical South America. A | | | | much of their time coiled on a branch so a number of |
| non-venomous, and highly arboreal species, they have | | | | sturdy perches are essential. These must be in |
| long been considered difficult to keep in captivity due | | | | different locations in the vivarium to allow proper |
| to their very specific husbandry requirements, and | | | | thermoregulation. |
| aggressive reputation. | | | | A thermal gradient is essential to allow your emerald |
| While it is true that emerald boas will often strike | | | | boa to maintain its body temperature. Daytime |
| defensively, and can be difficult to handle, to label | | | | temperatures around 75 - 80 F, dropping to the low |
| them as aggressive snakes is to do them an injustice. | | | | 70s at night is ideal. A basking area a few degrees |
| They are truly beautiful and fascinating animals, and if | | | | higher must be provided, but no UV lighting is needed. |
| kept and enjoyed in the same way you might enjoy | | | | Just as important as temperature is humidity. The |
| an aquarium of tropical fish, they can and do make | | | | emerald boa's natural habitat is tropical rainforest, and |
| an excellent display snake. Infrequent, and careful | | | | without high enough humidity they will experience |
| handling using a snake hook for the purposes of | | | | shedding difficulty and other health problems. The |
| enclosure maintenance is well advised. If you want a | | | | vivarium must be misted daily, reaching a high of |
| snake that you can free handle, this is not the | | | | around 80% humidity. Fresh water should also always |
| species for you. Their reputation is backed up with | | | | be provided, although these snakes very rarely drink |
| some of the longest frontal teeth seen in a | | | | from a bowl, preferring to get their liquids from prey |
| non-venomous snake, so a bite from an emerald boa | | | | and droplets of water on branches and leaves, and |
| is certainly to be avoided. | | | | their own scales. |
| Their other reputation, of being a difficult species to | | | | A substrate of sphagnum moss will help to maintain |
| maintain in captivity, is somewhat outdated. In recent | | | | the humidity required, although paper towels are |
| years a number of herpetoculturists have been | | | | easier to keep clean. Due to the high humidity, good |
| breeding these boas in increasing numbers. The key | | | | ventilation is essential to prevent stale air and fungal |
| to their success is in maintaining a strict husbandry | | | | growth which can cause respiratory problems. |
| protocol, and very specific environmental controls. | | | | Since the emerald boa has such a slow metabolism, |
| This article will aim to advise on how best to maintain | | | | they are very easy to overfeed. One suitably sized |
| emerald boas in captivity, but anyone considering | | | | prey item should be offered every 14 - 21 days. |
| keeping one of these amazing snakes would be | | | | Most specimens can be persuaded to take defrosted |
| advised to carry out further research before | | | | rodents. |
| committing to their care. | | | | The emerald boa is a magnificent snake, and makes |
| While adult emerald tree boas can reach around 6 | | | | a superb addition to any reptile keepers collection, so |
| feet in length, they are largely inactive and with a | | | | long as you are able to maintain their strict husbandry |
| very low metabolic rate have modest space | | | | requirements. They are without doubt one of the |
| requirements. They are best kept individually, | | | | most fascinating of the boa species available to the |
| introduced only to breed, and an adult specimen can | | | | pet trade, and a truly magnificent animal. |
| be kept quite comfortably in a vivarium measuring | | | | |