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Lighting, Heating and Humidity for the Emerald Tree Boa
Lighting
What is the proper way to light your snake? The most common method of lighting is via an incandescent light fixture either located inside the cage or fixed outside the cage with a reflector hood. Of course, if you are using glass aquaria or something which receives light well, you might not choose to light the cage at all.
Lighting for emerald tree boas should not be very bright. If a high wattage bulb is used to provide bright light, make sure the snake has plenty of cover areas to perch to avoid it. Emerald tree boas live in the dense canopy and understory of the rainforest and do not receive enormous amounts of sunlight. A low wattage bulb is preferred to light the cage but not "burn" the snake's eyes. A 15 to 25 watt bulb is more than enough to provide lighting to an emerald tree boa cage.
Do you need ultraviolet (UV) lighting for emerald tree boas? The general consensus is no. Since snakes swallow whole prey items, they do not need to synthesize Vitamin D. But, some Corallus keepers and breeders keep their emerald tree boas on UV lighting2. Although it is not essential to their well being, "it couldn't hurt". Ultraviolet lighting has been suggested by some to stimulate appetite and it has been shown to help "energize" many other animals - not only reptiles.
Heating
Non-breeding temperature levels for emerald tree boas should average between 80? - 82?F during the day and around 75?F during the evening. A thermal gradient in the cage is definitely the best way to approach heating all reptiles. Try to provide a gradient between 75?F and 95?F (under the basking spot) to allow the snake to determine its own temperature requirements. Interestingly, temperatures in certain areas of the emerald tree boa range often reach temperatures into the 90?'s without causing any problems to the animals. Perhaps the stress of transporting the animals or the decreased level of air flow in enclosures has an effect on imported animals.
Varying temperatures can be achieved in both a horizontal or vertical cage. In a horizontal cage, temperature gradients can be set up by locating a basking spot on one end of the cage. The other end of the cage would then be cooler. In vertical cages, locating a basking spot on one end of the cage can set up temperature gradients vertically. Be very careful to prevent the enclosure from reaching temperatures above 90?F and below 75?F after feeding as this can cause regurgitation in emerald tree boas. Similarily, constant temperatures at these temps will also cause problems with it either being too hot or too cold, respectively.
Humidity
Humidity and wetness are major role players in the world of emerald tree boas. Humidity for the animals should be high and above 70% the majority of the time. A high humidity will reduce the rate of dehydration. Remember that these animals live in high humidity areas and therefore are adapted to a high humidity environment. One common problem is that a new keeper will see the high humidity and assume that the emerald tree boa is well hydrated. Reptilian skin is not permeable to water like that of amphibians. Therefore, being in a highly humid environment does not mean gaining water, it simply slows down water loss. Most emerald tree boas are not bowl-drinkers. If they encounter water, they will drink but they do not actively seek it like many snakes. Instead, they drink from droplets which gather on their bodies. This is something that needs to be remembered. Even if humidity is high, animals should be misted at least daily.
Although the humidity may be high, condensation and having an enclosure that is too wet indicates a cage where the ventilation is poor and the wetness is too high. If this is the case, ventilation needs to be improved. Poor ventilation, coupled with warm and wet conditions, promotes bacterial and fungal growth.
Doing a simple pinch test will help determine if your animal is dehydrated. Pinch the snake's skin on the dorsal side and if the skin does not spring back into form immediately, it is a sign that it is dehydrated. Dehydrated animals should be soaked daily to convince them to drink. When soaking the animal, make sure of several factors. Firstly, make sure the water is only luke-warm and in a draft free environment. Secondly, make sure the water is not deep enough to make it difficult to breathe. This means making the water fairly shallow so no real effort needs to be made to breathe. And finally, make sure to check on them often. A dehydrated animal is a weakened animal. One thing you can do to aid in the re-hydration process is to try soaking the animal in Pedialyte? or to give it orally. Pedialyte? is an electrolytic solution. What this means is that instead of simply water, it contains certain electrolytes (chemical ions) that help stimulate the digestive system and restore ionic balances inside the animal.
The above content is from Corallus.com, which has the most extensive information that I have found on this species of snake. Please click the link above to read much more about this amazing snake!!