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Kida
Snake mite

USA
4 Posts

Posted - 12/05/2013 : 21:56:41

Hi everyone! I just got my BRB yesterday and had a few questions about her set up. She is about a foot long right now, a little less than the width of a dime. Kinda strange for me, I think my juvie corn is bigger than she is right now haha, but will be fun to watch her grow up! Anyways, my first question is, how long can/should she stay in a hatchling box before I move her up to a bigger size? I saw on a lot of care sheets thats what a lot of breeders keep them in a first. Seems small to me, but it's temp housing. I have a bigger sterilite container thats prolly a little bigger than a 5 gallon dimensions (on the bottom anyways, not as tall of course), and I have a 10 gallon tank and a 20 long also available to house her until she gets bigger. I know that a lot of people dont like aquariums because the screen top lets too much humidity escape, but I'm planning on covering up most of the top and leaving a few smaller areas for ventilation to help control the humidity. So, should I keep her in the smaller, sterilite bins for now? Or should I just move her up to the 20 now, and that way she will have more room to grow and wont have to be moved as often. I know she will require 4-5 cubic feet of space when she is an adult. Is that about a 40 breeder size? or will I need a little bit bigger thank for her? Would a 55 work? Or will that be too much height and not enough ground space? My next question is, how deep should her water be? My boyfriend thought that it shouldnt be too deep because he is worried she would drown in it. Can that happen? Do they like to swim at all? I saw that a lot of breeders have about 1/3 of the floor space water, what do you recommend as a dish for them? a small kitty litter pan? or will that be too high and deep for her? and should I keep it in the middle of the cage so she will have hides on the warm and cool side? Or should I keep it on the cool side? Sorry have so many questions! I just want to make sure she is properly cared for. Thanks in advance for all your help!!

Mom of 0.1 BRB,1.0.1 corn snakes, 1.1 vieled chameleons, 1.1 bearded dragons, 0.0.1 day gecko, 0.1 chinese water dragon, 0.1 leopard gecko, 2.0 russian tortoises, 0.1 blue tongued skink, 5.0 mice, 0.3 rats, 2.2 gerbils, 1.1 cats, 2.2 ferrets (between mine and my bf's pets), plus live with my little sis and her 0.1 cat, 2.0 hamsters and 0.2 gerbils. Love my little zoo :)

Snakesitter
Rainbow Master

USA
2718 Posts

Posted - 13/05/2013 : 20:39:41

Hi Kida!

Baby rainbows can stay in shoeboxes for quite some time. My last litter spend a good six months in theirs, and seemed none the worse for it. That said, more space is always better. I'd keep your girl where she is until she's become an established feeder, then move her to the 20 gallon. Good call on replacing the lid. Start with as little ventillation as possible -- it's easier to add more holes than to take them away. I would also cover three sides with background decor, in order to give her more privacy.

She will actually need six square feet of floor space by the time she grows up. More is always better.

The water dish can be deep -- she will not drown. :-) If it worries you, make sure you watch her the first time or two to make sure she can easily get in and out. Also, make it *at least* deep enough for her to completely submerge in, as these snakes love to soak. I put mine on the warm end in order to promote evaporation, but anywhere should be fine.

Good luck!

Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles