SpeciesEmerald tree boa
Emerald tree boa
Corallus caninus
An animal for experienced keepers: highly specialised, stress-sensitive and dependent on precise climate with good air movement.
- Group
- Snake
- Level
- Advanced
- Origin
- Northeastern South America
Where the species comes from
- World region
- Northeastern South America
- Countries
- Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Venezuela and northern Brazil
- Habitat
- Lowland rainforest, mainly in the canopy
The app does not yet hold an origin entry for this species. The distribution given here comes from the specialist literature.
The natural habitat is the yardstick for how you furnish an enclosure. Knowing where an animal comes from is knowing why it needs heat zones, hides and a particular humidity.
Husbandry at a glance
The same details appear in the animal’s profile inside the app.
- Enclosure
- A tall, well-ventilated enclosure with horizontal perching branches.
- Temperature
- Warm area 28–30 °C, cooler side 23–25 °C.
- Humidity
- Around 70–85 %, with a chance to dry out and good ventilation.
- Lighting
- Bright light, low-level UVB.
- Substrate
- A clean, moisture-buffering substrate.
- Furnishings
- Branches of several thicknesses, dense planting, visual barriers.
- Water
- Fresh water and controlled misting cycles.
- Feeding
- Thawed rodents at moderate intervals.
- Behaviour
- Nocturnal and sensitive to stress.
- Handling
- Only when necessary.
- Cohabitation
- Keep singly.
- Health
- Breathing, dehydration, spine and mouth.
- Seasonal cycle
- No winter rest and no cooling: The emerald tree boa lives in the lowland rainforest of the Guiana Shield at a constant 24–28 °C. In this species, cool phases quickly lead to respiratory diseases. The yearly rhythm runs through humidity, not temperature.
- Safety
- Sensitive to poor ventilation; a powerful bite.
Legal position in Switzerland
No permit foreseen
No permit required. The species does not belong to any of the groups listed in Art. 89 of the Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance
No certificate of competence foreseen
No proof of competence required. It is only demanded for the animals named in Art. 89 of the Ordinance
Species protection applies
CITES Appendix II: Import and transfer only with papers. When buying, ask for proof of origin and captive breeding
Minimum enclosure dimensions
Annex 2, table 5 of the Animal Welfare Ordinance does not prescribe centimetres but multiples of body length. For this species, item 43b (Green tree python and tree boas): floor area 1 × 0.5 body lengths, height 0.75 body lengths. The floor area applies to at most two animals; each further animal requires an additional 0.5 × 0.2 body lengths.
For this group, body length means the total length, from snout to tail tip. The largest animal in the enclosure is what counts. The enclosure may not be smaller even if fewer animals live in it than the table names.
| Total length | At least |
|---|---|
| 140 cm | 140 × 70 × 105 cm |
| 160 cm | 160 × 80 × 120 cm |
| 180 cm | 180 × 90 × 135 cm |
| 200 cm | 200 × 100 × 150 cm |
Animals may temporarily be kept in smaller enclosures: for quarantine, for the treatment of illness and injury, for acclimatisation, for breeding and rearing, and for winter or cold dormancy or aestivation (preliminary remark D on reptiles).
This is the legal lower limit, not a recommendation. An enclosure that meets exactly these dimensions is permitted, but not good for that reason. The details under “Husbandry at a glance” describe how the enclosure should be furnished, not how small it may be.
What the enclosure must provide
Provide species-appropriate heat and light zones, UV-B where needed, suitable substrate, retreats, climbing or digging options, water and natural rest periods.
Paperwork
Keep the purchase contract and proof of origin. Use the scientific name to check CITES and import status reliably.
These details are a guide, not legal advice. Binding information comes from the cantonal veterinary office; the text of the ordinance is what counts. More on the legal position
