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Brick[b nigriceps M]

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Date	Action
08/12	Shed - Shed
08/05	Feeding - Fed (1) F/T Chicks - Small
07/28	Feeding - (1) Chicks - Small
07/20	Feeding - (1) Chicks - Small
07/13	Feeding - (1) Chicks - Small

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Animal Name:	Brick
Reference Code:	b nigriceps M
Species:	Black-Headed Cat Snake Boiga nigriceps
Sex:	Male
Comments:	IntroductionAs Boiga keeping as become more popular over the last few years and a number of species and sub species further available than they were ten years ago, I felt it was time to include more information of this genus as it is long overdue. Most of us know that over the last decade or so, literature is quite sparse and some of us have had to dig deep into some first and second generation techniques in snake keeping to have moderate success in keeping or breeding them. For some of us that have this success it has been a great learning curve I am sure, it has for me anyhow. For new keepers of the genus it can be a very stressful time if certain techniques in husbandry are implicated. For those that have built relationships with fellow keepers that are experienced, it has been great bouncing ideas off each other over the years with some to no success as we know these snakes are individuals and require us to learn about their needs, but nothing has ever been put into writing or at least at great length anyway. The leap from keeping Boidae and the many Colubridae available in the pet trade can become a harsh reality for keepers with the inability to think outside the box or not prepared to extensively research. A new keeper may not know an experienced Boiga keeper to ask questions and have to start out they way we all did. In my personal opinion it depends on the keeper's personality towards the hobby as these snakes can defeat the most strong minded or arrogant keeper. This write up is of my personal experience over the last decade keeping various Boiga species wild caught or captive bred with moderate success. I say 'moderate success' because even though I have been keeping and working many various animals for over 20 years now, it is a constant learning process no one is an expert. This is not even a care guide, just a personal, in depth writing of ideas that have served me well keeping Boiga alive and being healthy animals. Some of these ideas have been drawn from keeping popular species sold, obscure opisthoglyphous species and even arachnids. They may help but then again they may not do, just some food for thought when anyone who hits a brick wall. I will also not begin with the many species and locales available either as whoever purchases their Boiga should know or have an idea of the history of the snake and the status of it's feeding, set-ups etc, this should cover most species captive or wild caught. I will begin with what I feel is the main order and that is hatchlings. Hatchings, the down and dirty.They can be famously stubborn feeders in captivity. The approximately 50cm little baby that dislikes life. There are 3 main rules I begin with, security, no air movement and total solitude. These little guys can get stressed with anything around them and can set you back from the start. I began housing them dependant on size and species in 5 litre-9 litre Really Useful Boxes, they are really agoraphobic and like it warmer than their adult counterparts. I normally set ground temperatures to around 30C and that normally creates a 27C ambient temperature in enclosures of that size. The area is packed with foliage for added security, a small hide filled with moist sphagnum moss and small appropriately sized water bowl in the coolest area. All this adds to the high humidity they require and enables the keeper to not worry too much about it lowering often thus keep on entering the enclosure and disturbing them. If a pet box is your ideal pet then you will be happy with Boiga, I very seldom see mine and they appreciate that a little more. Secondly, this may spark debate with some people, but I learned many years ago keeping Arachnids, especially spiderlings that I had great success providing no movement and implicated this with my Boiga hatchlings. In fact I use this method with all my humidity loving neonates nowadays and have no adverse effects on any of my snakes. Fresh oxygen always enters the enclosures as and when I spot clean and water change and can be as long as a week or more at a time as to give them minimal disturbance. I've had greatly improved success since my early days keeping Boiga and will continue in this vein as it works for myself. In the event of increasing the size of enclosures as they grow I have found them not feed for me on odd occasions and had to repeat all processes over again. The important thing is not to worry in this event and leave them be again. The amount of settling in periods you will or have had to experience with this genus is unlike keeping most reptile species. The third rule really reiterates the first two partly. If you want a snake to regularly or even irregularly handle or even see, a Boiga, especially as a neonate will not appreciate it one iota or they will be 'nil by mouth'.Now the most talked about, feeding. This can send the most mentally hardened individual to ashes. This is where you have to cast your mind and think what environment your little snake originates. They can be unforgiving if the conditions are not adhered to and as keepers really have to try and mimic as much as we can and strive to provide this. I've never had too many problems being a geek and studying certain Flora, climates, altitudes worldwide etc. I have always tried to implicate conditions even if not possible I still try, that is myself. My Boigas have been fine but I will never stop tweaking this and that and I am the same with diets. Whichever Boiga species I am keeping I aim to replicate as near to the diets of the species as I can and this could be very difficult to find in your local reptile or pet outlet. I could go into scenting prey items with this or that, but to tell you the truth I have very rarely had any continual success here. I feel it is lazy and if you are this way inclined I refer to my third rule above, just my opinion of course. Other keepers could be having success this way and I have total respect for them that is ace and I never know I could try again in the future and could swing my thought process, never say never it is all part of the fun and learning. If traditional prey items do not work over a long period of time however, sourcing the prey items your Boiga desires could become difficult. I have bred House Geckos, trialled numerous bird species and their eggs with success and amphibians. One of my Boiga cynodon's will not touch birds but loves Zebra finch eggs, the other will not. Both don't do rodents or lizards and others will. Finches and their eggs have been great for me and always worth a try, easy to breed too. It's different strokes but they will or eventually will or not. The most important thing is to trial different food items if they can be sourced and try and find their response. Some individuals have to learn what their mouths are for and will eventually. In cases where assist feeding is required, again this can be successful or not. Boigas with any disturbance will spit out prey items or hold them in their mouths for many hours and spit it out, this can be very frustrating for yourself and them. Nowadays I try this only a few times and if unsuccessful I turn my hand to force feeding. To some it may be a crude form of feeding, but I would rather stress my snakes for a minute than two hours. I have found they start feeding a lot sooner this way and settle quicker too. At this stage it is easy to push a small prey item like a pinkie, day old quail or mouse tail into the mouth dependant on species of course and await to see if it chomps down. If the Boiga does, step away and observe, if it is in the 'feeding zone' leave it be, if unsuccessful, pushing two or three cm into the throat is a lot less stressful for both of you, keeps it's metabolism going and allows you to return it to it's solitude. Water and HumidityAs with all living organisms, water is the most important basis to survive. Whether in its purist form or in the air. All Boiga require a high humidity within their enclosures and like previously mentioned, this can be provided and controlled with sphagnum moss hides, water bowls strategically placed or certain substrates like soil and coco husk. In Really Useful Boxes this is very easy to maintain as plastic is a good insulator and acts as a sweat box, similar to a sauna. For adult Boigas in a vivarium or glass terrarium being more hands on and physically spraying a little more often will be required. Normally juvenile Boigas are a little more bold and tolerate this little extra attention, especially in daylight. At night they are alive and best left alone. It is said that there is no need for water bowls with Boiga as they do not drink standing water. I have observed this many times so always provide one, but many take the opportunity to drink of the roof of their enclosures.Regular water changes are crucial as Boiga have a tendency to do most of their defecating in their water bowls.TemperaturesFinding out as much as you are able to about your specific Boiga, such as its locality if wild caught, or if captive bred will give you a good head start and is crucial when it comes to acclimation. Previous owners temperatures are of importance to aid the settling in process too.For example, the extent of occurrence of Boiga cyanea is great and the wide range of temperature gradients within their locality is vast. The aim for creating a temperature that is as close as possible to their central locality environments is a good starting point to observe your snakes behaviour patterns. Boiga cyanea are found from Thailand to China, so have a wide spectrum of temperatures of which they can be comfortable and aim for a medium between the top and bottom ends of the yearly average of their habitats. I find that ambient temperatures of the enclosure are of great importance as I have observed adult Boigas choose certain spots to dwell, normally at 24C range. Very seldom do they hang around hot areas.HousingArboreal style vivarium or terrarium for adults are suitable. Rule of thumb for myself would be for a species 5-6ft, a 60x45x90cm enclosure would be ample living space and for a 7-9ft snake, a 80x45x80cm enclosure. As with the neonate boxes, packed with perches, foliage (artificial or live plants) sphagnum moss hides, cork bark tubes for security.

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