Emerald Tree Boa Care Sheet

Life Span: 15-30 years

Size:  5' - 7'

Range: Tropical rain forest of lower Amazon basin (in Brazil) and in Guyana and Suriname.

Temperament: Usually aggressive, shouldn't be handled often due to stress.

Housing: Enclosures for babies should be 12"W x 8"D x 10-12"H. For yearling 15"W x 24"D x 24". For adults 36-48"W x 18"D x 42"H. Perches in the enclosure should be as wide as the body of the snake and should branch out. Baby ETBs should have only few branches not higher than 3'' or 4'' off the ground. Humidity levels should be maintained between a day time high of 75-90% and a night time low of 45-50%. Good air ventilation is important. Substrate should be the one that keeps up the humidity level - cypress mulch, green moss, vermiculite, spagnum or peat moss, sterile potting soil (organic!).

ETBs do not use hide boxes, ,while sleeping should be coiled, if it's not it is a sign of a problem.

Temperatures: Day time 79F - 82F w/slight drop at night. For the night time lows in fall night temperature should be 73-75F not lower than 70F. The day time 82F to 83F. After the breeding season temperatures should go back to 79F -82F w/ basking area at 93F for gravid females. Keeping ETBs too worm is dangerous and can kill them.

No special lightning is necessary. It is best to provide a 12/12 photoperiod all year round. ETBs do not tolerate bright lights well.

Water: ETB will drink from the water bowl only when it comes to contact with it. Therefore elevated water bowl placed on the shelf near the branch or very large one right underneath the branches is necessary. Large water bowl also helps keeping the humidity higher. The water needs to be changed often as the snake will refuse to drink old water. Spraying snakes 2 to 3 times a day is a must because they drink from their coils, also it conditions their skin and it's necessary to stimulate breeding.

Feeding: Adults shouldn't be fed larger prey than a small rat every 14 days. Juvenile a crawler to weanling mouse every 10 days and babies small fuzzy every 5-7 days. Prey should be offered pre-killed to avoid snake's injury. Feeding prey too big or feeding them too often will harm your snake. It is best to feed in the evening as wormer temperatures will speed up the digestion and create gas that will cause regurgitation.

Breeding: ETBs are live bearing with litters of 2-15 young. Females should not be younger than 5 years when first bred. Males can be younger - 3 years and up.   Cooling period should start in early fall. Temperatures are as described above. The misting frequency should be doubled. Generally two males should be introduced to one female. If there are signs of aggression it is better to introduce them one at a time. Males will go off feed while breeding. Females will remain eating until ovulation at this time they will not be interested in food or males until the post-ovulation shed. Most females will refuse food during gravidity. On average birthing will occur 130 to 150 days after the post ovulatory shed. Several days before birth the female becomes restless and uncomfortable. Any large water bowl should be replaced with shallow one to prevent newborns from drowning. All babies should have the vernix removed (letting the neonates crawl through a damp towel several times works well).