Have you seen one of these before ?

How many of these have you seen before ?

Anybody seen one before ? ^bump^

That's a boa? Looks like some kind of rear fanged tree dwelling species. Interesting but really tiny. Sounds like a pain with all the force feeding too. I've gotten baby copperheads to feed on their own just by force feeding them a few times. And to answer your other question, no, never seen one.

Yep it's a Boa alright ! Rainbow family if you look carefully you can make out the rainbow iridescence. She's just over 2 feet long, 62cms, but weighs next to nothing only a couple of ounces or so (depends if she's eaten or not).
Thanks for the input.
I'm trying to find out if there are many in captivity, possibly for breeding but mainly for tips on feeding. I know they eat little frogs and reptiles in the wild and she certainly seems to prefer her food cold (although I still need to force it) and she also seems to like pre-frozen defrosted cooked peeled prawns but dont we all ! I am a little concerned about feeding too many in case of a build up of toxins and salt. Any ideas on that ?

Have you tried scenting the pinkies/fuzzies of appropriate size with chick down? Or simply chick scenting? Also, feeding in the early evening? How about bag feeding? Just some suggestions. Good luck!

Pinkies are stored in a container with chicks (in the freezer) but have not tried scenting with unfrozen chicks, will try next feed. Snake is nocturnal so I try to feed within an hour or two of her becoming active. Not tried bag feeding, will give it a go. She is very often hungry when I come to feed her but reluctant to accept food from my fingers (understandably) but once I get her to open her mouth she relaxes and takes the mouse tail first then a pinkie provided she doesn't see it coming ! it can be hell though and I usually only try for about 20 to 30 mins for fear of stressing her too much, if she won't take it then I leave her for a couple of days before trying again. She was wild caught as an accidental import to UK with a consignment of bananas and can be difficult to catch too but once in the hand she settles down quickly. Thanks for the tips.

Next thing would be a stool sample for O/P since it is WC, although it looks healthy enough.

Not a bad idea Kattivo. Although after about 10 months she still looks just as healthy but she has lost a little weight. Not surprising as I only feed her fortnightly at most.

ever try a small tree frog? something they'd eat in the wild that wild catch it's eye.

Never tried a small tree frog no, but I could do. I do have a couple of small accidental imports. Might be worth a try but what happens when she's eaten them both ? She might be even more fussy and I want to get her to eat what is available ie. pinkies.

That's obviously a tree boa. Possibly amazon? I'm no expert (at all), I can tell though that it is definately in the tree boa family, not ranbow. Have you tried just setting a live pinkie or fuzzy in the tank? Maybe even a mouse that's a little bit larger and that can run around and stuff? if you do that, you have to pay close attention to it though because it could cause deadly harm to the snake.

Hello Ryan, I had concluded from the information available that it was of the Epicrates species and had narrowed it down to E. Gracillis. It's not from the Amazon sadly, it came in a consignment of bananas from Dominican Republic which is of course very close to Haiti. I am beggining to think it might be a cross breed of E. Gracilis and possibly E. Gracilis Hapalus which is an interbreed of E. Gracilis and E. Gracilis gracilis. (confused yet ?) Although they are almost always longer than my specimen so maybe she's not fully grown yet. I got all this info from a good bok by P.J. Tolson and R.W. Henderson called "The Natural History Of West Indian Boas" although there are no pictures identical to my snake, some of E. gracilis are quite close but another picture off the net is closer and that one has a different name - hence Haitian Tree Boa or Vine Boa.
Might try a live mouse but in order to watch closely I will have to stay up all night and should imagine that might make her nervous, she won't normally emerge untill it's completely quiet and she's sure there's no-one about. Thanks for the reply, if you have any better information than me I would be willing to look into it though so please let me know.

you might try crickets rubbed with toad or frog pee. sounds disgusting, but my hognose wouldn't eat anything but toads until I tried that.

That does sound bad but probably worth a try. Do you know where I can get any ????

You say she is reluctant to take food from your hand. Have you tried long tongs in dark foom so she can't see you only food this may fool her the food is live! good luck, she is pretty

ukburm: thanks for the tip I might try that one. Trouble is she is so nervous that the slightest noise causes her to dash for cover and she does'nt come out againfor at least 4 hours. So when I open the glass front she's gone.