YELLOW ANACONDA
[eunectes notaeus]
GEOGRAPHY This snake inhabits Paraguay and Uruguay,Bolivia,Brazil and Northern Argentina.
CARE Admitedly this is one of my favorite snakes.Yellow anacondas can either be extremely attractive or dare I say not so hot looking.Some specimens may be a bright bannana yellow color and can be a star in any collection.The anacondas head is unlike any other boa with the eyes being slightly pointed upwards and the head not set off from the neck.The yellow anaconda is more aquatic than the green anaconda and tends to spend long hours in a water container.I have not noticed the blistering problems on the skin of the yellow as I have noticed with the green.They seem to be a bit more durable.I do however have a basking spot where my animals can dry off and avoid such problems.This is highly suggested.Not heat from underneath but overhead heat that can simulate basking which anacondas seem to love.O.K. lets get down to basic husbandry.This is an animal that should be kept on newspaper because it is clean and anacondas tend to be messy to clean up after.They can be kept on bark mulch however this may keep the humidity to high in the enclosure because of the size water container that the animal will require.The temperature should be in the low 80 's with a basking spot of around 90 degrees.The humidity should really not go above 75% prefferably about 60%.This is only a moderately sized snake unlike its gargantuan relative.This snake only reaches around 7' in length.In fact males may be only 5 or 6 feet!Females are larger however averaging between 7' and 9 feet in length.They really rarely exceed 10 feet but there always is an exception in every species and females of 12 feet may be found.In any case they do not get large enough to be a threat to human life,even though they are powerfull constrictors and can be very fast!Yellow anacondas are typically awesome feeders and will down rats very willingly.I once fed a 4 foot specimen 12 mice and he wanted more!!This is a lot of food and I would not suggest feeding a snake that much however he was coming off of a 6 month fast maybe longer because well........ he escaped a pet store for 6 months and was found in mid November next door in the health clubs hot tub!I am not making that up!! I of course did not work at the store before the escape[never would have happened if I were there] but I did work there when the ladies next door found him.He has lived with me for the past 6 years now and is one awesome looking yellow anaconda.Any how specimens usually only graduate to large rats and smaller rabbits or guinea pigs.Most specimens can become extremely tame.The skin on anacondas feels real soft like silk just like a D'alberts and is a pleasure to hold.However like its relative it has a nasty smelling musk which it will release on you readily if provoked.The teeth are extremely sharp and bites from even smaller specimens are definately painful.This snake can be kept in 4x2 foot enclosures until they become larger.A real large adult will be comfortable in a 6 foot or so enclosure.They love to soak especially when shedding and a large container should be available.I usually deprive them of water for a week every second week or so just so they can "dry off" so to speak.I would say they spend 40% of the time in the water and 60% out.This is if I did not mention earlier a more aquatic snake than the green anaconda.
BREEDING Well this is an easy snake to breed.Reports have come from individuals of snakes copulating without a temperature reduction however I doubt if the matings were fertile.This snake is also more resistant to cold than the green and can be cooled at night as low as 65 so long as a warm up occurs into the 80s during the day.Multiple males are not neccessary and females will produce every year as opposed to a lot of other boas.Temps at night should be dropped to between 65 and 72.With the day time warm up.Introduce males one month into the cool down with a warm up after a couple of months.If you notice copulation females should be given access to a basking spot.A spot when the female is gravid of 90-95 degrees will be used.Gestation takes about 4 months.A typical clutch is about 10 or 15 and they may give birth in the water.Large females may have up to 20 babies.Females may eat the unfirtiled ova or still born young and this is probaly either done in the wild to avoid smell so predators can not find the babies or may be to gain some extra nutrtion because of the fats a female may go through.There have been other suggestions as well.The juvies can either be relatively calm or little bundles of terror!This species can be agressive however they do calm down in captivity nicely.Juveniles measure around 20 inches and are shy and should be given a hide box.A hide box is optional for adults and mine spend maybe only 10% of the time in a hide box they would prefer being submerged with only the nose showing.Any way this is one species as juveniles that absolutely love goldfish!If specimens after the first shed do not feed on fuzzies goldfish will usually hit the spot.I have never observed constriction when a baby is eating a goldfish.They usually take it right from my fingers and just start going to town.I always piggy back the fish with a fuzzy mouse for the proper nutrients the animal needs.Fish are a poor food animal.Incedentally goldfish only work for baby yellows that are not feeding. Specimens over 3' that are fasting could care less about them.Older animals may fast during winter breeding months.
INDEX-SIZE-3 HANDLING-2-3 HOUSING-2-3 FEEDING-4 TEMPERAMENT-2-4
NOTES As I said earlier I do like these snakes big enough to impress but not too big to handle.Handling may be a 2 well it may be a one if you get an adult import.But on the whole captive raised animals can be as tame as a boa constrictor.The housing really is not bad if you are a boid fan like me.They do not require gigantic enclosures.Feeding is obvious as long term snakes can really eat well.And temperament varies with individuals but again most will become tame with a little work!
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