Just aquired an import, advice needed please

[Gex the Gecko]

Just aquired 2 emerald imports (pi$s off i couldnt afford a CB) and of course after months of waitin the female arived dead but a replacement is in order. The male how ever is healthy and very aggressive towards anything or one, so im assuming hes totally healthy. Im not using any florcent lighting for a while due to the fact i have to cover for him to hide in and he has perched himself in typical emerald fashion on the water bowl, not the perch i had put in for him (PVC piping). He is under a 75 wat bulb that is dimmed to produce low light and a steady 80 degrees in the day and 72 at night with humidty being in the 80-90% range. His cage is 2x2x2 and is a melanine cage that probally makes him feel more comfortable in the fact hes enclosed. What are some tricks of the trade i can use to make sure this little guy doesnt end up like his mate? I dont even have them out in the open,there kept in my closet to ensure full privacy till i can put them outside. On a final note, i do have live plants in his cage to ensure fresh healthy air. if any one has any additional info or previous experinces i could really use the help. thank you

 

[Josephbrugh]

Well........

First off I just wish to say congrats on your entrance to the world of emerald tree boas, soon it will be all you keep.
As for the dead animal, I am assuming that the animal arrived in the container dead which is a tragic part of the shipping process, but **** happens when you have to send animals VIA UPS.
Now for the bay at hand. The first thing I would check is to see if he has been panacured/flagyled and if so how many times. I do 3 treatments 10-15 days apart, injected into the prey item does best. If he is really fresh, he may not eat for up to 6 months, but remember you are in emerald country now take your time, EVERYTHING HERE IS SLOW!!! Trust me when I say that I have NEVER EVER seen an emerald starve to death with out some outside source.

As for your temps, dont drop to 72 deg. unless you are planing to cycle and breed, you are just asking for trouble. Keep him at 84 deg. that is the ideal temp for keeping emeralds in peak condition, also allow a slight 4 deg drop in temp during the first 4 days after feeding.

Humidity, for awaile keep it low 70's, 80-90 for an animal under stress can land you a nasty respatory infection, in that case you will be shelling out 100.00 for some fortaz. Make absolutly sure that you drop the rel. humid. down to 40-50% during night time hours, to allow the cage to dry up, and prevent mold spores.

The plants can be a double edged sword, yes they make the air less muggy, but they also harbor alot of mold and bacteria. Keep in mind that this animal has just had a drastic change in husbandry(bad to good/good to bad) and his immune system is at a all time low. I dont use live plants at first, good air flow is just perfect for cutting down muggly air.

That should cover all of the questions, Like i said take it slow...

I love to spread the knowledge I have learned and keep people in this hobby to the long haul, so if you have any questions email me through my website Http://www.emeraldboas.com
If you couldent tell already I am rather long winded, so feel free to shoot me a email.

By the way WC animals are just as good if not better than CBB, Trust me I care for both, and my WC are twice as trouble free once aclimated properly.

Best of luck,
joe

http://www.emeraldboas.com
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