Amazon Tree Boa Care Sheet (Corallus hortulanus)

Amazon Tree Boas - General Care

Covers Corallus hortulanus, C.annulatus, C.ruschenbergerii, C.grenadensis, C.cookii
Does not cover Corallus caninus

General Information

To me Amazon Tree Boas, or Ammies as I'll refer to them, are one of the most interesting of snake species. They are not a good starter snake nor are they for the weak of heart. Ammies are a very aggressive snake normally, with the mentality of bite first ask questions later. They are made to be arboreal but do spend time on the ground. They are masters of the trees. Being arboreal they are thin bodied, depending on the subspecies range from 4'-6' long. They are so thin bodied that a 6' Ammie can fit almost in the palm or your hand (not that I would attempt it without gloves) The have very long teeth for the size of their head, and have no problem drawing allot of blood with a bite. They are strictly nocturnal, and are very inactive during the day, Turn out the lights and they are cruising all over the place. Ammies can be found in almost every color of the rainbow. Their huge bubble eyes really make them an interesting sight.

As their name implies they are mainly from South America, but the do Range from Central America and into the Caribbean Islands, such as Granada, and Trinidad.

Feeding

Fig. 1 - Amazon Tree Boa Feeding

An Ammie's diet in the wild can include small rodents, lizards, and small birds. It is said that an Ammie can snatch a flying bird right out of the air. I find this very hard to believe unless out of pure luck. Ammies have to have the worst aim when it comes to striking. They can very easily be fed a frozen thawed rodent diet. Some will take the rodents right off the feed tongs, others will drop it and pick it up later. With my less aggressive feeders I put a dish in the cage with the thawed out rodent sitting there, the snake usually eats it when the coast is clear. I don't like to feed other snakes in their enclosures but I do make this exception with Ammies. By the time you get them unraveled from their perch they will be so stressed they may not eat. Plus you'll be covered in snake musk and urine. That's why I give them a plate to eat off of. They will hang from their perch and pick up the prey and devour it hanging upside down allot of times (a very cool sight to see) A healthy Ammie will eat like a hog, rarely will they refuse a meal. Some newborns can be difficult to start feeding but it's usually easily overcome.

Prey should not be too large, keep in line with the body thickness rule (prey same diameter and widest part of the snakes body) Ammies are about the only snake I will advise to feed multiple prey items, no more than 3 usually 2.

A really important point with Ammies is to make sure they do not become constipated. With low humidity it is very common for them to become constipated. A good rule is no more than 3 feedings without a defecation. If they do not defecate within 3 feedings soak them in a lukewarm tub (with cover) till they defecate.

Husbandry

Ammies have very strict living requirements, making them not a good starter snake. Their temperature requirements are cooler than most snakes from that area. Daytime temps should be 80-85 degrees, night time from 75-78. I keep mine at the higher end of the temperature range. They require very high humidity at least 75% preferably 80-90%. Too low of humidity will lead to dehydration, poor sheds, possible regurgitation, and constipation. There must be adequate ventilation also, so you cant keep them in a sealed box to hold humidity.

Fig. 2 - Amazon Tree Boas can appear a little intimidating to newer keepers

Caging

There are numerous caging options for Ammies. The best type now are the plastic or PVC cages, they are light, won't rot from humidity, easy to clean, nice to look at, not too cheap though. Glass aquariums do very well too, especially if you turn them on end so the long side becomes the tall side, with a partially screened cover they hold humidity well, drawbacks are they are heavier, and fragile. Custom cages are ok, most are made of melamine, which is a coated particle board. This holds up to humidity fairly well ,but if the moisture finds its way behind the coating it bubbles up quickly.

Being arboreal Ammies need a place to perch. Unlike their closely related cousins the Emerald Tree Boas, Ammies are not comfortable on a single perch, they prefer where 2 pieces cross so there is a wider point for them to rest on. Good perch material is regular PVC pipe, the pipe should be equal diameter to the snakes body or a bit thicker. For baby Ammies I have used the plastic Tinker Toy sets to construct perches for them, do not use the wood kits.

Lighting

As with all snakes, special lighting is not required for proper care. It has been rumored that UVB lighting does give some benefit to Ammies with their coloration, but this is mostly hearsay. I highly recommend using a florescent light with Ammies. A normal incandescent bulb puts out heat, and a high strung Ammie will strike at ANY heat source. It is very common for an Ammie to strike at a lightbulb. With all snakes a regular house bulb is not recommended for light, because the lighting spectrum can be damaging to reptiles eyes.

Heating

For reasons noted in lighting, it is not recommended to use heat bulbs for Ammies. Depending on the type of cage you decide on, either an under tank heater, or other type of radiant heater. NEVER use a heat rock!!!

Written & Contributed by Ed_r. Copyright 2004. Reproduced with permission
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