Hi keepers,
I want to bring a boa into my home. I love them and have wanted one for years, but lately i find myself going back and forth between whether to get a bci or a rainbow. I have a 6x2x3 foot enclosure, from what ive read i understand that rainbows are apparently a little more fragile which their need for very high humidity.
If there are any keepers who have experience with both species what are some of the biggest challenges to keep in mind when considering a new baby?
Thanks!
I have not kept either but I have many friends what have kept both and from their experience I can confirm absolutely that rainbows have significant humidity requirements and not being able to meet them can be extremely detrimental. It is not an exaggeration to say that a single day at the wrong conditions can mean death for a baby. Not saying you should not consider them, but I strongly advocate finding a mentor to discuss things in detail if you do opt to pursue them
I kept a BRB for several years. I got him as a tiny baby. As babies they do need a higher humidity so I kept him in a sterilite tub at first on paper towels with a water bowl large enough for him to soak himself up to his nose with UTH. I didn’t have to spray the tub. The water bowl worked well. I kept it clean and full at all times. I never had any shed issues at an 85 degree warm side temperature. That’s literally all I had to do. Babies do require a higher humidity than adults but again the tub worked well.
When he grew out of the largest tub, I bought a Boaphile pvc enclosure 4x2x2 and introduced him to it, still 85 degrees warm side, heat mat underneath, with unprinted/newspaper/packing paper (Amazon) and again a large water bowl. When he outgrew the bowl I gave him one of those tubs that they send you home with from the hospital. It was just perfect. He could immerse himself up to his nose and come out of it with a perfect shed. But it was a fairly deep little tub. Pink but I didn’t tell him! 
He was actually one of the easiest snakes I have ever kept. He happily accepted FT rats as well……
As long as you don’t put a BRB under drying bright lights and overhead heat of any sort, especially as babies, you should have no issues. The Boaphile didn’t have a light source inside it either but that’s the way I ordered it. All still very simple. He was always happy as a clam. BRB Personality is different than other boa types though……just a tad more flighty but can still be held with no issue
Edit to add: As adults BRBs are not nearly as delicate as babies humidity wise but they do require a certain type of set up that encourages humidity such as pvc type of enclosures, at least that’s according to my experience. I would not recommend using glass tanks. Period.