The Amazon Tree Boa is an arboreal snake found in the Rainforests of South America in countries such as Columbia, Brazil and Venezuela. As their name suggests, these snakes spend most of their time in trees, protected from predators by the thick foliage of the rainforest.
Amazon Tree Boa Description
Amazon Tree Boas are a medium sized snake that generally reaches between 5ft-7ft in length. Their head is quite large in proportion to their body. Despite their size, Amazon’s generally only weight between 500 – 800 grams.
These snakes are generally split into two groups, the garden phase and the coloured phase. The garden phase consists of the duller coloured specimens which are black, brown or grey while the colour phase specimens can be red, yellow or orange. The variations of these snakes can vary further with different patterns to choose from. These include banded, saddled, speckled and patternless specimens.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Amazon Tree Boa can be found throughout much of South America ranging from as far North as Venezuela and into countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. The can be found in a variety of habitats but are strictly an arboreal species.
As their name suggests, they are commonly found in trees. However they can also be found closer to the ground in low-lying vegetation and bushes. They are commonly found around human habitation in areas such as sugar cane fields.
The ATB prefers the high humidity of the rainforests but they have also adapted to live in dryer areas and can be found in savannahs and woodlands.
Amazon Tree Boa Behavior
While this is a beautiful snake, it is not the best choice pet for a beginner or someone who wants to handle their snake regularly. Amazon Tree Boas are renowned for being very defensive snakes and will often strike at anyone who comes too close. They have a long range when striking as they extend from their perch. Unlike many other snakes, the ATB will not grow out of this defensive behaviour.
They are perfectly adapted arboreal snakes and are expert hunters of bats and birds. They have a large strike range and can grab prey from high up in the tree tops with their long sharp teeth.
Amazon Tree Boa’s as Pets
The ATB is a great display snake and can be kept in very attractive arboreal enclosures. They have a lifespan of about 20 years in captivity. As they come in a wide variety of colours and patterns they are becoming more popular amongst reptile breeders. They are commonly kept by people who are into other arboreal snakes such as Green Tree Pythons.
These snakes are notoriously defensive and will often strike if you come too close. Unlike many other snakes, they do not grow out of their defensive habits. For this reason it is unlikely that these stunning snakes will ever gain as much popularity in the exotic pet trade as popular snakes such as Ball Pythons and Corn Snakes.
Feeding an Amazon Tree Boa
In the wild an Amazon Tree Boa will primarily eat avian prey items such as bats and birds. They are perfectly adapted to hunt from high up in trees and will hang onto a branch with their prehensile tails while striking at anything within their extended reach. This tendency is not lost in captivity and these snakes are renowned for their willingness to strike at any hand that moves towards them.
The ATB is a slender snake and should not be power fed. They are designed to be slim snakes that can easily manoeuvre between branches. Babies can be fed appropriately sized meals every 7-10 days while adults can be fed every 10-14 days.
Meal items should be approximately the same size as the snake’s body. These snakes are ferocious feeders and generally don’t need much enticing to provoke a feeding response. Don’t confuse a good feeding response with hunger. This is the snake’s natural tendency and may accept meals whenever offered. Overfeeding can be dangerous for these snakes.
Some babies may require a bit of stimulation with their first feed but once established they will readily feed on appropriately sized mice. You should offer food to these snakes in the evening. In the wild they are nocturnal hunters and this will mimic their natural tendencies.
ATB’s require high humidity or they will dehydrate quickly. A large bowl of clean water should be present at all times. This water will need to be changed regularly as the snake will soak in it, especially when shedding. The enclosure should also be misted daily to increase the humidity which can go as high as 90 percent. You should aim to keep the humidity above 50 percent at all times.
Amazon Tree Boa Housing
A young Amazon Tree Boa can be kept in an enclosure measuring 18 inches tall and 12 inches in length and width. This enclosure can be very basic with many breeders choosing to house juveniles in plastic tubs. These containers make it easier to maintain high levels of humidity which is important for young snakes.
Adults can be kept in larger more naturalistic enclosures. These enclosures should contain a number of perches for the snake to rest on. An adult ATB will do well in an enclosure measuring 3ft high x 2ft wide x 18 inches deep.
Height is the most important aspect of an ATB’s enclosure. This provides a natural thermal gradient as the snake moves up or down in the enclosure. It also provides them with the most usable space which will allow them comfort to move around and exercise.
Large glass enclosures can be used for these snakes but these can get very expensive for large setups. Custom build wooden vivariums can be used but due to the high humidity levels, these should be sealed with a non toxic sealant to prevent the wood from rotting.
Light and Heat
An Amazon Tree Boa should be kept at an ambient temperature of about 80F. The top of the enclosure should be about 90F with the lower level dropping to about 75F. This can be achieved by having a tall enclosure with an overhead heat source. Naturally as the snake moves lower down and further from the source of the heat the cooler it will get.
ATB’s are nocturnal and usually won’t bask under a heat lamp. However a good thermal gradient is still important and gravid females have been found to occasionally bask.
As these snakes are nocturnal no special UV lighting is required. If you have a naturalistic setup, the live plants in the enclosure may require additional lighting. All lighting should be turned off at night to provide a natural day/night cycle for the snake. A cycle close to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness is ideal for this species.
Substrate
You have a wide range of choices when it comes to Amazon Tree Boa substrate. As these snakes tend to stay off the ground, the substrate you choose is more important for the environment that the snake is living in rather than for the snake itself.
As ATB’s require high humidity, the substrate you choose should hold moisture well without moulding. Coconut Husk, Orchid Bark and Cypress Mulch are great choices for this. It is also a good idea to add some sphagnum moss to the enclosure. This will help raise the humidity even further.
You can also use newspaper or paper towel as a substrate as this is easy to clean. If you choose one of these substrates you will need to carefully monitor the humidity in the setup to ensure it doesn’t get too dry. Placing a large water bowl at the bottom of the enclosure will help to keep the humidity high.
Shedding
Like all snakes, an Amazon Tree Boa will shed its skin as it grows. This process will take place every couple of weeks when they are young. As they get older they will shed less often as their growth rate reduces but they will continue to shed for the duration of their lives.
The humidity in the enclosure is important at this time. If it is too low the snake may have trouble shedding. Partial sheds can often be associated with inadequate humidity levels so ensure the humidity is at 80-90 percent during this time. A water bowl should be placed in the enclosure at all times. This should be changed regularly as the snake may choose to bathe in it.
Handling an Amazon Tree Boa
Amazon Tree Boa handling can be quite difficult. They are renowned for their defensive nature and tendency to strike. Occasionally you may come across a docile ATB that will tolerate handling but the vast majority fall into the defensive category.
If you need to move your animal a snake hook can be used. Ensure that the hook is long enough as they tend to have a long reach. ATB’s are also known to strike at the face so be careful to keep your face out of the snakes reach. A bite from one of these snakes will likely draw blood but it is unlikely that they will seriously injure you.
Frequent handling from a young age can help to reduce their defensive tendencies but many of these snakes will remain defensive for the duration of their lives. Imported snakes tend to be far more aggressive than captive bred specimens.
Breeding Amazon Tree Boas
Unlike most snakes that lay eggs, Amazon Tree Boas are viviparous meaning that they give birth to live babies. Because of this their gestation period is quite long and generally lasts between 6-8 months.
These snakes share the same habitat as Emerald Tree Boas and it is believed that they interbreed in the wild. While the hybrid offspring of these snakes are stunning creatures, it is frowned upon by many to breed them together in captivity as it will dilute their bloodlines.
To stimulate breeding, night time temperatures are usually reduced in November to about 72F. Daytime highs should not exceed 85F at this time. You can continue to offer food to the snakes while breeding but females may refuse to eat while gravid.
After about two months, the male can be introduced into the female’s enclosure. The introduction of the male will stimulate ovulation in the female and you may notice courtship.
In the wild, babies are usually born towards the end of the rainy season with litter size ranging anywhere from 5 to 20 babies. These neonates measure about 30cm in length and are quite slim. The great thing about breeding Amazon Tree Boas is that you don’t know what kind of babies will come out. You could breed two dull garden phase parents and end up with beautifully coloured babies.
Babies are completely independent as soon as they are born. They can be removed from their mother’s enclosure and placed into individual setups at this time. Tall plastic containers are ideal for neonates as they can hold humidity very well.
It is recommended to do as much research as possible before purchasing your reptile. If you are planning to purchase one of these snakes, read as many Amazon Tree Boa Care Sheets as you can in advance.
