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flaboye
Hatchling
USA
178 Posts |
 Posted - 30/01/2011 : 17:43:12
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I work for a breeder and work with about 350 adult and about 450 babies of various ages. (BRB's) We have dumerils, ball pythons, bci's, rainbows, blood pythons and a couple of boelens. (These are the ones that I work with) Most of the rainbows are tempermental, all of the babies are nippy. I have to wear very thick rubber gloves (elbow length) when working with the adults.
But one caught my attention about 2 weeks ago. She was born in Dec '09, and was very ball-python like. Never nippy, and was "curious" like the boelen pythons are. She would know when I entered and be at the front of her cage to greet. She liked to curl up on my wrist and hang out with me while I worked in that particular baby room. Maybe she thinks she's a ball? :)
I brought her home with me Friday! I was going to get a ball python as I have picked up several hundred in a row and never any sign of aggression. For the most part you can't do that with the rainbows (of course these are not tame or handled regularly). It was so refreshing to find a rainbow that has such a docile personality. She's a sweetie.
I had never owned a snake before but as a kid I'd catch them if I could like every good boy does! I've only been working there a month but sure learned a lot in a short amount of time.
Anyway, decided to join this rainbow forum to be better informed and hear others experiences, etc.
Thanks,
Joe |
0.1.0 Brazilian Rainbow
1.0.0 Hypo BCI
1.0.0 Columbian RedTail
1.0.0 Great Pyrenees
0.0.1 Armadillo under house |
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hiper2009
Banned
United Kingdom
845 Posts |
Posted - 31/01/2011 : 00:40:24
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Hi and welcome to the forum look forward to seeing pics  |
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Kehhlyr
The Resident Loon
United Kingdom
284 Posts |
Posted - 31/01/2011 : 00:43:55
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Hi and welcome.
There's a wealth of info on here, and others experiences with different things.
*cough* pics of snake *cough* |
-=Kehhlyr - The Resident Loon
SOME OF MY ANIMALS
 
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Invalid User
account deleted on request
277 Posts |
Posted - 31/01/2011 : 07:42:09
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2011 : 19:28:56
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Welcome to the forum, Joe. I'm glad you'll have to chance to discover just how wonderful rainbows can be. :-)
Too bad the facility animals are never handled, that means they will be nippy pets, and further the species undeserved reputation for being difficult (not your fault, I realize). :-( |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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flaboye
Hatchling
USA
178 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2011 : 12:58:11
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Yea. I haven't been there long enough to watch the cycle of sales, I am assuming most people buy the babies although we have them from newborn up to 10 years. If you get a baby and begin to handle, tame them then I assume they will turn out to be good pets. The unique position that I found myself in was being able to have about 500 babies (newborn up to about 14 mos) which are in a separate area from the adults, and being able to notice one out of all of those which had a docile temperament. She did a perfect shed two nights ago. I'll have to wait till the weekend to take some photos because I leave right after sunrise and by the time I get home it's almost dark.
Thanks, everyone, for the kind words.
I must say, that the rainbows are much more difficult to work with than the ball pythons, dumerils, and some of the BCI's. However, as you pointed out, these are not pets, nor handled, nor given any kind of taming efforts. |
0.1.0 Brazilian Rainbow
1.0.0 Hypo BCI
1.0.0 Columbian RedTail
1.0.0 Great Pyrenees
0.0.1 Armadillo under house |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2011 : 17:42:51
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Well said! With that volume, I suspect lots of the little ones go wholesale to pet stores. You are correct that rainbows are nippy little creaturss by nature. As one of the big US breeders pointed out, to a baby Brazilian, anything that comes close is either prey (and must therefore be bitten) or predator (and must therefore be bitten). Handling and age are what mellow them. Good eye catching that one, and congrats on the perfect shed -- it means you're doing a good job with humidity!
Looking forward to pictures, |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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flaboye
Hatchling
USA
178 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2011 : 23:22:57
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If I work over where the ball pythons are, I can pick up literally hundreds a day and never have any of them show any aggression. The babies (I have not done much with the baby ball's) can be a little nippy according to other workers. But from young, to medium to large, the ball's are just docile snakes. The rainbows, now on the other hand, you don't just start picking them up like you can the ball's. You can pick them up and move them or do something with them, but it needs to be rather quick. Once they have a few seconds to react you better have on some elbow length thick gloves! So, when this one baby acted curious about me, and liked to curl like the ball's, I let her hang out with me while I worked in that particular area. Did that for a couple of weeks and decided I would get her, instead of a ball python. Heck a 2 year old infant could own a ball python ! :)
I'm about to give her a meal in about 30 when the weanling is at temp. I'm hoping she eats. She seems settled in well under her mulch but her hear is sticking out and she popped up when I came to say hi to her a bit ago. Of course I fed 300 adult rainbow's today so I smell like XLA mice :)
I'll get some photos this weekend, it's too dark in the morning before I go to work and too dark when I get home.
Take care Cliff!
Joe |
0.1.0 Brazilian Rainbow
1.0.0 Hypo BCI
1.0.0 Columbian RedTail
1.0.0 Great Pyrenees
0.0.1 Armadillo under house |
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flaboye
Hatchling
USA
178 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2011 : 23:31:44
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I guess I missed my own point.
The point I was trying to make is even untamed or never before handled ball pythons (as an example) are a whole different animal than a rainbow which has not been tamed/handled.
I don't think rainbow's are for everybody. I'm the farthest thing from an expert or lifelong snake owner, but I do get a very unique perspective getting to work with so many.
In fact if I hadn't found this one particular one, having to deal with them and seeing how they can be (of course all untame, etc) I probably would have opted for the python and that would have been a shame! I'm glad she made herself known to me, maybe she knew I'd take her! |
0.1.0 Brazilian Rainbow
1.0.0 Hypo BCI
1.0.0 Columbian RedTail
1.0.0 Great Pyrenees
0.0.1 Armadillo under house |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2011 : 23:59:57
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You do have a unique vantage point, Joe, and so bring a valuable perspective to the forum. Thank you! What yyou have observed is one reason I favor the "keep it small" approach for breeding rainbows: that way, you can be sure each and every baby gets a handling period. My firm will never go the volume route with these animals.
I'm glad you two found each other, and that another person gets a chance to experience these awesome little critters. Here's to the beginning of a 30-year pet friendship!
Looking forward to your picts, |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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flaboye
Hatchling
USA
178 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2011 : 01:26:11
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Fed her. She grabbed the weanling normal like. Went back out front and in about 10 mins went back to check on her, weanling gone and no visible bulge anywhere. She could have eaten a 2nd! She was eating two hoppers per week at the facility, so I thought I'd bump her up to the next size up, the weanling. She ate quickly and that's what I was hoping for.
I can say the rainbows eat well. Very few refuse meals. If they do they'll grab one on the 2nd feed during the week. Other snakes often times give trouble with feeds, but not these wonderful rainbows!
Joe |
0.1.0 Brazilian Rainbow
1.0.0 Hypo BCI
1.0.0 Columbian RedTail
1.0.0 Great Pyrenees
0.0.1 Armadillo under house |
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hiper2009
Banned
United Kingdom
845 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2011 : 13:00:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Snakesitter
Here's to the beginning of a 30-year pet friendship!
 I thought Brbs live up to 20 - 25 years in captivity ? |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2011 : 20:49:17
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quote:
Originally posted by flaboye
She ate quickly and that's what I was hoping for.
Congrats, wonderful news!
quote:
Originally posted by flaboye
If they do they'll grab one on the 2nd feed during the week.
I assume you mean a second pass for those that refused? Just curious, as otherwise that would be the most frequent I've ever seen! |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2011 : 20:51:21
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quote:
Originally posted by hiper2009
I thought Brbs live up to 20 - 25 years in captivity ?
The typical range I see is 20-30. However, with his background, I suspect Joe has the experience to push that towards the upper end. |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
Website, Facebook |
Edited by - Snakesitter on 03/02/2011 20:52:27 |
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pt127494
Snake mite
8 Posts |
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flaboye
Hatchling
USA
178 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2011 : 23:29:50
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Thanks Paul! I hope to be around a long time.
Cliff, yes we feed 2x a week, which I hear is very generous. They all eat very well and I take a personal interest in the rainbows (that's my main responsibility) Usually I am off by myself, as once I enter the rainbow adult or baby room I cannot go to any other areas.
Today I did some aggressive cage servicing, really going through them, and had to pick up probably 300 adults today. (re-mulching, etc) I'm exhausted! :) as most didn't care one bit for it, lol (being picked up and held whilst I changed out full substrate) Tell ya one thing I'm getting MUCH better at reading body language. And, once you have them if they don't get excited and want to run away they calm down, sometimes :)
Joe |
0.1.0 Brazilian Rainbow
1.0.0 Hypo BCI
1.0.0 Columbian RedTail
1.0.0 Great Pyrenees
0.0.1 Armadillo under house |
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Hi - New to Forum
