Hi everyone
I was just wondering what you all recommend re: water temperature. I have a small drinking bowl and a large "pool" (plastic tub) for my Brazilian Rainbow Boa. (She hasn't soaked yet, but I expect she might use it at shedding time.) I have the drinking bowl on the cool side of the terrarium and the pool in the middle (part way sitting on the heating pad) I guess the water eventually gets room temp. But I change it often.
I've been using lukewarm water for both. ??????

Also any suggestions on the best way to weigh and measure a large (6 ft?), not-quite-so tame, boa?
THANKS in advance!!!!!!!!

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Andrea

We just use cold tap water, and have one water bowl, for drinking and for soaking in, though I've never seen our BRBs soak. The advantage of you putting one partly over the warm side though is that it will help keep the humidity up.

As for weighing, you could always weigh yourself with and without holding the boa, although this isn't very accurate! For measuring though, why not try running a piece of string or rope right down the snake, and cutting it off when you have measured the full length - rope will bend and twist with the snake's body so will give quite an accurate measurement. Then just measure the rope!

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004

since the bowl is in his environment the temps will regulate themselves. Outside the tank lukewarm water isd fine. If you stick your hand in it you should feel a neutral temp. Remember your body temp is 98 degrees. If it feels noticabley warm to you its a bit too warm. As for weighing. Tie him up in a pillowcase and sit the whole thing on the scale. You can also get scales that you hold up and hook whatever you are weighing on a catch at the bottom. Sort of like the way fisherman weigh fish.

For measuring length there is a downlaodable program that uses a digital picture to measure your snake. I beleive it was Rich that told me about it and says it works very well Go to http://www.serpwidgets.com/Apps/apps.html

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

What a great program! Thanks for sharing it. I'll try to get a photo to try it.
Thanks for the advice on the water temp... just wanted to make sure that the fresh water I put in wasn't too hot or too cold for her.

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Andrea

Hey cool prog Merlin, i have always wanted to measure my snakes but they wont keep still long enough