Green Tree Boa Rehab
Green Tree Boa Rehab (Corallus Caninus)
By Dom Armendariz
One of the most eye-catching and recognizable snakes, the Green Tree Boa (Corallus Caninus) can be an extremely rewarding pet reptile to own. From the bright yellow belly to the incredible white highlights over their Amazon green base, these snakes have an exuberant attitude to match the extraordinary colors. With a life span of fifteen to twenty years, and the average adult length of five to six feet, these snakes require a daily routine to assure their good health. Proper equipment should be purchased and monitored daily. I prefer to achieve the specific conditions by creating a bioactive vivarium that I maintain for a week or two prior to introducing the animal. By having the enclosure setup before purchasing the animal, it is easier to keep an eye on important husbandry, such as the correct temperature (75°-87°) and humidity (60%-88%), and also adds natural enrichment for a healthy minded pet.
The majority of problems I have come across among captive kept Green Tree Boas are easily avoidable issues; however, I believe more sources should be available for aspiring owners of the species to study. In my experience as a hobbyist and local rescuer, I have come across respiratory issues and poor sheds most frequently. Wheezing or loud audible breathing could be a sign that your snake has a respiratory infection, and in most cases, I have determined a high (90%-99%) humidity and lack of airflow allows the bacteria to grow, causing the infection. It was also noted that humidity percentages below 60% in the habitat contributed to the reptile having an improper shed. In extreme situations, I have worked with rescued Green Tree Boas that have spinal kinks, breaks, and fractures, as well as other forms of bacterial infections. Physical damage that some of the snakes exhibited were caused by improper handling and/or feeding. Due to the fragile spines of these arboreal snakes, some keepers have injured the spine while feeding large live rodents and allowing the snake to drop ¾ of its body from its perch, hanging on to a kicking rat which can cause strain or permanent damage to the spine.
Avoiding these injuries and infections by maintaining the correct conditions are important for the well-being of the species and the reptile hobby. Knowing the correct size rodent to offer, as well as feeding frozen-thawed, will significantly decrease the odds of your pet developing most of these problems. The poor shedding or infections are generally environmental; the thing to keep in mind is that these animals have adapted and are adjusted to specific tropical conditions that takes daily hands-on work to sustain in your home. Creating a living ecosystem for your Green Tree Boa is a great way to monitor the health of your animal, because you can start to see changes in the environment before seeing issues with your pet. Purchasing the correct technology for your enclosure is just as crucial as the daily upkeep.
The goal at the end of the day is to give our pets the best life possible. Making sure you have the right temperature, including basking spots and cool hides, is essential before you introduce the reptile. It is vital to have a cleaning schedule, as well as time to check the technology you have for your enclosure. I like to use this time to bond with my pets and really get to know their personalities, which helps me catch any issues before they can affect my reptile. Together we will make the reptile hobby into something to be proud of; the more we learn about our pets, the better lives they will lead, and the greater our experiences with them will be.
