Care Experience: Average snake keeper Food: Live or dead prey. Adult feeding: Every 8 to 14 days. Feeding young: Every 6 to 7 days Water basin: Yes Change water: 3 times a week Food Like real boas, it eats everything it can get hold of. In captivity, a diet of rodents, including mainly mice and rats, is practical. These rodents can be offered alive or dead, although for convenience's sake it is recommended to offer dead prey. This is more practical and sometimes live prey can injure the snake. We advise you to provide the feed animals with a pair of tongs and to feed your snake outside the accommodation. This has the advantage that your hand is not associated with food.
If you go for live food, you must supervise it during feeding. If you hold the Jamaican rainbow boa together with other snakes, you will have to take them apart for feeding, as it sometimes happens that the snakes injure each other while feeding.
Water This boa, just like other boa, is a real water lover. In addition to drinking, they also bathe in it. The water basin must therefore be large enough for the snake to be able to bathe in with its entire body. This soaking can cause the water to get dirty, so it is not a problem if the water is changed more than 3 times a week.
Cleaning To prevent diseases and bacterial accumulation, the accommodation must be kept clean. This can be done by cleaning it weekly, but it is also wise to thoroughly clean and disinfect the accommodation a few times a year. This prevents the build-up of bacteria. When cleaning, make sure that you also clean the climbing branches and elevation, as the Jamaican rainbow boa will spend the most time here.
Handling To feed the Jamaican rainbow boa and to clean the accommodation your snake will have to be handled. This must of course be done well, so that both you and the snake are safe. Handle the snake with a snake hook or lift it with both hands. Do not hang your snake around your neck, because if the snake falls that will soon be clamped around your neck. In addition, there are some important things to look out for when handeling a Jamaican rainbow boa. First make sure that your snake understands that you are going to handle it and move gently when you handle it. Also make sure your hands are washed and do not smell like food. Finally, do not handle your snake when it is peeling and do not handle it in the dark.
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