# Boas > Red Tail Boas >  Behira - 2016 Female Ivory Ghost - First BCI

## dakski

We got our first Boa yesterday!

She's a 2016 (so about 1 1/2 years old) Ivory Ghost BCI. 

She is incredibly docile and calm, and quite beautiful. We named her Behira because it means "light" and "clear" in Hebrew. 

She's a lighter morph and her eyes are bright blue-grey. 

Inserted is a picture I took of her as well as photos from the breeder. I will get more, and better photos up soon. 

We can't wait to watch her grow! We will update!

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## ladywhipple02

she's beautiful... mind if I ask who you purchased her from?

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_dakski_ (10-09-2017)

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## cletus

Beautiful boa!  Congrats!

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_dakski_ (10-09-2017)

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## dakski

We got her from BoaKings, a small breeder in NY. 

We live in CT and wanted to meet the breeder and snake before purchase. He (Gil) was great and worked with us to make sure we got a docile animal. That was our top priority. She is a 2016, not a 2017, but was the temperament we wanted and we loved the morph. She is young enough we can still watch her grow, but old enough that she is pretty tough and sturdy. 

We had narrowed in down to 2 animals and settled on her. Being a smaller breeder, Gil really knew the animals personalities and was able to point us in the right direction. 

I really cannot say enough about how awesome she is and how helpful Boakings was.

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C.Marie (01-07-2018),_CALM Pythons_ (01-14-2018),_Jus1More_ (10-14-2017),_Kam_ (11-24-2019),_ladywhipple02_ (10-11-2017)

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## Tigerhawk

She looks nice. You can't go wrong with Boa's .

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_dakski_ (10-09-2017)

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## dakski

Quick update. 

Today was feeding day for the snakes and I decided to offer food to Behira as well. Worst case, if she didn't eat, and was still settling in, I'd try again in a few days. 

SHE ATE LIKE A CHAMP! 

I am very happy. She seems to be settling in nicely!

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## dakski

Behira has eaten 3 times and we have had her for 2 1/2 weeks now. We feed every 7 days right now, and have been giving about 50G weaned rats. She can take bigger, but I wanted to start her off small. She's 499G as of today (and about 3 feet), but is due to poop, so probably a little less. Either way, may start on 60-65G small rats soon. All frozen thawed. 

In the meantime, I can see her growing! She's getting bigger by the day. 

Here are some pics. I am blown away by the light and dark phases she goes through in a day. 

Just had a soak!

[IMG][/IMG]



[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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Baldbugguy777 (07-29-2018),Glowworm (12-26-2021),kath_ (06-15-2019)

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## dakski

Quick update. Behira had her first shed with us today. She looks beautiful (pics coming soon, probably tomorrow). 

Until her "ideal setup" comes in a couple of weeks from boaphile, I have her in a tank that is good for humidity, not bad like a screen top, but not great either. So I have been misting and soaking her daily. 

She had a perfect shed! 2 eye caps and all in one piece. Awesome!

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## dakski

Here are pics, as promised, fresh after shedding. She dropped some massive waste and now weighs 464 grams.

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_FollowTheSun_ (02-24-2019),_Kam_ (11-16-2019),kath_ (06-15-2019),_ladywhipple02_ (11-06-2017)

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## Codil7

> Here are pics, as promised, fresh after shedding. She dropped some massive waste and now weighs 464 grams.


Beautiful girl! I just recently got one of my own who appears to be roughly the same age. Looking forward to seeing both of ours grow and progress. 


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_dakski_ (11-13-2017)

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## dakski

Wanted to update a few things on Behira. 

First, pictures are below and she is now 720G, but is due for some massive waste. My guess is she about 650G. She was 464G when we got her at the beginning of October. She is also starting to go in blue, and will shed this week, so her colors aren't vibrant, but I wanted to show the size difference. I'll post more pics after her shed. 

Secondly, I wanted to mention that I am changing her feeding schedule. She began eating small rats (55-65G) last month (3 rats) and then ate a 75G +/- rat last feeding. She's growing fast, and has no trouble with those prey items, however, I have read that feeding weekly once they get to small rats isn't the best idea. I've read multiple places that feeding even appropriate size prey weekly to Boas when they get to small rats and/or are 2 years old (she's about 1 year and 8 months, give or take), can cause them to grow too fast and cause premature death. Power-feeding, can cause Boa's to die before the age of 6, instead of living a long 20+ year life. 

I want what's best for her, so I am going to every two weeks for feeding. Apparently, feeding small items every week doesn't always work, because they often won't eat prey too small for them. And BCI's metabolism is slow, so appropriate sized meals every two weeks until she gets bigger is the plan. Then I plan to switch her to every 3 weeks once she's eating XL and Jumbo rats and her growing has slowed.  

Any thoughts on this are welcomed, as I am new to BCI's.

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_AbsoluteApril_ (01-10-2018),C.Marie (01-07-2018),_Godzilla78_ (01-14-2018),_Kam_ (11-16-2019),kath_ (06-15-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-08-2018)

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## Sauzo

My feeding schedule for all my boas is once every 7-10 days on mice. Once on weaned/small rats, every 2 weeks. Then when on medium rats, every 3 weeks. Then when on large rats, every 4 weeks. A boa wont need a jumbo rat until it is 7-8 ft or larger and by then you can feed little rabbits. If feeding rabbits, i would do every 6 weeks as they are much more dense.

Also, my boas stay on mice until they are about 1.5 years old or older. I dont rush them and like to feed on the smaller side to begin with. It's way too easy to overfeed a boa and since they have such a slow metabolism, it's easy to overfeed them but takes a very long time to slim them back down. BCI are much more forgiving on overfeeding. BCC are not. They can develop regurgitation syndrome which will kill them.

And your boa wont need jumbos for at least 5 years. My 5+ year old 6.5 ft girl is on large rats once a month and my almost 6 ft 4 year old sunglow girl is on mediums still but might be graduating to large rats soon. Heck, my almost 1.5 year old suriname BCC is on adult mice as well as my 1.5 year old Peruvian long tail BCL and my almost 2 year old salmon het sharp snowglow BCI. They all get mice every 2 weeks. Less is more when it comes to boas. Keep em lean and mean for a good long life.

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_dakski_ (01-08-2018),kath_ (06-15-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-08-2018)

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## Sauzo

Oh and you might notice how i say every 7-10 days for mice and then i say every 2 weeks for mice. This is because up to 1 year old i tend to feed every 7-10 days until they are on adult mice. Then i switch them to every 2 weeks and just stick to that schedule even with weaned/small rats.

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_dakski_ (01-08-2018),_richardhind1972_ (01-08-2018)

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## dakski

Sauzo, thank you again. I really appreciate the input. 

Also, as mentioned, Behira is about to shed, so I have been soaking her. 

Last night she dropped a big old poop and urate right in her soaking container! Not pleasant for anyone, but she was due!

She went from 720G a few days ago to 640G post MWD (Massive Waste Drop). 

Let's keep the Boa posts alive on well here! I love my BP, and BP's in general, but this is such a good site, it would be nice to see more Boa, and other reptile related, posts.

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Codil7 (01-10-2018),_Sauzo_ (01-10-2018)

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## Sauzo

> Sauzo, thank you again. I really appreciate the input. 
> 
> Also, as mentioned, Behira is about to shed, so I have been soaking her. 
> 
> Last night she dropped a big old poop and urate right in her soaking container! Not pleasant for anyone, but she was due!
> 
> She went from 720G a few days ago to 640G post MWD (Massive Waste Drop). 
> 
> Let's keep the Boa posts alive on well here! I love my BP, and BP's in general, but this is such a good site, it would be nice to see more Boa, and other reptile related, posts.


Dont soak a boa that is in blue. The 'blue' is actually liquid between the new and old skin. Soaking them can remove that liquid/oils from them and really mess up their shed. A lot of people say you need to up humidity when in shed but that is only after they are out of blue and really, you shouldnt need to up humidity if the boa is correctly hydrated. 

I almost never up my humidity anymore for any of my boas and they all shed fine. Same with my retic and BP. I usually try to keep around 70% humidity but with winter, i have been rather lazy and let it drop to 60-65% and have yet to see a problem. Actually my snakes seem to not like really high humidity and will push to try and get out. I sometimes spike the humidity by misting the aspen pretty heavy but i usually only do that once or maybe twice a week and then let it dry out.

And you want not pleasant.....imagine a 7 foot retic parking his bum over your bare foot and pissing on it lol. Caesar did that to me once and he also pooped on the floor once too. And a 7 foot retic can rip a small child sized poop easily haha.

And yeah, i need to get some new pics of my boas up. Gina my suriname has really grown and filled out since i got her. I need to get some pics of her and some new pics of Louie my BCL who has grown like a weed since i got him. He was really shy for a few months but has since become bold and is out every night climbing all over or perching on the litter dam looking down and he has gotten big lol.

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_dakski_ (01-10-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Great looking ghost there,its mad the difference in colour a boa can be from morning to night some times, Enjoy boas are great 


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_dakski_ (01-10-2018)

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## dakski

> Great looking ghost there,its mad the difference in colour a boa can be from morning to night some times, Enjoy boas are great 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


Yeah, she has her dark and light phases. It's pretty cool. 

Really enjoying my first BCI, she's awesome. 

I will post pictures post shed.

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_richardhind1972_ (01-11-2018)

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## AbsoluteApril

> I want what's best for her, so I am going to every two weeks for feeding. Apparently, feeding small items every week doesn't always work, because they often won't eat prey too small for them.


I think everything's been covered so I'm just throwing my $0.02 in on this - boas will eat small prey without issue, if one of my snakes refuses their f/t weaned rat or adult mouse for whatever reason and my corns and king were already fed, I'll toss it to one of my 4' boas and they happily snack it up (it's also rather comical to see a 4' boa try to coil an adult mouse).
 :Very Happy:

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_CloudtheBoa_ (02-20-2018),_dakski_ (01-11-2018),_Sauzo_ (01-10-2018)

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## Sauzo

> I think everything's been covered so I'm just throwing my $0.02 in on this - boas will eat small prey without issue, if one of my snakes refuses their f/t weaned rat or adult mouse for whatever reason and my corns and king were already fed, I'll toss it to one of my 4' boas and they happily snack it up (it's also rather comical to see a 4' boa try to coil an adult mouse).


Haha yeah. I tossed Vicky a weaned rat back when Dottie was on those and refused it. Watching Vicky try to coil a weaned rat at about 5 feet long was hilarious.

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_AbsoluteApril_ (01-11-2018),_richardhind1972_ (01-11-2018)

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## dakski

Behira shed last night. 

Pictures as promised.

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_CALM Pythons_ (01-14-2018),_Kam_ (11-16-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-15-2018)

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## Godzilla78

> Wanted to update a few things


Nice!  We need more photos of snakes chilling with their keepers.  It makes it more emotional.  




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_dakski_ (01-14-2018),kath_ (06-15-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-15-2018)

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## dakski

Just a quick photo. Behira is very photogenic. Now, if I got just get her to hold still when I want. LOL

I know the focus is not great, but I liked the photo!

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_Kam_ (11-16-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-25-2018),_RickyNY_ (05-10-2018)

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## svtvenom

I love her eyes! I'm new to boas and I've never seen one with grey eyes like that.

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_dakski_ (01-24-2018)

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## dakski

> I love her eyes! I'm new to boas and I've never seen one with grey eyes like that.


Her eyes blew me away. One of the reasons I picked an ivory ghost. 

Of course my BP is albino and has red eyes and my corn is hypo-lavender and has purple eyes!

So Many different colors.

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## svtvenom

If I ever get another boa I might have to get an ivory ghost! lol

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## dakski

I couldn't help it. I usually take Behira out in the evening, when she is often in her darker phase. Today, I took her out in the morning, and she was light as can be!

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_CloudtheBoa_ (02-20-2018),_Kam_ (11-16-2019),kath_ (06-15-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-27-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Boas have such cool eyes , i love the two tone, I have one with just black eyes aswell tho 


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c0r3yr0s3 (01-27-2018),_dakski_ (01-27-2018)

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## dakski

Behira weighed in at 670G today after a big waste dump.

She seems to be doing great and I am down to feeding a small rat every two weeks.  I confirmed with the breeder that she was born in June 2016, so she is a little more than a 1 1/2 years old. 

Still tame as anything once out of the cage, although we had an incident yesterday when I went to pick her up. Let's just say she was not in the mood. I will be using a hook from now on to let her know I will be picking her up. 

I am very happy with her slow growth and in general, couldn't be happier with her.

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## dakski

Wanted to post a picture today and a quick update. 

Pretty sure after doing some research and from another post here https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-Hook-Training, that my bite last weekend was a feeding response. Hers is strong and I misread the cues. I am now hook training and it's going great. 

She is still incredibly docile and inquisitive once out of her tank, but since she will be 7+ FT one day, I am being diligent with hook training. 

To be clear, I do not blame her, it was totally my fault. Afterwards, she let me pick her up, and was like, "sorry dad, thought you were food  :Sad: ."

Hook training makes all the sense in the world (she will be by far the biggest snake I have had - BP's and corns before her) and I still adore her.

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_CALM Pythons_ (02-10-2018),_Kam_ (11-24-2019),_richardhind1972_ (02-11-2018)

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## CALM Pythons

Love her Markings 


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_dakski_ (02-10-2018)

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## dakski

> Love her Markings 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yeah, me too! Subtle, but striking, if that makes sense?

Her tail pattern is almost grayish purple and her tongue is blackish blue. 

LOVE her eyes (gray and blue) and her temperament. We basically asked the breeder what his tamest snake (BCI) was. He sent us pictures of three snakes. We liked her the best. There was a hypo male who looked pretty cool too. But, we are incredibly happy with Behira. 

Was also considering a Sunglow or Sunglow Motley, but already having an Albino Spider BP, wanted something a little different. 

For those who are curious, Behira is a Ivory Ghost, 66% Het Moonglow. So, she is Hypo Anery.

As indicated in this thread, she has light and dark phases, as do all BCI's. Her head can almost jet black or totally tan and her body can be dark tan to light tan.

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_CALM Pythons_ (02-11-2018)

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## dakski

One picture Katie took of me and Behira. She doesn't seem so small until I see a picture of me holding her compared to adult female BCI's! Anyway, love her to death (both Katie and Behira) and can't wait to see her grow (Behira). 

She is only 1 1/2 or so and about 700G. BCI's grow slow, so it will be a while, but it's all good. Healthy snake over rushing her growth!

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_AbsoluteApril_ (02-15-2018),c0r3yr0s3 (02-14-2018),_CALM Pythons_ (02-14-2018),_CloudtheBoa_ (02-20-2018),_Kam_ (11-24-2019),_richardhind1972_ (02-15-2018),svtvenom (02-15-2018)

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## richardhind1972

She looks a nice solid girl, great markings on her ,slow grown is much better anyway dakski, 


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_dakski_ (02-15-2018)

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## AbsoluteApril

She's such a doll! So pretty

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_dakski_ (02-15-2018),_richardhind1972_ (02-15-2018)

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## dakski

Okay, probably overdoing the new camera thing, but with such pretty animals, and Behira being such a gorgeous young lady, who could resist?

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c0r3yr0s3 (02-18-2018),_CloudtheBoa_ (02-20-2018),_Godzilla78_ (02-17-2018),_Kam_ (11-24-2019),_richardhind1972_ (02-17-2018),_Sauzo_ (02-17-2018)

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## dakski

Thought I'd post in Behira's thread, a thread I started yesterday regarding how big Behira will get! Seemed appropriate to put here as well. 

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...et-myself-into

Thank you everyone for the thanks and support with Behira. She is my first BCI and I adore her, but also want to make sure I am continuing to do the correct things for her. I want a happy and healthy snake for a long time!

I will continue to update as she grows, although maybe not so often! I still have new snake fever!

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## ckuhn003

Several months ago when I got my 1st BP, I had no interests in a BOA but I've gotten the itch pretty bad these last couple of weeks looking at your threads and the rest of the boa owners. I would never pull the trigger w/o a massive amount of research but Behira is stunning! I'll admit, I've been looking at Hog Island Boas but she his stunning. It seems like Boas are a little bit more social and better eaters then BPs which is very appealing right now. Congrats on a great find!

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_dakski_ (02-17-2018),_richardhind1972_ (02-17-2018)

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## dakski

> Several months ago when I got my 1st BP, I had no interests in a BOA but I've gotten the itch pretty bad these last couple of weeks looking at your threads and the rest of the boa owners. I would never pull the trigger w/o a massive amount of research but Behira is stunning! I'll admit, I've been looking at Hog Island Boas but she his stunning. It seems like Boas are a little bit more social and better eaters then BPs which is very appealing right now. Congrats on a great find!


Thank you, I think Behira is stunning as well! Great contrast of coloration and markings on her, and her eyes are beautiful!

Yes, BCI's (what most morphs are - but always check - BCC's need more humidity and grow slower but get bigger) will devour any food put in front of them, pretty much. Behira is more like my corn snake in terms of food response than my BP, for sure. The problem with Boa's is NOT overfeeding. It can be really bad for their health. Behira is 1 1/2 (roughly - June 16 baby), and I am already feeding small rats (but smaller than she can eat - 60G or so when she could eat 80G) every other week. She would happily eat weekly or more, but I do not want health issues later. Smaller meal every two weeks. Basically, the bigger the snake and the bigger the prey item, the longer between feedings. Adult BCI's can eat large/jumbo/colossal rats every 3-4 weeks (again depending on size of boa and prey relative to boa). Their metabolism is SLOW!

A strong feeding response is awesome compared to a BP who, as you know, can fast or refuse food. I don't think you really need to worry about that with BCI's. However, long hemostats/tongs and being careful is a must!

There are some amazing morphs of BCI's and many are not super expensive. Behira was about $500. However, there are many beautiful morphs for that or less. I love the Hypos as well, and they are closer to $200-300 or so, from what I have seen (from the same breeder I got Behira from and I like very much). I am partial to Sunglows as well, but already having an Albino BP, went in another direction. 

However, moving from a BP up to a BCI you have to consider a lot. 

1. Experience level - BCI's in particular are generally puppy dog tame, but they do get BIG, females in particular. I asked the breeder for the tamest BCI he had, male or female, and Behira was one of 3 finalists. We loved her coloration and markings and her eyes! A tame young BCI will likely be a tame adult with proper handling, husbandry, etc. They can be nippy when young, as can BP's, but tend to grow out of it. 

I think richardhind1972 has a BCI, Medusa, that took a while to calm down, LOL. However, I think that is rarer than it is common. 

2. Costs and ability to provide for: Food, heating, proper sized enclosure (BIG - especially if you have a female) that can maintain heat AND humidity, etc.  

3. Place in life and where you live and if you own, rent, or plan to move soon. Moving a 4FT BP isn't a huge deal and I imagine most landlords don't mind. However, a 7-8FT female BCI, in a 6 foot enclosure, that's asking a lot and is a big commitment. 

4. Spouse, partner, future partner, etc. It took Katie a while to get used to the reptiles and I do not think she is thrilled about how big Behira will be. Could you imagine her coming to my house, or hearing that I had a BIG snake, before she was comfortable with even Figment (my corn) or Shayna my BP. 

Not trying to preach, but I thought about all this when I got Behira. It is definitely a bigger commitment getting a large snake as opposed to a smaller one. I just want anyone considering a BCI to know what they should think about. 

Having said that, I think she is one the coolest animals I have ever had. She is calm, but inquisitive, and more active when being held than most BP's, but without being daunting when she is big. I really like her personality. 

Male BCI's are usually 4-6FT, maybe a little bigger, and have much less girth. They are probably a better foray into BCI's, as are some dwarf species (although I cannot speak to temperament or requirements for those), than doing what I did and get a female BCI as my first big snake!

Again, not trying to turn anyone off, and I truly love Behira. However, it was a big decision for me. Now, I am committed. Katie is too  :Smile: .

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_ckuhn003_ (02-17-2018),_richardhind1972_ (02-18-2018)

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## ckuhn003

> Thank you, I think Behira is stunning as well! Great contrast of coloration and markings on her, and her eyes are beautiful!
> 
> Yes, BCI's (what most morphs are - but always check - BCC's need more humidity and grow slower but get bigger) will devour any food put in front of them, pretty much. Behira is more like my corn snake in terms of food response than my BP, for sure. The problem with Boa's is NOT overfeeding. It can be really bad for their health. Behira is 1 1/2 (roughly - June 16 baby), and I am already feeding small rats (but smaller than she can eat - 60G or so when she could eat 80G) every other week. She would happily eat weekly or more, but I do not want health issues later. Smaller meal every two weeks. Basically, the bigger the snake and the bigger the prey item, the longer between feedings. Adult BCI's can eat large/jumbo/colossal rats every 3-4 weeks (again depending on size of boa and prey relative to boa). Their metabolism is SLOW!
> 
> A strong feeding response is awesome compared to a BP who, as you know, can fast or refuse food. I don't think you really need to worry about that with BCI's. However, long hemostats/tongs and being careful is a must!
> 
> There are some amazing morphs of BCI's and many are not super expensive. Behira was about $500. However, there are many beautiful morphs for that or less. I love the Hypos as well, and they are closer to $200-300 or so, from what I have seen (from the same breeder I got Behira from and I like very much). I am partial to Sunglows as well, but already having an Albino BP, went in another direction. 
> 
> However, moving from a BP up to a BCI you have to consider a lot. 
> ...


A lot of great info. Definitely book marking this thread once I'm ready (if ever) to pull the trigger. I was quite surprised when I was able to talk my wife into allowing a BP in the house and I honestly think she's become to like him. A larger BOA might take a little bit more convincing and I'd probably go w/ a male to limit the size. I have an AP-10 on the way and if all works out, I could potentially see another one stacked for a Boa. I'll probably do a little more exploring once the next Repticon comes around. Always appreciate the informative writeups you provide. Us beginners rely on the experience and wealth of knowledge people like you provide. I don't think I know of another snake owner so I'm kind of limited on gaining info  :Wink:

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_dakski_ (02-18-2018)

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## dakski

> A lot of great info. Definitely book marking this thread once I'm ready (if ever) to pull the trigger. I was quite surprised when I was able to talk my wife into allowing a BP in the house and I honestly think she's become to like him. A larger BOA might take a little bit more convincing and I'd probably go w/ a male to limit the size. I have an AP-10 on the way and if all works out, I could potentially see another one stacked for a Boa. I'll probably do a little more exploring once the next Repticon comes around. Always appreciate the informative writeups you provide. Us beginners rely on the experience and wealth of knowledge people like you provide. I don't think I know of another snake owner so I'm kind of limited on gaining info


Thank you Ckuhn003; I really appreciate the compliment(s) and I am glad this thread is helpful to you! Also really touched that you find my posts informative!

A male makes a lot of sense, especially if you are stacking T10's. Those are 4'X2' and 15 inches high, correct? I would say that would be great for a BP, if not a little bigger than necessary (of course I have a BP in a 6X2' and it works great, so not judging at all). It would probably be just right for a male BCI up to 6FT or so (which, if fed properly, and check with the breeder that the parents are not huge, etc.), which is very reasonable. I personally think a T10 is too small for an adult female BCI, but others' may chime in and say it's ok. 

I get convincing your wife though. For what it is worth, I told Katie we should get a male and that it wouldn't be much larger than Shayna. She was not in favor of getting another animal, period, certainly not a big snake. 

So, I "compromised," and said what about a male BCI? She said, "okay," reluctantly. Then we saw the pictures of what the breeder we particularly liked had. She really liked Behira as she had the best temperament to feeding response ratio, and was totally tame. She really liked Behira. I said, "are you sure"? "Females get a lot bigger." She said, "do what you want."

I pick my battles, but give Katie a lot of credit here for going along with me on this particular ride. She was especially not happy a couple weeks ago when I got that feeding response bite. She did pull the, "I said I didn't want another animal," card, but as noted in my thread on the bite, was happily holding Behira again within a week. She also apologized for using that card and heard me out, and let me explain hook training, etc. 

In any event, I would definitely go to some shows like you say, and hold some BCI's and see different morphs. First, BCI's feel different than BP's in terms of skin feel, the way they move, and strength. They are deceivingly strong. At 3+ FT I think Behira is as strong as Shayna at 4FT (and 2X the weight), or at least flexes her muscles more  :Smile: . 

I had never held a BCI before meeting Behira's breeder at a show. I did a lot of research after, and worked with him to make an informed decision. 

However, I never really paid attention to how big they got until after I thought about and had Behira. Probably a good idea to check out some adults, if possible. At least look at some pictures or videos online. They are more snake than a BP for sure!

I would hate for your wife to regret the decision in 5 years!

I have that fear with Katie a little, but she is watching her grow, and I think it will be fine. 

I really didn't even realize how big 6X2' tanks are until I got mine and set them up! Right now Behira looks so small in there, but not forever!

I also know very few, if any reptile, people. I rely on breeders, this site, reading a ton, a little trial and error, youtube, etc. I take most of youtube and some of what I read with a grain of salt though. Many more people seem to rely on me to answer reptile questions than the other way around. However, I am still not afraid to ask questions!

Keep asking questions and exploring your interests!

Good luck and let me know if I can be of any more help.

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_ckuhn003_ (02-18-2018),_richardhind1972_ (02-18-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Nice to see people taking on the responsibility and really thinking about the boas long term .as you have already said boas are deffinetly a lot stronger than ball pythons ,
Your right my img is pretty much an exception and shes really chilled out now but most of mine like yours have been pretty much sweet as since I had them, When i bred mine last year I made sure I handled the babies regular to make sure they was nice and chilled for there new owners to be, 

Remember there are lots of pure locality  dwarf boas that pretty much never exceed 5ft just as nice as any morph 


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_dakski_ (02-18-2018)

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## dakski

> Nice to see people taking on the responsibility and really thinking about the boas long term .as you have already said boas are deffinetly a lot stronger than ball pythons ,
> Your right my img is pretty much an exception and shes really chilled out now but most of mine like yours have been pretty much sweet as since I had them, When i bred mine last year I made sure I handled the babies regular to make sure they was nice and chilled for there new owners to be, 
> 
> Remember there are lots of pure locality  dwarf boas that pretty much never exceed 5ft just as nice as any morph 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thank you.

I am glad I waited until this level of experience, age, and maturity, to get my first BCI. The same way I am glad I didn't get my supercar until I was old enough and mature enough not to kill myself, or go to jail  :Smile: !

Sometimes people forget, or don't realize, that there is a lot of responsibility in caring for animals, and reptiles in particular. They live a long time, can get large, and require us to provide everything for them! We have to control their environment safely as well as feed, clean, etc. 

It can be very rewarding and enjoyable, but it's not all fun and games. 

Do they have locality dwarf boas in different morphs as well, or do they just have different coloration depending on the locality? I've only seen a few dwarf Boa's and they were very young.

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## richardhind1972

Yes theres a fair few paint jobs now in the locality,some are still true locality too,all the bloods come from the El Salvador boas and there really small and the leopards are from the sonorion which are also small ,and there are some absolutely amazing leopards about now,even the Incas in the Nicaraguan boas are cool and most under 5ft and the t+ in the nics are really nice, my sunglow is from a 3rd generation down size project and the male is 5 and only just 3ft so worth a look if people are worried about the overall size 


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_dakski_ (02-18-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Some nice leopards 



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_dakski_ (02-18-2018)

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## dakski

> Some nice leopards 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


WOW! Striking animals! They look awesome!

Thank you for posting this!

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_richardhind1972_ (02-18-2018)

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## Jus1More

> WOW! Striking animals! They look awesome!
> 
> Thank you for posting this!


Vin Russo produces some of the most amazing looking Sonoran/Leopards. I wish I could visit a expo he sells at... I would definitely buy a baby from him!

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_richardhind1972_ (02-18-2018)

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## richardhind1972

The projects he works on are just amazing arnt they, my corn islands parents where vin Russo imports 


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## dakski

Okay, I admit, having way too much fun with my new camera. Loving the Macro lens! See below and my thread on Frank the BTS (you can see the the detail on his tongue!). 

The first picture is just Behira chilling on the chair downstairs. The others are close ups of her beautiful face with the macro lens and one of her scales. You can see the iridescence. I hope they look okay on the forum; I had to make them small. The originals you can zoom way in!



.

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_AbsoluteApril_ (02-20-2018),c0r3yr0s3 (02-19-2018),_CloudtheBoa_ (02-20-2018),_Jus1More_ (02-24-2018),_Kam_ (11-24-2019),_Prognathodon_ (02-20-2018),_richardhind1972_ (02-20-2018)

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## c0r3yr0s3

She's beautiful. Nice picture quality too. My only camera is my phone and it doesn't come close to capturing the true beauty of anything, especially snakes

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_dakski_ (02-20-2018)

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## Zincubus

> Okay, I admit, having way too much fun with my new camera. Loving the Macro lens! See below and my thread on Frank the BTS (you can see the the detail on his tongue!). 
> 
> The first picture is just Behira chilling on the chair downstairs. The others are close ups of her beautiful face with the macro lens and one of her scales. You can see the iridescence. I hope they look okay on the forum; I had to make them small. The originals you can zoom way in!
> 
> 
> 
> .


That's a beautiful Boa !!

Maybe take a series or photos over a BLACK background to enhance the colours even more ..


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

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_dakski_ (02-20-2018),lew-e (02-20-2018)

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## dakski

> She's beautiful. Nice picture quality too. My only camera is my phone and it doesn't come close to capturing the true beauty of anything, especially snakes


Thank you! I love her. 

The phones have come pretty far, but if you know what you are doing (even a little like me), real cameras still take the best shots. 

For what it's worth, half the photos I have up are spur of the moment from my iPhone.  :Smile: .

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## dakski

> That's a beautiful Boa !!
> 
> Maybe take a series or photos over a BLACK background to enhance the colours even more ..
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


I thought about black, but had her out, and was excited to try out the lens AND she was holding still! Need to be really still for a macro lens to work especially in lower light. Very still, tripod, etc. 

I'll try to do some with a better background soon!

Thank you for the tip!

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## CloudtheBoa

As far as the feeding, I feed my boas based off of age, if that's known.  All meals leave little to no bulge, and if they leave a larger bulge than I like, I either wait an extra 1-2 weeks or skip a feeding day, and then offer their usual size.


Birth - 1 year get fed every 10-14 days.
1 year olds get fed 14+ days.
2 year olds get fed every 2-3 weeks.
3+ year olds get fed every 4-6 weeks, though most of mine don't go any longer than 5 weeks.


I also begin reducing feeds during the winter at the 1.5 year mark, and fasts at the 2.5 year mark.  If I decide they aren't ready for fasting one winter, I'll just reduce feeding or feed normally through the winter.  I also drop temps slightly if I fast, but not if I just reduce feedings.  If I reduce feedings, that's half as often for about 4 months, if I fast that's a temp drop with no food for 3 months.


If I don't know the age, I feed based off of prey size, because feeding the way I do, I've found they're normally on X prey size by X age.  Unless some other factor makes me decide otherwise, this is what I use for prey sizes:


All mice get fed every 10-14 days.  They're generally off of mice around the 1.5-2 year mark.
Weaned rats get fed every 2-3 weeks.  They're generally on weaned rats from 1.5-2.5 years old.
Small rats get fed every 3 weeks.  They're usually on smalls from 2.5+ years.
Mediums get fed every 4 weeks.
Larges and 1/2 lb rabbits get fed every 4-6 weeks.
1 lb rabbits get fed every 6-8 weeks.
2 lb rabbits get fed every 8-10 weeks.


That said, none of my boas have gotten big enough to eat anything larger than a large rat or 1/2 lb rabbit, my biggest is 7'.  A lot of people I see give boas that size 2-3 lb rabbits, but imo that's just way way too much.  I wouldn't feed a 1 lb rabbit to a boa under 8', and I wouldn't feed a 2-pounder to a boa under 9'-10'.  Which boas rarely ever get that big.  I have a 7 year old male that's 4'2", a 6.5 year old male that's 6.5', and a 9.5 year old female that's around the 7' mark so she likely won't be getting any bigger either.


I completely avoid jumbo mice, jumbo or larger rats, Guinea pigs, pigs, and hamsters due to fat content.  If you don't have access to rabbits, I would make any rats above a large 1/3 of the diet or less.  So feed large-large-jumbo, then back to large-large-jumbo, etc.  Just to balance out the fat intake.  Do not ever feed the giant rats, they've been known to cause color loss, liver failure, and death quite quickly in boas.  Very few suppliers have them, but I believe Rodent Pro does.


None of my boas ever get fed weekly (not as a normal part of a healthy boa's diet anyways), imo it's not necessary.




6'x2's are definitely really big. lmao  I have two 6'x2's that are 3' tall, and since they're wooden, there is no real way to take them apart.  Which has made them a real pain to move around, but I may eventually switch those out for 6' AP cages so I can just break them down.  I like being able to offer my boas the bigger floor space of the 6'x2's, but 4'x2's are definitely better space savers. haha




Nothing beats a nice DSLR!  I like to have a few different ones on hand.  I have a T3i I plan on switching out for a newer model later on down the road, and I want to get another Nikon D3200 or later as well, since they capture colors and pictures slightly differently.  I like the flash photography better on the Nikons, but Canon takes way better sunlight photos imo.

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_dakski_ (02-20-2018),_RickyNY_ (05-10-2018)

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## dakski

Okay, so I have heard mixed views on feeding larger rats to BCI's when they are appropriate size. 

If I don't have easy access to rabbits, what should I do when Behira is full grown (obviously not sure how big she will be but the breeder estimated 13-20 pounds, and 6.5-8FT, based on the size of her parents). 

What's the largest size rat you would feed a BCI (by weight and/or age please - everyone seems to label them differently)? Instead of a 600-700G rat, would you feed two 300G rats instead and still every 3-4 weeks? Or, feed a smaller rat every 2-3 weeks, etc?

If feeding two rats, do they take willingly? The only snake species I have experience feeding multiple food items at once (in one feeding) is very young corn snakes. They are garbage disposals. 

I thought when Behira was a big girl that I would feed appropriate sized rats every 3-5 weeks. However, I have heard several times now, that really large rats are not good for BCI's because of fat content. 

At 15 pounds, Behira would be about 6,800 grams. So a 400-600G rat would make sense, right? However, do not want to feed her something that isn't going to be healthy for her. 

For what it is worth, I know I have a long time before she's eating anything near that size (she's about 700G now). However, would be good to know and (I think) good for other BCI keepers on here to know too. 

I usually get from Big Cheese Rodent Factory. 

Large: 180-279G

Jumbo (6-8 months old and retired breeders): 280-399G

Colossal (also 6-8 months old and retired breeders): 400G-700G

Any thoughts are welcomed. 

 Thank you in advance.

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## AbsoluteApril

I'll feed jumbos but IMO Colossals are too fatty.

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_dakski_ (02-20-2018)

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## Dutti

> I'll feed jumbos but IMO Colossals are too fatty.


My dear boy is 21 months old now. The last time he ate was on the 8th of December. He decided to go off food now(winter). He was eating jumbo live rats 400+ grams. I,m not sure if those Jumbos or Colossals.

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## dakski

> I'll feed jumbos but IMO Colossals are too fatty.


Okay, so up to 400G, or there about, is safe, in your opinion?

How big is/are your BCI(s) that eat the jumbos?

What is their feeding schedule?

Thank you! I appreciate the response.

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## AbsoluteApril

> Okay, so up to 400G, or there about, is safe, in your opinion?
> 
> How big is/are your BCI(s) that eat the jumbos?
> 
> What is their feeding schedule?
> 
> Thank you! I appreciate the response.


I don't weigh feeders (and never really weighed my snakes until i got back into BPs recently) but yeah, jumbos are about as big as I go for rats. I got a couple XXL when one of my suppliers was out of XL (jumbo) recently and they just seem fatty to me, the boas' defecations were also a bit greasy looking (which is usually from too much fat in the feeder). 

My boas that eat jumbos are 6-6'5 adults (over 10yrs of age). Usually 1 jumbo every 6 weeks or so (I try to vary it between 4-8 weeks). For my biggest girl who was 8.5' (she passed last year at 28yrs old), she'd take small rabbits but I didn't have a reliable source, so I'd usually give her 2 jumbos. 

Different things work, there's no 'set' schedule but generally with boas, slower growing is the way to go for good muscle density and long life.
I hope that helps a little!

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_dakski_ (02-21-2018)

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## dakski

> I don't weigh feeders (and never really weighed my snakes until i got back into BPs recently) but yeah, jumbos are about as big as I go for rats. I got a couple XXL when one of my suppliers was out of XL (jumbo) recently and they just seem fatty to me, the boas' defecations were also a bit greasy looking (which is usually from too much fat in the feeder). 
> 
> My boas that eat jumbos are 6-6'5 adults (over 10yrs of age). Usually 1 jumbo every 6 weeks or so (I try to vary it between 4-8 weeks). For my biggest girl who was 8.5' (she passed last year at 28yrs old), she'd take small rabbits but I didn't have a reliable source, so I'd usually give her 2 jumbos. 
> 
> Different things work, there's no 'set' schedule but generally with boas, slower growing is the way to go for good muscle density and long life.
> I hope that helps a little!



Thank you! That is very helpful. 

I am sorry for your loss last year. 28 years is a great run though. You sound like a great keeper and I am sure you gave her a great life. 

Yeah. Slow and steady. Behira isnt even 2 and is eating smaller meals every 2 weeks.

I want a happy and healthy girl for a long time!

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## CloudtheBoa

> Okay, so I have heard mixed views on feeding larger rats to BCI's when they are appropriate size. 
> 
> If I don't have easy access to rabbits, what should I do when Behira is full grown (obviously not sure how big she will be but the breeder estimated 13-20 pounds, and 6.5-8FT, based on the size of her parents). 
> 
> What's the largest size rat you would feed a BCI (by weight and/or age please - everyone seems to label them differently)? Instead of a 600-700G rat, would you feed two 300G rats instead and still every 3-4 weeks? Or, feed a smaller rat every 2-3 weeks, etc?
> 
> If feeding two rats, do they take willingly? The only snake species I have experience feeding multiple food items at once (in one feeding) is very young corn snakes. They are garbage disposals. 
> 
> I thought when Behira was a big girl that I would feed appropriate sized rats every 3-5 weeks. However, I have heard several times now, that really large rats are not good for BCI's because of fat content. 
> ...


Any adult boa under 8' should easily be able to stay on regular larges for life, without any need for jumbos, colossals, etc.  My 7' girl just gets a regular large rat or 1/2 lb rabbit every 4-5 weeks.  She's 10-13 lbs.  My 6.5' boy is only 8.5-9 lbs, and gets the same size meal, but his rabbits may be as small as 1/4 lb.

This is my 7' girl.



My larges are in the 150-265 gram range, I buy from both Big Cheese and Perfect Prey as is available.  I don't feed rats to my 6'-7' boas that are over maybe 290 grams max.




> My dear boy is 21 months old now. The last time he ate was on the 8th of December. He decided to go off food now(winter). He was eating jumbo live rats 400+ grams. I,m not sure if those Jumbos or Colossals.


If your boa is 21 months old and already large enough to eat jumbo rats, he's been power fed.  My 33 month old boas are 4' or under, and eating small rats.  Are you positive about the age?  How long have you had him, and how big was he when you got him?  As I've mentioned, not even my big 7' girl gets jumbos.

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_AbsoluteApril_ (02-21-2018),_dakski_ (02-21-2018),_Kam_ (11-24-2019)

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## AbsoluteApril

> If your boa is 21 months old and already large enough to eat jumbo rats, he's been power fed.  My 33 month old boas are 4' or under, and eating small rats.  Are you positive about the age?  How long have you had him, and how big was he when you got him?  As I've mentioned, not even my big 7' girl gets jumbos.


Since this may easily get derailed, prior threads about this:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...oa-Constrictor
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-you-give-them
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...erage-boa-size
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ng-with-my-Boa

PS I love your jungle Cloud, so pretty

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_dakski_ (02-21-2018),_MissterDog_ (02-21-2018)

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## Dutti

> Any adult boa under 8' should easily be able to stay on regular larges for life, without any need for jumbos, colossals, etc.  My 7' girl just gets a regular large rat or 1/2 lb rabbit every 4-5 weeks.  She's 10-13 lbs.  My 6.5' boy is only 8.5-9 lbs, and gets the same size meal, but his rabbits may be as small as 1/4 lb.
> 
> This is my 7' girl.
> 
> 
> 
> My larges are in the 150-265 gram range, I buy from both Big Cheese and Perfect Prey as is available.  I don't feed rats to my 6'-7' boas that are over maybe 290 grams max.
> 
> 
> ...


I was there when he was born. I got him when he was a month old and since then i have him. I have his identification papers with his birth date with me. I don,t think that he is power fed, because the last time he ate was on the 8th of December, that does not sound powerfeeding to me. He makes the rules, so he decided to stop eating in winter so i did not force him to feed. usually i feed him every two weeks on average. Here is a photo of him the day i got him
[IMG][/IMG]

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## CloudtheBoa

It seems some others have mentioned the same thing about potential overfeeding.  Keep in mind, boas have a limit to what they will eat.  Some will eat themselves to death, some will regulate their intake, but it takes a _LOT_ of food to get them to stop eating.  If your boa is willingly going off of food every so often, considering what you've said about his feeding and the large size for his age, that is likely what's going on.  He's getting more food than he needs, so he's going off of food.  I went through a similar experience with Cloud when I was unknowingly power-feeding him.  He was eating jumbo-sized rats when he should have still been on smalls (he was 4.5'-5'), after a few feedings, he started missing feeds until he went from weekly feedings to every 4 weeks on his own.  I dropped him back down, and he went back to eating weekly, but I no longer feed my boas that often.

Your boa is already a few feet longer than my 2.5 year old boas at only 1.5 years old.  My boas that are an entire year older than your boa are 2'-2.5' shorter than your boa.  They are both getting small rats every 3 weeks, not jumbos every 1 or 2 weeks.  That feeding schedule is power feeding, and would explain his rapid growth.

I do want to say, it is easy to assume that is normal growth and the feeding is acceptable, because most people do power feed their snakes and 6'-6.5' is common by 2-3 years old on the average feeding schedule.  1.5 years is a bit young, but I have heard of it.  Most breeders feed their snakes with rapid growth in mind for early breeding.  Instead of waiting 5-6 years for their females to properly mature and 3+ years for males, they get females to breeding size by about 2-3 years old and males as early as 18 months.  This unfortunately reduces the viability of their reproduction, drastically shortens their lifespan (by up to a quarter of their potential lifespan), and increases the chance of mortality while gravid or from fatty liver disease.

Since power feeding is the norm for breeders, and breeders have a lot of influence over the community, it is easy for inexperienced owners to assume that feeding method is ok.  So many people are stuck on this feeding regimen, that even a lot of keepers who view their feeding as conservative still feed a lot more food than is necessary or healthy for boas.  You want a slow, even growth for maximum health and longevity.  Getting them up to adult sizes before 4-6 years old is quite unhealthy for them, but since that's a norm, it's hard to gauge what is healthy growth for a lot of keepers.

Most of the biggest, most experienced breeders of boas (especially breeders that actually study boas in their natural habitat) feed in similar manners as I do, as they've found out that boas live longer and breed better when fed a lot less than the average keeper feeds their boas.  Many boas would die by 6-15 years, so several breeders, such as Vin Russo, developed a dramatic rehaul in boa feeding to increase health in their collections.  This is why my advise is such that is, and why I mentioned the possibility of power feeding to you with your boa.

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_dakski_ (02-21-2018)

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## CloudtheBoa

> PS I love your jungle Cloud, so pretty


Thanks!  She came straight from Gray Rushin, already proven, top notch quality with multiple pastel lineages.  She was bred for the first time at 7 years old, had a perfect litter of 19 babies, no stills or slugs.  :Smile:   She'll be 10 years this June.  One of her daughters really caught my eye, but I wanted a female that was already mature enough to breed, so I went with her mother.

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_Charles8088_ (02-28-2018)

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## dakski

I love Behira!

She ate tonight. Hadn't eaten in two weeks, which is her schedule now that she is on small rats and weighs 690G empty. 

So I put the defrosted and warm F/T rat on tongs, dangle in front of her for a little, and nothing. She looked interested, but didn't strike right away. 

So, I did what I have done in the past, put it down in front of her.

She spent 1/2 an hour watching me feed everyone else, looking out the front of her tank, sniffing the air and even the rat, etc. 

Finally, she bit into the rat, got really excited, half struck while biting it, bit harder, and coiled it! This time she didn't coil for, seemingly, ever, and started chowing down quickly. 

She's a goof, but I love her. Nice to have another snake who happily eats even when I don't shake it for a while to elicit a strike. 

My BP, Shayna is so shy, she almost never strikes, and wants the rat put down, and me to walk away. Figment, my corn snake, could care less. If I shake for 1 second, he strikes, if I drop it in, he strikes, etc. He eats anything anytime!

Anyway, very happy she is eating regularly (which she always has) and seems happy. She is really settled in now.

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_richardhind1972_ (02-26-2018)

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## dakski

Okay, quick question, for the BCI/snake behavior experts out there. 

I have been hook training Behira for about 3 weeks now, and that is going great. 

I feed her at night with tank lights, and most room lights, off, so it's pretty dark. 

During the day/lights on is when I handle. Her lights are on from 9AM-9PM, give or take a few minutes. 

Lately, when I walk by the tank at night, she looks ready to strike/in hunt mode. She hasn't struck the front of the tank yet, but I wouldn't put it past her. 

I don't want her to get hurt, and I may be making a mountain out of a molehill, but should I be doing something differently?

I always feed my snakes in near darkness/at night so they associate light with being handled. However, I have never had as aggressive a feeder as Behira. Even Figment, my corn snake, looks for food at night, but isn't ready to strike until he smells mouse. He does go completely APE once he is sure it's feeding time though. 

A couple other things. 

I only go by the tanks at night if I need to feed the geckos or it's snake feeding day. Otherwise everyone is left alone in the 5 tank stack (the tanks in the corner of my finished basement in a little nook so they do not get bothered unless I need to do something with them/the animals). Last night I fed the Gecko's and as soon as I walked by, she was out of her hide and in S/strike mode. 

Behira eats every 2 weeks, on Sunday, a small rat. She was 690G empty before last feeding (this past Sunday). 

She is a total puppy dog once stroked with the soft end of the hook, and completely mellow once picked up! Total sweetheart. 

Thank you for any and all thoughts!

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## AbsoluteApril

I wish I could help more with this but I don' have any good advice. Boas are a bit notorious for striking the front of the cage. Quite a few of mine do it and I have 2 that will do it anytime for any reason, just a really high food drive. I just try to move slowly when I'm in front of those specific cages as it seems moving by quickly is much more likely for them to strike out at. The worst thing I've had happen in almost 20 years of keeping boas is a lip getting caught on a tooth (with the help of my bf we pulled the lip back off the tooth and she was fine). These are boas that are not aggressive/defensive otherwise as well, as soon as I open the door and boop them with the hook, they are fine.

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_Charles8088_ (02-28-2018),_dakski_ (02-28-2018),_richardhind1972_ (02-28-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Everything you seem to be doing seems fine.some boas are more food orientated than others theres only my old female and Medusa (img) that still strikes at the glass now and then , but more if Im defrosting rats in the room for the others and go to one of the vivs underneath medusa as she is on top,90% of the time she watches you from her shelf every move you make,lol 
Most are at the glass of im m defrosting as well but I just slide and tap the with my hand if theres no food but with the hook if Im defrosting just to show its not for them and just lift them out
My snakes are in a  room where the natural light is there light most of the day bit on dull days  they have there led strip light on I feed all mine in the light ,except my male Bcl who will only eat in the dark and drop feed,he never strikes,
Hope all your hard work pays off, should do


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (02-28-2018)

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## dakski

Thank you AbsoluteApril and Richardhind1972!

Yeah, I am not worrying about her becoming aggressive. Again, she's a total puppy dog when being handled. I just think she has a hyper food drive, which is a good thing. Just ask Shayna, my BP, who didn't eat for 5 months this winter!

I just wanted to avoid her getting hurt and make sure it was food driven. I don't want to scare her and that's why she is acting that way. Wait, scare Behira? She barely uses her hides! What am I thinking! She's a pretty bold little sweetheart, with a killer food response. That's all. 

However, she already had one bent tooth from missing a rat and hitting the acrylic door, or her a hide. That took care of itself though. 

I'll just keep chugging and handling her regularly. Funny, handling usually involves watching TV and her falling asleep on my chest. I may have mentioned, but I think I am the Boa Whisperer. 

Katie holds and she is all over the place, nonstop! Me, she falls asleep.

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_richardhind1972_ (02-28-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Most of mine just sit and chill with me


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## dakski

> Most of mine just sit and chill with me
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Lol  :Smile: . 

You must be a Boa Whisperer too!

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c0r3yr0s3 (02-28-2018)

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## CloudtheBoa

> I love Behira!
> 
> She ate tonight. Hadn't eaten in two weeks, which is her schedule now that she is on small rats and weighs 690G empty. 
> 
> So I put the defrosted and warm F/T rat on tongs, dangle in front of her for a little, and nothing. She looked interested, but didn't strike right away. 
> 
> So, I did what I have done in the past, put it down in front of her.
> 
> She spent 1/2 an hour watching me feed everyone else, looking out the front of her tank, sniffing the air and even the rat, etc. 
> ...


It doesn't surprise me she wants to eat every 2 weeks, all my boas on smalls eat every 3 weeks (though they'd eat more often if I let them).




> Okay, quick question, for the BCI/snake behavior experts out there. 
> 
> I have been hook training Behira for about 3 weeks now, and that is going great. 
> 
> I feed her at night with tank lights, and most room lights, off, so it's pretty dark. 
> 
> During the day/lights on is when I handle. Her lights are on from 9AM-9PM, give or take a few minutes. 
> 
> Lately, when I walk by the tank at night, she looks ready to strike/in hunt mode. She hasn't struck the front of the tank yet, but I wouldn't put it past her. 
> ...


So long as she isn't actually striking, I likely wouldn't worry.  My boas sometimes go through periods like this, I assume it's just them needing a little extra food.  Depending on their body tone, I either increase feeding frequency by a week until the behavior stops, or I just wait them out.  If they're of good body tone, and I'm not breeding, they eventually snap out of the mood after a few weeks or a couple of months.

I also don't feed my snakes at any set time of the day, so I'm able to reach in whenever I want without a feeding response, though I'm not sure how much it would affect them if I did feed them at the same time every feeding day, as I've never been able to stick to such strict schedules with anything in my life. lmao

Her weight, feeder size, and frequency seems pretty good, so it's doubtful she's starving, I'd probably just wait and see if she stops.  If she begins striking at the glass, or her weight gain plateaus over 2-3 months time, then I'd try feeding her weekly for a short period to see if that helps.  I wouldn't make it her regular schedule, though, snakes just seem to go through periods of heightened or lowered feed response.

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_dakski_ (02-28-2018)

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## dakski

Behira left me a really nice, and big, present last night (I found today). 

I weighed her empty, and she is now 715G. 

It seems she is putting about 30% of every meal towards growth. Again, feeding small rats every other week (every 2 Sundays). 

She is doing great with the hook training and everything seems to be going really well. 

I couldn't be happier.

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_CloudtheBoa_ (03-07-2018)

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## dakski

One other quick thing to add. 

Behira has not been overly interested/aggressive when I walk by at night the past week. It seems close to feeding day (soon after a meal when it's still on her mind), or if I recently fed someone else, she is a little more interested in what I am doing. am

I'll advise if she ever strikes at the front of the enclosure, but she seems to have relaxed a little bit in that regard.

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_richardhind1972_ (03-07-2018)

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## dakski

Behira is doing well, and looking forward to eating tomorrow (I am sure). The hook training continues to go great and she relaxes more once she sees/get touched by the hook handle. I am getting better at reading her, and that's helping too.

It's been over a month since the food response bite, and I am very optimistic. Katie is beginning to believe in Behira again as well. She has held her sporadically since the bite (to be clear - Behira nailed me, not Katie), but not for long (she has continued to spend time with Shayna, Figment, Frank the BTS, and the LG's). I take Behira out 4-6 days a week, even if it's for a short handling session, to continue to build trust and reinforce the hook training. She does not get stressed at all being handled and sometimes I'll hold her for 1/2 an hour watching TV and/or chilling out. Of all the snakes I have had, she does the absolute best staying calm and seemingly enjoys being handled and exploring! Shayna (my adult female BP) stays calm, but after 10-15 minutes, you can tell she wants back in her enclosure and in a hide! Figment (my corn) is so active, I think he just wears himself out after 10 minutes or so. Not so much stress as exhaustion!

Anyway, I had Behira out tonight and Katie held her for an entire TV show! They did some bonding and had some girl time. Behira has always liked Katie, although she likes to explore a lot with her and is more chill with me. She especially loves Katie's hair! Katie is good at redirecting her, but recently, the feeling of admiration was not completely mutual. I am so happy that Katie had a wonderful time with Behira tonight and really seemed to enjoy her. 

She even did a photoshoot with her (excuse Katie's silly faces, she was having a great time). 

Without further ado, here are two of my beautiful ladies (I don't want to leave out Shayna, the LG's, or Big Bailey Dog)!

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_AbsoluteApril_ (03-11-2018),_Kam_ (11-24-2019),_Prognathodon_ (03-12-2018),_Reinz_ (03-11-2018),_richardhind1972_ (03-11-2018),_Sauzo_ (03-11-2018)

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## Reinz

Glad to see Katie enjoying playtime as much as Behira!  :Smile:

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_dakski_ (03-11-2018)

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## dakski

> Glad to see Katie enjoying playtime as much as Behira!


Me too  :Smile: . Such a relief! 

I was nervous for a while and got a lot of push back initially when I asked how she felt about Behira now and/or asked her to hold her. I basically left it alone for a while and continued to handle Behira, often when Katie was around. Sometimes it's better to leave things be. In this case, it worked, and they are good buddies again!

As I have mentioned, I understand Katie's hesitancy. She literally had never touched a reptile until she met me in 2016. 8 months ago I moved in and took over her basement with tanks, and added 2 dogs for a total of 5! I know it was overwhelming for Katie, even though she wanted me to move in, menagerie and all. 

In October, Behira came home to live with us and in December, 13 boxes arrived from Boaphile (the 6X2's ship as 2 3X2's and then are bolted together, plus stands, and thermostats, etc.)! That really worked out well though, because I had tanks all over part of the finished basement. Katie was really happy we were able to stack tanks and get some room back! I like that, but am just incredibly happy with the tanks and how much easier they are to maintain proper temps and humidity.  

Then, after telling Katie, in years of keeping reptiles (mostly snakes), that I was only bitten once (by a BP baby in 1990 and it was totally my fault), Behira nails me hoping for dinner. Katie didn't see the bite, but saw the blood  :Sad: . It fed into all her previous fears about reptiles (her parents are not keen on them at all - but even though they do not understand, appreciate that I like them, and Katie's dad even helped me set up the tanks). 

In any event, I am really happy Katie has embraced me, my dogs, and my reptiles! I couldn't be happier!

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_richardhind1972_ (03-11-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Really glad Katie is starting to trust her again.it does take some getting used again,just keep up the hard work,
My wife won’t go in the snake room still after all these years except to possibly shut the window if she has put the heating on,
We are in Egypt at the moment and the was a cobra show on the hotel and she asked if my boas would get that pissed off  if I was in there  face ,I said probably but wouldn’t do that and they also wouldn’t hood up,on of the cobras was around 7ft the other was about 3ft really don’t know how he dare 

Anyway keep up the good work 


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_dakski_ (03-11-2018)

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## dakski

> Really glad Katie is starting to trust her again.it does take some getting used again,just keep up the hard work,
> My wife won’t go in the snake room still after all these years except to possibly shut the window if she has put the heating on,
> We are in Egypt at the moment and the was a cobra show on the hotel and she asked if my boas would get that pissed off  if I was in there  face ,I said probably but wouldn’t do that and they also wouldn’t hood up,on of the cobras was around 7ft the other was about 3ft really don’t know how he dare 
> 
> Anyway keep up the good work 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thank you! Yeah, I think Behira is going be just fine with us for a long time!

Too funny that your wife won't go in the snake room! Very good she supports your passion though!

Enjoy Egypt! Oh, and avoid the Cobras, if you can. I think their bite might be a little worse than a BCI  :Wink: .

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_richardhind1972_ (03-11-2018)

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## CloudtheBoa

I would advise against handling her that much, 2-3 times a week is a good maximum.  If you handle them too often, it stresses them out, even if you cant see it.  Of course, theres no set line for what is too much, but you definitely dont want to be handling them nearly every day.  If shes docile, shell remain docile, but a defensive snake will act in much the same way a dog with learned helplessness would.  By overhandling, youre telling her that nothing is on her terms, she has no escape, and she will effectively shut down to deal with it.  Any defensiveness will resume if they go without being handled, and may actually become more defensive later on.  I actually dont handle my snakes more than a couple times a month, which is still enough to reduce feeding responses when handling or defensive behaviors.  If a snake doesnt come around, I simply cater my handling to them, I dont really believe in handling a snake into docility, it seems a little cruel.  If theyre meant to be handled, they will take to handling.  If all youre worried about is a feeding strike, your hook should be more than enough to snap her out of it.

Its good Katie is coming around!  A bite from a boa really isnt very bad, and it seems like Behira just made a mistake once, so it would have been a shame if that had caused a permanent falling out.  :Sad: 


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_AbsoluteApril_ (03-12-2018),_dakski_ (03-11-2018)

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## dakski

Behira nailed a 60G F/T rat yesterday. Might be a tiny bit on the small side for her now, but rather that then too big. I have another 60-70G small rat and then some 70-80G small rats left in this bag. I'll feed them smallest to largest. 

However, I fed figment his mouse first, and when I brought it in (soaking in hot water), and walked by Behira's tank (she's the second one down of 5 and Figment is the bottom) she struck the front of the tank, only once, but still. I don't know if she smelled it, or just knew it was food time, but either way, she bent a front tooth this time. 

Ugh. 

Doesn't seem to bother her and the last one fell out on it's own. I am going to see if it falls out next feeding, like the last one did. I can see it when I look in the tank, but since she just ate, I am not going to take her out to inspect until at least tomorrow. 

Needless to say I didn't offer the rat long before she was all over it. 

I usually feed Figment, Behira, and then Shayna. From now on, I am going to feed Behira first, then Figment, then Shayna. Maybe avoid needless strikes at acrylic! 

Glad she is happy and eating; bent teeth and all!

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## Reinz

Sorry that you are going through this, I know how upsetting it can be. 

If Im feeding multiple snakes on the same feeding day as Punch, my big Boa, I always feed him first and as quickly as possible.  He slams the glass so hard his mouth is all twisted, contorted, and he is stunned as well. Then I have to wait for him to adjust and realign it before I can feed him.


Punch

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_dakski_ (03-12-2018),_Kam_ (11-24-2019)

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## dakski

> Sorry that you are going through this, I know how upsetting it can be. 
> 
> If Im feeding multiple snakes on the same feeding day as Punch, my big Boa, I always feed him first and as quickly as possible.  He slams the glass so hard his mouth is all twisted, contorted, and he is stunned as well. Then I have to wait for him to adjust and realign it before I can feed him.
> 
> 
> Punch


Ugh. Well at least I am not alone. 

More worried about when she is older and bigger and only eats every other time I feed Shayna and Figment. 

I dont like the idea of feeding everyone else and not her, but still need to keep her healthy. 

We will see. 

Thanks for sharing Reinz.

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## dakski

Okay, so new turn of events. I am getting a little concerned, but also have a potential solution for when it's feeding day for everyone else and not Behira. 

I had to spray a little water into Shayna's tank tonight (still dry here in the winter and difficult to get over 65% for a good shed without a spray of warm water every couple of days, or more). The tanks lights for everyone were out (all on the same timer), however I did turn the light on in the reptile area (it's a lamp). 

Behira was out looking around and as soon as walked by, BAM - hit the acrylic. She did it two or three times. 

I am worried about her doing this and getting hurt. She's only 715G now, but as she gets bigger, she could probably do more damage. It also makes me a little nervous. I have been hook training, but this food response is crazy, assuming that's what it is. She ate yesterday, so maybe it's still on her brain?

Anyway, I didn't want her to get hurt, so I carefully opened the tank door on the other side (it's a 6X2' so there are two 2 1/2 foot or so doors) as she was on the middle right of the tank. I rubbed her a few times with the hook handle and she calmed down and didn't strike either the hook, or the tank anymore. She seemed to understand that it wasn't feeding time. I wasn't going to pick her up, because she still seemed a little revved up, ate yesterday, and I always handle during the day, with lights on. 

I have never had a snake strike the tank doors/acrylic like this before. Behira is only going to get bigger and potentially hurt herself more and potentially worry me more. 

Any thoughts? I am at a loss for ideas. 

When she gets like that, should I use the hook and then pick her up? Should I start feeding at different times so she doesn't expect it at night? She has never struck the doors during the day, although she nailed me with the lights on. Should I handle her at night as well/take her out with the lights out so she doesn't associate lights out with food every time? Or, is this just when she gets into hunt mode?

Finally, I plan to cover her tank doors with printless newspaper (I use it for substrate too) the day of feeding when it's not her turn to eat. That should help prevent food striking while I feed the other guys. 

Thank you all again. I know I have touched on this before, but I continue be concerned, if not more so now. Not panicking or anything, but it's bothering me.

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## AbsoluteApril

Boas can be strikers, that's just how it goes. If you want to try to diminish the frequency, you may need to hang a sheet or something in front of the cage from here on out if it bothers you. I think I mentioned earlier(?) walk by/do anything in front of the cage realllly slowly, like slow mo, they usually won't strike when I do that (just sit in the 's' position watching you very intently lol). Some are more prone doing this than others and it's most likely not something you can break them of. She may not do it as much once she's fully mature and doesn't feel like she needs to feed to grow but no guarantee. And yes, boas can stay in feed-mode for a *long* time. Been keeping boas for a while now and have hardly ever had anyone get injured, a tooth through a lip is about as bad as it's gotten for me.

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_dakski_ (03-12-2018)

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## dakski

> Boas can be strikers, that's just how it goes. If you want to try to diminish the frequency, you may need to hang a sheet or something in front of the cage from here on out if it bothers you. I think I mentioned earlier(?) walk by/do anything in front of the cage realllly slowly, like slow mo, they usually won't strike when I do that (just sit in the 's' position watching you very intently lol). Some are more prone doing this than others and it's most likely not something you can break them of. She may not do it as much once she's fully mature and doesn't feel like she needs to feed to grow but no guarantee. And yes, boas can stay in feed-mode for a *long* time. Been keeping boas for a while now and have hardly ever had anyone get injured, a tooth through a lip is about as bad as it's gotten for me.


Thank you AbsoluteApril. 

It makes a lot of sense to cover the tank unless I am going to take her out or feed. 

To be clear, you think this is totally a feeding response though and not her being aggressive? I do not think it's the latter at all as she is always a puppy dog once she it taken out and even after being touched with the hook now. Don't really feel like getting nailed, even if it's by accident, when she is a big girl though. Well, hence the hook training, right?

Also, even in strike mode and having struck the doors 2-3 times, she calmed right down when I touched her with the hook. 

Thank you again!

I appreciate the feedback and, pardon the expression, snappy response!

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## CloudtheBoa

I would think covering it is a good idea, and like AbsoluteApril mentioned, dont move quickly in front of them.  Even the most collected boa could strike whether in surprise or feeding response.  If shes on the floor, consider raising her up onto a table or something, to reduce any vibrations she may feel.

Since shes already hook trained, I would reinforce that association by picking her up after you use it.  If she seems to be backing off when you use the hook, then she should be out of feed mode and ok to handle.  It sounds like shes generally not bitey while handling, and Ive noticed a lot of boas are like that.  They may be defensive or food oriented in their enclosure, but are then fine once taken out.  Just a weird quirk of theirs.  Ive noticed with mine, they may also be a little zoned in in the hopes of food or in nervousness, but generally dont go much beyond that.  That sort of awareness is what made boas stand out for me, they act a lot different than a lot of ball pythons.  Ive gotten so used to being around them, I didnt even realize how off putting it can be for some keepers (add onto that every species Ive owned besides my bp have been like this so I just took it for granted that was the way the average snake was).  As you get used to it, it shouldnt worry you so much, especially if she keeps her generally calm demeanor.  Despite their jerky tendencies and constant tracking, I can count on one hand how many of the 6 boa constrictors Ive had over the last 7 years have actually bitten me, and even with the other 8 species Ive owned in the past 11 years, it still fits on two hands.  Theyre more bark than bite, so long as you move slow and dont overstep boundaries.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_AbsoluteApril_ (03-13-2018),_dakski_ (03-13-2018)

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## dakski

> I would think covering it is a good idea, and like AbsoluteApril mentioned, dont move quickly in front of them.  Even the most collected boa could strike whether in surprise or feeding response.  If shes on the floor, consider raising her up onto a table or something, to reduce any vibrations she may feel.
> 
> Since shes already hook trained, I would reinforce that association by picking her up after you use it.  If she seems to be backing off when you use the hook, then she should be out of feed mode and ok to handle.  It sounds like shes generally not bitey while handling, and Ive noticed a lot of boas are like that.  They may be defensive or food oriented in their enclosure, but are then fine once taken out.  Just a weird quirk of theirs.  Ive noticed with mine, they may also be a little zoned in in the hopes of food or in nervousness, but generally dont go much beyond that.  That sort of awareness is what made boas stand out for me, they act a lot different than a lot of ball pythons.  Ive gotten so used to being around them, I didnt even realize how off putting it can be for some keepers (add onto that every species Ive owned besides my bp have been like this so I just took it for granted that was the way the average snake was).  As you get used to it, it shouldnt worry you so much, especially if she keeps her generally calm demeanor.  Despite their jerky tendencies and constant tracking, I can count on one hand how many of the 6 boa constrictors Ive had over the last 7 years have actually bitten me, and even with the other 8 species Ive owned in the past 11 years, it still fits on two hands.  Theyre more bark than bite, so long as you move slow and dont overstep boundaries.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks, as always, CloudtheBoa. 

I am getting drapes and a rod to hold them up and will keep her tank covered unless feeding or handling. Hope to do that this week. Been crazy here with weather and cleaning out my old house which closes Friday!

Good point with the hook - if I use - take her out. 

I spoke to Jeff Ronne at Boaphile today. He made my tanks and really knows Boas. He said the same thing. Cover and continue to use the hook. He said some of his Boa's are like this, but has no bearing on how they are when being handled. 

I took Behira out tonight (after leaving her alone for 3 days to eat and digest). She was calm as can be. She is one of the gentlest and bravest/least scared easily snakes I have ever handled. Total puppy dog. As usual!

It's like I have two snakes sometimes. Dr. Behira and Mrs. Hyde! When food isn't involved and she knows she isn't getting fed, she is the most wonderful, calm, and confident animal. 

I am not having second thoughts or anything. I adore her. I just wanted some advice on keeping her from nailing the tank front so much. 

Thank you again!

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_richardhind1972_ (03-14-2018)

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## AbsoluteApril

> I appreciate the feedback and, pardon the expression, snappy response!


worth it for the pun alone lol and I don't usually enjoy puns




> They may be defensive or food oriented in their enclosure, but are then fine once taken out.


I totally agree and this is how my boas are as well.
The only 'aggressive' boas I've dealt with are females that just gave birth. Boas generally are defensive or foody more than aggressive.

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_dakski_ (03-13-2018),_richardhind1972_ (03-14-2018)

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## dakski

I had an idea for how to cover Behira's tank so she wouldn't strike at movement at night. However, I had no idea how to implement it. 

I was going to go to Michael's, but Katie suggested Joann Fabrics. I had never been there (I just discovered Michael's 2 years ago for Pete's sake) and Katie wanted to go with me. 

WOW. Katie knows her stuff and turned my idea into a reality. No way I could have done this on my own. 

20 minutes at Joann Fabrics, $60,  and 1/2 hour of Katie's handy work, and BOOM! Problem solved. 

Behira's tank is 1 down from the top and now has a black drape/fabric covering it. 





I do not have the hooks holding the pole and drape (which is very light and easily removed and also slides on the pole so I can open one side easily) flush with the tanks. I have them out about 1/2 an inch so the tank can breath and temps won't be affected. 

This should definitely reduce or stop Behira striking at the acrylic when she's thinking about food. Still have to be careful on feeding day, but I plan to feed her first now. 

Behira doesn't seem to mind the fabric being up and Katie was happy to help and did a great job. 

Awesome all around.

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_CloudtheBoa_ (03-18-2018),_Godzilla78_ (03-17-2018),_richardhind1972_ (03-18-2018)

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## Sauzo

Can also try moving the height of the cage by shifting it in the stack. Louie my BCL would strike the door any time i walked by when i had it lower on the stack. Once i moved him up higher, he quit. I guess the whole idea of being low and some larger thing walking by scared him. Rango has also struck the cage door a couple times but only on feed day when i am thawing rats. He curled his lower lip but after i gave him dinner, his lip went back to normal. You can cover the door but personally, i would just leave it and like i said, either move them up on the stack or start walking more slowly by the cages until the snake gets used to the movement.

Luna also used to strike the cage door and coil up when she was on the bottom of the stack when i moved her from her quarantine tank to one of the AP cages. After about a week, she quit doing it and now is completely oblivious and you can literally stomp past her cage and she just sits there. The snakes need to get used the surroundings. Covering them up will not help as when they get bigger and you uncover them, they will be scared of the open space and being larger, their strikes can hurt themselves.

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## dakski

> Can also try moving the height of the cage by shifting it in the stack. Louie my BCL would strike the door any time i walked by when i had it lower on the stack. Once i moved him up higher, he quit. I guess the whole idea of being low and some larger thing walking by scared him. Rango has also struck the cage door a couple times but only on feed day when i am thawing rats. He curled his lower lip but after i gave him dinner, his lip went back to normal. You can cover the door but personally, i would just leave it and like i said, either move them up on the stack or start walking more slowly by the cages until the snake gets used to the movement.
> 
> Luna also used to strike the cage door and coil up when she was on the bottom of the stack when i moved her from her quarantine tank to one of the AP cages. After about a week, she quit doing it and now is completely oblivious and you can literally stomp past her cage and she just sits there. The snakes need to get used the surroundings. Covering them up will not help as when they get bigger and you uncover them, they will be scared of the open space and being larger, their strikes can hurt themselves.


Sauzo, 

Behira is the second one down from the top (Frank the BTS is the top cage), so she is about 4-5 Feet up in the stack. 

Secondly, she seems totally chill now with the fabric/drape in front. I took it off today to measure temps and she came and said hi, then went back into her house. No fanfare at all. 

I get where you are going with this, but she has already bent teeth striking at the acrylic. I have talked to breeders and they are not sure she will "get used to it," and this may be her thing. Some have said she might outgrow it, but no way to know. When I spoke to Jeff Ronne, from Boaphile (he made my tanks and is always helpful, but I did not buy Behira from him), he said that some Boa's do it, and he thought the drape was a good solution. 

How is this significantly different than people who keep Boa's in big racks/Tubs? It seems like those are pretty secure until you open them, and I would be doing the same thing with her, taking the drape off and opening the tank. 

I am not trying to be argumentative, I am just curious what your thought process/experience is with Boa's who do this and why my setup makes you nervous (for me). 

I appreciate any feedback, as always.

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_AbsoluteApril_ (03-19-2018)

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## Sauzo

> Sauzo, 
> 
> Behira is the second one down from the top (Frank the BTS is the top cage), so she is about 4-5 Feet up in the stack. 
> 
> Secondly, she seems totally chill now with the fabric/drape in front. I took it off today to measure temps and she came and said hi, then went back into her house. No fanfare at all. 
> 
> I get where you are going with this, but she has already bent teeth striking at the acrylic. I have talked to breeders and they are not sure she will "get used to it," and this may be her thing. Some have said she might outgrow it, but no way to know. When I spoke to Jeff Ronne, from Boaphile (he made my tanks and is always helpful, but I did not buy Behira from him), he said that some Boa's do it, and he thought the drape was a good solution. 
> 
> How is this significantly different than people who keep Boa's in big racks/Tubs? It seems like those are pretty secure until you open them, and I would be doing the same thing with her, taking the drape off and opening the tank. 
> ...


Your set up doesnt make nervous. You might have misunderstood me. I was referring the the boa being nervous. Like i said, my dumerils and BCL both struck at the cage doors when i would walk by quick when i first put them in their cages and had them on the lower cahes in the stack. But after a week and me walking slowly past them, they got used to it and dont do it anymore and the dumerils is pretty oblivious now to any movement unless it involves food.

If the drape worked, then grats. I'm a little different in that i try and get my snakes adjusted to how the cage will be instead of changing it and then going back to the same set up that started the issue after awhile. I believe as long as you give the snakes a place they can feel secure and retire to to be alone, then they will get used to the rest of the set up. That is why i always provide at least one hide for all my snakes regardless if they use it or not.

Also I'm assuming you have the snake in a boaphile. Like i said, if the drape method works, great. But to me, having to cover my snakes whenever I'm not doing something inside the cage defeats the purpose of even having the snake lol. I like to interact and look at my snakes and i usually interact with them daily be it just changing water or just opening the cage to look for a poop or piss and just petting them. They mostly seem to care less but Caesar is my one exception who seems to actually push when he wants attention and once he gets his fill, he will quiet down and lay there.

Anyways, like i said, if the drape works, grats. Gotta do what works. Some boas are just weird haha.

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_dakski_ (03-19-2018)

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## dakski

Behira is doing awesome. Since I put the drape up, there has been no striking at the doors and she seems pretty chill. She ate Sunday, so I don't have good weight on her, but she's looking good and fit if I can say so. 

Terrible lighting and iPhone picture, but she looks very dapper and healthy to me. I felt like sharing.

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_AbsoluteApril_ (04-05-2018),_CloudtheBoa_ (04-07-2018),Codil7 (03-28-2018),_Reinz_ (03-28-2018),_richardhind1972_ (03-28-2018),svtvenom (03-28-2018)

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## dakski

Behira is in Blue and is quite dark as she will shed very soon. 

I had Katie hold her for a minute while I changed water and upped humidity. Behira is sooooooo incredibly chill, even in blue. Touched her with the hook handle and scooped her up. No issues. 

We have had Behira 6 months next week. She was about 450G when we got her and was 715G before last feeding (almost 2 weeks ago). I imagine she will drop a nice present with her shed and then I will feed her soon after. 

I found a picture from my phone from October when we got Behira and tonight and she is noticeably bigger. Also, notice Katie's cool Snake Charm Necklace I got her in the first picture!

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c0r3yr0s3 (04-05-2018),_Reinz_ (04-05-2018),_richardhind1972_ (04-05-2018),_tttaylorrr_ (04-05-2018)

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## Reinz

Its good to see your mate involved in your passion for snakes.  :Smile: 

Behira looks like a nice healthy Boa, and a nice bonus having such a fine disposition.

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_dakski_ (04-05-2018)

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## dakski

> Its good to see your mate involved in your passion for snakes. 
> 
> Behira looks like a nice healthy Boa, and a nice bonus having such a fine disposition.


Thank you Reinz. It's awesome that Katie is involved with them, especially since she had no prior reptile experience before meeting me! I still do most of the heavy lifting (cleaning, temp and humidity management, etc), but it's great that she likes them so much. 

Behira really is the bravest and sweetest snake I have met. No issues as long as she doesn't think I am food! Seriously, love her curiosity and calmness. She's an awesome animal. Can't wait to watch her grow.

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_richardhind1972_ (04-05-2018)

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## AbsoluteApril

Looking good! Really nice body structure. I'm glad the drape is helping too.
I wouldn't let a boa get anywhere near a dog or vice versa though. Definitely don't allow a full grown boa near a small dog. Better safe than sorry.

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_dakski_ (04-05-2018)

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## CloudtheBoa

She's looking good, and glad to hear her striking habits have cleared up.  :Very Happy:

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_dakski_ (04-07-2018)

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## dakski

Behira shed Sunday and nailed and gobbled down a small rat (F/T) Monday. 

Took her out today for some R&R. She's noticeably bigger than when I got her. Still puppy dog tame and adventurous and curious as ever. 

*Behira after shed 11-6-17 (464G)*



*Behira today (4-11-18) after shed (estimated 750G+ - waiting for poop)

*
*

Behira 1-7-18 (640G)
*

*
Behira today
*

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_AbsoluteApril_ (04-12-2018),_richardhind1972_ (04-12-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Shes looking great after that shed 


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_dakski_ (04-12-2018)

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## dakski

> She’s looking great after that shed 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


Thanks Richardhind1972!

I am usually more attracted to color morphs (Shayna is an albino, Figment is purple and pink, and the geckos are bright orange, pink, and pink and yellow), but Behira looks different than anything I have. I had looked at Sunglows and Hypos, but Behira stood out. She is such an awesome snake, I have zero regrets, and frankly, think she is really beautiful in a more subtle way. 

She was in her "light phase" for those pictures too. Nice light/tan head. Sometimes, her head can be almost jet black. 

Forgot one picture (not with macro lens, but still cool).

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_richardhind1972_ (04-12-2018)

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## richardhind1972

The lighter coloured snakes are definitely just as nice as the darker ones, 
she is so nice really glad shes not took a chunk again since , fingers crossed it stays that way especially as she gets bigger 


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_dakski_ (04-12-2018)

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## dakski

> The lighter coloured snakes are definitely just as nice as the darker ones, 
> she is so nice really glad shes not took a chunk again since , fingers crossed it stays that way especially as she gets bigger 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


Between the drape, the hook training, offering her food first, and the long tongs, absolutely zero issues. She hasn't even hit the doors since the drape went up. I do offer her food first and fast and that seems to help. 

Obviously, not fun to get bit by anything, but I am about 100% sure that she has zero aggression in her and that was a total feeding response bite. Hence, the hook training working so well!

She is so calm and confident when out. Not head shy, not squirmy, etc. 

Really, she's totally awesome, and I can't wait until she's a nice, calm, and curious, big girl!

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_richardhind1972_ (04-12-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Thats good then,sounds like the patience and hard work is definitely paying off. 
Its great when they are adult and there just a nice solid muscular snake who is really relaxed  when out and about with you


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (04-12-2018)

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## AbsoluteApril

> She was in her "light phase" for those pictures too. Nice light/tan head. Sometimes, her head can be almost jet black.


Hypos can have really cool color changes, especially on the head. I've always liked that about them.

Behira is looking fantastic!

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_dakski_ (04-12-2018)

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## dakski

Behira has grown faster than I expected. She was about 430G when I got her in the beginning of October of 2017. I was expecting her to be about 750G after she pooped the other day. 

She is 805G! Still feeding small rats (usually 70-80G now) every two weeks and will move to every 3 weeks with medium rats. 

She looks amazing after her recent shed and is doing great! Her temperament is fantastic and she seems to "enjoy" being out more than any of the snakes. She's curious and never wants to go back in her tank!


*Behira chilling with dad (and his grumpy face - sorry):
*


*Behira in the blanket:

*

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_Reinz_ (04-16-2018),_richardhind1972_ (04-16-2018),_Sauzo_ (04-16-2018)

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## Reinz

Its really fun when they want to be out so often. 

But I have to admit that sometimes Im not in the mood and let them out due to a sense of obligation or I cave into the sad looks they give. But then I am quickly enjoying them and having fun and so glad I caved in. 



Butch doing his pull-ups.



Punch looking over some bedtime reading

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_dakski_ (04-16-2018),_richardhind1972_ (04-17-2018),_Sauzo_ (04-16-2018)

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## dakski

Reinz, 

Really nice looking Boas!

They seem to be having a blast!

Gotta love Boa Play Time, huh? Great personalities!

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_Reinz_ (04-17-2018)

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## Reinz

> Reinz, 
> 
> Really nice looking Boas!
> 
> They seem to be having a blast!
> 
> Gotta love Boa Play Time, huh? Great personalities!


Thanks! I really enjoy all of my snakes, its so hard to pick favorites. Ill just say my favorite is the one I have out at the moment. 

But I gotta say, there is just something about Boas that make them special, a Jen Ne sais quoi!
 :Smile:

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_dakski_ (04-17-2018),_richardhind1972_ (04-17-2018)

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## dakski

Feeding day was yesterday. 

I fed Behira first, but she was nailing the acrylic doors as soon as I took the drape down. I got the rat in quickly and she nailed it and she gobbled it up. 

I guess that's just the way it's going to be. At least she doesn't strike anymore when I walk by!

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_richardhind1972_ (04-25-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Just keep persaviering and  hopefully she will settle back down again soon

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_dakski_ (04-25-2018)

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## dakski

> Just keep persaviering and  hopefully she will settle back down again soon
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Thanks Richardhind1972! She's fine with the lights on and does great with the drape being up and with the hook training. She's a total sweetheart after she sees/feels the hook and I take her out. 

I am worried about her hurting herself as she gets bigger and stronger, but not sure what I can do, except, as you say, keep persevering. Honestly, the idea of a big female BCI nailing the acrylic when hungry doesn't seem like fun to me either, but I am more worried about her than scared for myself. She shows zero aggression, but man, does she have a strong feeding response! Never had a snake like this!

Thank you again for all the support and I'll keep everyone in the loop.

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_richardhind1972_ (04-26-2018)

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## dakski

Had my niece, Meghan, over, and she loves the reptiles and is getting to know Behira better. She says she cannot wait until she is "HUGE!"

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_Reinz_ (04-28-2018),_richardhind1972_ (04-28-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Glad she was chilled for her


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## dakski

> Glad she was chilled for her
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


LOL, which one?

Behira is 100% Chill City once out of her tank. No worries at all. I was also 1 1/2 feet away and supervising. 

Meghan is excellent with the reptiles and very respectful with zero fear. She has been allowed to see, then touch, and ultimately hold Shayna, my BP (who is essentially a therapy animal) since she was 2. So calm, it's not even funny! Aside from occasional in tank antics, Behira is very similar when out of the tank. 

Yeah, I am glad they are bonding and excited that Meghan is looking forward to Behira being a big girl. She can't wait, as opposed to being afraid. 

I've been working with Meghan on redirecting the snakes and being gentle moving them where she wants them to go. She used to hold and I would do the redirecting. She's becoming a real snake handler. 

She likes to put the animals back in their tanks, but asks for help for Shayna and Behira as they are heavy for her. 

Two delightful young ladies in the pictures!

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_richardhind1972_ (04-28-2018)

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## richardhind1972

I think its great to get the younger generation involved in reptiles , my 4yr old granddaughter loves my snakes she at the stage she wants them on her knee too now, but its quite surprising how heavy a 2yr old boa can be with being sold muscle as you say, good luck with training her up to help you out when shes round and perhaps one day you will be able to help choose her own 


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_dakski_ (04-29-2018)

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## dakski

> I think its great to get the younger generation involved in reptiles , my 4yr old granddaughter loves my snakes she at the stage she wants them on her knee too now, but its quite surprising how heavy a 2yr old boa can be with being sold muscle as you say, good luck with training her up to help you out when shes round and perhaps one day you will be able to help choose her own 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


Thanks Richardhind1972. Both her and her younger brother Christopher (he's 4 1/2, Meghan is 7) are interested and definitely not afraid. However, Meghan in particular, and since she was very young, has always been curious and interested in animals. She loves the dogs, but is especially fascinated with the reptiles (snakes in particular). We were actually at her house tonight for a few minutes. She told me, Shayna is still her favorite, because yellow is her favorite color (my Albino Spider BP),  but Behira is now her second favorite. 

She asked, "Will you tell me when she's really big so I can come see her?"

I explained that she's still a baby snake and that it will take a while (years) for her to be huge, but once she is, she will be like that her entire adult life, which is a long time.

Meghan was relieved, as if she might have missed the opportunity to see her huge otherwise  :Smile: . 

Frankly, since Meghan's parents have a parrot and a moody cat, I think they are quite happy letting her play with my reptiles instead! She's welcome anytime and they live about 30 minutes away. 

I think she will probably ask some day, but the important thing is that she's curious and involved with them at 7. She's growing into a precocious young woman who isn't afraid of reptiles and really enjoys them. That can't be bad. 

She can be very direct though. When Katie and I took her to the reptile show near us, she walked right up to a guy selling Beta Fish and asked, "Why are you selling fish here? They aren't reptiles you know."

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_richardhind1972_ (04-29-2018)

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## dakski

Caught Behira in her dark phase tonight and got a cool selfie with her as well (with both of us looking bad to the bone, if I can say so myself).

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_Reinz_ (04-30-2018),_richardhind1972_ (04-29-2018)

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## Reinz

Those are good pics.  :Smile:

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_dakski_ (04-30-2018)

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## AnnieHeart

Congrats! What a nice looking snake!! :Smile:

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_dakski_ (04-30-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Great pics , both got a good tash,lol

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (04-30-2018)

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## dakski

Got some outside pictures with Behira today. The sun was going down, but her colors look very nice even in dimming sunlight. I'll get some more when it's nice again and Katie can help. She got home late tonight. 

Behira freaked out when I first took her outside. She was overwhelmed with smells, breeze, etc. (it was 80F). She seemed nervous, but calmed right down when I picked her up. She realized it was okay and I wasn't going to leave her in this strange and foreign environment.  :Smile:

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_AbsoluteApril_ (05-01-2018),_richardhind1972_ (05-02-2018)

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## dakski

1. I was away on business (with Katie accompanying) Thursday last week until late, late, Monday night/Tuesday morning (was supposed to get home on Sunday night). I spent most of yesterday cleaning up tanks and hanging with the crew. I had a dog/house sitter who checked temps etc. and I fed the geckos and Frank before I left (the snakes were due to eat yesterday, but it ended up being today). Anyway, I took Behira out yesterday and I swear, she's bigger every time I take her out after letting her be, or being away, for a few days!

Some pictures below!

2. Behira happily gobbled up a 90G F/T small rat today (I usually feed a little smaller, but that's what was left in the bag, and she's over 850G est. now and handled it easily). 

I tried something new to try to prevent her striking at the acrylic doors. I put the keys for the door locks in this afternoon, well before feeding and the lights go out. 

When I fed her, I took the drape off quickly, while I had the rat on the tongs, opened the tank quick, and offered. She grabbed it immediately. However, she did not strike at anything but the rat. 

Don't know if this is a long-term solution, or if I got lucky. However, fumbling with the keys does not help calm her down when she wants food!

I'll keep everyone in the loop.

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_Avsha531_ (05-10-2018),_richardhind1972_ (05-10-2018)

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## RickyNY

Nice looking girl.
Question, do they get hurt when they strike glass or an acrylic door?

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_richardhind1972_ (05-10-2018)

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## dakski

> Nice looking girl.
> Question, do they get hurt when they strike glass or an acrylic door?


They can. Behira bent teeth on two separate occasions. 

However, they fell out on there own.

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_RickyNY_ (05-10-2018)

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## dakski

Behira weighed in at 940G two days ago. However, although she passed urate and urine, she hasn't pooped in a month. I am guessing she is closer to 870G or so, but is due to eat this Tuesday. 

She is doing great overall and is still a total sweetheart. 

Here are some cool pictures (all from the past couple of days except for the comparison shot with my friend from April and May). 

*My friend Mike with Behira on April 8th 2018


*

*Mike with Behira on 5-13-18


*

*Behira with Dad Chillin Selfie*


*
NO! NO! Behira! I said BACK IN CAGE! BACK IN!*


*
Never Underestimate The Power of the Dark Phase!

*
*

Behira Getting Some Rays Through the Door as the Sun Goes Down*

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_Reinz_ (05-19-2018),_richardhind1972_ (05-19-2018),svtvenom (05-26-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Looking great dakski 


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (05-19-2018)

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## dakski

Behira left me a nice, smelly, present, last night. I cleaned her tank and weighed her today. 890G! She eats Tuesday and is 2 years old next month. Again, doing fantastic!

Also, she and Katie got some bonding time while I was tank cleaning. 

Behira loves Katie's hair and had a ball with her "bun" today! "Climbing opportunity!"

Really nice to see them spending some quality time and bonding. Katie spent time with Frank (held him and he ate out of her hand), Figment, Shayna, and Behira today. She's usually stressed during the week and not interested in helping with or holding them. Today she was relaxed and wanted to spend time with them. I love times like this, when we can bond with them together. 

For me, it's usually stress release to take them out.

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_Reinz_ (05-19-2018),_richardhind1972_ (05-19-2018)

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## dakski

Behira is getting Llllooooooooonnnngggg!

Pardon the phone pictures, but she is growing fast, and these pictures emphasize the length.

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_Avsha531_ (05-21-2018),_Reinz_ (05-21-2018),_richardhind1972_ (05-21-2018)

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## AnnieHeart

Keep on growing Behira!! :Snake:

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_dakski_ (05-21-2018)

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## Reinz

How long is she, 5 footish?

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_dakski_ (05-21-2018)

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## dakski

> How long is she, 5 footish?


No idea. I don't think she's too much over 4ft, but she barely ever stretches out and I haven't measured her. 

All I know is she's 2X the weight plus of when I got her, she never refuses a meal, and she's doing great! Definitely adding girth too. 

Any advice on measuring a BCI?

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_richardhind1972_ (05-21-2018)

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## Reinz

My Boas as well as the other snakes are always on the move when they are out too.  Every now and then they will stretch out in somewhat of a straight line. I just try to make a mental point of where those head and tail points are and try to measure as quick as I can before I forget and also before the snake gets into trouble. 



Then sometimes they will stretch out in their cage which makes it fairly easy to guesstimate as well. 



The first pic measured out to 8 feet which confirmed my guesstimation of the third pic - with Lizzy stretched out she easily makes it end to end of the 6 foot cage with 2 feet to spare.

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_dakski_ (05-21-2018),_richardhind1972_ (05-22-2018)

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## dakski

Outside pictures today!

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]
*
AND FINALLY - DAD!!!!!!! Don't put be back! I want to play outside more!

*[IMG]

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C.Marie (05-30-2018),_Reinz_ (05-25-2018),_richardhind1972_ (05-26-2018)

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## Reinz

That last pic reminds me of my big boy, Punch. The guy who had him before me did not cage him. He was a free ranger, so he never wants to go back in his cage. And whenever I walk into the room he begs to come out. This makes cleaning and changing water a huge challenge, because when that door drops he IS coming out, whether I wish it or not.

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C.Marie (05-30-2018),_dakski_ (05-25-2018),_richardhind1972_ (05-26-2018)

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## dakski

Had Behira out for a bit tonight. She feel asleep on my chest. Katie got some pictures. Below is the best one.  

I know she has a long way to go, but she's getting big. 

She's so calm and docile. She had a dog hair in her mouth from my shirt. She let me reach up and gently remove it. Then she feel asleep on me for a while. When I woke her and went to put her back, she kept trying to get back out of her tank. She literally rubbed her head and neck up and down the acrylic door of her tank, practically begging to come out again, until I covered it with her drape. She's a character. 

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (05-28-2018),_tttaylorrr_ (05-30-2018)

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## dakski

My mother used to be petrified of snakes. Literally couldn't even hear the word without freaking out!

When I was ten years old, she became open to the idea of me having a pet snake as she realized a lot of her fear was based in anxiety and past experiences. She got the point where I was able to have a pet snake when I got older (but was still living in her house) and would happily hold and interact with calm snakes. 

She likes all my current pet reptiles. Figment, the corn, moves a little fast for her, but she still holds him, even though it makes her a little nervous. Shayna (the BP) and Behira are both super docile and, for the  most part, slow moving, so she loves holding them. She doesn't mind the Leopard Geckos, but isn't crazy about Frank the BTS. She says he looks prehistoric and although he doesn't scare her, and she will pet him, she usually doesn't want to hold him. 

Anyway, here are some pictures of my mom with Behira from yesterday:

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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C.Marie (05-30-2018),_richardhind1972_ (05-30-2018),_tttaylorrr_ (05-30-2018)

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## tttaylorrr

> My mother used to be petrified of snakes. Literally couldn't even hear the word without freaking out!
> 
> When I was ten years old, she became open to the idea of me having a pet snake as she realized a lot of her fear was based in anxiety and past experiences. She got the point where I was able to have a pet snake when I got older (but was still living in her house) and would happily hold and interact with calm snakes. 
> 
> She likes all my current pet reptiles. Figment, the corn, moves a little fast for her, but she still holds him, even though it makes her a little nervous. Shayna (the BP) and Behira are both super docile and, for the  most part, slow moving, so she loves holding them. She doesn't mind the Leopard Geckos, but isn't crazy about Frank the BTS. She says he looks prehistoric and although he doesn't scare her, and she will pet him, she usually doesn't want to hold him. 
> 
> Anyway, here are some pictures of my mom with Behira from yesterday:
> 
> [IMG][/IMG]
> ...


yo momma is BA! and make sure she knows that! most people don't even look at snakes, let alone hold one! her getting out of her comfort zone WITH A SNAKE is more than most people her age can say! she's awesome!!!

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_dakski_ (05-30-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Looks like behira enjoyed sometime with mum and vice versa, nice to see when people have overcome their fears

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (05-30-2018)

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## dakski

Behira managed to poop and pee in one water bowl and pee in the in other one. Had some fun disinfecting and cleaning those. 

She weighed in at 920G tonight, dry. Growing nicely. 

Also got a good picture. She was very much in a light phase tonight. Usually has some dark, if not a lot of dark, especially on her face lately. Nice to see the change. 

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (06-02-2018)

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## dakski

My buddy came over today. He lives about 3 hours away and hasn't been here since the week after I got Behira (10-17). Needless to say, he likes the reptiles, and was amazed and how much the little lady has grown.
*
Dan with Behira - 10-17 - Behira about 440G*

[IMG][/IMG]

*Dan with Behira today - 6-3-18 - Behira at 920G

*[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (06-04-2018)

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## dakski

Got a few good shots of me and Behira after she was a reptile ambassador today. She, along with Shayna, Figment, Cleo, and Frank, helped turn two very anxious and nervous and not too reptile friendly young women, into reptile fans! For good measure, I included one shot of the young ladies with Behira. 

[IMG][/IMG]


[IMG][/IMG]


[IMG][/IMG]


[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (06-09-2018)

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## dakski

Another look how she's growing post!

First picture is her after her first shed with us (10-17). 

Second picture is her in the same container today (6-18). I think I need a new container to hold her in when I clean her tank!



[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (06-14-2018),_Sauzo_ (06-14-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Yep definitely increased in girth and length looking at them comparison pics, there's still  a bit more room in there  for a while,it's never for long time while your cleaning is it 

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (06-14-2018)

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## dakski

> Yep definitely increased in girth and length looking at them comparison pics, there's still  a bit more room in there  for a while,it's never for long time while your cleaning is it 
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Yeah. She went from about 450g to about 940g from picture one to picture two. 

I still have her on small rats every two weeks. They are 70-90g. Just opened a new bag and most are in the 70-85g range. That should slow her a bit. Lol. Slow grown is where its at. 

I will not switch to mediums (and every 3 weeks) until she can very easily take one. So it will be a bit.

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_richardhind1972_ (06-14-2018)

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## ckuhn003

Absolutely stunning. I've enjoyed seeing how Behira has progressed. 

Question on size since I've been researching getting my 1st BOA for the past 6 months. I think I would like to stick to a BOA at the same size as Behira (at least in terms of thickness). Would that put me in the category of a Dwarf Boa or are there male BCIs that would stay about this size. It would be great to see some adults in person to get an visual appreciation how big a dwarf, BCI and a BCC can get. I've been to several Repticons but unfortunately it's only ever babies for sale and I don't want to be that sucker who is told this Boa will only ever get 5 feet and then x years later it's 10 feet  :Wink: 

Do you expect to keep her on rats the rest of her life or will you have to go bigger?

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_dakski_ (06-14-2018)

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## richardhind1972

> Absolutely stunning. I've enjoyed seeing how Behira has progressed. 
> 
> Question on size since I've been researching getting my 1st BOA for the past 6 months. I think I would like to stick to a BOA at the same size as Behira (at least in terms of thickness). Would that put me in the category of a Dwarf Boa or are there male BCIs that would stay about this size. It would be great to see some adults in person to get an visual appreciation how big a dwarf, BCI and a BCC can get. I've been to several Repticons but unfortunately it's only ever babies for sale and I don't want to be that sucker who is told this Boa will only ever get 5 feet and then x years later it's 10 feet 
> 
> Do you expect to keep her on rats the rest of her life or will you have to go bigger?


There are some really nice locality boas that stay around 5ft and some of the dwarf locality like a Mexican  tarahumara boas that stay around 4ft as adults , 
My hypo  Nicaraguan is 3 this weekend and is just shy of 5ft, she's fed small rats every two weeks as this locality is not a girthy boa she will probably end up on mediums every 3 eeks eventually, her mum was about the  same size as her ,  this is her tonight on my arm

Sorry to jump on your thread daksi 


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_ckuhn003_ (06-14-2018),_dakski_ (06-14-2018)

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## dakski

> Absolutely stunning. I've enjoyed seeing how Behira has progressed. 
> 
> Question on size since I've been researching getting my 1st BOA for the past 6 months. I think I would like to stick to a BOA at the same size as Behira (at least in terms of thickness). Would that put me in the category of a Dwarf Boa or are there male BCIs that would stay about this size. It would be great to see some adults in person to get an visual appreciation how big a dwarf, BCI and a BCC can get. I've been to several Repticons but unfortunately it's only ever babies for sale and I don't want to be that sucker who is told this Boa will only ever get 5 feet and then x years later it's 10 feet 
> 
> Do you expect to keep her on rats the rest of her life or will you have to go bigger?


To be safe, I would stay with locality dwarf boas, like Richardhind1972 said. 

They stay smaller than a BCI. 

To be clear, Behira is a BCI. BCC's tend to be larger, but 99% of the morphs for sale are BCI's or dwarf boas. True BCC's are labeled as such and by locality and if you are getting from a reputable breeder, they should know the difference. 

I can't comment on the dwarf boas beyond what Richardhind1972 said, but from what I know, they do stay small, much smaller than BCI's. 

Figure a male BCI will be 5-6FT on average - maybe 7FT, but generally weigh  5-8 pounds (depending on length and girth, etc. and they can be heavier - giving averages here). A female BCI will average 6-7FT+ and be much heavier bodied. A healthy adult female at 7FT is closer to 12-15 pounds or more. 20-25 pounds is not out of the question, but again, figure 15-20 pounds give or take. 

If you google male and female BCI - you will see images of them breeding or next to each other. The females are 2X the size of the males often. 

Now, keep in mind, Behira is just over 2 pounds now. She has a lot of growing to do. 

She eats small rats now (70-90G). I expect to feed large rats when she is full grown (300-400G tops). Bigger rats are too fatty and not good for her. Also, Boa metabolisms are really slow, especially as adults, and a 7,000G BCI will be able to sustain weight on a 300G rat every 3-5 weeks. If I need to feed every 3-4, but smaller meals, I will likely do that versus moving up to Rabbits, etc. which are harder for me to get. 

A lean, healthy, BCI is much better than a heavy/overweight BCI. A healthy BCI should live 20-30 years, vs. easily half that or less for a heavy BCI or one that was grown too fast. 

I can't speak to the temperament of the dwarf species, but BCI's in general, and especially if handled when young and consistently as adults, are usually super docile. They do have very strong food responses, so I recommend hook training any boa that's going to be over 5FT for sure. However, once the hook touches Behira and she lets me pick her up. She's a total sweetheart. Tamest, most predictable, bravest, and most docile, snake I have. She also take redirection really well and is very compliant.

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_ckuhn003_ (06-14-2018),_richardhind1972_ (06-15-2018)

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## Sauzo

> Another look how she's growing post!
> 
> First picture is her after her first shed with us (10-17). 
> 
> Second picture is her in the same container today (6-18). I think I need a new container to hold her in when I clean her tank!
> 
> 
> 
> [IMG][/IMG]


Looks good. She has grown a lot.

I generally can leave the boas unattended while cleaning their cages. The BP and retic, not a chance. I turn my head and Dottie is halfway across the room cruising around and Caesar is busy trying to find something to break. Luckily, Pat is pretty happy on a perch so i can just prop it up somewhere and he is happy lol.

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_dakski_ (06-14-2018),_jmcrook_ (06-14-2018)

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## dakski

> Looks good. She has grown a lot.
> 
> I generally can leave the boas unattended while cleaning their cages. The BP and retic, not a chance. I turn my head and Dottie is halfway across the room cruising around and Caesar is busy trying to find something to break. Luckily, Pat is pretty happy on a perch so i can just prop it up somewhere and he is happy lol.


Thanks Sauzo!

She's doing great. 

I love your guys too and all their different personalities.

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_richardhind1972_ (06-16-2018),_Sauzo_ (06-14-2018)

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## dakski

Behira left me a bunch of urine and urate and a little poop. She weighed in at 965G, but I bet she's a little less and still has some poop left in her. Either way, she's getting fed another small rat on Sunday. 

She's still doing great. Beautiful and sweet and brave. Good news: Katie say she really likes Behira now. Bad news: Katie says that the new scaleless sunglow motley corn snake hatchling, Solana (all of 8G), might be her new favorite. Frankly, I'll take it. After Behira nailed me back in February, she was not on Katie's "like" list at all. Katie was nervous she was aggressive and that we should consider not keeping her. Took a good week or two to get that off her mind and another few months of hook training to get Katie to totally calm down. I adore Behira. Does she still nail the acrylic doors sometimes when expecting food? Yes, but that's who she is and that's her feed response. I have accepted it and know that she means now harm; she just gets really excited. I try to feed her as quickly as possible and avoid her striking at anything but the rat, but it doesn't always work. Alas, I guess I just have to deal with her "eccentric' and excited food response. I can deal with that if it means having such a wonderful snake. I think Katie is on board with that too, and that makes me happy. 

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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*"Go back you say? Never! I like being out and exploring!"

*[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (06-24-2018)

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## dakski

Got some more pics today. What else is new?

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_richardhind1972_ (06-24-2018)

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## dakski

I met B&N Reptiles and the female sunglow BCI that produced the baby sunglows they were selling at the Manchester NH Reptile Expo today (6-24-18).

She was beautiful and docile and predictable. They were kind enough to let me hold her for a few minutes. She is 16 pounds and about 6 1/2 - 7FT or so. Basically the size Behira will be when full grown (give or take). 

I haven't really discussed it, and it's not a huge issue, but I was a little intimidated about how big Behira is going to get. My biggest snake to date is Shayna my 1,600 gram female Albino Spider BP. 

Other than BP's, I have kept corn snakes in the past. Hardly intimidating at 3-5 feet and 1-1.5 pounds. 

I wanted a BCI for many reasons, but I had originally wanted a male BCI because of size. However, Katie and I fell in love with Behira and I liked the challenge of a female; go big or go home!

After holding this girl, I am totally cool about Behira now. Behira will be a big, beautiful, gentle, giant, just like this girl. Docile and easy to manage. Not a one hander, but easy to drape over my shoulders and redirect when necessary, etc. 

I am glad I went to the show and met this big momma and now have complete peace of mind about Behira. Totally worth going to the show just for that! However, also so some very cool stuff, but being full up on animals right now, was disciplined and brought home nothing!

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (06-25-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Glad you was a good boy, I went to a reptile show yesterday ,UK's biggest one in Doncaster and came away with nothing too, was so tempted to sin tho

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_dakski_ (06-25-2018),_RickyNY_ (06-25-2018)

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## ckuhn003

> I met B&N Reptiles and the female sunglow BCI that produced the baby sunglows they were selling at the Manchester NH Reptile Expo today (6-24-18).
> 
> She was beautiful and docile and predictable. They were kind enough to let me hold her for a few minutes. She is 16 pounds and about 6 1/2 - 7FT or so. Basically the size Behira will be when full grown (give or take). 
> 
> I haven't really discussed it, and it's not a huge issue, but I was a little intimidated about how big Behira is going to get. My biggest snake to date is Shayna my 1,600 gram female Albino Spider BP. 
> 
> Other than BP's, I have kept corn snakes in the past. Hardly intimidating at 3-5 feet and 1-1.5 pounds. 
> 
> I wanted a BCI for many reasons, but I had originally wanted a male BCI because of size. However, Katie and I fell in love with Behira and I liked the challenge of a female; go big or go home!
> ...


I've sort of taken the same approach in that I'm trying to get a full understanding on how big these snakes are going to get. While the BOA in the picture is absolutely stunning, it's a little more then I want to take on...especially the girth. Can I assume this is a normal size for a BCI adult? Or are males considerably smaller? I think I'm partial to the size that Behira is now (at least from the pictures you've been posting).

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_richardhind1972_ (06-25-2018)

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## richardhind1972

The size of that really nice sunglow is about the normal size for a bci, 

The males are generally smaller mine are, except my six year old albino jungle called Jim who is 7ft .he was over fed for years and for the past year have had him on once a month feed instead of the xl rat he was given every two weeks 
My 4 year old motley is about the same size as behira  .which is a great size as 
you say
Locality bci are a lot slimmer 


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_ckuhn003_ (06-25-2018),_dakski_ (06-25-2018)

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## RickyNY

> I've sort of taken the same approach in that I'm trying to get a full understanding on how big these snakes are going to get. While the BOA in the picture is absolutely stunning, it's a little more then I want to take on...especially the girth. Can I assume this is a normal size for a BCI adult? Or are males considerably smaller? I think I'm partial to the size that Behira is now (at least from the pictures you've been posting).


Come on ckuhn, you can do it!!! If that girl in the pic can handle that boa, so can you.  :Good Job:

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## dakski

> I've sort of taken the same approach in that I'm trying to get a full understanding on how big these snakes are going to get. While the BOA in the picture is absolutely stunning, it's a little more then I want to take on...especially the girth. Can I assume this is a normal size for a BCI adult? Or are males considerably smaller? I think I'm partial to the size that Behira is now (at least from the pictures you've been posting).


They had the adult male breeder there too. He had to weigh half as much, if not less, than the female. My guess is he was 1-2FT shorter and 1/2 the girth. 

Male BCI are usually much smaller than female BCI. Key word there is usually. 

Richardhind1972 is correct that if you want to stay small, you need to go with a dwarf locality Boa. 

Also, from what I have heard and seen, that female Sunglow in the picture is about right for an adult female BCI, give or take.

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_ckuhn003_ (06-25-2018),_richardhind1972_ (06-25-2018)

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## ckuhn003

> Come on ckuhn, you can do it!!! If that girl in the pic can handle that boa, so can you.


Hahah.....I'm not worried about handling it. It's the thought of entertaining the conversation w/ my wife when I tell her I'm going to get my 2nd snake which is "slightly" bigger then our BP  :Wink:

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_dakski_ (06-25-2018),_richardhind1972_ (06-25-2018)

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## dakski

> Hahah.....I'm not worried about handling it. It's the thought of entertaining the conversation w/ my wife when I tell her I'm going to get my 2nd snake which is "slightly" bigger then our BP


Katie was nervous about getting a big snake too. However, two thoughts.

1. If you do go big, start small! Get a baby or juvenile (1 year old or so tops) and let your wife watch him/her grow up. Boas take a long time to reach adult size. 4-6 years easy if fed properly (less is more). If I had brought home a 7FT female, Katie would have killed me. Behira was 1 year and 4 months old when we got her. Established, but still small ((in addition to being a Ghost (hypo angry) she's 66% het moonglow, so the breeder was thinking of keeping her and making moonglows before he decided to sell her). She was about 440G. She's already over 960G 8 1/2 months later and still growing fast. However, Katie has gotten to know her and appreciate her. She was even Katie's favorite snake (she loves her personality; BCI's can be very curious, but also very docile and predictable). However, she is in love with Solana now, the 2 month old and 8G Scaleless Sunglow (Red Factor) Motley corn she got me for our anniversary last week. She adores her! We fight over holding her!

Point is, it's not like Katie's going to wake up one day to a monster. She will watch Behira grow into a gentle giant. 

I will say the conversation about keeping the small dogs away from Behira when she's bigger was a tough one, but she even accepted that, after some time.  :Smile: .

2. Go for an animal you really and truly want. For me, I started out wanting a male BCI because they are smaller, but I loved the BCI temperament. Then, I realized this is my one shot at a large snake and decided to get the combo of best temperament, best looking, and best eater. I think we did pretty well with Behira. Did I want a 16 pound+ snake to begin with? No, but I have fallen in love with Behira and have no regrets. She is my favorite snake now. I think she's amazing both with temperament and interaction as well as beauty. I have zero regrets. 

If you get something you really love and your wife really loves (Katie picked Behira out once I narrowed it down to 4 possibilities from a small local breeder who knew his snakes and their personalities well) you will have a great experience regardless. Katie was included in the process and truly enjoys interacting with Behira more than any of the other snakes. Also, getting an animal you really love will help you stay committed and caring for that animal for its life (20-30 years for a boa). 

I would hate for you to compromise and not the get animal you truly want. Then you will have regrets (and maybe even resentment towards your wife) and might not have a snake that lasts his/her lifetime. Further, how much room do you have for more animals? I am at my limit now, so I choose Behira and Solana very carefully. I got exactly what I wanted with no compromises or impulse purchases. Now, I feel my collection is awesome and complete and I couldn't be happier. 

Just my two cents, but as much as it is my hobby, Katie does dabble and enjoy the animals greatly (even if she doesn't always admit it  :Smile: ). 

Regardless of what you choose, know we are all here to help!

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_richardhind1972_ (06-25-2018)

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## dakski

Behira ate Sunday night and we've been busy with Solana, the new baby scaleless sunglow motley corn snake. I took everyone out today, including Behira, for some dad time. I didn't want them feeling neglected  :Smile: . 

Got some funny pictures with Behira I thought I would share. She's so gentle and so curious!

She's doing great! She turned two years old this month and is growing at a great, healthy, pace; not too fast. Still feeding a small rat every two weeks. They average about 70-85G. 

[IMG][/IMG]

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_ckuhn003_ (06-27-2018),Gio (06-27-2018),_richardhind1972_ (06-27-2018)

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## Gio

Nice bud!!

It is boa season!

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_dakski_ (06-27-2018)

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## dakski

> Nice bud!!
> 
> It is boa season!


Katie had a rough day today and wanted to hold Solana ((our baby (9g) scaleless sunglow motley corn)). About a minute into holding Solana, she calmed right down and was smiling. I realized, Solana is Katie's "therapy snake."

Made me think, Behira is definitely my "therapy snake." She's my reptilian companion animal. I love her personality and we interact really well together. We really know and understand each other at this point (as much a grown man and 2 year old BCI can anyway). She makes me really happy and I am able to really relax interacting with her. It's not that the other snakes and lizards don't do that for me, Behira just seems to have the strongest effect. She's my buddy!

Also, nothing against the 5 dogs! They all make me happy, but I interact with them differently. They are definitely my snuggle buddies.

Nice to know Behira is beautiful and docile, but also very therapeutic!

As a final note. After holding Solana, Katie said she missed Behira and wanted to see her soon. That's a big deal. I did not take her out tonight because she had been out earlier today and the lights were out at that point. No reason to fight the food response and go through that battle!

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_richardhind1972_ (06-28-2018)

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## dakski

Behira is going to shed soon. Her belly is starting to turn reddish and he skin/scales are getting darker. 

Katie wanted to spend time with her tonight and I had to clean her water dishes and put fresh water in. Got a few good pictures too!

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]


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_ckuhn003_ (06-28-2018),Gio (06-28-2018),_richardhind1972_ (06-29-2018)

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## dakski

Behira should shed in the next week. She's darker, and her belly was reddish the past two days. Still waiting for her eyes to cloud over, unless I missed it. Humidity has been between 65-75%, but I am keeping it 75% and above until she sheds. She has yet to have a bad shed with me. High humidity = good shed every time. 

Here are two shots of Behira after I put her back in her tank today. She's starting to fill out the 6X2' tank; key word is starting to. She has a long way to go - like another 6,000G (she's about 1,000G now). 

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (06-30-2018)

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## dakski

Behira shed today! She didn't leave me any waste, which is unusual, however, she's eating smaller meals lately (the bag of small rats I got recently average about 75G each and she had been eating 85-90G small rats) so she might just be putting more to growth. Also, there's no rule that she has to go when she sheds, but she usually does. 

Since she didn't go, I didn't weigh her. She was 965G before last meal. 

In any event, she looks happy and beautiful. Pictures below. 

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_richardhind1972_ (07-09-2018),Wayneh (07-10-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Looking great after her shed

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_dakski_ (07-09-2018)

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## dakski

> Looking great after her shed
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Thank you! Yeah, I wish the pictures did her justice. In person she's so rich and iridescent. The lighting in my finished basement isn't great. I'll get some more shots outside soon.

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_richardhind1972_ (07-10-2018)

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## dakski

As noted, Behira shed 2 nights ago, or early yesterday. I took her out to get the shed and take some pictures (earlier in the day). 

I offered food last night, and for the first time yet, she refused. 

Not sure if there is a correlation, or if something else is going on, or it's totally random. 

I know if I take Shayna (BP) out the day of feeding she often refuses. I didn't expect that with Behira. 

In any event, not too worried yet, and will offer again in a week (does that make sense or wait two weeks). 

Snakes can be funny and she's very healthy and seemingly happy. 

Temps and humidity are dialed in and she had a perfect shed. No change there in the past 6 months. 

87-89F hot spot. 

82-84F ambient. 

78-80F cool side. 

Humidity - 60-70% - higher in shed

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## richardhind1972

Animals just do things sometimes that's not in the normal behaviour,they must have off days like we do sometime,I persononally try in a week's time, but the chances are she will be cruising in the next few nights for some supper like they do  if that was her normal feeding night

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_dakski_ (07-10-2018)

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## dakski

> Animals just do things sometimes that's not in the normal behaviour,they must have off days like we do sometime,I persononally try in a week's time, but the chances are she will be cruising in the next few nights for some supper like they do  if that was her normal feeding night
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Thanks Richardhind1972. That's what I am hoping it is. Also, she shed the night before, so she might just feel a little off. 

I had to call Jeff Ronne, the Boaphile, about sending me a RHP for the bottom tank in my setup that I'm splitting into two 3X2's; one side for Figment and one side for Solana. I mentioned it to him and he said it's unusual for a Boa to miss a meal, but not to worry unless they miss two in a row. 

Additionally, the temps have been crazy here. It went from 83-85F one day to 100F the next. Although her room is fairly well temp controlled, and her tank even more so, maybe Behira picked up on the atmospheric changes? Shayna struck at her rat last night (first time in a year - usually she wants me to put down and she pulls into her hide and eats) so maybe they all feel off in different ways?

I'll plan to feed in a week, unless she starts cruising, then I might offer a little sooner. 

I'll keep everyone in the loop.

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_ckuhn003_ (07-10-2018),_richardhind1972_ (07-10-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Thats ok then, I was going to ask wether you was having weird warm  spells at the moment  as Im sure like us you dont all ways feel hungry when its so warm
I normally try wait a few days after a shed just in case 
Well good luck Im sure she will start cruising any time


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_dakski_ (07-10-2018)

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## dakski

A couple of things. 

First, since she didn't eat last night, and I am a worried dad, I took Behira out tonight for some one on one time. Katie was doing work upstairs and I had a call to make, so I figured I'd talk on the phone while chilling with my little girl. 

I am pretty sure she would have tried my arm out hoping for a rat if I hadn't used the hook. She was in full "S" strike position and her head was off the ground eyeing me when I took the drape down  :Smile: . A few strokes with the hook handle, and then a few more, and she was calm with head down. I reached in, picked her up, and all was well with the world. Either way, this makes me more optimistic that yesterday was an off day and she will eat this weekend when I offer. 

Secondly, she's such a beautiful and wonderful creature. I really do adore her and love handling her. 

Here are some pictures of her and us. The one where her head is on my arm, she is sleeping. She explored for a while and then curled around my arm and put her head down. She was like that for 25 minutes with no eye movement and no tongue flicks. She's so sweet and relaxed. 

[IMG][/IMG]

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*Bogertophis* (07-15-2018),_ckuhn003_ (07-10-2018),_richardhind1972_ (07-11-2018)

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## Zincubus

Hi bud as regards the feeding ....

The hairdryer rarely fails ....

This method WORKS if done properly ...
I wait until evening as they're nocturnal of course . I let the rodent thaw out in the reptile room so they get the smell ..
Then I warm up the mouse / rat with a hairdryer and offer with tongs IMMEDIATELY whilst still warm . If refused simply repeat the heating and offering as many times as needed. .
A couple of mine will only strike feed from within their hides so I dangle the warm rodent in front of the hide's entrance - usually works but if it fails simply reheat the rodent with a hairdryer and immediately offer again whilst it's still warm  continue until it's grabbed ...


Incidentally , if it shows no interest at all not even a tongue flicker maybe it's best to leave for a week or so.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

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_dakski_ (07-11-2018)

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## dakski

Behira left me a ton of waste today. She weighed in at 950G totally dry and having not eaten in almost 3 weeks. I'd say that's a good dry weight. 

She shed earlier this week and is looking stunning. While I cleaned her tank, Katie hung out with her. 

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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_ckuhn003_ (07-12-2018),_richardhind1972_ (07-13-2018)

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## dakski

Got some shots of Behira chilling in her enclosure today before I picked her up. 

There is pretty good lighting in her tank, so the pictures are fairly representative, although I did take them with an iPhone  :Sad: . 

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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_ckuhn003_ (07-13-2018),_richardhind1972_ (07-13-2018)

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## richardhind1972

She's looking really great dakski,love the grey bands on her tail

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_dakski_ (07-13-2018)

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## dakski

> She's looking really great dakski,love the grey bands on her tail
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Thank you! 

I am fully expecting her to gobble down a rat this weekend (will offer Sunday). 

I also love her color changes. Her head has been very light the past few times I had her out (since her shed). Today, as you can see in the pictures, a lot of dark shading/spots on her head today. Seems to have nothing to do with mood at all; she was a total puppy dog today, as always. However, she changes colors/shading throughout the day.

The gray banding on the tail looks almost purplish in person. Definitely grey, but with a cool hue/hint of color seemingly.

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_richardhind1972_ (07-13-2018)

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## richardhind1972

That's good then, yes I'm sure she will eat her lunch this time especially if she's roaming . 
I love the way boas change colour it's so cool , you never know what shade you going to get when you open the glass, lol
It's like have a few different snakes some times,so hard to photograph aswell

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_dakski_ (07-13-2018)

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## dakski

Here's a terrible picture of me holding Behira. My ugly mug looks in focus, but the lighting was crap and it was taken with my iPhone, so Behira, the star of the picture, looks out of focus. 

It does show how much she's grown AND how much she has to grow!

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*Bogertophis* (07-15-2018),_richardhind1972_ (07-15-2018)

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## dakski

Great news! Behira nailed her F/T rat (70G) tonight. I put it in and she seemed super interested, but watched me, watched the rat, etc. for 3-4 minutes. Then, BAM! Struck and coiled. Would be nice if she did her usual 2 second strike, but I'll take it. I'll also take that over nailing the acrylic doors!  :Smile: 

So relieved. I guess last week was just an off day for her. She had literally just shed and who knows. What matters is she ate tonight! Glad she is back on track and is going to have a full belly!

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (07-16-2018)

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## dakski

Behira ate and digested Sunday's meal and is back to her old self, seemingly. We had a good time tonight chilling for the first time in about 3 days.
*
Who cares what Katie thinks? Behira likes the beard!* 

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*Sometimes I forget how strong she is!*

[IMG][/IMG]

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## dakski

*It's outside picture time! It's outside picture time! It's outside picture time! It's outside picture time!*

Behira shed recently and it was a perfect 85F here in sunny Northern Connecticut today! I was also sick most of this week and didn't get so spend much time with my beautiful, growing (did I mention growing), little girl. 

We spent some time on the deck taking in the sunshine. 

She is FAST outgrowing the little container I have to put in her when I clean/transport her in. I need a bigger one soon!

*Without further ado: Behira, the 2 year old, Ghost BCI!*

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_richardhind1972_ (07-20-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Snakes look so different in natural light , was she in her dark phase as her head looks like it was a higher speckling than her last few photos, makes you wonder where they hide them spots sometimes as they come and go on my boas too

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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## EL-Ziggy

What a pretty girl! She's growing well too.

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## dakski

> Snakes look so different in natural light , was she in her dark phase as her head looks like it was a higher speckling than her last few photos, makes you wonder where they hide them spots sometimes as they come and go on my boas too
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Richard, 

She was kind of in between, maybe a little more dark (but not nearly as dark as she can be), when I brought her outside. However, after a little while, if I recall, and from knowing the chronology of the pictures, she lightened up a bit. 

Her colors are nice inside, but in the sunlight, she's super rich and contrasts well and shows off some of that Boa iridescence. 

Love her color changes and love getting her outside for some sun and to enjoy her beauty. 




> What a pretty girl! She's growing well too.


Yeah, I got her for the temperament, and frankly, was looking for something more colorful in the beginning (like a Sunglow - I love striking and bright animals - look at the rest of my collection). However, I got to meet her first, and she was established, etc.  However, I've come to love her more subtle beauty, contrast, and uniqueness (I have nothing else that looks even close to her). Plus, her personality is amazing and she's my favorite snake to have out and interact with. She's my buddy. 

She's growing fast, but not too fast, and is healthy and happy. All I could ask. 

Good luck with your new Motley EL-Ziggy and keep us in the loop on him!

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_EL-Ziggy_ (07-20-2018),_richardhind1972_ (07-20-2018)

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## dakski

*We've got a climber!
*
[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

*​Sigh, I won't be able to hold this lady in one hand like this for much longer.

*[IMG][/IMG]

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_Avsha531_ (07-20-2018),_richardhind1972_ (07-22-2018)

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## Avsha531

That's great, she's looking so amazing! Sascha has been doing a lotta climbing lately too, I take her out then within seconds she's on my head lol

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

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## AbsoluteApril

> 


She's still looking great! Glad things are going well with her. Looks like you're about to play her like a guitar in this photo! rock on

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_dakski_ (07-20-2018)

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## dakski

> That's great, she's looking so amazing! Sascha has been doing a lotta climbing lately too, I take her out then within seconds she's on my head lol
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


Thank you Avsha531! 

They love the head/hair for some reason! Yeah, huge difference with Behira over my other snakes. The corns want a lot of support and just like slithering through my hands/arms, etc. Shayna, the BP, is definitely better at getting a grip on me, but does not have the desire or climbing prowess that Behira does at all. Behira was born to climb and is curious and investigative. 

She is so incredibly chill after being out for even a minute. That climbing picture was taken at the end of a 20 minute handling session where she spent 15 minutes on my arm and chest, basically, not moving.  :Smile: . 

Amazing how strong she is at not even 1,000G. Going to be interesting when she's 7,000G+. However, she's so calm and predictable and gentle. She's going to be a gentle giant for sure. Not too worried. 

As awesome and impressive as it's going to be having a 15+ pound Behira at 7FT, I'll miss my little baby BCI who I could hold with one forearm and hand! (Tear) How fast they grow up!

BTW - Been following Sascha's thread; quite the beauty and you and she seem like real buddies now! Very cool.

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_Avsha531_ (07-20-2018)

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## dakski

> She's still looking great! Glad things are going well with her. Looks like you're about to play her like a guitar in this photo! rock on


LOL! Unfortunately, I am basically tone deaf, and from a musical perspective, might as well be an earless snake (I do appreciate music however). Couldn't play an instrument if my life depended on it. 

However, I've got the snake act down!!!!!!

I am a pretty funny guy; witty and sarcastic and punny and a great joke teller. 

Maybe Behira and I can do a stand up act together?

A comedian and a Boa walk into a bar...............

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## dakski

Well, Behira and I, kind of hit a snag with Katie today. 

We (me and Katie, not Behira) went to the local reptile store today to get some food for the Leopard Gecko's (Dubai roaches). Adam, who owns the store, and I've known for a while now, had a big tank with a large female BCI (anery) and a male albino (Sharp, I believe) that he's trying to breed. 

Katie saw the female BCI and asked what it was. Me being totally honest, as I always am, and having shown Katie pictures of adult BCI females, and discussed it with her when she picked Behira, a female, etc. says, "oh that's a female BCI, like Behira, except Behira is a ghost so she's hypo anery and not as dark as this one."

Apparently, that was the wrong answer, because Katie freaked out!

This happens to be a large female. My guess is over 20 pounds. Knowing Behira's parents' that (20 pounds) is about the largest I am expecting Behira to be, but who knows?

Katie could not fathom how our "big" (in her mind) 1,000G Behira is going to be 7,000+ and 7FT+. It hit her hard. 

She thought we saw adult BCI's at the show where we met Behira's breeder, but I am pretty sure he showed us pictures of adults and had some 3 year old male BCI's. I would never intentionally mislead Katie and have told her from day one that Behira will be big and it takes 5+ years for her to reach adult size. I guess Katie thought a 3 year old 2K gram BCI was big at the time. 

I don't want Katie to resent me or Behira, and I will see how all this plays out. She seemed a little calmer tonight and even held Behira. However, she's mentioned a few times in the past few weeks that she's already getting big. Further she's darkened up a little which somehow makes her seem scarier to Katie and did nail me with a food response bite once. She also is an aggressive feeder. 

Behira has never shown aggression or defensiveness and is totally chill while being handled. The hook training has gone great and she snaps right out of food response mode if she's even close to it. I can read her well now and I am not scared of her, even her at 7K grams plus. 

However, Katie, who seems to read the other snakes fine, gets scared if Behira pulls her head back while being handled and enters anything resembling an "S" position. It's obviously incidental to me, and she has a happy tongue, and hasn't tensed, etc. However, Katie gets a little fearful. 

Seeing that big female today really shocked her and intimidated her.  

Again, I am going to give it some time and we will see what happens. 

I just feel really bad that Katie thought she had all the info, but obviously did not. 

She feels I was a little pushy with getting Behira, and I probably was, and probably just said "whatever" when I said Behira is a female and gets bigger than the males. Somehow, in her mind, that meant a little bigger than what she saw at the show, not BIG. 

Anyway, and advice would be appreciated, and I'll keep everyone in the loop. Sorry I rambled, but I just mostly feel terrible for Katie, and a little scared that she will always be upset about having her. That probably isn't rational. 

Here are the pictures from tonight. 

*Branch a la Katie

*[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (07-22-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Remember it doesnt mean that she will necessarily get that big and not all do
My 8year old common boa is only 5ft she has a large rat every month and has pretty much stayed the some sort of girth as she has been for the past 4years except when she was pregnant 

At least with her growing up with her she will get to read her body language and generally boas are slow and quite graceful .the corns wont be as girthy but some can get to  6ft and are pretty much on the go all the time where at least most boas will sit and chill with you, your shanya will probably stay chunkier than behira as most ball pythons are , yes there is the exception with some overfed boas 
Good luck and remember theres still a few years to go before adulthood  for you as a family to enjoy her growing and maturing with you


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

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_EL-Ziggy_ (07-22-2018)

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## EL-Ziggy

^^What Richard said.^^

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_richardhind1972_ (07-22-2018)

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## dakski

> Remember it doesnt mean that she will necessarily get that big and not all do
> My 8year old common boa is only 5ft she has a large rat every month and has pretty much stayed the some sort of girth as she has been for the past 4years except when she was pregnant 
> 
> At least with her growing up with her she will get to read her body language and generally boas are slow and quite graceful .the corns wont be as girthy but some can get to  6ft and are pretty much on the go all the time where at least most boas will sit and chill with you, your shanya will probably stay chunkier than behira as most ball pythons are , yes there is the exception with some overfed boas 
> Good luck and remember theres still a few years to go before adulthood  for you as a family to enjoy her growing and maturing with you
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk





> ^^What Richard said.^^


Yeah, I think her slow growth is what's going to make this work. Katie will have a lot of time to adjust as Behira grows. 

Still a little anxious because Katie gets nervous around Behira (at least somewhat) and doesn't seem to read her as well as the other snakes. 

As stated, I will give it time and let them grow to know each other better as Behira continues to grow. 

Thank you both!

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_richardhind1972_ (07-22-2018)

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## dakski

Ok, so an interesting evening on the Behira and Katie front. 

We were having a good night with the reptiles. The geckos were left alone, but all the snakes came out, as did Frank (the BTS) and we cut his nails (I hold, Katie cuts, although he's pretty good about it). 

Behira left a lot of urine, urate, and a little poop, and although I don't think all the poop is out, I weighed her at 1,000G even. 

Back to the story. 

I took Shayna (BP) out and Katie held her for a bit while I checked water, etc. Katie then took Figment (corn snake) out and held him for a bit. 

Then, she blew my mind. I said I was going to take Behira out. She took the drape down herself, I unlocked the door (she was sitting on top of her house, away from urine, with her nose basically against the door) and opened the door slowly and took a step back. I went over to reach for the hook and there was Katie walking over to Behira, with hook in hand. She rubbed her a few times and I explained Behira's changing body language to Katie. First, a little startled and curious, then relaxed on the house and loose; ready to be picked up. Katie started reaching for Behira! I took the hook and showed her that to be safe, I often put the hook handle between Behira's head and my arm until she melts into my hand. Katie picked her right up and spent time with her while talking to her dad on the phone and while I cleaned the tank. 

She asked about letting her wrap around her neck and I explained it's okay to drape her over your neck, but not okay to let her wrap around, especially when she's bigger. I also explained to always know where the tail is, so if she does squeeze a little, you can gently unwind her. 

Things were going fantastic!

We put Behira back and took baby Solana (scaleless corn) out. Katie and I were discussing how she's very much Katie's snake and how calm she is. 

Katie started talking about Behira and how she didn't understand how big Behira was going to be. She said it scares her because she bit me. I explained that I understood she was fearful, but that it wasn't rational. Behira has never so much as coiled into an "S" while being held, it was an isolated incident, and since hook training, has been a non issue. I also explained that a younger, hungry and growing Boa, is probably more likely to have a food response bite, and that even after Behira nailed me, she let me pick her right up. Not a mean bone in her body. I told her snakes bite because they are either thinking of food or being defensive. Behira has never been the latter and the bigger she gets the less fearful (not like she is fearful at all now) she will be. I also said that the bigger she gets and the less she needs to grow, her food response might lessen a bit. 

I pointed out that we were planning on getting a male and that she wanted Behira for her looks and I wanted her for her temperament. I had told Katie to research it, come to shows and see adults, etc. but she ultimately said, you are going to take care of her, and I like this one (Behira) as well as you, so let's get her. I don't care that she's a female even if they get bigger. She's basically your responsibility. 

Katie now points out that she didn't have all the information and that Behira has darkened up and seems scarier now not being as light. 

I told Katie it's great that you took her out tonight and that you are spending more time with her and learning her body language just like you have the other snakes. As she continues to grow you will have more comfort with her as well. 

She didn't let it go. I asked, what would you like to do? 

She said, "maybe get rid of her."

STOP THE TRAIN! HOLD THE PHONE! WHAT!

I told her that would only happen with an ultimatum, her or Behira, and that I would regret and resent giving her up if forced too. 

About an hour later Katie apologized and said she was overtired and got anxious and it just came out and she was sorry.

Okay, but I keep thinking that a drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts. Are an overtired and anxious Katie's words a calm and awake Katie's thoughts?

Plus, it totally caught me off guard. Look at the juxtaposition. She takes Behira out of her tank for the first time ever and chills with her and then 20 minutes later she's the enemy!?!?

I am not sure what to make of all this, but I am choosing to focus on the positive. Katie took her out of her tank, hook and all, had a good time with her, and she just recently saw an adult female BCI, so it's still a shock. 

Deep breathes and hoping Katie relaxes a little and lets this go. 

To be clear, I love Katie more than anything, and would never purposely make her uncomfortable. I did not knowingly misinform Katie. I offered a ton of information, but Katie basically said, whatever. 

She told me tonight she is glad we got Solana. I am not sure she has ever been so glad about Behira and feels I was too pushy about getting her. I very much might have been. Behira was basically my decision and Katie agreed, but wasn't 100% on board. This doesn't help the situation. Solana was 100% Katie approved. 

Anyway, I'll continue to keep everyone in the loop. In case it wasn't clear, Behira is doing amazingly well, and is as calm and docile as ever. 

Below is the picture of Katie while Behira was out tonight. 

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (07-25-2018)

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## richardhind1972

That was a really good read till you dropped the bomb shell.ouch 
feeding responses are always a shock especially out the blue ,  my oldest female when I first  had her was 4 and i thought she was as tame as kahlos  my big albino, but she was crawling round my lads legs and he tried to unwind her that's when he got bit, in front of her and  i think that scared her a bit but not really said anything since but that was over 4years ago .I won't get her out when she's home now ,don't want to push my luck but still get the others out in the garden and she just looks at them , her grandkids love them thank goodness and are always stroking them when I've got them out 
 That was all really positive especially Katie getting her out etc, she will lighten back up as you know, 
Fingers crossed she was overtired and wasn't thinking straight
Good luck

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (07-25-2018)

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## dakski

> That was a really good read till you dropped the bomb shell.ouch 
> feeding responses are always a shock especially out the blue ,  my oldest female when I first  had her was 4 and i thought she was as tame as kahlos  my big albino, but she was crawling round my lads legs and he tried to unwind her that's when he got bit, in front of her and  i think that scared her a bit but not really said anything since but that was over 4years ago .I won't get her out when she's home now ,don't want to push my luck but still get the others out in the garden and she just looks at them , her grandkids love them thank goodness and are always stroking them when I've got them out 
>  That was all really positive especially Katie getting her out etc, she will lighten back up as you know, 
> Fingers crossed she was overtired and wasn't thinking straight
> Good luck
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Thanks Richard. 

Obviously, if I had to re-home Behira versus loosing Katie, it's a no brainer. However, I don't think Behira, or I, deserve to be in that position. She made one "mistake" and has never shown aggression or come close to anything resembling that while out. She had a confusing moment and two seconds later, was calm and let me pick her up. 

I told Katie tonight that I was proud of her for taking Behira out for the first time and it looked like she had a good time with her. She responded with, don't read into that and think I like her, and I didn't enjoy holding her. 

I think sometimes, like everyone, Katie just likes to be combative and/or refuses to admit that she might have enjoyed Behira tonight if that means she is wrong and Behira really is a good animal. 

It's human nature. 

Again, going to focus on the positives from tonight. 

I told Katie if Behira was a viscous animal, I wouldn't want to keep her either. I told her when I was younger, I had gotten a king snake from a breeder and all it ever thought about was food and it was defensive. I tried working with it for a few weeks, but to no avail. I ended up giving it back to the breeder. I didn't know enough to work with it longer and I didn't want a defensive and food crazed animal. 

However, Behira is clearly not that. I asked Katie to be rational and trust me. We will see where that gets us. 

Thank again Richard. I'll keep everyone in the loop.

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_richardhind1972_ (07-25-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Fingers crossed for you mate and lets hope behira behaves herself too for her sake


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (07-25-2018)

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## AbsoluteApril

I wouldn't even talk to Katie about Behira, at least for a while. Don't even bring it up, none of this talking about 'things went so well' to Katie, Katie may just dig in her heels even more and push for getting rid of her. Give it time. Don't push anything, don't even talk about Behira. Clean, handle Behira and do your thing with her not involving Katie. If Katie goes and takes her out or does anything with her, great, but don't go on and on about it, it'll probably annoy Katie. Focus on the others, pretend Behira isn't there, she's not a bother, that kind of thing. Perhaps in time Katie will loosen up about it. If not, well, you'll need to rehome her. It's a sucky situation, I've been there and I've given up reptiles for SO before, it's never a good position to be in. I hope things work out.

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_dakski_ (07-25-2018),_richardhind1972_ (07-25-2018)

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## tttaylorrr

popping in to say im following and i feel for you. good luck, friend.

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_dakski_ (07-25-2018)

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## dakski

> I wouldn't even talk to Katie about Behira, at least for a while. Don't even bring it up, none of this talking about 'things went so well' to Katie, Katie may just dig in her heels even more and push for getting rid of her. Give it time. Don't push anything, don't even talk about Behira. Clean, handle Behira and do your thing with her not involving Katie. If Katie goes and takes her out or does anything with her, great, but don't go on and on about it, it'll probably annoy Katie. Focus on the others, pretend Behira isn't there, she's not a bother, that kind of thing. Perhaps in time Katie will loosen up about it. If not, well, you'll need to rehome her. It's a sucky situation, I've been there and I've given up reptiles for SO before, it's never a good position to be in. I hope things work out.


AbsoluteApril, you make a good point. Leave it alone. 

I do not believe this is going to come to me re-homing Behira. However, letting sleeping dogs lie for a while makes a lot of sense. She's obsessed with Solana, the baby Scaleless Corn; let her focus on her for a while. 




> popping in to say im following and i feel for you. good luck, friend.


Thanks Tttaylorrr! I appreciate it my sister from another mister. I figured you were following along. Thank you for the kind words and hopefully, this passes quickly and painlessly.

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_Avsha531_ (07-26-2018),_richardhind1972_ (07-26-2018)

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## dakski

Had some fun with Behira today. She's doing great! She actually seems to enjoy being out, well, more than the other snakes. 

Here are some fun pictures from today of my growing girl. 


*You cannot stop her, you can only hope to contain her!*

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

*Really? 30 seconds of freedom/leeway and she buried under blankets on the chair next to me! Seriously, I was watching her the whole time and made sure she didn't get into the mechanics of the chair.* 

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (07-27-2018)

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## dboeren

Wow, what a punch in the gut!  I thought I was just going to browse a thread with some cool snake pics and then you dropped the bomb there.

SO's that don't love snakes as much as we do are a problem for many of us, but it sounds like you did everything you were supposed to do to educate her in advance how big Behira was going to get and it doesn't feel fair to have her change her mind like this.  Meanwhile she feels like she didn't understand what she was agreeing to, whether it's because she didn't really listen (not being interested) or whatever.

I think the best thing to do right now is to give her some cooling off time and then try to have a frank discussion about it.  Let her know that different snakes grow to different sizes and that Behira won't necessarily get that big.  Also, she will grow slowly and you can affect the rate of growth and to an extent her ultimate size by controlling her feeding schedule.

I would start from scratch - don't make any assumptions about a comment she may have made while tired, scared, or annoyed.  Give her the chance to clarify what she really wants to say.

Not sure if this helps, but I find a comparison of weight to be a better way for people to understand snake sizes because they're long noodles.  A 6 foot snake sounds enormous to laymen but depending on girth it may weigh about as much as a small lap dog and helps people put things into perspective.

Also, you can let her know that she's not obligated to hold or take care of it.  You're willing to do all the work and if she doesn't feel like interacting with Behira that's fine.

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_dakski_ (07-27-2018)

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## dakski

> Wow, what a punch in the gut!  I thought I was just going to browse a thread with some cool snake pics and then you dropped the bomb there.
> 
> SO's that don't love snakes as much as we do are a problem for many of us, but it sounds like you did everything you were supposed to do to educate her in advance how big Behira was going to get and it doesn't feel fair to have her change her mind like this.  Meanwhile she feels like she didn't understand what she was agreeing to, whether it's because she didn't really listen (not being interested) or whatever.
> 
> I think the best thing to do right now is to give her some cooling off time and then try to have a frank discussion about it.  Let her know that different snakes grow to different sizes and that Behira won't necessarily get that big.  Also, she will grow slowly and you can affect the rate of growth and to an extent her ultimate size by controlling her feeding schedule.
> 
> I would start from scratch - don't make any assumptions about a comment she may have made while tired, scared, or annoyed.  Give her the chance to clarify what she really wants to say.
> 
> Not sure if this helps, but I find a comparison of weight to be a better way for people to understand snake sizes because they're long noodles.  A 6 foot snake sounds enormous to laymen but depending on girth it may weigh about as much as a small lap dog and helps people put things into perspective.
> ...


*Okay - Big (I think) Update to the Katie and Behira Situation*

Katie and I had a long talk about Behira (she brought it up). 

She feels I pushed to get Behira and she wasn't necessarily ready or willing to have another snake, certainly not one that gets as big as Behira will/can. To clarify, she felt much more involved with getting Solana, but also, adores her and has practically made Solana her snake. I don't think she was ready for the cuteness and it caught her by surprise. So partly she was a little more involved, and partly, who doesn't love a baby scaleless corn snake?

Back to Behira. I did push. I wanted the challenge of a bigger snake and had always thought Boa's were out of reach size wise (looked at too many obese BCI's and large BCC's on the internet etc). I was also in the process of ordering a huge Boaphile tank stack and was getting at least a 5X2' footprint for Frank, so to move up to 6X2' for a female BCI too, seemed a no brainier. When I realized that Behira was totally attainable, I jumped in hard. Katie basically said I would care for her, so whatever I wanted. Further, she had the opportunity to do more research, but declined. I told her Behira (a female) would be a big snake and much bigger than a male (she picked Behira with me). 

I also told Katie, again, that her fear was irrational. Behira is not a "danger noodle" and is hardly defensive or aggressive by any stretch of the imagination. I explained, again, that if she was, I wouldn't want to keep her either, for a variety of reasons. Again, I asked her to trust me, and told her that if I had to choose, of course I would choose Katie, always. However, I did not want an ultimatum and felt it was unfair at this point. 

Katie explained that me saying that I would always pick her over anything or anyone, meant the world to her and she didn't feel like she and her feelings were being brushed aside. She explained that she knows how important Behira is to me and "would never ask me to get rid of her." She said she gets tired and cranky and had an off day and although there was some truth to what she said, she wouldn't ask me to give Behira up, especially if it's not what I wanted. We agreed that neither of us would want an aggressive/defensive animal in the house, especially a big one. However, she agreed that her fear is at least somewhat irrational, and she trusts me regarding Behira. 

I also asked that she take any resentment or regrets about getting Behira out on me and not her. It's not Behira's fault. Katie explained that she said yes, and although reluctantly, said it was okay and she has to own that too. She warned she might not give in so easy next time though  :Smile: .

Overall, a good talk and I will take Katie's fears and frustration about Behira with a grain of salt from now on, per her wishes. She says she still reserves the right to complain about it every now and then, but I don't have to take it too seriously. 

I am glad Katie and I cleared all that up. Much like getting Behira, this was a big miscommunication as well. We needed to sort it out and I am glad Katie talked to me about it and I set her mind at ease, as she set my mind at ease. We know how important communication is to a healthy relationship, and are usually pretty good at it, but we had two misses in that department here. Not like us, but again, glad we sorted it out, and quickly. 

Sounds like Behira is here to stay!

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_AbsoluteApril_ (07-30-2018),caravaggiooo (07-28-2018),_EL-Ziggy_ (07-27-2018),_jmcrook_ (07-28-2018),_richardhind1972_ (07-28-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Thats some great news mate🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (07-28-2018)

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## dakski

Behira was curled up by the acrylic doors when I went to take her out and change her water today. She looked so cute, I had to grab a few pictures. 

Additionally, below, I am posting two links to me holding Behira wit her being her normal self with a happy tongue! She's so calm and gentle and easy to redirect. Such a sweet girl. 

https://i.imgur.com/gXlHQMZ.mp4

https://i.imgur.com/JpvTBaL.mp4

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_richardhind1972_ (07-29-2018)

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## richardhind1972

I love it when there tongue goes ten to the dozen,so sweet 


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_dakski_ (07-29-2018)

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## EL-Ziggy

Behira's a very pretty girl Daski and she looks pretty laid back in your pics and videos .

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_dakski_ (07-29-2018)

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## dakski

> I love it when there tongue goes ten to the dozen,so sweet 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


Yeah. I love Behira's happy tongue movement!




> Behira's a very pretty girl Daski and she looks pretty laid back in your pics and videos .


She's totally laid back, as long as there's no food! Very calm and curious little girl. Not aggression at all and doesn't get scared either. 1

Of course, food is a separate issue. After skipping a meal a month ago, she ate last meal, and attacked both the doors and the rat tonight. She's back to her old self, which is both great, and eh! I wish she would stop nailing the doors! Oh, well. I'll take that over not eating.

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_richardhind1972_ (07-30-2018)

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## dakski

Katie was kind enough to take some pictures of me and Behira tonight. 

We both have been having a rough week and Behira was a good "therapy snake" to both of us and we got some good pictures. Not pushing Katie on Behira, and we seem to have a good understanding, but she was happy to both hold and take pics tonight. 

I think the last pics I have of me with Behira she was about 600-700G and is now 1,000G. So, noticeable difference, although there is still much growing left for her to do!

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_AbsoluteApril_ (08-02-2018),*Bogertophis* (08-05-2018),_richardhind1972_ (08-01-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Great pics looked like she was wanting to explore.
I love the age from 2-3 in boas as they start to mature. It seems to take ages with boas to get some size about them  when slow grown properly like she has been ,also love when they  start to get that chunky boa head
Boas are just so cool and so strong

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-01-2018)

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## dakski

> Great pics looked like she was wanting to explore.
> I love the age from 2-3 in boas as they start to mature. It seems to take ages with boas to get some size about them  when slow grown properly like she has been ,also love when they  start to get that chunky boa head
> Boas are just so cool and so strong
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Yeah, Behira is right in that wheelhouse. 2 years and 2 months now. I am feeding small rats every two weeks and she still grows quite fast. I'll move her up to medium rats every 3 weeks when she's good and ready. No rush; happy and healthy over quick(er) size. 

It's amazing how much her head has "morphed" into a more adult boa head. 

Speaking of Boa heads and growth. 

Here's a picture of Katie the evening Behira came home. Huge difference. Much smaller and much more rounded cheeks and baby face. Awwwww, I miss my little Behira  :Smile: . Not to worry, I'll love big Behira too; especially if she's as chill as she is now (probably more so). 

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*Bogertophis* (08-05-2018),_richardhind1972_ (08-01-2018)

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## richardhind1972

There such a difference when you look back, lol
I think it seems to take ages for there heads to chunk out, they seem to have a pin head for ages

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_dakski_ (08-01-2018)

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## dakski

We've talked a lot about hook training in this thread. I decided to write a thread just about hook training. It's inspired by Behira  :Smile: . 

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...24#post2635224

Any feedback or added suggestions, please post away on that thread! I learned much from all of you and I probably missed something in the thread.

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## dakski

Behira loves climbing. She always goes right for the bookshelf next to my big chair in the reptile area. Every once in a while, like tonight, I give her the opportunity to climb on it. She loves it. 

However, as she gets bigger, that bookshelf is not going to support her. I wanted to build a PVC square with multiple levels for her to climb and that would support her at 20 pounds. However, I have nowhere to store something that big. 

Anyone know what I could use that's either smaller/narrower and I could lean or attach to a wall, etc. or that's collapsable. I guess I could just build a jungle gym of sorts into the wall with branches, etc, but I am not sure how easy or doable that is. 

Any ideas are welcome!

Here's Behira doing her book shelf thing tonight, in chronological order, from "I see something to climb!" to mastered. 

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*Bogertophis* (08-05-2018),_richardhind1972_ (08-06-2018)

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## Bogertophis

You're so brave...all my snakes know how to clear bookshelves faster than I can stop the crashes.   :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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_AbsoluteApril_ (08-07-2018),_dakski_ (08-06-2018)

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## dakski

Behira had a ton of waste for me this morning. She clocked in, dry, at 1,010 grams. 

She's a growing girl. 

Picture below of her outgrowing her holding container. 

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Behira decided to make a call on my cordless home phone today. She must have really wanted to talk, she wouldn't let go of the phone!

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_ckuhn003_ (08-07-2018),_EL-Ziggy_ (08-07-2018),_richardhind1972_ (08-07-2018)

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## EL-Ziggy

She's a real cutie patootie D. Judging from your posts  it seems like she has a really sweet and inquisitive disposition too. I'm looking forward to seeing my boas grow. That's the biggest adjustment for me in keeping boas vs pythons or colubrids. I'm not used to such slow growing critters that eat far less often. Patience is a virtue though right?

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_dakski_ (08-07-2018),_richardhind1972_ (08-07-2018)

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## dakski

Behira ate tonight, and Katie helped me shoot it. 

It's her first time on the camera and she did pretty well. I took over after Behira struck and both Katie and I edited the video. It's low light (hence using the prosumer 4K camera - however I shot in 1080P) and some of the footage is crappy. However, we did our best. We will try harder next time  :Smile: . 

She did strike at the acrylic doors when I turned the key, but Katie was already zoomed in, so we didn't get that.

Notice Behira got a terrible strike and wrap on the rat and bit herself in the process. However, being the determined goofball she is, she wrapped the rat for ten minutes, teeth in her own neck/body the whole time. 

She appears fine and no worse for the ware, but what a determined, food driven, maniac!

This was the biggest small rat I have in the open package now. 7 rats left and all are 60-70G. This one was 75G and I figured I'd give it a go. Feeding every two weeks and with her over 1,000G, I really want 80-90G minimum. 

I will either switch to smaller mediums soon (100-110G or so), or see if my unopened package of small rats has more rats in her proper size range. I believe in slow growth, but don't want to underfeed her too much either. 

Without further ado, the link to Behira's eating video: https://streamable.com/5686u

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_richardhind1972_ (08-13-2018)

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## Zincubus

Good news !!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-13-2018)

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## PiperPython

Always a good thing when they eat.  Sounds like your girlfriend is coming around, and will have plenty of time to do so.

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_dakski_ (08-13-2018)

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## dakski

Thanks for the comments. 

Behira is doing awesome. She skipped one meal, about 4 meals ago, but had just shed and I handled that day to clean shed etc. So far, that's the only time she's ever refused food. 

We are 27/28 on feedings. Much better ratio then my BP  :Smile: . 

As she gets bigger, and her iridescence shows more, and the richness of her "colors" show, and you can see all the details of her markings around her face, I am finding her more beautiful every time I take her out. 

I originally wanted a BCI that was more colorful, like a HYPO, or a Sunglow. However, she was the calmest and best eater combination and I love her personality. I tend to gravitate to bold colors. Look at the rest of my collection. However, her subtle beauty, and great patterning, is really growing on me. She's vastly different than any other animal I have, and I really like that. I can't wait to see her grow into a gentle giant.

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_richardhind1972_ (08-13-2018)

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## Phillydubs

Great job guys ! Awesome video !

love this girl ! Cant wait to meet her!

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_dakski_ (08-13-2018)

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## EL-Ziggy

Behira is looking as lovely as ever D. She's the bee's knees.   :Smile:

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_dakski_ (08-14-2018)

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## dakski

I had Behira out yesterday and today and got some nice shots. She's a hoot!

After stroking her with the hook a few times, I took some cool in tank pictures, as well as some out of tank pictures. 

She's so comfortable and relaxed with me. She fell asleep in my lap while I was holding her and talking on the phone. I moved after ten minutes, she woke up, the tongue went twice, and then head down and out again. After another ten minutes, I gently woke her up and put her back in her tank. 

She's my buddy! We really enjoy hanging out together. 

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_ckuhn003_ (08-17-2018),_EL-Ziggy_ (08-17-2018),_richardhind1972_ (08-17-2018)

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## EL-Ziggy

What a beautiful and calm critter. That's why I got a boa for my last snake. I want a snake to chill out and watch the game with. No can do with my pythons and bulls.  :Smile:

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_dakski_ (08-17-2018)

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## dakski

> What a beautiful and calm critter. That's why I got a boa for my last snake. I want a snake to chill out and watch the game with. No can do with my pythons and bulls.


They all have their own temperaments, but in general, yeah, Boa's are pretty chill. 

Behira is active the first minute or two I have her out; she likes to explore everything around her. Then, calm and chill. However, give her something to climb, and it's a different story!

It is funny how all snakes have their own personality though, even if it's often within species traits. Figment, my Hypo Lavender Corn is all over the place. He won't sit still. However, he's docile as can be. Solana, my 14G 3 1/2 month old Scaleless Corn, is calm as can be. Not darty or quick. Just calm and chill, although she does move more than say, a Boa. However, two snakes of the same species, both docile, but both with distinct character traits. I imagine as she grows, she will be even more chill. 

You can't go wrong with Boa's in my opinion, assuming, you can handle the size of an adult, especially a female. By "handle," I mean both able to handle them comfortably and be comfortable yourself, but also have the space to give them what they need; a fairly large enclosure. 

Behira shows so much personality for a snake. She's also very brave and I never have to worry about scarring her or getting a defensive bite. She's so damn brave. Nothing seems to make her flinch. She's confident and knows she will be a big girl. 

Thank you for the comments El-Ziggy. I love her and I know you will love your BCI too!

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_EL-Ziggy_ (08-17-2018),_richardhind1972_ (08-17-2018)

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## richardhind1972

She's deffo starting to get that nice meat head that boas get as they mature,  she looks so good dakski, keep up the good work with her

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-17-2018)

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## PiperPython

I have a 4 year old male colombian BI, and he does not sit still - I could not watch TV with him. But all my other boas are MUCH more passive to hold than the pythons are.  The carpet python? Forget about it, 100% attention necessary, always.

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_richardhind1972_ (08-18-2018)

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## dakski

> She's deffo starting to get that nice meat head that boas get as they mature,  she looks so good dakski, keep up the good work with her
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Thank you Richard! I am doing my best. My first BCI, but not my first rodeo! Of course, I want what's best for all my animals. However, I am also making up for my younger years when I wanted the same thing, but didn't know how to properly care for them. My current reptiles are treated like gold!

Thank G-D for resources like this site to help new keepers' learn what's best for their animals. I wish I had that 28 years ago!




> I have a 4 year old male colombian BI, and he does not sit still - I could not watch TV with him. But all my other boas are MUCH more passive to hold than the pythons are.  The carpet python? Forget about it, 100% attention necessary, always.


LOL. Yeah, Behira does her exploring and looking around for a minute or two and I just have to stick with her until she relaxes. However, once chill, she's really chill!

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_richardhind1972_ (08-18-2018)

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## dakski

Quick Video of Behira being chill as can be on my arm. She's such a calm and beautiful animal! Love her eyes!

https://streamable.com/pxfyk

No other updates. With other new Boa peeps on here, and reports of varying temperaments, especially at young ages, I thought I'd show what a docile 2 year old can be like.

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_richardhind1972_ (08-22-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Looking really nice and healthy daksk, great how there head freckles come and go on  boas

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-22-2018)

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## dakski

Had Behira out for a bit tonight. She LOVES exploring. Got some nice shots. She's getting longer and thicker, but I can't wait to see her really start thickening up. 

I also got a video of the frighteningly fast and ferocious Boa that she is on the coach (she was playing Peek a Boo): https://streamable.com/5it1j 



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_richardhind1972_ (08-23-2018)

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## ckuhn003

Thanks for sharing. You can really tell from the video how gentle she is and that her comfort level with you is wonderful.

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_dakski_ (08-22-2018)

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## dakski

> Thanks for sharing. You can really tell from the video how gentle she is and that her comfort level with you is wonderful.


Thank you! She really is very gentle. I have no fear of a bite from her except when getting her out/feeding time, and if then, between hook training, and knowing her now, neither really bothers me at all. 

Yeah, I was joking with Katie. I played Peek A Boo with Behira and there was no drama. I try that with our lab, Bailey, who was abandoned, and she will have none of it. The second I hide under the covers, she's literally ripping covers and sheets off of me as fast as possible. Poor girl. I only did that once. 

Behira and I have really developed trust and a rapport together. She's fine when other's hold her, especially Katie, but is always calmer with me. She knows her dad!

You'll get there with Phantom too. Remember, he's tiny right now, and I've had Behira almost a year now and she was already 430G when I got her and calm as can be (holdback who was handled often). We just worked on our trust level and that paid dividends.

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_richardhind1972_ (08-23-2018)

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## dakski

Behira nailed a 90G F/T small rat tonight (and the door once, LOL,  :Smile: ). She's had one that big before, probably 200G ago, but I've been giving 70-80G small rats every two weeks mostly, as that's what I had in the last small rat package. 

I opened a new small rat package today, and there are a few larger ones, like the 90G I fed tonight, but many are 70-75G. 

I am thinking of moving her up to medium rats within the next few feedings. However, initially offering nothing more than 100-110G tops. 

I was going to work with one of my suppliers and request two packages of 90-110G mediums, or there about, and one of larger mediums. Either Behira will grow into them, or, more likely Shayna, the 1700G BP will eat those. 

Do you guys see any reason not to move up at this point? She is 1,050G now and eating 90G small rats with ease every other week. 

I would move to mediums and feed every 3 weeks instead. 

Does that make sense? I preach that less is more, but I'd be going up 10-20G for a while (and although a bigger meal now, would get smaller relative to her size as she grows) and then moving up to larger medium rats later when it was appropriate and still feeding every 3 weeks. 

Again, I'd be giving food that leaves a small lump and every 3 weeks instead of 2. 

Any thoughts are welcomed! I just want to do what's best for my little girl.

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_richardhind1972_ (08-28-2018)

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## richardhind1972

I think she would be fine with that especially if you move to 3week feeds 

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-28-2018)

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## dakski

A few pictures and updates on Behira. 

She nailed a 90G small rat last week and I will be ordering medium rats for her next feeding. I'll start with small medium rats and work her up as she grows. I will also offer every 3 weeks instead of every two, her schedule with small rats. 

I fed Monday this week (usually Sunday) and took her out this evening. She was a wild woman tonight! All over the place. After a few minutes, she did calm down, but if she decided to head for the bookcase, the lamp, or anything else she set her mind to, and I tried to re-direct, it didn't go entirely smooth. A few times I pulled her back and tried to re-direct her and she would move her head and neck really quick, almost like she was having a tantrum. She would also fight me quite a bit! She's super strong, even at 1,050G, and I had to be really gentle not to upset or hurt her. To be clear, she showed ZERO AGGRESSION, she just wanted to go where she wanted to go. 

I would try to re-direct and it was almost like she was saying, "But Dad! I want to go thisssssss way!"

I still got some good pictures (below). I also have a 4 second video of her being still and you can see her head pattern at slightly different angles. She was closer to her dark phase today than her light phase, but not full dark. 

I also have a few pictures of her tail. Phillydubs pointed out that she has a Ghost Face on her Ghost tail! I had noticed the marking, but he was looking upside down, and it totally looks like a ghost's face from that angle. Pretty cool, a Ghost on a Ghost!

*4 Second Video of Behira's Head in a Fairly Dark Phase
*
https://streamable.com/yof07


*Ghost on a Ghost
*
Right side up (head to tail)

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[IMG][/IMG]Upside down (tail to head)[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]*




General Pictures

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_richardhind1972_ (08-30-2018)

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## EL-Ziggy

I see the ghost face now  :Smile: . Behira looks awesome as always D.

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_dakski_ (08-29-2018)

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## dakski

I took Behira out today for some quality time and she was a total puppy dog, as she normally is. 

I have no idea what got into her yesterday, but she seems back to her old self today. 

Again, and to be clear, she was not aggressive or defensive yesterday and at no point was I concerned about a bite. She was just stubborn and determined to go where she wanted and didn't want re-direction.

She would literally fight my hand trying to re-direct her and wave her head, almost like she was having a tantrum! She's strong as heck now, and only 1,100G or so. That will be fun if/when she does that at 7,000G. 

In any event, she had an off day, and she's allowed, just like the rest of us. Again, totally calm, docile, and compliant today.

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## ckuhn003

> She's strong as heck now, and only 1,100G or so. That will be fun if/when she does that at 7,000G.


That's good to hear David. It's amazing how strong these creatures are. I was holding my little 100 gram'er yesterday and it's amazing how strong he feels wrapping around my fingers in comparison to my Ball Python.

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_dakski_ (08-30-2018),_richardhind1972_ (08-30-2018)

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## dakski

> That's good to hear David. It's amazing how strong these creatures are. I was holding my little 100 gram'er yesterday and it's amazing how strong he feels wrapping around my fingers in comparison to my Ball Python.


Thank you Ckuhn003!

I wasn't really worried about yesterday; more amused. She had an off day and it was funny to see. Again, I had no worries, she was calm and defiant, never aggressive. 

However, good to see her back to her old self today as well. 

Regarding her strength, yeah, power to weight, Boa's are up there! Behira is noticeably stronger than my 1,700G female BP, and she uses it too. 

I think of Shayna, my BP, as a lineman in football. Strong and bulky. Figment, my corn, he's the wide receiver, quick and muscular, but wouldn't win a strength contest. Behira is my tight end, or linebacker. Quick, but not crazy fast, and super strong relative to her size. Muscular and big, but not an ounce of fat on her. 

Even at the size she is now, I do not let her wrap around my fingers. Bottom of my hand and wrist/arm are okay, but she could easily break my fingers just squeezing to not fall. She's one strong animal; good thing she's a puppy dog!

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_ckuhn003_ (08-30-2018),_richardhind1972_ (08-31-2018)

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## dakski

Behira has gotten so well hook trained. 

Today, she was peeking out the door when I took the drape down. I opened the tank, rubbed her a few times, and she totally chilled out. 

I was able to take a couple of pictures (not great photos and on iPhone so focus isn't ideal either) an inch in front of her face. She didn't care. Then I proceeded to take her out and she was a total sweetheart as usual. 

She had a 90G small rat last week and next weekend she eats her first medium rat (about 100G) and moves to feeding 1X every three weeks.

I'll keep everyone posted. 

Here's Behira in her tank being chill as usual. 3 FT hook for reference. 

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_richardhind1972_ (09-03-2018)

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## dakski

Don't let Katie ever tell you she doesn't love Behira. LOL!

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_richardhind1972_ (09-03-2018)

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## dakski

Behira left me a nice present this morning. I cleaned her tank, chilled with her a little, and weighed her dry. 1,080G! We've had her 11 months and she went from 440G to 1,080G dry! WOW! Growing girl. 

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_richardhind1972_ (09-04-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Filling out nicely 

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (09-04-2018)

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## dakski

Behira and I spent some quality time tonight. Katie got some pictures on my iPhone and I got some of me chilling with her as well (unfortunately still on the iPhone). 

She's definitely getting bigger. Hope she starts to fill out a little more. Richardhind1972 pointed out that she is starting to. 

She was in her "light phase" tonight, with almost no grey on her head. 

I am also wearing one of my favorite t-shirts (I have a collection of over 200 shirts, down from over 400 before I moved into Katie's house  :Sad: ). 

Here are the pictures:

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_ckuhn003_ (09-05-2018),_richardhind1972_ (09-06-2018)

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## EL-Ziggy

Behira looks as lovely as ever D. Looks like she and Katie are getting along just fine. I love your t-shirt too.  :Smile:

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_dakski_ (09-05-2018)

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## dakski

> Behira looks as lovely as ever D. Looks like she and Katie are getting along just fine. I love your t-shirt too.


Thanks El-Ziggy. Yeah, Katie and Behira have their moments, but in general, things are going very well between them. 

Behira looks great and is really growing, even on a slow growth diet. Excited to see her continue to get bigger.

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## richardhind1972

You can definitely tell she's starting to mature, they got that fatter head and the tail on females gets a lot chunkier too,
She looks really nice and healthy

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (09-06-2018)

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## dakski

Katie and Behira had some "girl time" today and Katie even used the hook and got her out of the tank. No pressing by me, all on her own. 

Behira gets her first medium rat tomorrow night. 

Also of interest, Behira's breeder called her an Ivory Ghost, het Moonglow (66%). I thought that she was just a Ghost, but recently looked up Ivory Ghost genetics. When I had been looking at getting Behira I was also talking to Jeff Ronne about upgrading my tanks. I told him I was getting an Ivory Ghost from Boakings, and he said he sold Amaury Gil, Behira's breeder, part of his line to make ghosts. 

Turns out, a traditional ghost is Hypo and Anery. However, an Ivory Ghost means it's from Pastel Anery and Hypo. The pastel anery line started with Jeff Ronne at Boaphile so I think it's all coming together now. I'll verify with Boakings that she does indeed have some Pastel in her, but it sure looks that way. 

http://www.reptileinsider.com/archiv...p/t-27912.html   and   http://forums.kingsnake.com/viewarch...22292&key=2008

Without further ado, Katie having girl time with Behira. 

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_richardhind1972_ (09-09-2018)

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## dakski

I talked to Behira's breeder today at the reptile expo. I was wrong. She is selectively bred, but is just a plain old Ghost Boa. So, she is in fact, only Hypo Anery. 

I could care less. She's beautiful just the way she is and is my buddy. Period. End of story. I am a happy guy with a happy and healthy Boa who gets her first medium rat tomorrow. Was supposed to be tonight, but we had a long day with my niece at the reptile show! More on that another time.

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_richardhind1972_ (09-10-2018)

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## richardhind1972

She's a great looking ghost either way mate, I don't think she will struggle with a medium, might make her come into shed a bit quicker with being larger tho, 

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (09-10-2018)

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## AbsoluteApril

'pastel' is just a line bred trait in boas anyways, it's not an actual morph like in ball pythons.

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*Bogertophis* (09-12-2018),_dakski_ (09-10-2018)

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## dakski

> She's a great looking ghost either way mate, I don't think she will struggle with a medium, might make her come into shed a bit quicker with being larger tho, 
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


I love her looks and her temperament and personality. Zero complaints brother. Zero Complaints. 

She gets a 115G medium rat tonight. Shouldn't be a big deal. I'll advise.




> 'pastel' is just a line bred trait in boas anyways, it's not an actual morph like in ball pythons.


Thank you AbsoluteApril. 

As stated above, I love her just the way she is!

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_richardhind1972_ (09-11-2018)

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## CloudtheBoa

Behira is looking good, growing well!  She's so light and clean, even if she isn't from the ivory pastel line, she's still a spectacular example of a ghost boa.  Your feeder sizes must run really big. lol  80-150 grams would be what I normally associate with medium rats, and 45-80 grams for smalls.

Boas definitely go through periods of docility and defensiveness, just a natural part of day-to-day activities. haha

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_dakski_ (09-10-2018)

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## dakski

Behira happily nailed and ate her first medium rat tonight. A 115G medium at that. It actually went down quicker than I thought it would and she will be happily digesting for the next two days. 

Pictures below (sorry for the poor lighting and iPhone quality). 

*Good thing you feed me F/T Dad, I have the worst aim!

*[IMG][/IMG]

*Going down pretty well; more than half way there:

*[IMG][/IMG]

*NOM! NOM! NOM! Tail goes down like Spaghetti!


*[IMG][/IMG]

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*Bogertophis* (09-12-2018),MAC1 (09-11-2018),_richardhind1972_ (09-11-2018)

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## dakski

Behira was warming up and digesting on the hot side this evening. Of course, she was not in her hide, but rather sprawled out next to it. 

She has a small lump still, but I am not touching her until it's gone. I am thinking by tomorrow night we should be pretty good.

She was 1,080G dry before the 115G medium rat. Went down pretty quick, but definitely leaves more of a lump than a 90G small rat. Also, I am feeding her every 3 weeks with medium rats, not every 2 weeks as I did with small rats. 

Here are two pics:

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[IMG][/IMG]

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*Bogertophis* (09-12-2018),_EL-Ziggy_ (09-12-2018),MAC1 (09-11-2018),_richardhind1972_ (09-12-2018)

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## EL-Ziggy

With a full belly and a cozy enclosure I'm sure she's a happy camper now D.  :Smile:

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_dakski_ (09-12-2018),_richardhind1972_ (09-12-2018)

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## richardhind1972

That full belly will probably ground her for few days,she will soon be back around to chilling with you 


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (09-12-2018)

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## dakski

I took Behira out today, after letting her digest from her first medium rat for three days.

She knew what was up and that it was a big meal. 90% of the time after a meal, she spends most of her time in the middle of the tank (around 84-85F). This time, stuck on the hot spot (cooler zone on the hot spot) at around 86F for two days. 

Today, no bulge/lump, and a happy and full Behira. I love handling her. She's such a brave and kind and sweet snake. 

Here are some pictures showing how she's really starting to fill out, medium rat or not. Starting to even a get some weight on her tail. 

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (09-14-2018)

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## EL-Ziggy

Ms. B is looking great! You've brought her along splendidly  sir.  :Smile:

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_dakski_ (09-14-2018)

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## dakski

> Ms. B is looking great! You've brought her along splendidly  sir.


Thanks EL-Ziggy! That means a lot!

I've been keeping reptiles for years. I've had a Bearded Dragon, George, RIP, who made it to 11, numerous corns and BP's, plus Leopard Geckos and a Blue Tongue (all currently living with me). I always do my research and want and do what's best for my animals. I used to keep fish (before my kidney disease stole most of my energy) and even had a rare and large African Cichlid colony breed for me that were wild caught. Difficult for breeders to make it happen. I didn't want it, but was meticulous about proper tank size, water chemistry, etc. they did anyway! I understand that husbandry is super important with reptiles as with fish, and maintain clean and properly humidified and proper temp enclosures and have a good routine. For what's it's worth, reptiles are more interactive and 10X easier to keep, certainly time wise. Worst case, I have a bad day or two, and I clean up a little extra poop the next day. With fish and maintaining multiple tanks, including a 240G and a 90G, you can't just miss a water change. You'll end up doing two the next week and G-D forbid, that doesn't happen. I miss them, but I knew it was time as my energy wained. 

Anyway, I digressed. Behira is my first big snake. I have always done well with corns and BP's, but wanted the challenge of a large snake and had always thought BCI's were more like your BO and got a lot bigger. I also thought they had stricter humidity requirements and before my Boaphile setup, was afraid that would be difficult to maintain. 

I want to do the absolute best for Behira, just like all my animals, and want to enjoy her for years to come, and vice versa. 

It means so much that you, Richardhind1972, and other keepers with more experience than me, read and comment on the thread how well she's progressing and how happy and healthy she is. It means I am doing a good job with her. I did a ton of research before getting her and continue to learn as I go. 

Thank you again; I am truly happy with how well she is progressing and can't wait (although it will be another 3-4 years plus the way I feed her) until she's a big adult BCI!

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_EL-Ziggy_ (09-14-2018)

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## dakski

Some pics of me hanging with my "baby" girl Behira. 

The last one looks terrible because of lighting and no flash, but shows off the signs I have going down to our finished basement, where the reptile area is. 

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_richardhind1972_ (09-15-2018)

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## dakski

Behira is doing fantastic, as usual, and spent some time with me the other day and with my mother today. 

Here are some pictures:

[IMG][/IMG]

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*Getting too big for one arm!*

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*
Chilling with Grandma (my mother):

*[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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_EL-Ziggy_ (09-21-2018),_richardhind1972_ (09-19-2018)

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## dakski

So Behira dropped a huge one last night. Her biggest yet, not that I am weird or anything and keep track of this stuff. 

She ate her first medium rat (115g) about 11 days ago and I weighed her dry today; she's 1,110G. 

I also spent some time with her while her enclosure was disinfecting. 

Pictures below:

*Growing Girl! Notice her larger holding container! She outgrew the old one!*

[IMG][/IMG]

*​"I Believe I Can Fly"/Knocked Dad's glasses right off - She actually made it the 1.5 FT from the top of my head to the ceiling with ease; she's strong!

*[IMG][/IMG]

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MAC1 (09-21-2018),_richardhind1972_ (09-21-2018)

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## MAC1

She looks great, and it looks like shes lucky to have you as an owner.

I definitely agree BCIs are low maintenance pets.

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_dakski_ (09-21-2018)

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## dakski

> She looks great, and it looks like shes lucky to have you as an owner.
> 
> I definitely agree BCIs are low maintenance pets.


Thank you MAC1, that's very kind. I think Behira and I are pretty good together too! We've learned to trust each other and understand each other a little better through time as well. 

She knows I will never hurt her and I know she likes FOOD!

Yeah, pretty easy given her (eventual) size and beauty. If you can handle the size of the animal and humidity and temp requirements, and a large enclosure, I highly recommend Boas!

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_richardhind1972_ (09-21-2018)

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## dakski

Katie snapped some shots of me with Behira hanging on my arm. She's incredibly strong. It's hard to tell from the picture, but she's wrapped around my arm and hanging down free.

Boa's are semi-arboreal. I think Behira is Semi-Arm Boreal!!!!!!!!!!

All kidding aside, pretty soon, she'll be too big and heavy for me to hold her up like this!

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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_AbsoluteApril_ (09-27-2018),_richardhind1972_ (09-28-2018)

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## dakski

Behira seems to get bigger every time I take her out. She's also been in her "light phase" the past 2-3 times I've had her out. For a while, she was dark 3/4 times I took her out, mostly in the evening. 

She seems to be getting much longer, but I am waiting for her to thicken up a bit. My first Boa, so I am not sure how all that works, but she sure eats like a champ and is definitely putting on weight. She weighs 1,110G dry now.

Pictures below. When she hangs from my neck, I cannot seem to get her whole body in a selfie anymore! She also takes up much of Katie when Katie's sitting on the couch. 

[IMG][/IMG]

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_ckuhn003_ (09-27-2018),_richardhind1972_ (09-28-2018),_tttaylorrr_ (09-28-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Looking really good as usual

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (09-28-2018)

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## dakski

For contrast, Behira in a more "dark phase". 

She is due to eat another medium rat on Sunday night (2 days). 

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (09-28-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Makes you wonder where the speckles hide or how they come and go, it really fascinates me to way boas do this .

Have you noticed wether the medium rat has filled her long enough? Or  was she expecting her food a week ago the same as her small rat, mine was still expecting more food when I increased there prey  size.

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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## dakski

The rat seemed to fill her okay. 

She's been looking/hunting the past few nights, but isn't showing any signs of being overly hungry. She's actually been pretty chill when I take her out. I use the hook every time, but I haven't had to get her out of strike position or anything. 

I am sure she will nail her rat on Sunday. LOL.

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_richardhind1972_ (09-29-2018)

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## dakski

Behira hadn't eaten in three weeks, per new schedule of a medium rat every 3 weeks, versus a small every 2 weeks. Her first medium was 3 weeks ago and it was 115G and went down okay. Today I offered a little smaller medium rat at 105G. 

She did not hesitate! Struck, coiled, and down the hatch!

She will adjust to the new 3 week schedule and hasn't shown any more food drive than normal. She out looking for the past week, at least, but was pretty chill about it. I think she will be fine. 

Got a pretty good strike today. Got the body and not just the tail, and also didn't bite herself. She's doing better!

[IMG][/IMG]

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_EL-Ziggy_ (10-01-2018),_richardhind1972_ (10-01-2018)

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## EL-Ziggy

B is lookin' good D! Glad to see she's still eating well. I'd say feeding my boas has been the biggest difference between them and my other snakes. Not because the boas don't eat, they ALWAYS do, but just getting used to their less frequent feedings. My pythons and colubrids ate almost twice as often when they were younger.

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_dakski_ (10-01-2018),_richardhind1972_ (10-01-2018)

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## dakski

> B is lookin' good D! Glad to see she's still eating well. I'd say feeding my boas has been the biggest difference between them and my other snakes. Not because the boas don't eat, they ALWAYS do, but just getting used to their less frequent feedings. My pythons and colubrids ate almost twice as often when they were younger.


I know, it's adjustment for me, as well as Behira, LOL. 

I am fully aware she will not be full grown for another 3-4 years easy. I am okay with that. Happy and healthy is priority number 1. 

Thanks as always El-Ziggy!

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_richardhind1972_ (10-01-2018)

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## dakski

Just because I got a new snake (Yafe), does not mean I will not spend the necessary time with the rest of my crew. I spent my usual 10-20 minutes going through tanks and cleaning, etc. Then I took Shayna and Behira out (Frank was a little pissy today - turned out he had to poop - and Figment is about to shed and Solana is going into shed). 

In fact I've been jonesing to take Behira out. She ate a medium rat on Sunday night, and being a bigger meal, left her alone until today (3 days versus the usual 2).

She is full, happy, and sleepy. I took her out and put her on my lap. One minute later; zzzzzzzzzz. Fast asleep on my lap for 20 minutes. I took some pictures and then gently woke her up and put her back. 

Two pictures below. She was definitely dark phase today. 

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (10-03-2018)

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## dakski

Behira: Dad, I have a pink belly and I am going to shed soon. 

Me: Wow, you are also in a pretty dark phase today!

Behira: I know, don't I look somewhat sinister?

Me: Yes, but I still think you are beautiful and you aren't scaring anyone; you are total sweetheart. 

Behira: DAAAAAAAAAADDDD! STOPPPPPPPPPPP!!!

Me: Adolescents!



[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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*Bogertophis* (10-19-2018),_Dianne_ (10-08-2018),_richardhind1972_ (10-07-2018)

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## dakski

Today, 10-8-18, marks Behira's 1 Year Anniversary with me and SunshineWalker. 

She's been a wonderful addition to our family. Since we've had her, she's grown from about 425G to over 1,100G, and we've learned to trust each other implicitly. 

There was the one food response bite, in 2-18, but she's been hook trained since and there have been zero issues. She's a great eater, but total sweetheart once snapped out of food mode. Not a mean bone in her body. 

After the "incident," there was some lost love between Behira and SunshineWalker. I wasn't sure how it was all going to turn out. However, time heals most wounds, and the two of them are on great terms again. I couldn't be happier. 

Behira has come to be one of the best animals I've ever had. Period. 

Here's to many, many, more years with Behira, my buddy.

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_AbsoluteApril_ (10-08-2018),*Bogertophis* (10-19-2018),_Phillydubs_ (10-08-2018),_richardhind1972_ (10-08-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Happy anniversary to you all

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-08-2018)

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## Phillydubs

Happy anniversary!!

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_dakski_ (10-08-2018)

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## dakski

Behira had a perfect shed last night! Humidity had been in the 60-70% range, depending  on hot side or cool side of tank, and after her eyes cleared, I raised it to 70-80%.

She looks awesome and is due to eat this Sunday. 

Here are some pictures (I can't believe how her head shape is morphing into adult BCI head so fast) from my iPhone (sorry  :Sad: ):


[IMG][/IMG]

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*Bogertophis* (10-19-2018),Jakethesnake69 (10-17-2018),_richardhind1972_ (10-17-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Looking great Dave, really love the chunky head of adult boas

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-17-2018)

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## dakski

Fresh shed pictures with the DSLR! Looking good Beautiful Behira!

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

*You can't see me!*

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_ckuhn003_ (10-18-2018),_Dianne_ (10-19-2018),_richardhind1972_ (10-18-2018)

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## MAC1

Happy anniversary, looking good.

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_dakski_ (10-18-2018)

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## dakski

Today was water bowl cleaning day for the snakes. While I washed the water bowls, Katie held the snakes. 

Nothing like seeing two of my favorite ladies bonding. Katie also took Behira out of her enclosure after a few rubs with the hook and confirmation from me that she was chill and ready to come out. 

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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*Bogertophis* (10-19-2018),_Dianne_ (10-19-2018),_richardhind1972_ (10-20-2018)

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## Bogertophis

Katie's smile says it all, woo-hoo!   :Good Job:   Most boas love a good snuggle anyway...just have to send the right signals first.

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_dakski_ (10-19-2018)

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## dakski

> Katie's smile says it all, woo-hoo!    Most boas love a good snuggle anyway...just have to send the right signals first.


Thanks. Behira is really a total sweetheart once she doesnt expect dinner. Overall, best snake to handle I have. She doesnt get scared and is curious, but still takes re-direction well. 

Katie has a wonderful smile and its nice to see her use it when shes holding Behira. She didnt feel that way 6-8 months ago. 

She actually said she wanted to hold Behira today and that she hadnt spent time with her in a while. Great to hear. Behira loves slithering through Katies hair anyway. So she enjoyed that.  :Smile:

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*Bogertophis* (10-21-2018),_Dianne_ (10-19-2018),_richardhind1972_ (10-20-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Looking great Dave, Katie definitely looked she was having fun with behira,great to see them bonding and behira looked like she enjoyed being out too.
mine never want to go back in and do everything they can not to lol

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-20-2018)

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## dakski

Quick Update on Behira:

She left me a present to clean two nights ago and I weighed her yesterday. Totally dry, she's 1,140G. 

Secondly, tonight was feeding night and she nailed a medium rat and actually got a good coil this time. 

She hit it so fast and so hard I wasn't even sure of what happened. She was hungry. 

[IMG][/IMG]

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*Bogertophis* (10-21-2018)

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## dakski

Behira is growing. Had her out for some R&R with Momma and Dad today. 

Below are some pictures of her and Katie (with Katie "being the tree"), as well as a couple of her unique way of using her hide today. 

Enjoy our sweet girl!

[IMG][/IMG]

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_ckuhn003_ (10-27-2018),_Dianne_ (10-27-2018),_richardhind1972_ (10-28-2018)

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## dakski

Here are some pictures of Behira on her new "climbing apparatus."

Here's a link to the thread where I post info about the apparatus if anyone is interested: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...bing-Apparatus

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (10-28-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Looks like she had fun

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-29-2018)

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## dakski

Behira left some urine, urate, and a little poop, last night. Today, I took her out, cleaned her tank, weighed her, and spent some quality time. 

She weighed in at 1,210G, but I think she's got a little waste left to come out. She was 1,140G dry last weight and before the 125g medium rat last week. My guess is closer to 1,180G, but either way, growing girl!

Here are a few pictures:

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (10-30-2018)

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## Jakethesnake69

I wear readers for some things and Harley Quinn does the same thing. No where near the size of Behira. Nice to know she probably wont outgrow that for awhile at least until after using my ear for leverage is a thing of the past.
great pictures BRW.

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_dakski_ (10-29-2018)

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## dakski

If Behira feels like climbing on my head, I usually remember to take off my glasses. I forgot today. Luckily, they did not end up crushed/bent and/or on the floor like they usually do  :Smile: . 

It's amazing how strong she is already! However, she is gentle about using it. Yafe, my little 110G or so Carpet Python can grip like no ones business. However, he uses his whole body, or his back 30%, etc. 

However, a few times, Behira has changed direction, or I've asked her to, with 2-3 fingers. The amount of force she can generate in literally 2-3 inches of body length is extraordinary. I can only imagine what kind of squeeze she puts on those F/T rats! Holy cow!

I couple of times I've had to use my other hand to get her to gently release and hold onto my arm instead of my fingers. Totally my fault, but still afraid she could pretty easily break them, even at her current size. She wouldn't know any better and is only trying to get a good grip and not fall.

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## dakski

Got a few good pictures of Behira tonight. She was a little cranky coming out, but not aggressive or anything. I rubbed her a few times with the hook handle and she was a little melodramatic and overreacted, etc. Then I went to pick her up and she darted into her hide. Once out, total puppy dog, per usual. 

*Stretchy!*

[IMG][/IMG]

*Yes, may I help you? Or, do you have food?*

[IMG][/IMG]

*Getting Thick*

[IMG][/IMG]

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_richardhind1972_ (11-03-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Deffo getting the girth now, I told you between 2-3 they really start looking like an adult in there body shaper, she really is a beauty
I love waking up to read all these new posts. Makes me want to go get mine out but got to go to work and play Christmas

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (11-03-2018)

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## dakski

Forgot to post the best picture in my last post (below). Also, Behira dropped a butt bomb last night. Official dry weight is 1,170G. 

[IMG][/IMG]

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_Dianne_ (11-03-2018),_distaff_ (11-04-2018)

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## dakski

There's been a lot going on in the dakski/sunshinewalker house of late. Several new additions and one that we've been nursing back to health. 

Don't think that means I forgot about my other animals; not at all!

Figment needs to use the bathroom any minute now, and Shayna is fasting, so they stayed in, but I took Frank, Behira, and Solana, out for some quality time today (the geckos prefer to come out at night and except for Cleo, are not as big on being handled). 

Behira is awesome. She's due to eat this Sunday, but because of work/travel schedule, she'll have to wait until Tuesday. In the meantime, she's still chill and docile as can be and loves climbing on and around her Dad. 

I got a couple pictures below and a link to a video of her climbing on my shoulders and being calm as can be. There's a reason I just got another Boa (Feliz); that reason is Behira - awesome animal!

My apologies for me looking pretty crappy. I feel pretty crappy too. I have a fever today and I am laying very low. 

*Video Link of Behira Being Chill and Climbing on Me: https://streamable.com/zhjnc*

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

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_Dianne_ (11-08-2018),_EL-Ziggy_ (11-08-2018),_richardhind1972_ (11-08-2018)

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## EL-Ziggy

Behira is looking as lovely as ever Dave. I love how relaxed she is. My BCI and BCO are both pretty chill too. Someone once told me that handling boas is like driving a nice luxury car. A really smooth ride.  :Smile:

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_dakski_ (11-08-2018),_richardhind1972_ (11-09-2018)

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## dakski

> Behira is looking as lovely as ever Dave. I love how relaxed she is. My BCI and BCO are both pretty chill too. Someone once told me that handling boas is like driving a nice luxury car. A really smooth ride.



*Someone once told me that handling boas is like driving a nice luxury car. A really smooth ride.*

Great quote El-Ziggy. 

The new guy, Feliz, is already super chill as well. I can only imagine how cool he will be when he's Behira's age and been handled by me regularly for over a year as well! He's very trusting, but as with Behira, I need to earn and reinforce his trust. Behira was similarly trusting and docile in the beginning as well. However, with size, time, and trust, she's definitely improved a bit. Again, not defensive or anything to start, but much more relaxed now. 

Start with a good species and animal and work with them and build trust and rapport you will be rewarded.

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_EL-Ziggy_ (11-08-2018),_richardhind1972_ (11-09-2018)

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## dakski

Had Behira out today to clean her water bowls. She was in a fairly dark phase and I grabbed some pictures. 

[IMG][/IMG]


[IMG][/IMG]

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_EL-Ziggy_ (11-09-2018),_richardhind1972_ (11-09-2018)

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## dakski

Behira ate a 110G F/T medium rat tonight. She's on medium rats every three weeks now. 

I've been feeding her within a minute of her lights going out and hunt mode kicking in. It seems to cut down on the door striking. Plus, I can see where she is right before the light go out and go the opposite side of the tank!

I offered the rat to her and she was interested, but seemingly more interested in squeezing her head through the tiny opening at the top of the acrylic door I had open to stick the tongs through. NOT GOOD!

I had to think fast (luckily I use 2 foot tongs) and quickly opened the door more, bumped her on the head with the rat, and as soon as she stuck her head back in the tank, dropped the rat, and shut the door quick. She half struck at the closing door as it bumped into her head, but in the same strike managed to grab the rat off the floor in front of her, and wrap it up. She ate happily. I am actually going to prefer when she's bigger and won't be able to squeeze her head threw that tiny door opening on top. 

Katie was watching and kept saying, "this is bad, this is bad." I wasn't too worried. She's been better about nailing the doors and striking wildly and I am getting her figured out, at least a little. 

I'd be lying if I said my heart did race a little, but I stayed calm, no one got hurt or struck at (except the rat), and she's got a full belly now. Katie stayed really calm too and was both relived and impressed with how I handled the situation. Crisis averted!

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_richardhind1972_ (11-14-2018),_RickyNY_ (11-14-2018)

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## dakski

We are currently having a snow storm here in CT. I am pretty sure Behira knew it was coming. I had her out a few hours before the storm and she seemed restless and couldn't seem to relax. I didn't take Shayna out, but I've had a similar experience with her under similar circumstances. They seem to know. 

To be clear, she wasn't aggressive or anything, but she was clearly "uneasy" and unable to "settle down." After a few minutes I put her back and let her be.

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_richardhind1972_ (11-16-2018)

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## dakski

Katie got some good pictures of me chilling with Behira today. She (Behira) was being a real goofball!

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_Dianne_ (11-18-2018),Jessibelle (11-21-2018),_richardhind1972_ (11-18-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Think she likes your glasses tonight

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (11-18-2018)

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## cletus

She looks good!

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_dakski_ (11-18-2018)

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## Dianne

Lovely as always.  There must be something about glasses...my guys seem to like to make a beeline for them as well.

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_dakski_ (11-18-2018)

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## dakski

My Aunt and Uncle spent last night with us and my Aunt held Behira and Feliz. 

I am not sure she's ever held a snake before, but she totally hit it off with Behira. 

Her smile says everything. 

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_ckuhn003_ (12-02-2018),_Dianne_ (11-21-2018),_MR Snakes_ (12-15-2018),_richardhind1972_ (11-21-2018)

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## richardhind1972

That's so cool, nice when you get to convert some family  members to  liking your great  scaly family ,, good job behira behaved her self

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (11-21-2018)

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## dakski

> That's so cool, nice when you get to convert some family  members to  liking your great  scaly family ,, good job behira behaved her self
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Rich, 

Once out of "food mode," Behira ALWAYS behaves herself. 100%. Totally puppy dog. I explained to my Aunt if she feels she wraps too tight to unwrap from the tail, but I also explained that she will never constrict except to kill prey. She will only hold on to feel safe and not to fall. I told her she's a nice, warm, tree.

She really is my favorite snake to handle and my most trustworthy snake. Snakes bite because of hunger/food drive and because they are scared/defensive. Behira only looks for food in her tank. Once touched with the hook, that problem is now solved. She is so brave and outgoing, she doesn't get spooked, at all. I can pet her head, poke her, rub her chin, etc. She just doesn't care. I don't have to worry about a defensive bite from her. Certainly not with me anyway. Although, I am able to do these things with her, I am respectful and deliberate with my actions. I explain this to others and always supervise when others' hold her. 

As I've said before, I told the breeder the I wanted the most docile/tamest boa he had; any morph. He suggested Behira, who was a holdback, and a year old, and who had handled quite a bit. Small breeder and he knew her well. Add over a year of gentle handling and building trust with her and she's golden  :Smile: .

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_richardhind1972_ (11-21-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Its great when you trust them that much, theres only 3 and Gomez for now of mine I wouldnt bring down if kids or family where round, all the rest are just fine 


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

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## dakski

My mother was over today and wanted to see Behira (as well as Feliz, Solana, Ferry, and Yafe, specifically - Yafe, of course she saw, but was not allowed to handle). She's both impressed with her size now, as well as in awe at how much more she has to grow, as well as a little intimidated. She commented both on how docile and sweet she is, but also on how incredibly strong she is already. I told her that sometimes, she doesn't want to back in her tank and that even at 1,200G, it can be a little work to get her back in. 

We had a dialogue about it that I thought was kind of funny. It went like this:

Mom: If she's difficult to get back in now, and, as you say, she's going to be 5-6X bigger, and exponentially stronger, how will get her back in her tank if she doesn't want to go.

Me: Well, I don't think I can win on on pure strength. Even if I am in aggregate, stronger, she has better leverage, and can be very determined. 

Mom: What will you do?

Me: I have a distinct advantage.

Mom: What?

Me: I am smarter than her.

Mom: Ahhhh.

Me: I have an entire brain section that she doesn't have. A frontal lobe. I can strategize and plan and think on the fly. I don't just react to stimuli (mostly). Watch. 

I proceeded to show my mom several attempts at trying to get Behira back in her tank by going straight at it. Behira was having fun and wanted to play and climb and shot upwards every time. 

So, I brought Behira down several feet and she shot up again and stuck her head into her tank. I put her tail and mid section in and closed the door. 

Me: WALLLAH! Dave 1, Behira, 0!



Don't get me wrong. I love Behira to death. She's inquisitive, and brave, and curious, and a total sweetie. She's also great at climbing and striking and constricting rats, etc. Me, not so good on the climbing, or constricting part, and I'll be damned if I can eat my food whole or go weeks without eating for that matter. However, I'm a pretty good thinker. I am just calling a spade a spade. Not criticizing my beloved BCI. 

Anyway, here are some pictures of my mom with Behira. 

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_ckuhn003_ (12-02-2018),_Dianne_ (12-02-2018),_MR Snakes_ (12-15-2018),_richardhind1972_ (12-02-2018)

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## dakski

Check out my new wardrobe! Didn't feel like starting a new thread, so I decided to post it here. I have one more coming, and it's boa related, but it's not as funny. 

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_Dianne_ (12-03-2018),_MR Snakes_ (12-15-2018),_richardhind1972_ (12-05-2018)

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## dakski

Behira was all over the place tonight, so I only had her out for a few minutes. She has days like this. She's by no means aggressive, and at one point, was coming around my shoulder, rather quickly, and I put my hand up and knocked her good in the mouth. She shot backwards pretty good as I obvisouly spooked her a little, probably for the first time ever; she's pretty darn brave. I rubbed her side gently and after a few seconds, she calmed right down, and came around my shoulder, and of course, through my glasses again!

I got some really good pictures of her with the DSLR (below) and then put her back pretty quick. She's only like this 1/10 times I take her out and I make those handling sessions brief. She's getting strong and it makes for a lot of work for me. On a side note, I had Figment out earlier as well, and he's usually a spaz. Today, he was calm as can be. Go figure. Maybe they switched bodies for the day?

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_Dianne_ (12-04-2018),_MR Snakes_ (12-15-2018),_richardhind1972_ (12-05-2018)

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## dakski

I had Behira out today for a bit and she fell asleep in my lap. Not unusual for her to do so, but it's always cute. I was on the phone with a friend for a while, so I just let her be. She fell asleep about 5 minutes into the conversation and woke up about 40 minutes later and explored for the last 5 minutes of the conversation. Then I put her back. 

It makes me very happy that she is comfortable enough with me to fall asleep on me all the time. She's very chill and relaxed when out, as are the other snakes, but she takes the cake. Out cold in a matter of minutes. No fears, no worries; just at peace with her dad. 

Here are two pictures of her fast asleep on me.

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_ckuhn003_ (12-15-2018),_Dianne_ (12-14-2018),_MR Snakes_ (12-15-2018),_richardhind1972_ (12-15-2018)

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## RickyNY

Such a beautiful and well behaved girl  :Bowdown:

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_dakski_ (12-14-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Looking great Dave,love it when one of my  boas do this, 

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (12-15-2018)

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## dakski

> Such a beautiful and well behaved girl


I wish I could say it's because I've worked with her for the past year or so. 

"Yes, she was a wild one, but all the gentle handling and building trust has calmed her down and turned her into a sweet snake."

However, she's always been very docile, calm, and easy to handle. The breeder worked with her (being a small breeder and a holdback) and I asked him for his most docile animal, male or female, any morph. 

Has she improved? Slightly. The hook training has definitely helped avoid incidents in the tank due to her strong food response, but you can't hold that against a Boa!

The difference is in the level of trust. Yes, she's always been calm and docile, but I believe she is much more trusting and calm now, especially with me. She's great with everyone else, but we seem to have a special bond. 

I notice little differences with her in the past 6 months (after 6-7 months of working with her and her getting over 800G or so, or doubling in size since I got her). She is startled or spooked less easily, or it's almost impossible to do that now. If I am gentle, she lets me support her neck and rub her chin. If I support her neck and chin, she even lets me gently stroke her head. She didn't let me do that before. She wouldn't get mad, or bite, or anything like that, but she would pull back. To be clear, I do not do this regularly to her, or any of my snakes, however, every once in a while, I like to gauge where they are at and how they react to stimuli.

I do let other people hold them from time to time, even kids like my niece and nephew, supervised and with me a foot or less away, etc. but I want to know how they would react to negative stimuli. 

Behira is the one I am least worried about. Period. She just doesn't get scared or spooked anymore. Snakes bite out of hunger or because they are scared/defensive. Out of the tank she doesn't look for food and she doesn't get scared. Problem solved. 

I think I mentioned a few posts ago that she came around my shoulder quickly the other day and I put my hand up not expecting her head to be there and basically popper her good in the face. She shot back for a second because I startled her, but after a stroke or two to the side, was back to normal. She didn't even tense up her body or anything. 

To be clear, I've worked with all my snakes, except Yafe and Feliz (new additions), for a while now, and this is how they respond to head support and gentle head touching:

Behira: Could care less

Shayna (BP): Anywhere from PLEASE STOP and gentle pulling away, to shooting head back/pulling head away quickly. She does not show any signs of defensiveness or any hissing, biting, etc. Total sweetie. However, she clearly is not a fan. 

Figment (Adult Corn): Anywhere from, eh, to not crazy about it and therefore I am going over here now. Again, zero defensiveness. 

Solana (juvenile corn): About the same as Figment as this point. Big improvement from a few months ago when she would spaz a little, but show no defensiveness. 

Feliz (yearling BCC): Please stop and gently pulls away, much like Behira used to. He's very small (about 140G) now and just getting used to being handled. He's even calmer than Behira was at that age, so we will see. 

Yafe (Carpet Python): Kind of darts away and doesn't seem to like it, but shows zero defensiveness. Just a "please stop" mentality. 




> Looking great Dave,love it when one of my  boas do this, 
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Rich, 

It's adorable. It's a special thing I have with Behira too. We have a special bond as I mentioned above. 

I love my other snakes and enjoy handling all of them. However, no way in hell (except maybe Feliz as he grows and trusts more) any of them would fall asleep on me. They wouldn't relax long enough or stop exploring long enough for that to happen. 

For what it's worth, I sent a video of Solana, about a month after I had gotten her, to Don Soderberg (her breeder). She was in my hand and drinking out of her water bowl. Don was shocked that she trusted me enough, and that quickly to do that. I think, except for Feliz and Yafe at this point (and not sure I've tried), I've had all of them do that with/for me. Especially with the young snakes, I always show them the water bowls when I put them back every few times to make sure they know where they are.

I work hard and take a lot of pride in working with and building trust and a rapport with each one of my animals. 

I know I keep saying it, but that's why I think I am very close to closing, if not done with, the collection. Yes, I know, I've said it before, and yes, that was like 4 or 5 animals ago, and yes, I've added a lot lately. 

However, it's not just a time and energy thing. I wouldn't want to jeopardize these precious moments, like Behira falling asleep on my lap for an hour. 

It would have to be a very special animal at this point to cause me to make another addition (not that Solana, Ezzy, Yafe, Feliz, and Ferry are not very special; they all are).

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_richardhind1972_ (12-15-2018)

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## MR Snakes

You are one lucky dad!

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_dakski_ (12-15-2018)

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## dakski

Behira had some fun on the couch today. 

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_Dianne_ (12-17-2018),_richardhind1972_ (12-17-2018),_zina10_ (12-17-2018)

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## dakski

Doesn't happen too often, but I caught Behira in a light phase. Took a few pictures in not great light and with my iPhone, but it still shows a stark contrast to her dark phase and her in between phases. 

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_richardhind1972_ (12-19-2018),_zina10_ (12-19-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Looking great Dave, I love how boas go thru these dark and light phases, has behira got a pure cream belly or is it speckled looks clear from that photo some of mine have speckles and some are as clean as can be

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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## dakski

> Looking great Dave, I love how boas go thru these dark and light phases, has behira got a pure cream belly or is it speckled looks clear from that photo some of mine have speckles and some are as clean as can be
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Rich, I am pretty sure it's cream colored. However, I'll get back to you on that.

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_richardhind1972_ (12-19-2018)

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## dakski

So of course, I post pictures from last night, then go down to the reptile area, and Behira has dropped a "butt bomb." So I took her out to clean her tank. 

I weighed her and she's now 1,230G. She seems to gain about 30G per 110G (give or take) medium rat. She also fell asleep wrapped around my arm waiting for the F10SC to do its job. What a sweetie. 

Pictures below.

P.S. Rich - you can see her belly and my memory is correct; cream colored. 

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_richardhind1972_ (12-19-2018)

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## richardhind1972

Ok cool Dave , just wasn't sure whether ghosts had speckled bellies or not

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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## dakski

Look what Katie got me for Christmas!

Two signs for the reptile area!

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*Bogertophis* (12-25-2018),_ckuhn003_ (12-25-2018),_cletus_ (12-25-2018),_Dianne_ (12-25-2018),_MR Snakes_ (12-25-2018),_richardhind1972_ (12-25-2018),_zina10_ (12-25-2018)

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## MR Snakes

Now that's a gift!

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## Bogertophis

Awesome!  You musta been "good" this year... :Very Happy:

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## Dianne

Those are awesome!

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## dakski

Behira is doing great. I haven't talked about her too much of late, which is unusual.

I took some pictures of her the other day and I'll post them below. 

Additionally, I had the opportunity today to hold a 10 year old female Kahl Albino BCI. She was a total puppy dog, like Behira, and I got to spend quite some time with her. When I had held the female sunglow at the reptile show a while back, it was for all of 30 seconds. This girl I got to spend a meaningful amount of time with and really get a feel for what a full grown Behira will be like. This girl seemed well cared for and not too big. She had been used by a friend of my friend, Adam (who is a breeder and owns a local reptile shop), as a snake/reptile ambassador. He recently gave her to Adam to breed as he has a male het Kahl and moonglow and she is Kahl and beleived het moonglow. 

I've seen giant female BCI's and I am not a fan. I plan to slow grow Behira and I've talked at length with people like Jeff Ronne who preach keeping them lean and healthy over feeding huge meals and shortening their life. Believe me, a healthy female BCI is an impressive animal, I don't need to make Behira an extra foot and an extra 10+ pounds just so I can tell people how big my Boa is!

I plan to feed Behira large rats as an adult, and if that means she needs to eat every 2-3 weeks instead of a small rabbit or an XL, or bigger, rat ever 4-6, fine. XL rats or bigger are too fatty and boas do not do well with fat. Rabbits are fine nutritionally, but will cause her to grow more than she needs. 

Female BCI's can easily be 5.5 - 6FT or so and 12-15 pounds and healthy and happy. I've been told they breed longer and produce healthier litters at those sizes as well than bigger (7FT 20+ pound) females. They also, as stated above, live longer.

I am not trying to preach and I am only saying what I've been told and what I plan to do. If you feel differently or want to do something different with your Boa, be my guest. That's your prerogative. Not my place to tell other people how to live their life or how to feed their snake. 

In any event, spending time with her today gave me continued confidence, and excitement, about Behira growing up. I have no doubt that I can handle her at that size and that the work I am putting in now, and have put in, plus her general demeanor to begin with, will equate to a big puppy dog as well. I am really excited to see her at that size, but have no intention of rushing either. I'll have to wait another 3-5 years, but that's okay. I'll have a long time to enjoy her!



*​"Pardon me. Do you have a moment to talk about our lord and savior, Medusa?"*







*​"Dad? Are those big mites?!? Why would you keep those in the house!??"
*
*"No, Behira. Those are Dubai Roaches. They are food for your sisters, the Leopard Geckos. They love them and are good for them."*



*And.....Asleep in my lap again!*



*This is the Kahl Albino Girl. She has a growth on her neck, but it's been checked out and isn't growing or harmful. It also doesn't bother her at all and she sheds normally, etc.*

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_cletus_ (01-09-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-09-2019)

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## Dianne

> *This is the Kahl Albino Girl. She has a growth on her neck, but it's been checked out and isn't growing or harmful. It also doesn't bother her at all and she sheds normally, etc.*


Interesting you mentioned the growth.  Eli (my adult normal bp) has two flat disc shaped growths, one on the side of his head and one further down his side.  They were checked out visually and it was decided that as long as they did not appear to cause pain or prevent normal activities, wed leave them be.  They dont prevent him constricting and eating prey, he does not react when they are inspected or pressed, and they havent grown and larger or changed shape in the 15+ years theyve been there.  His sheds are perfect.  

Id already been down the road with a snake that had an abscess that had to be opened and cleaned out, then left open to heal from the inside out with daily cleanings and injections on top of it, only to lose him in the end.  I cannot imagine he did not feel pain during that time.  If Eli suffers no ill effects from his warts, I saw no reason to subject him to surgery.  If there was any inkling he was suffering, that would be a different story.

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*Bogertophis* (01-09-2019),_cletus_ (01-09-2019),_dakski_ (01-09-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-09-2019)

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## dakski

> Interesting you mentioned the growth.  Eli (my adult normal bp) has two flat disc shaped growths, one on the side of his head and one further down his side.  They were checked out visually and it was decided that as long as they did not appear to cause pain or prevent normal activities, wed leave them be.  They dont prevent him constricting and eating prey, he does not react when they are inspected or pressed, and they havent grown and larger or changed shape in the 15+ years theyve been there.  His sheds are perfect.  
> 
> Id already been down the road with a snake that had an abscess that had to be opened and cleaned out, then left open to heal from the inside out with daily cleanings and injections on top of it, only to lose him in the end.  I cannot imagine he did not feel pain during that time.  If Eli suffers no ill effects from his warts, I saw no reason to subject him to surgery.  If there was any inkling he was suffering, that would be a different story.


I am glad Eli is okay, but very sorry you lost your other snake.

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## Dianne

> I am glad Eli is okay, but very sorry you lost your other snake.


Thanks, Dave.  The one I lost was Storm, a grey rat snake.  He had what appeared to be a small scratch on his neck when I purchased him, which turned out to be infected and abscessed.  It was no fun for any of us...as you know Im quite partial to my scaly babies.  

As for Eli, Im glad the growths never changed or grew and dont give him any problems.  Considering hes had them for more than half the time Ive owned him, Id say we made the right call to leave them be.

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*Bogertophis* (01-14-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-09-2019)

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## dakski

> Thanks, Dave.  The one I lost was Storm, a grey rat snake.  He had what appeared to be a small scratch on his neck when I purchased him, which turned out to be infected and abscessed.  It was no fun for any of us...as you know Im quite partial to my scaly babies.  
> 
> As for Eli, Im glad the growths never changed or grew and dont give him any problems.  Considering hes had them for more than half the time Ive owned him, Id say we made the right call to leave them be.


Yeah, I love the scaly babies too! Can't say I don't love my furry babies too though! My dogs are precious are well. 

However, having gone through what we went through, and are hopefully over, with Yafe, I can only imagine how heartbreaking it would be to have done that all for naught. 

So sorry again Dianne. 

David

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_Dianne_ (01-09-2019)

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## cletus

She's looking good!   That reduced patterning is awesome...

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_dakski_ (01-09-2019)

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## dakski

> She's looking good!   That reduced patterning is awesome...


Thank you cletus. Behira's really starting to get very rich coloration. The reduced patterning is definitely cool too. On the flip side, I have Feliz, who's pattern is so incredibly sharp and he has amazing contrast. Opposite ends of the spectrum, but both beautiful. 

She's already impressive, but it's going to awesome to eventually see her at size.

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_cletus_ (01-09-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Really looking great Dave, really starting to to look more adult now,
That big albino looked nice too,there strength is just so impressive in larger adult boas 

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (01-09-2019)

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## dakski

> Really looking great Dave, really starting to to look more adult now,
> That big albino looked nice too,there strength is just so impressive in larger adult boas 
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Thank you Rich. She's going to shed soon as well, I believe anyway. She's not showing signs at all, but she's due soon. Will be interesting to see her after her next shed and how rich her colors are. 

Behira is definitely getting a more adult body and head structure. 

Totally agree on the adult boa strength. Incredibly impressive. However, they seem to know not to abuse it. Even Behira is pretty good about that as well, but this big girl, was awesome about it; very gentle. Little Feliz, he will practically take my finger off, or at least cut circulation, just putting him down in his tank. He doesn't want to fall, and I understand that, but even at 165G or so, is WOW strong. However, he uses all of it! He hasn't figured out finesse yet!

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_richardhind1972_ (01-09-2019)

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## dakski

Behira was being goofy today (pictures below). 

Also, I spoke to Jeff Ronne today about something else, and showed him the pictures of the female BCI I held yesterday. He clarified, and so I want to as well. 

He said if I feed large rats every 3 weeks or so, Behira could get that big. It would take time, but she would probably get that big. However, if I stick to mediums and feed every 3 weeks for now and then every 3-4 as she gets older, it will take her about 6 years or so (total - so another 4 or so) to reach adult size, but that size would be much less than the female pictured in the post above. He said you can keep a female perfectly happy and healthy at 5-6FT and 8-12 pounds. He guess the female in the picture to be 16-18 pounds. 

He said if I want a happy and healthy female, on the small side, to feed medium rats and maybe an occasional large rat, if ever, and she would probably stay under 10 pounds and live a long time. 

He told me about a female he had that he kept under 5ft and about 5 pounds her whole life. She lived about 20 years and was happy and healthy. He also said that more people are keeping their females smaller for breeding purposes. Not that small, but probably closer to 10-12 pounds than much bigger than that. 

This is new information to me and I wanted to share.

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_richardhind1972_ (01-09-2019),_tttaylorrr_ (01-09-2019)

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## richardhind1972

That's interesting,think she likes your glasses Dave

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (01-09-2019)

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## dakski

> That's interesting,think she likes your glasses Dave
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Likes them? She cant stay off them!

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## AbsoluteApril

it's not some great secret or anything, feed smaller meals, they stay smaller. That's how I and a lot of boa breeders I know keep males small and have for years - sticking to medium rats. There would be no difference for a female. Also if and when you do move her to larges, there's no need for every 2-3 weeks. Once a month should be fine, you are so on her, you'll notice if she starts looking too thin pretty quickly and can bump up if needed. 
 :Good Job:

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_cletus_ (01-09-2019),_dakski_ (01-09-2019),_PokeyTheNinja_ (01-18-2019)

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## dakski

Behira was wanting food tonight. She was ready to go! I used the hook to calm her down and take her out. Total puppy dog as usual once out. 

I updated the hook training video thread I started a while ago with the new video: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...14#post2670814. Look for the 1-11-19 post.

The first picture was her when I took the drape off, ready for food. The other pictures were here a few minutes later, chilling with me.

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_cletus_ (01-12-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-12-2019)

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## dakski

I was off. Feeding day was this week. Behira was right; I was wrong. 

She did not hesitate with her 110G F/T medium rat. 

BAM!

Also, she had some bonding time this weekend with my niece, Meghan, who adores her. I think the feeling is mutual.

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_cletus_ (01-14-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-14-2019)

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## Bogertophis

Your niece is getting a wonderful & early education about snakes.   :Good Job:

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_cletus_ (01-14-2019),_dakski_ (01-14-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-14-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Megan looked like she had loads of fun with behira again 


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (01-14-2019)

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## dakski

Just two pictures of Behira with her Dad. "Tear." They grow up so fast!

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_cletus_ (01-18-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-17-2019)

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## cletus

She's looking good!

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_dakski_ (01-18-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira Is looking great with daddy Dave 

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_dakski_ (01-18-2019)

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## dakski

> She's looking good!





> Behira Is looking great with daddy Dave 
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Thank you both! She's doing great. I am so pleased; being my first Boa and all. 

Between all the research, this forum and help from some great Boa peeps, and a tiny bit of trial and error in husbandry (getting to know her preferences in temp - she prefers it a little cooler on the hot side), I find Boas aren't too difficult at all. I had been afraid for a long time. I have to say, the upgrade in setup/tanks to Boaphiles and to top of the line heating elements and thermostats made a huge difference as well. Makes it much easier to maintain temps and humidity. Also, all my tanks being the same design and same heating elements (although a few different sizes), with the same thermostats, has made it pretty easy to fine tune for each individual animal. 

Bottom line is, I am relieved and happy she's doing so well. I am also amazed that a snake as young as her can eat every three weeks now, look as good as she does, and be as healthy as she is! Boas are pretty cool in that regard. 

Also, I cannot ignore her personality. She's awesome. 

Thanks again.

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_EL-Ziggy_ (01-18-2019),_JRLongton_ (01-18-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-18-2019)

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## dakski

Behira and I hung out for a bit yesterday. She's looking great and seemingly doing as well. I took a couple pictures and then looked back at the day we got her (425G or so and about 1 year and 3 months) for comparison. WOW! I know she has a lot of growing to do, but WOW! She has grown a ton! Her body and face look so much more like an adult BCI now, and the size she's put on, wow!
*
Behira - 10-8-17

*

*
Behira - 1-18-19

*

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_Dianne_ (01-19-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-19-2019)

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## dakski

Behira left me a nice present this morning. She got weighed and has hit a growth spurt. She weighed in today, dry, at 1,340G.

She did not grow much from September through most of December. Maybe gained about 130G, from about 1,100G to about 1,230G. However, in the past month, she's gone from 1,230G to 1,340G. WOW. Growing girl. 




*

Dad! Do I HAVE to stay in this container???? It's like sooooo boring in here! I know I dropped, like a totally big butt bomb, but seriously, Dad, I, like, want to come out and* *play. 

*

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_cletus_ (01-21-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (01-26-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-21-2019)

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## dakski

There's been a lot going on this week with the new addition of Toref, and work stuff, and I wasn't feeling well half the week in addition to all that. It was time for some quality time with Behira yesterday. I don't think I've had her out since Monday, or even Sunday (today was Friday!). That's very unusual. She's usually out 3-4 times a weeks. She really seems to enjoy it, I really do like our bonding time, and given how big she will be, and is starting to get, I think the bonding is important. 

Pictures below. 

*Note:* For those concerned, or who have constrictors, and may not know; Do not let a constrictor around your neck completely. Do not let them coil around. My rule is that Behira can hang on my shoulders, or lean from one side to the other with her head. However, as soon as her head touches her body in a loop, anywhere close to my neck, she gets redirected. What you cannot see in the pictures is that I have the camera/iphone in one hand, near Behira's body, her tail/lower body in the other. The moment she attempts to overlap her head and body or tightens at all, I unravel from the tail and redirect. 

Even at 1,340G, not 5,000G, I want her to get used to that redirection. I also need to be aware, at all times, what she is doing when even draped over my neck. Safety first.

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_cletus_ (01-26-2019),_Dianne_ (02-17-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (01-26-2019),_richardhind1972_ (01-26-2019)

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## dakski

Behira hit a growth spurt. She's going to shed soon (you can see she's dark in the pictures and also has a reddish belly) and I haven't weighed her in a bit, but she was 1,340G before her last rat (a 130G medium rat). She just seems bigger and stronger. I usually do not notice because I have her out a few times a week, but she seems to be growing right before my eyes. She's eating every 3 weeks now and still growing like crazy.

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_cletus_ (02-13-2019),_Dianne_ (02-17-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (02-13-2019),_jmcrook_ (02-12-2019),_richardhind1972_ (02-16-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira is looking great Dave,love it when they have growth spurts

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_dakski_ (02-16-2019)

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## dakski

> Behira is looking great Dave,love it when they have growth spurts
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Thanks Rich. 

She's super dark! I cleaned her water bowls today and she was in full blue. Still, so gentle. She's my sweet baby girl.

I'll post pictures and a weight after she sheds and wastes.

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_richardhind1972_ (02-17-2019)

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## EL-Ziggy

Behira looks awesome Dave. She gives me something to look forward to with my boas. I haven't seen much growth with them just yet. Looking forward to Ms. B's post shed pics.

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_dakski_ (02-17-2019)

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## dakski

Behira shed yesterday and I got a few pictures. Was curious why she didn't go to the bathroom as well.

I guess my little dear was saving it for last night when she dropped a huge butt bomb. 

I weighed her today and she's a solid 1,320G totally dry. 

She's growing up and still sweet as ever. See video below of her being a totally gentle young lady. She even booped the iPhone, which is usually Feliz's thing. 



Below are some pictures of me hanging with her and post shed.

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*Bogertophis* (02-25-2019),_Dianne_ (02-24-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (02-25-2019),_richardhind1972_ (02-24-2019)

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## Dianne

Such a pretty girl and so chill.  Loved the video of her booping the phone.  They really are gentle for the most part.  Of several boas Ive owned, only a couple of them (one of which is Duncan) had occassional testiness.  Even then they were clear in their body language to leave them alone without resorting to biting...unless pushed to it as was the case in that story about the breeder female I was trying to sell.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

I also watched the second video of Frank eating canned cricket...are you sure that was lip smacking love it or damn I cant get that taste out if my mouth?  :Very Happy:

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*Bogertophis* (02-25-2019),_dakski_ (02-24-2019)

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## dakski

> Such a pretty girl and so chill.  Loved the video of her booping the phone.  They really are gentle for the most part.  Of several boas I’ve owned, only a couple of them (one of which is Duncan) had occassional testiness.  Even then they were clear in their body language to leave them alone without resorting to biting...unless pushed to it as was the case in that story about the breeder female I was trying to sell. 
> 
> I also watched the second video of Frank eating canned cricket...are you sure that was “lip smacking love it” or “damn I can’t get that taste out if my mouth”?


Thanks Dianne, as always.  

Yeah, I lucked out with both Behira and Feliz. HUGE food drives, but gentle as can be once tapped a few times with the hook. Once they know food isn't on the "table," they just want to come and play.

LOL on Frank. I wasn't sure at first. However, his nose/smell rarely deceives him. 

I offered a grasshopper with his Ferret food, fruit, and veggies yesterday, and I've offered cockroaches in the past. Nope. He wouldn't eat any. Actually ate around the canned grasshopper. 

Today, I offered two crickets. He gobbled them down. 

I think he does like them, but admit his behavior is a little odd. Maybe he's trying to get every drop?

One other thing on Behira. She doesn't scare and doesn't get defensive at all. 

The other day I had her around my neck and thought her head was on my left shoulder. I put my right hand back, quickly, to grab her body and redirect her and secure her. Turns out her head had come around was between my right shoulder and chin. I smacked her right in the head. She was stunned for a millisecond, and then looked at me like, A) is that all you got, and B), Dad, really, please don't smack me in the face!

I felt horrible. A couple gentle strokes to her side/body and she was like, okay, can I climb on you more?

She's really incredibly gentle. I only have to worry when she thinks food or when feeding. Thank G-D for long tongs!

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*Bogertophis* (02-25-2019),_Dianne_ (02-24-2019),_richardhind1972_ (02-24-2019)

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## dakski

Katie got a few pictures of me and Behira.

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*Bogertophis* (02-25-2019),_Dianne_ (02-25-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (02-25-2019),_richardhind1972_ (02-25-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira is looking really great Dave

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## dakski

> Behira is looking really great Dave
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Thank you Rich. I couldn't be happier. She's really doing well. 

By the way, in case you couldn't read the shirt, it said, "I work hard so my Boa Constrictor can have a better life."

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*Bogertophis* (02-25-2019),_richardhind1972_ (02-26-2019)

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## Bogertophis

> ...One other thing on Behira. She doesn't scare and doesn't get defensive at all. 
> 
> The other day I had her around my neck and thought her head was on my left shoulder. I put my right hand back, quickly, to grab her body and redirect her and secure her. Turns out her head had come around was between my right shoulder and chin. I smacked her right in the head. She was stunned for a millisecond, and then looked at me like, A) is that all you got, and B), Dad, really, please don't smack me in the face!
> 
> I felt horrible. A couple gentle strokes to her side/body and she was like, okay, can I climb on you more?
> 
> She's really incredibly gentle. I only have to worry when she thinks food or when feeding. Thank G-D for long tongs!


It seems to me that all snakes that are used to gentle pet treatment respond (or rather don't "respond") the same way.  They just don't assume we have bad intentions 
when we accidentally bump each other.  I know that happens to me now & then- I'll have a snake around my shoulders, getting tangled in my long hair & I'll sometimes 
bump their nose (not realizing exactly where they are) when I'm trying to sort it out- they never seem to react or take it "the wrong way".  Anger is a human thing.   :Snake: 
Sometimes I wish snakes were less tolerant, when people are deliberately abusive.... 

That's a perfect shirt, Dave.   :Very Happy:

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_dakski_ (02-25-2019),_richardhind1972_ (02-26-2019)

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## JRLongton

Love the boa shirt!

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_richardhind1972_ (02-26-2019)

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## dakski

> It seems to me that all snakes that are used to gentle pet treatment respond (or rather don't "respond") the same way.  They just don't assume we have bad intentions 
> when we accidentally bump each other.  I know that happens to me now & then- I'll have a snake around my shoulders, getting tangled in my long hair & I'll sometimes 
> bump their nose (not realizing exactly where they are) when I'm trying to sort it out- they never seem to react or take it "the wrong way".  Anger is a human thing.  
> Sometimes I wish snakes were less tolerant, when people are deliberately abusive.... 
> 
> That's a perfect shirt, Dave.


I hear you; anger is a human thing. However, fear and being startled are universal. I did not expect Behira to bite me after knocking her in the head, but I did feel bad. It startled her. Having said that, she's a sweetheart and very predictable. She really just doesn't scare easily. Once food is off her mind, I imagine it would take a lot to get her scared and defensive, especially at her size now. 

I've done the same thing to Shayna, my BP, and she reacts totally different. She coils back and freaks. However, she does that when she bumps her head into my arm when I am not even moving! She's not a defensive animal either, but does scare easily. 

If I try to touch anywhere near Shayna's head, it causes a fear response in her. With Behira, it's either go away, or, "Okay Dad, you can rub my chin and head. I don't really like it, but I will tolerate it for you."

I do not make a point of rubbing Behira on the head or chin. However, I sometimes redirect her by blocking her with my hand and pushing her gently where I want her to go. More like guiding her. If I try that with Shayna, she gets spooked, so I have redirect from the body or neck. 

I have rubbed Behira's chin or redirected her with my hand to show people who are afraid/nervous around her that she's a total sweetie. 

I have a BP, 2 Boas, 2 Corn Snakes, and a Carpet Python who went through the ringer and almost died and is still a sweetheart. They are all calm and I can pretty much trust them with anyone, as long as I am there and the person's behavior is consistent with what they are used to. I believe nurture is a strong component in how snakes interact with people, especially if treated well from a young age. 




> Love the boa shirt!



Thank you both for the comments on the shirt! 

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...rst-BCI/page32

The bottom of the above page has pictures of the two Boa shirts I got with wording on them. Previously on this page, or the page before, I am wearing my red tail shirt as well. 

I got all of them online. If you are interested, I can probably figure out where and let you know.

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_JRLongton_ (03-01-2019),_richardhind1972_ (02-26-2019)

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## dakski

Behira is getting super strong. Here are a few pictures of her using my arm as a branch!

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_Dianne_ (03-01-2019),_JRLongton_ (03-01-2019),_MarkL1561_ (03-04-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-01-2019)

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## dakski

Katie got a couple good shots of me and Behira tonight. She looks beautiful, and I, well I look like I just left a college party. In reality, I had taken nap. 

Either way, Behira is getting bigger, stronger, and more beautiful with each shed. She is still calm and chill as ever and my baby.

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_Dianne_ (03-05-2019),_MarkL1561_ (03-04-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-04-2019)

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## dakski

Behira left me a big present today. 

Dry, she weighed in at 1,360G.

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_Dianne_ (03-05-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Doesn't look like she wanted to stay in there mine never do, normally do t keep still,lol, she looks so great Mr Dave

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_dakski_ (03-05-2019)

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## Zincubus

I put mine in a pillowcase and use those hanging scales ( used by anglers ) to weigh them ..


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_dakski_ (03-05-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-05-2019)

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## dakski

> Doesn't look like she wanted to stay in there mine never do, normally do t keep still,lol, she looks so great Mr Dave
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


She pretty good for the first 10 seconds or so. By the time I try to take pictures, she's like, "Really Dad? Pictures? I am out of here!"




> I put mine in a pillowcase and use those hanging scales ( used by anglers ) to weigh them ..
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


What a great idea!

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_richardhind1972_ (03-05-2019)

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## dakski

Got some good pictures of Behira with my DSLR today. Keep in mind, that is a giant chair; literally half a sofa. She's a good 4 to 4 1/2 feet easy.

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_Dianne_ (03-06-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-05-2019)

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## richardhind1972

She seems to like all them
Blankets Dave 


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## dakski

> She seems to like all them
> Blankets Dave 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


Yeah, she burrows in there pretty good.

Of course, her favorite is the NY Football Giants Blanket Katie made me. The smiley faces are okay.

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_richardhind1972_ (03-05-2019)

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## dakski

Behira came out and "helped" me clean her water bowls yesterday. She's such a good girl. Total sweetheart. I love her. 

Behira being a sweetheart.



Another one of the sweet girl:

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_AbsoluteApril_ (04-10-2019),*Bogertophis* (03-20-2019),fadingdaylight (04-10-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-11-2019)

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## richardhind1972

She really is just relaxed the way she just move so slow,great little videos,she really has grown this past six months

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## dakski

> She really is just relaxed the way she just move so slow,great little videos,she really has grown this past six months
> 
> Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk


Yeah, she's a total sweetheart. You wouldn't know it from her nighttime behavior if she thinks food!!!!! 

Having said, she's been better, not perfect, but better about letting me get the rat in and not striking the doors! No injuries since the few bent teeth that fell out on their own when she was younger. 

It's funny too. Feliz is a total sweetie too, but much more active. Behira is just chill as can be. I've worked with her a lot, but she's always been close to this. Definitely more mellow with consistent handling and getting some size on her. 

She's really had a growth spurt this past 6 months or so, as you say. 

I just checked my spreadsheet and she's basically doubled the past year. About 700G last March and now 1,360G. However, it accelerated when she went to medium rats in September of last year. Even though she's eating every 3 weeks now, instead of every two with small rats, she seems to be putting more to growth.

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_richardhind1972_ (03-11-2019)

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## dakski

Behira with my niece, Meghan. 

Both are growing, but I think Behira's outpacing her.

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*Bogertophis* (03-20-2019),_Dianne_ (03-17-2019),fadingdaylight (04-10-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-17-2019)

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## dakski

Behira and my mom today.

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*Bogertophis* (03-20-2019),_Dianne_ (03-20-2019),fadingdaylight (04-10-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-21-2019)

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## Bogertophis

Your mom makes an excellent snake-model, relaxed & all that.   :Very Happy:

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_dakski_ (03-21-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-21-2019)

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## Dianne

So cool that your Mom enjoys your reptiles.  My Mom came around after a number of years, slowly getting used to my snakes.  The final leap was caused by her falling in love with a baby albino burmese at a local show.  We had her for 16 years.

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*Bogertophis* (03-21-2019),_dakski_ (03-21-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-21-2019)

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## dakski

> Your mom makes an excellent snake-model, relaxed & all that.





> So cool that your Mom enjoys your reptiles.  My Mom came around after a number of years, slowly getting used to my snakes.  The final leap was caused by her falling in love with a baby albino burmese at a local show.  We had her for 16 years.


My mom is good with Shayna (BP), the two Boas, and Solana (Scaleless corn), as all are chill as can be. 

Figment (Corn) and Yafe (Carpet Python) make her nervous because they can either move fast or be sort of darty. However, she holds all the snakes. 

She prefers slower moving animals that appear more deliberate in their actions.

She was petrified of snakes for 30 years after a snake darted over her foot (I think a black rat snake or easter water snake) when she was 10 after stepping by a leaf pile. She had not been afraid before or been afraid since I she was about 40 and I got a BP. I think the darty movements trigger her a little bit. 

I took her to the local reptile store as we went out to dinner and it was near there and I needed gecko food. She saw, Sunny, the 13FT male albino burmese. She wasn't scared too bad, but said, "NOPE." I think he's a puppy dog, but still, way too much snake for me too. That doesn't stop me from playing with him from time to time. 

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ighlight=sunny

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*Bogertophis* (03-21-2019),_Dianne_ (03-21-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-21-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira is looking great Dave, looked like mum had fun with her too

Sent from my TA-1024 using Tapatalk

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## dakski

Behira ate last night. I have good news and bad news. 

Bad News: I have been trying to feed right after the lights go out, immediately after, so she's not in full hunt mode and strikes the acrylic doors. I've been doing this for a while now. 

Yesterday, the rat went in fast, within 30 seconds of the lights going out. Behira had her head out of the hide, and I shook the rat by her head for a minute or two. Nothing. Very unlike her. So I put the rat down next to her, put up her drape, and went on to feed everyone else. 

5 minutes later, she was in full hunt mode, but had completely slithered past the rat and it was practically under her belly at this point while she looked all over for it (as she could obviously smell it). 


Good News  I attempted, several times, to get the rat with tongs, but she was quick and trying to get out the door. My tongs are big ones, but they aren't huge, and I didn't want Behira coming out of the tank (it's high up, about 4 1/2 feet off the ground). She was tracking me, but MADE ZERO ATTEMPTS at the doors or towards me. 

I was able to distract her with the tongs to one side, grab the rat, shake it, and she was on it in two seconds. 



I am very pleased that this is not the first time she's seemed more composed and actually hit the rat without doors, tank ceiling, etc. I think (think, not know), she is outgrowing the striking at anything phase. That would be awesome. In fact, she's only hit the door once in the past 6 months, and that was taking off the drape while I was too close during feeding time. I learned. 

Last night, I think I caught her half asleep and not in hunt mode yet. She was tired I guess. 

Either way, I am pleased with her progress on this and happy she ate. 

P.S. Considering her past, and her being my first, big, and aggressive eating snake, I was BRAVE!  :Smile:

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fadingdaylight (04-10-2019)

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## AbsoluteApril

I have boas miss strikes sometimes and I drop the rat and they basically sit on it like you are describing. Usually you are fine to walk away at that point, the boa will stop looking for you/tracking you and eventually find the rat and eat it. just fyi
 :Smile:  glad it all worked out well

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_dakski_ (04-10-2019)

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## dakski

> I have boas miss strikes sometimes and I drop the rat and they basically sit on it like you are describing. Usually you are fine to walk away at that point, the boa will stop looking for you/tracking you and eventually find the rat and eat it. just fyi
>  glad it all worked out well


Very good to know!

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## EL-Ziggy

I'm glad she ate for you Dave. I agree with April. They'll eventually find the dropped rat and eat. With some large snakes drop feeding is actually easier and safer. I learned the hard way trying to retrieve a dropped mouse to re-offer from tongs and promptly got tagged by my BCO. It's good that she's still small. I definitely wouldn't want to make that mistake with a really big snake.

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_dakski_ (04-13-2019)

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## dakski

> I'm glad she ate for you Dave. I agree with April. They'll eventually find the dropped rat and eat. With some large snakes drop feeding is actually easier and safer. I learned the hard way trying to retrieve a dropped mouse to re-offer from tongs and promptly got tagged by my BCO. It's good that she's still small. I definitely wouldn't want to make that mistake with a really big snake.





> I have boas miss strikes sometimes and I drop the rat and they basically sit on it like you are describing. Usually you are fine to walk away at that point, the boa will stop looking for you/tracking you and eventually find the rat and eat it. just fyi
>  glad it all worked out well


Thank you for the safety tip!

I was worried about her not eating. However, she is a BOA!

- - - Updated - - -

Some pictures of Behira with Dad.

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fadingdaylight (04-14-2019),_richardhind1972_ (04-13-2019),_tttaylorrr_ (04-13-2019)

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## tttaylorrr

> Some pictures of Behira with Dad.


man she's getting big! her pinks are so lovely!!!

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_dakski_ (04-13-2019)

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## dakski

Behira went outside today!!!!! Then she came in and fell asleep around my arm while I talked on the phone.

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*Bogertophis* (04-14-2019),_Dianne_ (05-05-2019),fadingdaylight (04-14-2019),_richardhind1972_ (04-14-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looks great dave, looks like she had a good grip on your arm, she's deffo getting thicker 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (04-14-2019)

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## dakski

> Behira looks great dave, looks like she had a good grip on your arm, she's deffo getting thicker 
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


 :Smile: . Yeah, she holds on pretty tight, but not too tight. 

When she was falling asleep on my arm, it was just enough so she wouldn't fall. 

I think she's shedding fairly soon as well, but not sure. She really has deeper coloration and contrast in the natural light. 

When I see pictures of her, more than when I hold her, I am noticing how much thicker she's getting, especially her tail and head. Neither look like baby boa anymore. Her tail is really thickening out. Her head is getting that boa rigid look to it, not the baby face she used to have.

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_Dianne_ (05-05-2019),_richardhind1972_ (04-14-2019)

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## dakski

Behira is doing awesome. She urinated, but hasn't pooped since her meal last week. Still, well over 1,400G. She weighed in at 1,490G yesterday after the massive water dump. 

Here are some pictures and a quick video of my gentle girl.

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_Dianne_ (05-05-2019),_jmcrook_ (05-05-2019),_richardhind1972_ (05-05-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Her head getting a decent size now  dave, she's looking really good 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (05-05-2019)

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## dakski

Behira is doing fantastic. She left me a big present the other day and weighed in at 1,460G totally dry. 

She is eating medium rats every 3 weeks.

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*Bogertophis* (05-18-2019),_CloudtheBoa_ (06-06-2019),_Dianne_ (05-20-2019),_richardhind1972_ (05-18-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Looking great dave 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (05-18-2019)

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## dakski

Behira should shed any day now. I'll post pictures as soon as she does. 

Also, I tried leaving the rat in there for her last feeding day because she tends to strike the acrylic. Threw it in and left the drape up. She managed to push the paper over it. 4 hours later I went to check, offered it, and boy, did she nail it fast! I'll work on that.

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*Bogertophis* (05-25-2019),fadingdaylight (05-25-2019),_richardhind1972_ (05-25-2019)

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## dakski

Behira shed last night. She's getting more olive/greenish with each shed, especially in the middle of her body. The tail and neck area are still pretty light, but she was in her light phase when I took her out, so who knows. 

Also, Katie wanted to hold Behira for the first time in a long time. They has some bonding time, which can only be good.

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_EL-Ziggy_ (06-06-2019),fadingdaylight (06-02-2019),Gio (06-05-2019),_ladywhipple02_ (06-03-2019),_richardhind1972_ (06-03-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking great dave, glad Katie is wanting to bond with her again, she really is filling out great

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (06-03-2019)

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## dakski

Behira is 3 years old this month! She's doing great. We spent some quality time today. We hung out, we climbed, we bonded. It was great. This weekend, she gets a juicy rat to celebrate!

She's about 1,500G now and was about 400G when I got her about 1 year and 8 months ago. She's growing well, but healthy and slowly. She's my baby. We love to bond and spend time.

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*Bogertophis* (06-05-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-06-2019),Gio (06-05-2019),_jmcrook_ (06-05-2019),_Reinz_ (06-05-2019),_richardhind1972_ (06-06-2019)

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## Reinz

Happy Birthday Behira!  And congrats Dad!  Everyone looks great.  :Smile:

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## dakski

> Happy Birthday Behira!  And congrats Dad!  Everyone looks great.


Thank you Reinz!

She's really doing awesome and I couldn't be happier with her or the collection. 

I appreciate the comment, but as handsome as I may be, I think she's the looker in this pair!

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_Reinz_ (06-05-2019)

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## Gio

June is a perfect month for a boa birthday. I've got a 7 year for mine coming up on the 27th or 28th.

Nice pictures and videos.

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_CloudtheBoa_ (06-06-2019),_dakski_ (06-05-2019)

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## dakski

> June is a perfect month for a boa birthday. I've got a 7 year for mine coming up on the 27th or 28th.
> 
> Nice pictures and videos.


Happy Birthday!

Shayna,  my BP is 7 9-1-19. 

Thank you for the comments.

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking great dave, happy birthday to her

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (06-06-2019)

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## dakski

Dark Phase!

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*Bogertophis* (07-01-2019),_Reinz_ (06-13-2019),_richardhind1972_ (06-14-2019)

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## kath_

Happy belated birthday Behira! 

I love this thread! This is all such helpful information and your commitment to her is truly incredible. Thank you for replying to my questions on my other post! Keep up the amazing work.

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_dakski_ (06-16-2019)

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## dakski

Behira and my Mom, her Grandma. 

She says she's nervous about how big she is getting and will be. I told her she will still be the same old "puppy dog" Behira.

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*Bogertophis* (06-22-2019),_Reinz_ (06-23-2019),_richardhind1972_ (06-23-2019)

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## Bogertophis

Your mom is so cool...and she sure doesn't look "nervous"?  Just more snake to cuddle when they grow bigger.

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_dakski_ (06-23-2019),_richardhind1972_ (06-23-2019)

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## dakski

No pictures, but Behira hit 1,500G dry yesterday! Milestone!

She eats tonight.

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*Bogertophis* (07-01-2019),_richardhind1972_ (07-02-2019)

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## dakski

Well, Behira didn't eat last night. She ate early this morning. 

She can be a real pain. Good thing I love her so much. 

First, I go to open the doors and she strikes the acrylic. Then, I offer the rat, for about ten minutes, and nothing. Finally, my arm and hand get tired of holding the tongs and I drop the rat. 3 hours later I come back and the rat is still there with Behira watching it. 

I pick it up, show her, and put it down in front of her again. 

I came back this morning (early) and it was still there. I went to remove it but when shutting the door, she struck again. Geez. I offered and she struck and gobbled it down. 

What a weirdo. 

Either way, glad she ate. 

Some snakes, like my BP and my corns, will happily eat after not striking and the food is left. Behira, who of course will be my biggest snake by far, apparently needs to be hand fed!

Oh well. She's worth it!

In all seriousness, it's important people to realize when they get a cute little boa that they need to feed it when it's a 8-12 pound and 6-7FT hungry big boa.

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_EL-Ziggy_ (07-02-2019),_jmcrook_ (07-02-2019),_richardhind1972_ (07-02-2019)

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## EL-Ziggy

Congrats on the 1500g milestone! Behira is looking great and growing well Dave. You're a far more patient man than I am brother. I used to leave feeders in overnight when I had one or two snakes and it was mostly with hatchlings. I've  realized with my snakes that if they don't eat right away they usually don't eat at all. Now if any of them don't take their food from tongs I leave it in the enclosure for about an hour. If it's still there after an hour I'll remove it and give it to another snake and the one that refused food has to wait until the next feeding day.

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_dakski_ (07-02-2019),_richardhind1972_ (07-02-2019)

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## sur3fir3

Beautiful snake, and congrats on 1500g.  I cant wait till my Boa gets to 1500g.  Ive got a ways to go.  he is at ~86g  If I remember correctly.

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_dakski_ (07-02-2019),_richardhind1972_ (07-02-2019)

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## dakski

> Beautiful snake, and congrats on 1500g.  I cant wait till my Boa gets to 1500g.  Ive got a ways to go.  he is at ~86g  If I remember correctly.


They do not grow fast if fed correctly. 

However, given time they get to a good size. 

Thank you for the compliments on Behira. Shes a wonderful snake.

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## sur3fir3

> They do not grow fast if fed correctly. 
> 
> However, given time they get to a good size. 
> 
> Thank you for the compliments on Behira. Shes a wonderful snake.



I don't plan on power feeding.  I would like my Boa to live longer than 5 years.

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_dakski_ (07-02-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira is really coming on well dave, it's so good when they reach there milestone weights knowing that she's not been power fed, they really are better slow grown
My adult female last week coiled it for an hour and she had it face first and still didn't eat it, soon as I slid the door closed she opened her mouth and let go still in her coils, went up two hours later and she was still searching for it, even tho it's was In Her coils, I tried to release it but man she wasn't having any of it, so strong 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (07-02-2019)

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## CloudtheBoa

Behira looking good as usual.  :Smile:   Behira is about the same size as my Tirel now, but a much lighter individual.  :Razz: 

Hopefully she'll outgrow that feeding habit as she gets bigger. XD  Boas seem to go through periods of odd behavior every once in awhile before going back to normal.

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_dakski_ (07-02-2019),_jmcrook_ (07-02-2019)

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## dakski

Two pictures of Behira today, one with my hand for reference on her size. I think she's a good 5FT now.

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*Bogertophis* (07-06-2019),_Dianne_ (07-07-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (07-07-2019),_richardhind1972_ (07-07-2019),tickyyy (07-07-2019)

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## ckuhn003

Shes beautiful David. Always enjoy watching her progression.

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_dakski_ (07-06-2019)

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## dakski

> Shes beautiful David. Always enjoy watching her progression.


Thank you, as always. She's truly awesome. 

If you want to see the size difference between Phantom and Behira check out the beginning of the thread and/or Feliz's thread. He's 330G now and I just posted a picture of him in the same size container. He looks tiny comparatively. 

They do grow slowly so you have time to adjust. Also, I've noticed with Behira, she looks more olive/green colored and a little darker as she's aged. Not much, it's subtle, but especially when in her dark phase, it shows. Will be interesting to see Phantom at size too.

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_ckuhn003_ (07-06-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking stunning dave 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (07-07-2019)

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## dakski

Some new pics from today.

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caravaggiooo (07-13-2019),_CloudtheBoa_ (07-10-2019),_Reinz_ (07-10-2019),_richardhind1972_ (07-10-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking stunning dave 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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## dakski

Got a few more pictures of Behira the other night and a short video showing her gentle nature and how she's starting to fill out her tank (at least the one side of the 6X2').

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_richardhind1972_ (07-19-2019)

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## richardhind1972

> Got a few more pictures of Behira the other night and a short video showing her gentle nature and how she's starting to fill out her tank (at least the one side of the 6X2').


Her heads looking nice and meaty now mr Dave, she's getting that nice adult look to her

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (07-19-2019)

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## EL-Ziggy

She looks GREAT Dave! Is she pretty active in her enclosure?

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_dakski_ (07-19-2019)

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## dakski

> She looks GREAT Dave! Is she pretty active in her enclosure?


Thank you sir. 

At night she comes out and waits for food. 

During the day shes either asleep in a hide or sleeping in the open or a combination. 

The middle of the night, who knows?

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## dakski

As many you know, we are mourning the loss of our dog, Banning. 

Yesterday seemed like a good time to take out my "therapy snake," Behira. She was pretty active, but gentle as always. 

I got some pictures of her on the couch stretched out a bit. Growing girl.

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*Bogertophis* (08-18-2019),_richardhind1972_ (07-27-2019)

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## dakski

Behira is over 1,600G now and about to shed. 

Below is a video from today of her being gentle as can be on my arm as well as video of us playing peek a boo a few weeks ago. 





Here are some pictures from today. She's eating medium rats every 3 weeks and I plan to keep her on that schedule for a while.

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*Bogertophis* (08-18-2019),_richardhind1972_ (08-19-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira is looking nice and healthy dave, boas really are so great arnt they, I love how chilled they are

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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## dakski

> Behira is looking nice and healthy dave, boas really are so great arnt they, I love how chilled they are
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


Thank you Rich. She's my first Boa and I tried my best to do right by her. It means a lot that you say she looks healthy. I've had her almost 2 years and she's over 3 years old now. 

Yeah, she's the chillest snake I have. Feliz is close, but he's more active. He's slow and deliberate, but likes to move a bit. Behira is incredibly docile and chill and slow moving. We have a good bond too. She's easy to read and isn't afraid of anything. Remember, I come from a BP and corn snake background. Shayna (my albino BP), bless her heart, gets spooked and shoots back if she bumps into my arm, herself, the tank floor when putting her back, etc. She's so shy. If I hold her for long enough, there's a brief period where she chills, but then she gets antsy and wants to go back. I love her, and I am not worried about her getting scared AND biting or anything, but she spooks easy. I can touch her neck, but anywhere near her head, and she is not happy. Yafe (carpet python) is the same way regarding the head, although he doesn't scare easy. Behira, once settled and out, can easily be redirected with gentle nudging on her snout and will "happily" let me rub her head or under her chin. Does she enjoy it? Probably not, and I do not make a habit out of it, but many "newcomers to snakes" are scared by her size and color. I show them how tolerant and friendly she really is sometimes by touching her head and she has no reaction. 

If I had choose any of my snakes getting to a larger size, she would be it, so it works out that she will be the biggest. 

I actually had two people over that "hated" snakes in the past few months. One ended up holding Behira, after first seeing her, then touching her tail, and then going "all the way." She was amazed at how gentle she was and had feared that snakes just bite and strike all the time and where "slimy." The other was open to seeing them, but couldn't resist touching Feliz once he was out. His gentle and nature and small size were too much for her to resist and she wanted to tell her daughter (6) that she touched a snake. 

I will say that many people who are afraid of snakes, tolerate or like the lizards. I use Frank and Ferry and the Leopard Geckos to warm them up and see how gentle reptiles can be.

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_richardhind1972_ (08-19-2019)

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## richardhind1972

> Thank you Rich. She's my first Boa and I tried my best to do right by her. It means a lot that you say she looks healthy. I've had her almost 2 years and she's over 3 years old now. 
> 
> Yeah, she's the chillest snake I have. Feliz is close, but he's more active. He's slow and deliberate, but likes to move a bit. Behira is incredibly docile and chill and slow moving. We have a good bond too. She's easy to read and isn't afraid of anything. Remember, I come from a BP and corn snake background. Shayna (my albino BP), bless her heart, gets spooked and shoots back if she bumps into my arm, herself, the tank floor when putting her back, etc. She's so shy. If I hold her for long enough, there's a brief period where she chills, but then she gets antsy and wants to go back. I love her, and I am not worried about her getting scared AND biting or anything, but she spooks easy. I can touch her neck, but anywhere near her head, and she is not happy. Yafe (carpet python) is the same way regarding the head, although he doesn't scare easy. Behira, once settled and out, can easily be redirected with gentle nudging on her snout and will "happily" let me rub her head or under her chin. Does she enjoy it? Probably not, and I do not make a habit out of it, but many "newcomers to snakes" are scared by her size and color. I show them how tolerant and friendly she really is sometimes by touching her head and she has no reaction. 
> 
> If I had choose any of my snakes getting to a larger size, she would be it, so it works out that she will be the biggest. 
> 
> I actually had two people over that "hated" snakes in the past few months. One ended up holding Behira, after first seeing her, then touching her tail, and then going "all the way." She was amazed at how gentle she was and had feared that snakes just bite and strike all the time and where "slimy." The other was open to seeing them, but couldn't resist touching Feliz once he was out. His gentle and nature and small size were too much for her to resist and she wanted to tell her daughter (6) that she touched a snake. 
> 
> I will say that many people who are afraid of snakes, tolerate or like the lizards. I use Frank and Ferry and the Leopard Geckos to warm them up and see how gentle reptiles can be.


It's so great when you get to convert people's views on our evil looking serpents, lol
That's what I love about boas is there generally slow moving and don't really get spooked easy and of course great eaters. 

. I love seeing updates on your crew 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-19-2019)

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## dakski

Behira had a perfect shed last night and I got some pictures today. The iPhone, and even the DSLR usually (which I did not use here), doesn't capture her iridescence. She has a sparkly, rainbow, effect to her. I wish I could capture it on photos, but she is quite vibrant in person.

She still likes the medium hides sometimes, and I found her curled up like a BP today, head tucked and all! Kind of funny. She was also very active today and all over the place. She kept wanting to go around the couch and in the couch. NOPE. Daddy makes the rules. However, she is usually pretty compliant. Today she was a little defiant, but hardly defensive or aggressive. Just active and docile Behira.

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_richardhind1972_ (08-31-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looks great dave, isn't it strange how sometimes the skin is in. Tight rolled up ball like behira was or a long full shed, still fascinates me watching them do it

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-31-2019)

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## dakski

Behira left a big present and Katie was around, so she got a few shots of me holding her. She's really looking and acting awesome. Solid, good grip, but not too much. She's getting heavy for 1 arm though.

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_CloudtheBoa_ (09-04-2019)

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## dakski

> Behira looks great dave, isn't it strange how sometimes the skin is in. Tight rolled up ball like behira was or a long full shed, still fascinates me watching them do it
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


I didn't catch her shedding this time, but yeah, pretty cool how it gets all balled up like that. I am just happy she had another perfect shed.

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_richardhind1972_ (09-01-2019)

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## EL-Ziggy

Ms. B is looking great Dave. I like that Yafe photobomb in the background too. 😀

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_dakski_ (08-31-2019)

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## dakski

> Ms. B is looking great Dave. I like that Yafe photobomb in the background too. 😀


Lol. Yeah. Yafe was just hanging around. Hes quite photogenic. 

Thanks for the kind words on Behira. I am glad I am doing right by her. First Boa and all.

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## dakski

Behira was out the other day and crawled into my shirt! Figment (corn snake) does that sometimes, but he's easier to get out  :Smile: . Behira was determined to find her way out on her own. That didn't happen and I ended up having to take my shirt off to free her. 

Either way, I thought it was cute and she was no worse for the wear.

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*Bogertophis* (09-11-2019),_richardhind1972_ (09-04-2019)

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## dakski

Behira is getting S-T-R-O-N-G! She's still a total sweetheart and my buddy. 

Here are two pictures and a video of her going back in her tank. SOOOOOOOOO SLOW, SOOOOOOO Deliberate.

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*Bogertophis* (09-11-2019),_richardhind1972_ (09-11-2019)

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## richardhind1972

She couldn't really go any slower, lol. 
She's 
Looking great dave 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (09-11-2019)

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## Bogertophis

> Behira was out the other day and crawled into my shirt! Figment (corn snake) does that sometimes, but he's easier to get out . Behira was determined to find her way out on her own. That didn't happen and I ended up having to take my shirt off to free her. 
> 
> Either way, I thought it was cute and she was no worse for the wear...


I get way too ticklish when snakes crawl into my shirt, yikes!  :Laughing:    You're either brave or not ticklish?

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_dakski_ (09-11-2019)

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## dakski

> I get way too ticklish when snakes crawl into my shirt, yikes!    You're either brave or not ticklish?


I can be tickled. That doesn’t tickle too much though. 

Why brave? She’s calm as can be and was pretty chill, as usual, in the shirt. 

If she seemed stressed I would have gotten her out quickly.  

I really don’t think much bothers her at all. She’s very confident and very agreeable. 




> She couldn't really go any slower, lol. 
> She's 
> Looking great dave 
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk



Right?

Thanks Rich. I love her. She rocks.

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_richardhind1972_ (09-11-2019)

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## Bogertophis

> ...Why brave? Shes calm as can be and was pretty chill, as usual, in the shirt...


A snake in my shirt can reduce me to  :ROFL: -especially when they can be hard to remove...maybe they just "know" who to torture?

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_dakski_ (09-11-2019)

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## dakski

My mom with Behira yesterday. She's getting big! Behira, not my mom.

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*Bogertophis* (09-15-2019),_CloudtheBoa_ (09-15-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (09-15-2019),_richardhind1972_ (09-15-2019),_WrongPython_ (09-15-2019)

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## EL-Ziggy

That's awesome Dave. Your mom is beautiful and Ms. B looks great. She's pushing 5ft. eh?

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_dakski_ (09-15-2019)

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## dakski

> That's awesome Dave. Your mom is beautiful and Ms. B looks great. She's pushing 5ft. eh?


You flattered the heck out of my mom EL-Ziggy!

They are both about 5ft actually.  :Smile: 

I think Behira is at least that now, but I've never measured her. Just judging by how much she takes up of the 6X2' Boaphile when I put her back or take her out. She's over 1,600G and I think he body condition looks great. That's most important to me. She's doing really well eating medium rats every 3 weeks.

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_EL-Ziggy_ (09-24-2019),_richardhind1972_ (09-15-2019)

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## richardhind1972

She definitely looks great dave and as you say her body condition looks spot on mate.
Mum looks like she enjoys holding her too

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (09-15-2019)

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## dakski

My favorite lady and my favorite reptile together! Doesn't happen often, but Katie offered while I was cleaning Behira's bowls and giving her fresh water.

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*Bogertophis* (09-24-2019),_cletus_ (10-20-2019),_CloudtheBoa_ (09-24-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (09-24-2019),_richardhind1972_ (09-25-2019)

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## Bogertophis

There's the proof!  Blondes DO have more fun!   :Very Happy:   (you could also take my word for it, lol)

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_cletus_ (10-20-2019),_dakski_ (09-24-2019)

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## dakski

Caught a cool picture of Behira with her nose under her hide while her body was under it holding the hide up. 

She also devoured a medium rat tonight and continues to be doing great!

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_cletus_ (10-20-2019),_richardhind1972_ (09-30-2019)

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## dakski

Fresh shed = pics with the good camera.

----------

_cletus_ (10-20-2019),_RedRabbit_ (10-17-2019),_richardhind1972_ (10-17-2019)

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## dakski

Behira dropped a bomb last night and I got some pictures (with iPhone only sadly) of her in her light phase. She really looked stunning today. I also got a dry weight on her, 1,650g.

----------

_ckuhn003_ (10-18-2019),_cletus_ (10-20-2019),_CloudtheBoa_ (10-19-2019),_jmcrook_ (10-20-2019),_richardhind1972_ (10-19-2019)

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## cletus

Beautiful snake!

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_dakski_ (10-20-2019)

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## dakski

My friend Alyssa came over yesterday. She's apprehensive about snakes, but not afraid. She hadn't been to the house in a few years and hadn't met Behira. The first snake she held was Shayna (my Albino Spider BP) and in general, she's pretty brave. 

She really dug Behira and thought she was a total sweetheart. I cannot argue that. She also loved Solana and thought she was stunning. She pet Frank (Northern Blue Tongue Skink), but didn't hold him. 

Here are a few pics of her with Behira. I love educating and getting people to love the reptiles, but especially the snakes.

----------

*Bogertophis* (10-24-2019),_cletus_ (10-25-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (10-24-2019),_Kam_ (11-23-2019),_MarkL1561_ (10-24-2019),_richardhind1972_ (10-25-2019)

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## MarkL1561

Why didnt she like the skink out of curiosity? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## dakski

> Why didnt she like the skink out of curiosity? 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It's not that she didn't like him. I think she was more comfortable with the snakes. Frank can be squirmy if not supported correctly. Also, his look is very different. I've had many people comment that he looks odd - somewhere between a snake and a lizard. She happily pet him and he was the last animal out and we were about to eat dinner. I think she was on reptile overload and hungry.

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## Bogertophis

Well you did good, getting her comfortable with snakes...maybe next time for the skink.   :Good Job:

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_dakski_ (10-25-2019)

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## dakski

Behira left me a present this morning. Dry, she's now 1,690G. She seems to be having another growth spurt.

Behira and I had some quality time. She's so gentle. It's fun for me, today, I got to be a tree!

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*Bogertophis* (10-29-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (10-29-2019),_Kam_ (11-23-2019),_richardhind1972_ (10-29-2019)

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## dakski

Behira with Grandma!

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_cletus_ (10-31-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (11-02-2019),_Kam_ (11-23-2019),_richardhind1972_ (10-31-2019)

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## dakski

Got some good shots of Behira this morning. Katie was sleeping and I had some quality time with Feliz and Behira. 

She's getting big, but still, gentle as ever. She was in her semi-dark phase. 



*This is my favorite:

*

----------

_EL-Ziggy_ (11-02-2019),_Kam_ (11-23-2019),_richardhind1972_ (11-02-2019)

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## richardhind1972

She has some amazing eyes dave. 
She's looking great, weird how the freckles come and go on the head, I've got a couple that doi it, must be part of there camouflage 

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_dakski_ (11-02-2019)

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## dakski

Behira's Growth from 1 year and 4 months and 450G to last month and  3 years and 5 months and 1,700G. She's in shed now and I'll post pictures when she is done, but I thought this progression was kind of neat.

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*Bogertophis* (12-02-2019),_Dianne_ (11-22-2019),_jmcrook_ (11-16-2019),_Kam_ (11-23-2019),_richardhind1972_ (11-16-2019),_WrongPython_ (11-16-2019)

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## dakski

Wanted to share a quick story about Behira from tonight. I am really proud/happy. 

She's deep in blue. However, her water's were drying out and I wanted to change them. I am not a fan of going into bigger constrictors cages unannounced or moving around in there while they are in there. Her being in blue didn't make me feel more comfortable. 

I do not handle in shed and usually do not bother my snakes at all, but I wanted to refresh the water for both humidity and drinkability. I clean water for all my snakes and wash the bowls at least once a week, or as needed. 

Anyway, I opened the tank and rubbed Behira with the hook handle, as I usually do. She gently hissed at me. I did it again, and again, a gentle hiss. No defensiveness, but definitely not a happy camper. I stroked her a few times with my hand and she let out another, quiet hiss, and then let me gently move her to her holding container for the 3 minutes it took to change water and clean bowls. 

To be clear, Behira has never hissed at me. She's usually quite amenable. However, I've never handled her in blue either. 

I've had and heard of worse reactions from snakes when in deep blue. I am really happy with her that she told me how she felt, but was calm about it, and let me move her anyway. We've worked really hard together for a long time to develop a rapport, and I couldn't' be happier with how either of us handled the situation. 

I am probably looking into this too much, but it made me happy to know that even when not happy, she communicates that, rather than acting on that.

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*Bogertophis* (12-02-2019),_Dianne_ (11-22-2019),_jmcrook_ (11-17-2019),_Kam_ (11-23-2019),_richardhind1972_ (11-18-2019)

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## jmcrook

Great example of being a student of the serpent!


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_dakski_ (11-17-2019)

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## dakski

Behira had another perfect shed. She's looking awesome. Pretty girl. She was in her light phase tonight when I took her out.

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*Bogertophis* (12-02-2019),_Dianne_ (11-24-2019),_Kam_ (11-23-2019),_richardhind1972_ (11-24-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking great dave, I love the light phases on her, 

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_dakski_ (11-24-2019)

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## dakski

Had Behira out today as a friend was over and wanted to see how she was doing. She's a "fan" favorite. He took the pictures. 

She looks much bigger when I see me holding her than she does to me in person. She's getting heavy though. Going to need two hands/arms to support her soon, or keep her around draped over my shoulders.

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*Bogertophis* (12-02-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (12-02-2019),_jmcrook_ (11-25-2019),_Kam_ (11-26-2019),_richardhind1972_ (11-25-2019)

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## dakski

Behira weighed in at about 1,700G after her last waste deposit last week. That was about the same as her last weigh in, dry, but sure left a lot this time. 

Her body shape is good and she eats tonight. 

She is outgrowing this container. Good thing I have a big plastic bin for her as she grows.

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*Bogertophis* (12-02-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (12-02-2019),Jakethesnake69 (12-02-2019),_jmcrook_ (12-02-2019),_Kam_ (12-03-2019),_richardhind1972_ (12-02-2019)

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## EL-Ziggy

Behira is one beefy beautiful beastie brother!

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_dakski_ (12-03-2019)

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## Bogertophis

She's really grown a lot!  Very nice colors too.  It's funny, boas seem to take forever to grow, but then all of a sudden they do & you realize how far they've come
by how much heavier they are.   :Wink:

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_dakski_ (12-03-2019)

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## Bogertophis

> ...To be clear, Behira has never hissed at me. She's usually quite amenable. However, I've never handled her in blue either. 
> 
> I've had and heard of worse reactions from snakes when in deep blue. I am really happy with her that she told me how she felt, but was calm about it, and let me move her anyway. We've worked really hard together for a long time to develop a rapport, and I couldn't' be happier with how either of us handled the situation. 
> 
> I am probably looking into this too much, but it made me happy to know that even when not happy, she communicates that, rather than acting on that.


I agree, you are both to be commended for communicating so well.   :Very Happy:   Really, that's what it is...she knows you & it's best to remind a snake that's in blue that yes, she 
does know you, lol.  Snakes just want to feel safe, & they feel safe when they know & remember their humans...ie. no threat detected.

Avoiding a bite from a well-raised boa is better for everyone, & not at all impossible.  I never had one bite from the BCI I used to have, & even when not in blue, now & 
then she'd just let out a huge evil-sounding hiss when I needed to do something in her cage or wanted to take her out.  I just pet her to remind her she knew me, then 
she'd settle right down.  She just didn't like to be rushed, lol.

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_dakski_ (12-03-2019)

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## dakski

> Behira is one beefy beautiful beastie brother!


Thanks EL-Ziggy. She's still got a ways to go, but yeah, healthy and happy. I wish her iridescence came through in pictures, but not so much. 

Also, we are having a two day snow storm here in northern CT, and I didn't feed last night or tonight. Poor Behira will have to wait until tomorrow to eat. Didn't want to risk feeding and having a power outage, even with the whole home generator. Not worth it. 2 days doesn't mean anything to her eating every 3 weeks. The other guys and girls will deal too. 




> She's really grown a lot!  Very nice colors too.  It's funny, boas seem to take forever to grow, but then all of a sudden they do & you realize how far they've come
> by how much heavier they are.


Yeah, she's getting more than an armful in both size and weight. 




> I agree, you are both to be commended for communicating so well.    Really, that's what it is...she knows you & it's best to remind a snake that's in blue that yes, she 
> does know you, lol.  Snakes just want to feel safe, & they feel safe when they know & remember their humans...ie. no threat detected.
> 
> Avoiding a bite from a well-raised boa is better for everyone, & not at all impossible.  I never had one bite from the BCI I used to have, & even when not in blue, now & 
> then she'd just let out a huge evil-sounding hiss when I needed to do something in her cage or wanted to take her out.  I just pet her to remind her she knew me, then 
> she'd settle right down.  She just didn't like to be rushed, lol.


It's funny. I trust all my animals, but Behira and I have special bond and she's very easy to read. Having said that, hook training has worked well for all the bigger snakes I have (or will be big snakes). Feliz has nailed the lock as it turned (now I turn it before I take the drape down) and then two or three taps later with the hook handle and it's, "okay Dad, pick me up."

I showed the progression thread of Behira, but today I took a few pictures of Feliz in the same size enclosure as Behira was in when I took her pictures today. 

He's 460G dry having not eaten in 3 weeks (2 week schedule and shed last week so skipped while in shed). That's about what Behira weighed when I got her. WOW - look at the difference. Now, keep in mind, Feliz is a dwarf BCC and will probably never be bigger than Behira is now weight wise. Maybe a little thicker and a little shorter, but his dad is all 4 1/2-5FT at 8 years old. So not an apples to apples, but that was about Behira's size when I got her. I wish I had a better picture of her when she was that weight and size in the same container, but I had a smaller container I used for her.

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_Kam_ (12-03-2019),_richardhind1972_ (12-03-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Both looking great dave, feliz getting a nice gold look to him 

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_dakski_ (12-03-2019)

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## dakski

I fed 5/7 snakes tonight. About 20 minutes before feeding, I checked on Behira, and she was in her water dish on the cool side. Temps are about 78-80F over there and 80-84F ambient/middle, and about 86-88F on the hot side. Humidity is about 55% which has never been an issue in winter, and I raise it when she sheds, which she did recently. She had been all over the tank today and I've never seen her in her water bowl. I thought it was peculiar, but decided to feed anyway and see what happened. 

By the time I went to feed, and the lights had been out for a few minutes, she was already out of the water, in hunt mode, and waiting for a rat. She nailed the F/T rat without hesitation.

I guess she felt like being in the water. No sign of any other issues and she could not have struck harder. 

*Here is her in the water dish:

*

*
Here she is with 130G medium rat:

*

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*Bogertophis* (12-13-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (12-17-2019),_Kam_ (12-04-2019),_richardhind1972_ (12-04-2019)

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## richardhind1972

I'm surprised she didn't over flow it and soak everything 
Behira  looking so good dave

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_dakski_ (12-04-2019)

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## dakski

> I'm surprised she didn't over flow it and soak everything 
> Behira  looking so good dave
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


It was close. I just filled it yesterday. The boaphile tanks are pretty solid and I'd just have to wipe it up, but that would have been a pain since I wanted to feed her.

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_richardhind1972_ (12-04-2019)

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## dakski

Behira has been shedding more frequently lately. Usually, she sheds anywhere from every 6 weeks to 3 months. She's definitely been growing of late, but shed on 11-23-19 and looks like she will shed in the next 2-3 weeks again, if not possibly sooner. I did see her soak once, and I am 100% sure she does not have mites. 

On the mites, no mites in bowl after soak, and I even filtered the water through paper towels to be sure. I use paper substrate and no evidence in the tank. Additionally, she is eating and shows zero signs of discomfort. Also, no other animal in the collection is showing any signs of distress. 

Humidity has dropped to about 50%-55% in her enclosure (hot side the former and cool side the latter). Could a growth spurt and/or lower humidity cause more frequent sheds. 

Again, no other signs of distress. She's a dream when handled and eats like a pig, etc. I am probably making a bigger deal than I should, but am interested in thoughts. 

Further, I have a mistking setup for Ezzy and Ferry who stay about 75F and have much smaller tanks than everyone else. That maintains about 75-85% humidity for them in the winter. I got tubing and nozzles and I am running to Behira's tank, Jeff's soon to be tank, Shayna's tank, Yafe's tank, and Feliz's tank as well. I will have shutoff valves for the summer of if humidity gets too high. However, I'd rather see the boas in the 60% or higher range and Yafe too, especially with the RI when I got him. I imagine that cannot hurt.

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_Kam_ (12-09-2019),_richardhind1972_ (12-09-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Hi dave 
My older girls are wanting more food and seem to be shedding closer. 
it may be some thing to do with her growth spurt or could be a hormone thing as she is at sexual maturity now and there internal body clock may be adjusting accordingly 

As you say I'd be very surprised if its mites. as you have always been super strict with quarantine 

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_dakski_ (12-09-2019)

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## dakski

I have yet to install the misting system (but will ASAP) but have been keeping humidity up and Behira will shed again soon. She was in full blue two days ago. Looks like she will shed at about the 3 week mark from her last shed. 

I am hoping either upping the humidity resolves the frequent shed issue, or it's not an issue and an isolated thing, or it resolves itself. 

I've heard that occasionally snakes can get "rapid shed syndrome" and it doesn't end well. Of course, that's over a long period of time. Just my nerves kicking in I hope. 

Her past 3 Sheds:

8/29/19: 3 months from previous shed - 5/31/19 - and about 1,500G - 1,590G.

10/18/19: Gained about 60G to about 1,650G

11/23/19: Gained another 40G to about 1,690G.

Shedding estimate now: 12/15/19. She had one 130G medium rat since her last shed and ate with gusto. Probably put on another 40G from that.

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_richardhind1972_ (12-13-2019)

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## dakski

Behira shed last night (12-15-19) and is looking good. She had a perfect shed. 

I am still concerned about her shedding again after only 3 weeks, and the pattern of shedding closer together, but I will have to wait and see.

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_EL-Ziggy_ (12-17-2019),_richardhind1972_ (12-20-2019)

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## dakski

Behira nailed a medium rat tonight. I've also been keeping humidity up and install the misting system this week (I hope). She seems okay. I saw a little redness on a few spots after the shed before last (although it was a perfect shed). I wonder if the humidity dropped caused the first shed to irritate her scales and cause a premature second shed? Either way, keeping humidity up and keeping on eye on her. She seems normal otherwise. 

I have not installed the misting system because I have to run to 4 other tanks as well and requires animal removal, time, drilling, and I am waiting on two parts. I will do it ASAP once the parts come. In the meantime, the old misting bottle is serving us well.

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_richardhind1972_ (12-23-2019)

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## dakski

I spoke with Jeff Ronne today and he said, as did Rich, that are her age and size, hormones can be kicking in. That can cause more frequent shedding, as well as some of the things I was thinking (like humidity changes).

I feel much better, especially after she pounded that rat last night. Good to get confirmation from two people I trust on Boas that she's probably fine.

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_richardhind1972_ (12-23-2019)

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## richardhind1972

> I spoke with Jeff Ronne today and he said, as did Rich, that are her age and size, hormones can be kicking in. That can cause more frequent shedding, as well as some of the things I was thinking (like humidity changes).
> 
> I feel much better, especially after she pounded that rat last night. Good to get confirmation from two people I trust on Boas that she's probably fine.


Glad you feeling a bit better dave and Jeff had confirmed your suspicions. it really is a worry. Especially when boas are pretty regular on everything they do

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_dakski_ (12-23-2019)

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## dakski

Well, Behira is in blue again. 

I have not installed the misting system yet, as it's a big job, and I haven't been feeling well. However, I have managed to keep her humidity higher than I had. 

This puts her on track to shed at about 25-26 days since past shed, or less. We will see. 

I know her hormones are going nuts, it's a change in season, etc. However, I want to make sure I am doing everything I can for her. 

I will be keeping humidity up high during her shed process as soon as her eyes clear. Hopefully she has another good shed. 

Also, I posted this in another thread, but great to see Katie handling Behira and interacting with her, etc. She was even explaining to her cousin (in the picture) what a Ghost BI was. I was super impressed.

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*Bogertophis* (12-30-2019),_richardhind1972_ (12-31-2019)

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## dakski

Behira shed again - 19 days this time. 

I am very concerned. She sheds, then sheds again. She seemed to have a good shed, but her belly is red and irritated. 

Anyone every heard of this?

I spoke with Jeff Ronne who said when he had Boas get rapid shed syndrome, it was a total of 2 in 30+ years of breeding, and both were older females. 

However, he's concerned. 

I plan to up humidity back to the 65% range and see if that helps. Could the sheds be causing irritation, or the lower humidity bothering her for some reason?

Any thoughts please let me know. I am really worried about my girl.

Below is a picture of her belly and here is a link to what Jeff wrote about Rapid Shed Syndrome. 

http://forums.kingsnake.com/viewarch...24246&key=2008

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## Bogertophis

I've heard of snakes getting a pinkish belly when fighting a systemic infection, & while I've not had any snakes (boas or otherwise) with "rapid shed syndrome", 
I think this makes some sense, since snake bodies that are trying to heal will shed more frequently...I'm not sure they can differentiate between a physical injury &
an internal issue...?  Therefore, I'd have the vet see if there's any sort of infection they can find?  (stool, saliva?)  

I don't ever recall any discussions of hormones in snakes, but I assume they have them, so if that's the case, it makes sense that they might get "out of whack" just 
as they do with humans (as with hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, etc).  This could also be due to some sort of chemical exposure, I suppose, or an allergic reaction?
But good luck finding a vet that treats snake allergies...

Dave, I'm just brainstorming here, I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this.  I'd lean toward suspecting a low-grade infection, but again, that's only my guess.
Snakes are awfully stoic patients just when we need them to give us some good solid hints at to what's bothering them.  I assume you've tried changing everything 
that you use in the enclosure?  (cleaning solution rinsed completely out?, different substrate, "furniture" sanitized...?)

Has she been handled by anyone who might have had something on their skin that transferred & irritates her body?  There are hormones in some creams, & for that matter, there are sometimes toxic chemicals in new clothing.  (see link)  And don't get me started about plastics...ahem!  Remember that some individuals are more sensitive to things than others, whether they're humans or snakes.  

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/02/busin...uit/index.html
"But the employees' lawsuit said they conducted their own tests of the uniforms that found the presence of "chemicals and heavy metals far in excess of industry accepted safe levels for garments." Chemicals cited in the suit include formaldehyde, mercury, chromium, antimony, fluorine, and bromine."

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_dakski_ (01-03-2020)

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## dakski

Bogertophis, 

Thank you. I really appreciate the "brainstorming."

The only thing that has changed in her enclosure in the past 2 months is humidity dropping from about 60-65% down to 50-55%. I have since, in the past week, upped to 60-65% again. 

However, last winter, this wasn't an issue. 

The only cleaning solution I use, and always have, is F10SC. I have also, for years, used "Healthy Habitat" to keep the tanks smelling fresh. 

Nothing has changed there.

I like the idea of doing a stool sample and bringing her in for bloodwork. I do have a (fairly) local vet I really trust. 

We can at least see if something is off, right?

At the moment she's eating, which is a good sign, and I should bring in the sample ASAP. She's due to drop one soon.


EDIT: The healthy habitat is sprayed and wiped up. Not left in the tank.

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_richardhind1972_ (01-04-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Might try rinsing off the F10 etc...in case she is somehow sensitive to it?  & then whatever the vet can check.  Keeping fingers crossed that something shows up.

I do vaguely remember something about a snake with internal issues that shed more often, & I know for a fact they do with external injuries.  It may be that those 
"mystery cases" had something undetected internally that triggered repeat sheds to "repair"?  Did Jeff have a necropsy done on those 2?  I'm guessing not...

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_dakski_ (01-04-2020)

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## jmcrook

I definitely understand the concern. Hope you can get things sorted out, Dave. Best wishes!


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_dakski_ (01-04-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Hi dave, a friend of mine came to work yesterday and said he had lost 3 of his geckos all was eating but all was loosing weight and shedding more often  so he had a faecal done on one of his remaining and turned out to be worms , the vet said it could of easily come from the crickets or other live foods he feeds, it's been a month now since he's wormed them all and all are now putting on weight
I know it's not. A snake 
Hopefully it's something than can fixed with behira, I'd definitely try get some faecals done or blood test just to try rule worse case scenario at least
All the best mate

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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*Bogertophis* (01-05-2020),_dakski_ (01-04-2020)

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## dakski

Rich, 

Good point on the weight. 

10/18/19 Behira was 1,650G and had been shedding every 3 months (roughly). 

12/19/19 Behira was 1,670G (both dry weights by the way) and had started shedding frequently. 

I haven't weighed her since, but I want a dry weight. 

I cannot imagine where she would get worms eating F/T prey, but I do have bugs in the area for the lizards. 

Either way, something is up and I will get to the bottom of it. 

Take care mate. 

David

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_richardhind1972_ (01-04-2020)

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## richardhind1972

> Rich, 
> 
> Good point on the weight. 
> 
> 10/18/19 Behira was 1,650G and had been shedding every 3 months (roughly). 
> 
> 12/19/19 Behira was 1,670G (both dry weights by the way) and had started shedding frequently. 
> 
> I haven't weighed her since, but I want a dry weight. 
> ...


Fingers crossed for you  dave 

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## dakski

Behira goes in for bloodwork on Wednesday this week. In the meantime, I hope she gives me a poop sample prior so I can bring that in right away for a fecal. 

There was a newer vet at exotic vet I trust on Monday and Wednesday is the doctor I've known for a while and helped Yafe get over his RI. I'd rather see her. 

I'll keep everyone posted.

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*Bogertophis* (01-05-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-05-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-05-2020)

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## Bogertophis

> Hi dave, a friend of mine came to work yesterday and said he had lost 3 of his geckos all was eating but all was loosing weight and shedding more often  so he had a faecal done on one of his remaining and turned out to be worms ...


Thanks for sharing...that's the situation I was thinking about & trying to remember the exact incidents that I either heard or read about.  That's what I meant by the 
possibility that "internal" issues (not just external injuries) can stimulate the snake's body to keep shedding in an effort to "heal" itself.  Snakes (reptiles) are strange that 
way...I think the same thing has happened with other things too, like maybe a tumor.  Either way, when they keep shedding too often, you have to play detective...their 
bodies have a strange way of signalling.

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_richardhind1972_ (01-05-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-05-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Fingers crossed you'll get to the bottom of it Dave and get behira sorted 

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*Bogertophis* (01-05-2020)

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## dakski

Behira left me a some poop and I have it bagged and ready to bring to the vet tomorrow. If they can see Behira tomorrow, I am tempted to bring her in, and get the blood drawn. Then, the snake expert can help with the results. 

I am not sure though. I am going to gauge the doctor tomorrow when I call first thing and see if she's comfortable with that. If not, Wednesday it is. 

I'll keep everyone posted. 

In the meantime, although a smallish poop, Behira weighed her highest yet today at 1,720G. That made me feel a little better.

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*Bogertophis* (01-05-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-06-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-06-2020)

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## Bogertophis

I don't blame you for seeking encouragement in her weight, but unfortunately weight fluctuates with hydration & food, & in your gut, you know something's not 
right, shedding so often.  I hope they can evaluate her sooner rather than later & it's very good that you've not ignored what symptoms you have.  You & Behira 
are in my best thoughts & hopes... :Please:

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_dakski_ (01-06-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-06-2020)

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## dakski

Behira saw the vet today. I brought in a poop sample and they drew blood for bloodwork. 

The vet is hoping that we are ruling things out. Although Behira's belly was very pink after last shed, it appears to be clearing up a little (getting less red) and potentially she is not entering another shed right now. I won't know that for a few days or longer. 

The vet's thesis is that reaching sexual maturity and hormone changes can impact a snakes immune system negatively. She thinks Behira might have a mild skin infection (from what is unclear - maybe because humidity was lower than normal????) which she is now fighting off. The blood test and stool sample we show if anything is seriously wrong, but she's very optimistic with how she looked, acted, and the fact she's pounding food when offered. She was also pleased that her belly was getting less red. 

She did not give any meds at this point, which I think makes all the sense in the world. She did ask if I was comfortable with injectable or oral meds if they needed to be prescribed and I said I was fine with either. 

I will keep everyone posted on any and all news. 

Still processing, but would rather be overcautious than not. Hoping that it really is just something mild. 

Thank you for all the kind words and thoughts and ideas.

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*Bogertophis* (01-06-2020),_jmcrook_ (01-06-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-06-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-06-2020)

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## richardhind1972

That's good then dave, there's no point in issuing meds if there's nothing obvious at the moment,
Fingers crossed its her hormones then
All the best mate 

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*Bogertophis* (01-06-2020),_dakski_ (01-06-2020)

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## dakski

I should add that Behira was uncharacteristically spending a lot of time, most of her time, on the warm side, the previous few weeks. The past few days she's been moving around more in terms of temperature zones.

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*Bogertophis* (01-06-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-07-2020)

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## Bogertophis

And maybe she's just fighting something off too?  Better to be concerned & find nothing than to ignore until a snake is too symptomatic to cure.   :Good Job: 
I'd agree, a good appetite is a good sign.  I bet you'll sleep better now... :Wink:

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_dakski_ (01-06-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-07-2020)

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## dakski

Potentially very good news today from the vet and from Behira. 

The blood test showed a slightly elevated white blood cell count. The vet said this is consistent with her thesis that she had/has a mild skin/scale infection that she is effectively fighting off, and/or stress from multiple close sheds. She does not recommend any medicine at this time and does not think anything serious or life threatening is going on. 

Further the stool sample was clean. 

Additionally, Behira is looking good and not getting darker or going into shed at the moment. She was starting to do that already last time, I think, and I am optimistic. 

I will keep everyone posted on Behira and her next shed, etc. Again, I appreciate everyone being there for me and showing so much interest in Behira. THANK YOU!

Here are a few pictures from the other day post shed of my beautiful girl.

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*Bogertophis* (01-07-2020),_jmcrook_ (01-07-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-08-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-07-2020)

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## Bogertophis

I'll bet your vet enjoyed meeting & treating such a beautiful cuddler like Behira.   :Very Happy:   Yes, this IS good news!   :Good Job:

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_dakski_ (01-07-2020)

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## dakski

> I'll bet your vet enjoyed meeting & treating such a beautiful cuddler like Behira.    Yes, this IS good news!


They did like her. She let out a quiet hiss when they checked in her mouth and apparently was not happy when they drew blood. However, no strikes, just some little hisses. She's really a good girl. I am proud of her for staying so composed. 

The vet was also very happy to see pictures of Yafe at 400G+.

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*Bogertophis* (01-07-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-08-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-07-2020)

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## Bogertophis

> They did like her. She let out a quiet hiss when they checked in her mouth and apparently was not happy when they drew blood. However, no strikes, just some little hisses. She's really a good girl. I am proud of her for staying so composed. 
> 
> The vet was also very happy to see pictures of Yafe at 400G+.


Little hisses are just one letter away from little kisses, lol...not a crime.  If it wasn't for the fact that a snake has a medical problem, it's almost fun to take a snake 
in to be seen by a vet- the whole staff is usually mesmerized by a pretty & docile snake, at least that's been my experience.

I can bet the vet was happy about Yafe...you can BOTH take lots of credit for pulling him thru tough times.

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_dakski_ (01-08-2020)

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## richardhind1972

That's great news dave
So pleased to hear all the results was clear 
I think behira is allowed to hiss when they they take blood, bless her 

Hopefully she will be back to a regular shed cycle now 


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_dakski_ (01-08-2020)

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## dakski

> Little hisses are just one letter away from little kisses, lol...not a crime.  If it wasn't for the fact that a snake has a medical problem, it's almost fun to take a snake 
> in to be seen by a vet- the whole staff is usually mesmerized by a pretty & docile snake, at least that's been my experience.
> 
> I can bet the vet was happy about Yafe...you can BOTH take lots of credit for pulling him thru tough times.


Sadly, the vet LOVES seeing my animals. Too often, they see animals when it is too late.

Precaution, preparation, and education, are better than a sick animal any day. However, as we saw with Yafe, and it happens, it's not always "User Error." Animals get sick. Very important for keepers to realize that reptiles, similar to dogs and cats, tend not to show symptoms as a survival mechanism. It's worse with reptiles though, because they don't interact the same way and can hide it better in many ways. 

I have zero regrets about being overly cautious with Behira. Rather have peace of mind than a really sick animal. As I learned with Yafe, sick equals angst, money, and oh, did I mention money?

I do believe that 90% of healthy reptiles is proper temp, humidity, enclosure, food/diet, and cleanliness. 

Luckily there are sites like this one that help people learn from others. 

Thank you on the comment on Yafe. Many people do not think reptile vets/exotic vets know what they are talking about. In many cases, I think that is true, but I am very comfortable with my vet and my knowledge. We make it a team effort and discussion in treatment and I feel they are very thorough. Expensive, yes, but in this case, I think I get what I pay for. My quick action (if I can toot my own horn a little) and the vets thoroughness and knowledge of appropriate treatments, no doubt, saved Yafe's life. So happy to see him so happy and healthy, even though he is a little "hisser."  :Smile: . I'll take all hiss and no bite any day. 




> That's great news dave
> So pleased to hear all the results was clear 
> I think behira is allowed to hiss when they they take blood, bless her 
> 
> Hopefully she will be back to a regular shed cycle now 
> 
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


Touché rich. She absolutely has a right to be annoyed and hiss when they take blood. 

Studies have shown that taking blood directly from the heart is the safest way with snakes. They did that with Behira and the same thing with Shayna a couple of years ago when I was afraid she was getting an RI. With Shayna, it turned out to be stuck shed (in her nostril) that we couldn't see and cleared in the next shed. The blood test with her showed normal blood counts so we didn't worry. 

The main risk for taking blood this way is that it takes a few days to clot and therefore no food should be given for 3-4 days so the heart can completely heal. Feeding and having a food item go down the hatch and by the heart could cause a blood clot to break off. However, after 4 days, there is no added risk. Behira eats Sunday, so that will be 6 days. 

The main advantage is that one stick does it and you aren't risking hitting things that are important.

Regarding the shedding, I will keep everyone posted. However, looking much better at the moment. She is also using both warm and cool sides of her tank again. Going back, when I saw her soak, that might have been because of the skin irritation. Haven't seen her do that either of late.

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*Bogertophis* (01-08-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-08-2020)

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## Bogertophis

> ...
> 
> Studies have shown that taking blood directly from the heart is the safest way with snakes. They did that with Behira and the same thing with Shayna a couple of years ago when I was afraid she was getting an RI. With Shayna, it turned out to be stuck shed (in her nostril) that we couldn't see and cleared in the next shed. The blood test with her showed normal blood counts so we didn't worry. 
> 
> The main risk for taking blood this way is that it takes a few days to clot and therefore no food should be given for 3-4 days so the heart can completely heal. Feeding and having a food item go down the hatch and by the heart could cause a blood clot to break off. However, after 4 days, there is no added risk. Behira eats Sunday, so that will be 6 days. 
> 
> The main advantage is that one stick does it and you aren't risking hitting things that are important....


That's very interesting, & unfortunately I'm not near any vets with the experience to know that, much less do it.  I've had one snake that was euthanized by injection to the heart (I was assured that was the best method but it was tough to watch, I'm always there with my snake or other pet, no matter what) but it's very interesting to know that they can safely take a blood sample this way...wow, good to know.

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_dakski_ (01-08-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-08-2020)

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## dakski

Behira's belly is still red in a few spots, but not all over, marking an improvement. 5 days from last shed, she appears not to be getting darker and potentially entering another shed. I am going to give it more time, as if there is anything else I can do, but I am optimistic. Very relieved it doesn't look bad and I've upped her humidity.

I had her out for a few minutes tonight as I was leaving her alone for the most part when I was worried about something serious. 

She's such sweet girl, and extra treat, she was in her Dark Phase tonight.

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*Bogertophis* (01-08-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-09-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-08-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Fingers crossed here that the problem goes away...

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_dakski_ (01-08-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Shes looking great dave, I love the light and dark phases on boas 

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_dakski_ (01-09-2020)

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## EL-Ziggy

Behira's looking good Dave. I'm really glad to hear the vet couldn't find anything seriously wrong with her.

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_dakski_ (01-09-2020)

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## dakski

More good news on Behira. 

She still doesn't like she's going into shed. 

Plus, tonight, she nailed a good sized medium rat! No hesitation!

Things are looking up, but I am not jinxing it. I will report back soon.

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*Bogertophis* (01-12-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-13-2020)

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## dakski

Behira is going back into "blue."

She shed 13 days ago. I am not happy. Last time she shed at 18 days, but I think she went into blue earlier. I am looking for any improvement, but either way, it's worrisome. 

I am keeping humidity up and we will see if she has a good shed without the red belly.

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*Bogertophis* (01-16-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-16-2020)

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## EL-Ziggy

That's crazy Dave. I hadn't heard of chronic shedding syndrome before now. I'm sure its stressful for you and even more so for Behira i pray she gets over this SOON.

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_dakski_ (01-18-2020)

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## Bogertophis

So sorry to hear this, Dave.  Maybe she has an issue with her thyroid, like hyperthyroidism?  Quick searching out of curiosity- this was about goiter & thyroid disease>

https://jherpmedsurg.com/doi/pdf/10....9651.18.3-4.75

Excerpt & food for thought: "...nutritionally deficiencies, exposure to goitrogenic substances, exposure to and bioaccumulation of endocrine-disrupting contaminants from the environment, genetic predisposition, or a combination. Supplementation with iodine was attempted in some snakes in various ways but was generally unsuccessful..."

There's a few articles around, but this is a pretty obscure topic in snakes... https://www.researchgate.net/publica...thyroid_Glands

Anyway, in the excerpt above, what jumped out to me was "bioaccumulation of endocrine-disrupting contaminants" & while it might have nothing to do with Behira's issue, that is one reason that I avoid plastics for snakes.  (who knows what might affect our diminutive scaly friends?)  I would think if this was a genetic quirk, you would have seen this from the start?  Pardon my brainstorming...I hope your vet has some ideas...(& I hope they're easier to spell, lol).

Briefly from Wikipedia:
What are the four types of endocrine disruptors?

These include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), and dixons. Other examples of *endocrine disruptors* include bisphenol A (BPA) from plastics, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) from pesticides, vinclozolin from fungizides, and diethylstilbestrol (DES) from pharmaceutical agents.

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_dakski_ (01-18-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Sorry to hear this dave, I was hoping she had broken the cycle this time round 

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_dakski_ (01-18-2020)

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## dakski

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. 

I tend to think that's not environmental because nothing has changed there in 2+ years. 

I can ask the vet if the blood test showed thyroid function, but they seemed to think that since she has just reached sexual maturity, that some hormones would be off anyway, and I wonder if that changes things like thyroid and if so, if that shouldn't be adjusted immediately. Just thinking out loud. 

I didn't ask for the full report, but can, but they said the only thing off was white blood count, and only slightly. 

I picked up this from my local reptile store. My buddy Adam, who owns the store, is scratching his head too. He was asking environmental was well but I told him all that has changed in the past 3-4 months was a normal winter drop in humidity that she's had the past two years as well. 

I saw this in his store and figured it could not hurt. 

https://zoomed.com/reptile-electrolyte-soak/

Once she is out of blue and before shed I plan to soak her. I plan to do the same after shed as well. If she is fighting a skin irritation, or even infection, this can only help in my mind. Whether it does, is another issue, but I cannot imagine it hurts anything. 

Thank you all again. Both Behira and I appreciate it.

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*Bogertophis* (01-18-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-18-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-18-2020)

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## richardhind1972

> Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. 
> 
> I tend to think that's not environmental because nothing has changed there in 2+ years. 
> 
> I can ask the vet if the blood test showed thyroid function, but they seemed to think that since she has just reached sexual maturity, that some hormones would be off anyway, and I wonder if that changes things like thyroid and if so, if that shouldn't be adjusted immediately. Just thinking out loud. 
> 
> I didn't ask for the full report, but can, but they said the only thing off was white blood count, and only slightly. 
> 
> I picked up this from my local reptile store. My buddy Adam, who owns the store, is scratching his head too. He was asking environmental was well but I told him all that has changed in the past 3-4 months was a normal winter drop in humidity that she's had the past two years as well. 
> ...


You have nothing to loose dave that's for sure, it may be a mix of hormones as you said
Fingers crossed mate 

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_dakski_ (01-18-2020)

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## Bogertophis

It's so unfortunate that others whose snakes exhibited this condition did not have a necropsy done, or if they did, the results weren't shared, though I guess there 
could be more than one cause for this anyway?  

I haven't seen that product  https://zoomed.com/reptile-electrolyte-soak/  before, I'm glad to be aware of it, & hope it helps.  They don't indicate specifically that it is 
appropriate for snakes, only "reptiles", but that should be safe & hopefully helpful.  (I think I'd try it too)

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_dakski_ (01-19-2020)

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## dakski

Behira got a 20 minute soak in the Zoomed Electrolyte Reptile Soak. I had her in her holding container and the water was warm and it went about 2/3 of the way up her body. She really seemed to enjoy it. I covered it with a towel so the moisture stayed in and soaked her for 20 minutes. The directions say up to 3X a week for at least 10 minutes. 

She had just come out of blue and I hope this helps ensure a very healthy and happy shed (along with good humidity in the tank). 

Once she sheds, I plan to soak her 2-3X a week for a bit as well. 

I figure the soaking alone could help and the electrolyte soak can't hurt. I am hoping it is just a skin irritation/infection and this helps her fight it off.

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*Bogertophis* (01-19-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-19-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-19-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Fingers crossed  that will help her dave 

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_dakski_ (01-19-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Same here...fingers crossed.   :Smile:

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_dakski_ (01-19-2020)

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## dakski

Behira looks ready to shed, but has not shed yet. I am keeping humidity way up and will soak her again tomorrow if she hasn't shed yet, or even if she has. Want her scales/skin feeling nice and moist and comfortable.

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_richardhind1972_ (01-21-2020)

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## richardhind1972

> Behira looks ready to shed, but has not shed yet. I am keeping humidity way up and will soak her again tomorrow if she hasn't shed yet, or even if she has. Want her scales/skin feeling nice and moist and comfortable.


I really hope this works dave 

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_dakski_ (01-21-2020)

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## dakski

> I really hope this works dave 
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


Thank you Rich. I am open to the idea that between this shed, the soaking, the electrolytes, etc. that it may take 1-2 more sheds to clear up. I am really hoping that's all. I am optimistic, but also nervous. 

Given her behavior, and nothing bad on the blood test or stool sample, I am really hoping it's hormonal and/or a bad shed that started this and she can fight it off with help.

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*Bogertophis* (01-21-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (01-21-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-21-2020)

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## dakski

Okay. Bad news and good news. 

Bad news: Behira Shed today. I went out for two hours, came back to check humidity, and there was fresh shed Behira. This 19 days from last shed. Not good. 

Good news: She had a great shed and her skin/scales look MUCH less irritated and MUCH less red. 

I took some pictures, but you have to look for the redness. There is a little on her underside near her tail and a tiny bit on her side near the tail too. However, it's about 80-90% less than last shed, if I can quantify it. I think this is a really good sign. Irritation appears to be going down. 

I soaked her after her shed in the electrolyte soak and she really seems to enjoy that. 

I also plan to feed her tonight and every 10 days or so for a bit to help her get her strength back. I had been feeding every 3 weeks.

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*Bogertophis* (01-22-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (01-28-2020),_Kam_ (01-22-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-22-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-21-2020)

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## dakski

More good news and bad news. 

I did not feed Behira last night, but did tonight. She NAILED the rat BOA STYLE!

As mentioned, I will be feeding her more frequently on a go forward basis. At least until her skin issues resolve and she gets more strength back and starts putting on weight again. 

Earlier in the day, she left me a present and weighed in dry at 1,680G, which is about what she's been since the skin issues started. 

Additionally, she was little redder on her belly today then yesterday. Once she has digested this meal, or about 2 days, I will soak her again with the electrolyte soak. 

Fingers crossed she goes longer between sheds this time.

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*Bogertophis* (01-22-2020),Gemini Pythons (01-24-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-23-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-22-2020)

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## dakski

Behira got another good soak today. Her scales on her body have some red blotches, but they are faint. This seems to be a similar pattern as last time. Her belly is still reddish, but not horrible. 

After a 25 minute soak, her skin/scales looked better. I am hoping the soaks are penetrating her scales and giving her some relief and hopefully more than just relief, but moving towards getting her cured. 

I checked in with the vet again. Through the front desk person, she said she is leaning away from a skin infection because of how normal, or how close to normal, her white blood count was. I asked about topical treatment and she said that she really doesn't do that with snakes, at least not a whole body type problem. She said to keep soaking her if that seems to help and see if it resolves over time. She is also very happy she (Behira) is pounding food. 

She said the next step would be imaging, fearing that something more serious is going on. I am not sure how I feel about that given how she is a) eating and b) acting normal otherwise. However, I am running out of ideas and getting really discouraged. I will be even more discouraged if the soaks don't help. Having said that, I will give them some time as they do seem to give her relief, at least momentarily. Plus, it could take a few sheds to resolve and I do not know how to measure progress for this as no one seems to now what's going on. 

I even emailed Vin Russo, having read his books, and he hadn't really heard of this either. He was very kind to quickly and thoroughly email me back, and I thank him for that, but he also said if it wasn't a bacterial infection on the skin, he had no clue.

EDIT: I wanted to add how much I appreciate everyone on here who has been following along and thinking of Behira and sending well wishes. THANK YOU. It means a lot.

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*Bogertophis* (01-26-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (01-28-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-26-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-26-2020)

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## dakski

Sorry for another quick update. 

I just had a long talk with Don Soderberg, who is another reptile breeder I trust implicitly, and who I bought Solana from. 

He thinks we should culture Behira's scales/skin and look for a bacterial infection. He says the shed cycle is too fast and something is wrong, but that a skin infection, in his experience, may not show up on a blood test RE white blood count. He insists that illness causes a sped up shed cycle and that's it's not random. Something is causing Behira to feel the need to shed. Additionally, he thought it was very interesting she's spending 90% of her time on the hot side, versus 10% historically.  

I am going to call the vet tomorrow and ask about that. 

Additionally, I wanted to mention something about Katie and Behira. Katie has had her differences with Behira over the years. First when she nailed me (food response) and then when she realized how big she would get. Last week Behira needed to eat and I was sick and in bed. I got up to take the rat out and went back to bed and set my alarm. I got up to feed Behira and she ate like a champ and I went back to bed. However, Katie, who's fed each corn snake once, offered to feed Behira if I didn't wake up/was too sick. That blew my mind. She's really come a long way and cares deeply for me and for the reptiles, even if she doesn't always show it. I didn't want her to have to feed Behira, and would have fed her the next day if I couldn't get up, but the thought meant a lot and I know she would have done it. 

I am a lucky guy.

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*Bogertophis* (01-26-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-27-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-26-2020)

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## Bogertophis

You're such a dedicated & caring keeper, Dave.  How frustrating this must be to have such vague & conflicting information as "answers".

On the one hand you have your vet saying ..."the next step would be imaging, fearing that something more serious is going on." which is certainly 
not comforting & makes me wonder what other things she has in mind?  It's interesting that you also checked with Dan Soderberg for his input, 
& for what it's worth I agree with his comment "that illness causes a sped up shed cycle and that's it's not random..." & also that "he thought it 
was very interesting she's spending 90% of her time on the hot side, versus 10% historically."  I also think that "illness" could include something 
atypical that you don't always consider an "illness", like some sort of chemical exposure that messes with a snake's body...but how you track that 
down is beyond me.   :Confused:   I'd want to rule out an external bacterial infection for sure...you have to start somewhere & that's the most accessible.  I hope you can get 
this figured out & soon... :Please:

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_dakski_ (01-26-2020)

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## dakski

> You're such a dedicated & caring keeper, Dave.  How frustrating this must be to have such vague & conflicting information as "answers".
> 
> On the one hand you have your vet saying ..."the next step would be imaging, fearing that something more serious is going on." which is certainly 
> not comforting & makes me wonder what other things she has in mind?  It's interesting that you also checked with Dan Soderberg for his input, 
> & for what it's worth I agree with his comment "that illness causes a sped up shed cycle and that's it's not random..." & also that "he thought it 
> was very interesting she's spending 90% of her time on the hot side, versus 10% historically."  I also think that "illness" could include something 
> atypical that you don't always consider an "illness", like some sort of chemical exposure that messes with a snake's body...but how you track that 
> down is beyond me.    I'd want to rule out an external bacterial infection for sure...you have to start somewhere & that's the most accessible.  I hope you can get 
> this figured out & soon...


Thank you for the kind words. 

Don is a good guy and has more experience than most in the business. He was breeding snakes before most breeders were born (and I was born). 

I will advise after I speak with the vet tomorrow. 

We will get to the bottom of this (I say with confidence but not 100% certainty).

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*Bogertophis* (01-26-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-27-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-27-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Really hope you get to the bottom of this with her, Is she loosing any weight or remaining the same

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## dakski

> Really hope you get to the bottom of this with her, Is she loosing any weight or remaining the same
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


She's maintained since this started, eating every 3 weeks. I started feeding at 10 days this past week instead of every 3 weeks. I hope that helps her gain strength and put some weight on. 

Since there is no sign of stomach trouble or parasites, etc. per stool sample, and that she pounds her meals, I would assume she's not gaining weight because the stress and energy used on shedding is taking the calories she would normally put to weight and putting them to maintain. 

I am on hold with the vet currently and will advise on that shortly. Possibly later today after I see them - assuming I get in today.

EDIT: I see the vet at noon tomorrow.

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_richardhind1972_ (01-27-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-27-2020)

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## richardhind1972

OK look forward to hearing the results from this dave 

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## WhompingWillow

I hope the visit goes well and that you get some answers. Is the vet going to do a skin swab/culture or imaging?

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## dakski

> I hope the visit goes well and that you get some answers. Is the vet going to do a skin swab/culture or imaging?


Thank you. 

Potentially both. Most interested in the skin swab. That may take a few days to culture. Depending on cost Ill consider doing imaging now for peace of mind. Otherwise, Ill wait until the swab results before doing imaging. 

I can always go back later in the week if the swab is negative for imaging.

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*Bogertophis* (01-27-2020)

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## dakski

Behira saw the vet today. 

The short of it is that the vets (all 3 vets looked at Behira) are convinced that she is reaching sexual maturity and in human speak, having a bad puberty. 

It's analogous to some people have their faces covered in pimples when they go through puberty and others you wouldn't even know. 

The main vet, who owns the practice, and who saved Yafe, told me, essentially, "Good you are a caring and cautious owner, but I know a sick snake when I see one (that's all I usually see) and Behira is not a sick snake. She's eating, hasn't lost weight even given the shedding frequency and likely hormone issues, other than the redness her scales are perfect, she's having perfect sheds, perfect waste movements, and seems active, alert, and strong. Her stool sample was normal and her white blood count is as well."

She promised that she would intervene IF she stopped eating OR developed lesions etc. I asked about a swab and she said, "Where? There's no open wounds and her skin looks sealed, vibrant, and healthy."

She said the electrolyte soak made sense, IF she was dehydrated or had malnutrition. She said if I want to soak her, just use water, or a light iodine mix, but that latter was probably unnecessary. 

She agreed with feeding her more often and that staying on the warm side could be hormonal as well.

For everyone's edification, they did a quick ultrasound (not expensive and not painful for Behira in any way) of her sex organs and related area and saw nothing abnormal. 

I am a little conflicted, but I also respect my vet(s) tremendously. All 3 looked at her and had the same conclusion. I also circled back with Don Soderberg who was perplexed, but open minded and agreed that she wasn't acting sick in any way. 

I want to be able to do something, but I also have to accept that I have done what I can RE taking her to the vet, soaking, researching etc. and maybe I just need to back off a little and give it some time and keep an eye on it. 

I plan to soak her every few days, feed every 10 days, and keep an eye on her. If anything changes, I will post it here, and take her back to the vet. 

I feel the visit today was cathartic in the sense that all the vets think she's doing great aside from the shedding. None of them think there is an imminent threat to her.

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*Bogertophis* (01-28-2020),Craiga 01453 (01-28-2020),_jmcrook_ (01-28-2020),_richardhind1972_ (01-28-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-28-2020)

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## richardhind1972

That's such great news dave. 
So pleased it doesn't seem to be anything untoward, let's hope her hormones sort them self out soon then


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_dakski_ (01-28-2020)

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## Craiga 01453

Glad to hear this Dave. Thanks for keeping us up to date.

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_dakski_ (01-28-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Having a bad puberty...wow, that's a diagnosis that's hard to top.  I'm glad they didn't find anything wrong, & I totally hope they're right.  Who knew?

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_dakski_ (01-28-2020)

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## dakski

> Having a bad puberty...wow, that's a diagnosis that's hard to top.  I'm glad they didn't find anything wrong, & I totally hope they're right.  Who knew?


I agree and feel the same way. I asked about other snakes not showing this and didn't get a great response, except that most owners wouldn't be as in tune as I am and probably wouldn't sweat it, etc. However, they've ruled out anything seriously wrong. 

It occurred to me today that her sheds started getting closer and closer together over several months, hitting a head in the past 2 months or so. That doesn't seem consistent with a terrible infection to me, even though snakes can get sick slowly, but with the white blood count, it doesn't add up. Maybe it does make sense that she's sensitive to her hormonal change and as the hormones have ramped up, so has her shed cycle?

Frankly, I feel better knowing they cannot find anything serious, but I am also keeping a close eye. When you have a vet that says, "STOP PAYING ME! Your snake is okay," what are you supposed to do? Argue?


EDIT:

Behira's Sheds the past year.













Date




Days since last shed









2/22/19


Shed in one piece



5/31/19


Shed in one piece
98


8/29/19


Shed in one piece
90


10/15/19


Shed in one piece
47


11/23/19


Shed in one piece
39


12/15/19


Shed in one piece
22


1/2/20


Shed in one piece
18


1/21/20


Shed in one piece
19

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*Bogertophis* (01-28-2020)

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## Bogertophis

I guess all you can do is "wait & see" when you stand accused of being a "helicopter snarent".   :Very Happy:   I can think of much worse things to be, lol.

So it's really only been the last few sheds that were so close together?

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_dakski_ (01-28-2020)

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## dakski

Thank you!

I'd rather be a helicopter Snarent than oblivious. Much worse things, yes. 

However, I am probably also cognizant that I saved Yafe's life because I did intervene. That's emotional, feeling I saved him to a large extent, true or not. However, intervening may not help Behira, or change anything, or make it so things need to be changed, and it may just run its course. 

BTW - If you didn't see, I edited my post above to include her last year of sheds.

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*Bogertophis* (01-28-2020)

----------


## Bogertophis

> ...BTW - If you didn't see, I edited my post above to include her last year of sheds.


BTW, I edited my post too,  :Very Happy:

----------


## dakski

> I guess all you can do is "wait & see" when you stand accused of being a "helicopter snarent".    I can think of much worse things to be, lol.
> 
> So it's really only been the last few sheds that were so close together?


Yes, the past 3 sheds happened in about a 60 day period.

----------


## dakski

I had a nice talk with Tommy Carpenter, from TC Reptiles, today. He is Feliz's breeder and does locale boas mostly. 

He felt that Behira could be hormonal, but also, wanting to grow. He thought feeding every ten days was a good idea and to give her some time and see if she has a growth spurt. 

I appreciate everyone being concerned and helping me cope with the stress here, but maybe I am looking for something that isn't there and being a helicopter Snarent?

Either way, I'll keep soaking her every few days, feeding every 10 days, and track her weight, sheds, etc. as I always do. 

Hoping this is me blowing things out of proportion.

----------

*Bogertophis* (01-31-2020),Craiga 01453 (02-01-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-01-2020),_WrongPython_ (01-31-2020)

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## dakski

Behira was back in blue a few days ago and due to eat 2 days ago. I offered and she happily nailed and ate her rat. I do not usually feed animals in blue, but given what's going on, wanted to keep her strength up and offer anyway. It was a slightly smaller meal and I do not think it will impact her ability to shed.

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*Bogertophis* (02-04-2020),Craiga 01453 (02-09-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-04-2020)

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## dakski

Behira shed last night. That's 17 days since last shed. All I can do is feed every ten days and hope for the best. 

She happily eats and this time, seemed a little less red, but who knows. She seemed less red last time. 

She's looking good and has good body definition. I'll keep being optimistic.

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*Bogertophis* (02-08-2020),Craiga 01453 (02-09-2020),_Kam_ (02-10-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-09-2020)

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## Bogertophis

I think she's just "messing with you"... :Wink:   She loves all the attention.    :Snake:   (& don't tell her this but she looks great)

----------

_dakski_ (02-08-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-09-2020)

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## richardhind1972

As you say she still looks healthy dave

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (02-09-2020)

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## dakski

> I think she's just "messing with you"...  She loves all the attention.     (& don't tell her this but she looks great)


I hope you are correct! I think she looks great too. She's also acting fine, eating, etc. Just so weird. 





> As you say she still looks healthy dave
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


Thank you Rich. She sure does. However, I am now feeding a medium rat every 10 days, not 21 days. Of course, if this is her saying, "I want to grow!" then that should definitely help.

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_richardhind1972_ (02-09-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Maybe this is just her body's way of doing a growth spurt?  I guess only time will tell?  Don't you just love a good mystery?   :Wink:

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_dakski_ (02-09-2020)

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## dakski

I went to the NY Reptile Expo today in White Plains, NY today. 

Katie said I couldn't come home with anything live, but I did...............over 200 living things! Roaches and mealworms, etc. for the geckos  :Smile: . Katie got a good laugh out of that, as well as an, "ewwww." Not her favorite things. 

No new pets/reptiles however. I was good. 

I did see Gil, from Boakings, Behira and Jeff's breeder, and the vet tech and one of the vets from the reptile/exotics vet. Everyone asked about Behira, but reiterated, RELAX! She's pounding food, looks great, etc. 

The vet said she spoke to several other vets and herpetologists from zoos and they all think this is a hormonal phase/growth spurt. Everyone said, "If she stops eating, let us know, but this should pass."

I bought Vin Russo's new book and spoke with him briefly to follow up on my previous email. He couldn't argue with that either.

Good body definition, pounding food, even in blue, and acting normal other than the shedding. 

I am going with it!

----------

*Bogertophis* (02-09-2020),Craiga 01453 (02-10-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (02-10-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-10-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Dave, that is truly wonderful news & very reassuring!   :Good Job:   It really all makes sense too...you hardly give snakes a CHANCE to be sick, & have to be content to worry 
when they're excessively healthy.   :Wink:

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_dakski_ (02-09-2020)

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## Bogertophis

BTW, congratulations on your self-restraint at the Expo...I'll bet they had some real ugly animals there.   :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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_dakski_ (02-10-2020)

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## dakski

> Dave, that is truly wonderful news & very reassuring!    It really all makes sense too...you hardly give snakes a CHANCE to be sick, & have to be content to worry 
> when they're excessively healthy.


Awww, thanks. However, yeah, I need to relax a bit. It was very reassuring. 




> BTW, congratulations on your self-restraint at the Expo...I'll bet they had some real ugly animals there.


OMG - they were all hideous. 

 :Sarcasm Alert: 

I should say hideoussssssssssss.  :Smile: 

Liked a few trans-pecos, but no new additions  :Sad: . There is well known breeder who has killer Bairds and Trans-Pecos - blonde, normal, etc. SOOOO CUTE. 

I also fell in love with a 2014 Male Suriname BCC who was total sweetheart. Gil from Boakings raised him from a baby but never found the right female, so he is selling him, and wow was he beautiful and chill. 

I think when Katie said, "NO NEW REPTILES!" that included a 6FT 15 pound boa, sweet or not!

Here's our own Phillydubs holding him. He (Phillydubs) is 6'3" for reference.

----------

*Bogertophis* (02-10-2020),Craiga 01453 (02-10-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (02-10-2020),_Kam_ (02-10-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-10-2020)

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## Craiga 01453

That's awesome, Dave. I'm glad you've gotten some reassurance on Behira. Hopefully it helps you breathe a bit easier. She's in good hands, my friend. 


Nice Phil sighting too!!! I half sarcastically asked Katie if she felt like taking a drive...she literally laughed out loud when I told her where, hahaha. I guess I shouldn't press my luck with two new animals in just over 4 months (well, once the new guy arrives). Hahahahhaha.

----------

_dakski_ (02-10-2020),_jmcrook_ (02-10-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-10-2020)

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## Bogertophis

> ...
> 
> Liked a few trans-pecos, but no new additions . There is well known breeder who has killer Bairds and Trans-Pecos - blonde, normal, etc. SOOOO CUTE...


Yeah, rub it in...you sure know how to torture me, don't you?   :ROFL:  Just out of curiosity, which breeder are you referring to?  It's not like I need more snakes, but I might 
check out their site pics for a little self-torture.   :Snake:

----------

_dakski_ (02-10-2020)

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## dakski

> Yeah, rub it in...you sure know how to torture me, don't you?   Just out of curiosity, which breeder are you referring to?  It's not like I need more snakes, but I might 
> check out their site pics for a little self-torture.


I do! LOL. 

https://www.facebook.com/The-Captive...15386981882534

Awesome Trans-Pecos and those Bairds - the colors he gets, wow. 

Antoine Burke is the breeder and I really nice and knowledgeable guy.

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*Bogertophis* (02-10-2020)

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## Kam

> 


That is one beautiful boa!!!! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (02-10-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-10-2020)

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## dakski

> That is one beautiful boa!!!! 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Sure, rub it in!  :Smile: .

I hope he finds a really good home. He was really both stunning and calm as can be.

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_Kam_ (02-11-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-10-2020)

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## richardhind1972

That really is a stunner dave,you really was a good boy, not coming home with that

Good you caught up with philly.be cool to meet some of your fellow forum mates 

That's good you managed to speak with loads of breeders to give you bit reassurance about behira Dave. 
That really is a good book, sure you will plenty of good reading hours with it, great reference book too


Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (02-10-2020)

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## dakski

> That really is a stunner dave,you really was a good boy, not coming home with that
> 
> Good you caught up with philly.be cool to meet some of your fellow forum mates 
> 
> That's good you managed to speak with loads of breeders to give you bit reassurance about behira Dave. 
> That really is a good book, sure you will plenty of good reading hours with it, great reference book too
> 
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


Agreed Rich on the reassurance and great to catch up with a few forum mates today.

Of course, I started reading Vin's new book tonight and it says sheds of less than a month apart usually mean a sick snake!

Seriously though, when I spoke to Vin today he was surprised both the white blood cell count and the stool where low and negative, respectively. Also, the vet said she would repeat tests and/or prescribe an antibiotic IF things got worse or she stopped eating, etc. We are nowhere near that as far as I can tell with her devouring her meals and even in blue. 

Will power can be tough sometimes. I really did like that BC, but I don't think it's meant to be right now. I really love my collection and am spending the time I want with them (handling), cleaning, etc. Space is also a commodity I am short on now. Plus, with my health, no need to push it. The last thing I want is too many animals and not enough time or energy. I have a job and other hobbies and it's not my job (reptiles), nor do I want it to be. Yes, we are only talking one more snake, but it's never really only one more, right? Important to draw a line somewhere (and that's a personal thing). 

However, I really do like a good sized boa. Cannot wait for Behira, Jeff, and to a smaller extent (literally, not figuratively), Feliz, to get there. It's going to be a while though. Jeff's just about 1, Feliz is 2 1/2 and Behira is about 3 3/4 years old. 

I used to be nervous about bigger snakes and it wasn't until just before I got Behira that I even handled any Boa. If I had to do it all over again, not sure I would do anything different, as I love the variety of the collection, but I might have started sooner with the boas.

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_richardhind1972_ (02-10-2020)

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## richardhind1972

> Agreed Rich on the reassurance and great to catch up with a few forum mates today.
> 
> Of course, I started reading Vin's new book tonight and it says sheds of less than a month apart usually mean a sick snake!
> 
> Seriously though, when I spoke to Vin today he was surprised both the white blood cell count and the stool where low and negative, respectively. Also, the vet said she would repeat tests and/or prescribe an antibiotic IF things got worse or she stopped eating, etc. We are nowhere near that as far as I can tell with her devouring her meals and even in blue. 
> 
> Will power can be tough sometimes. I really did like that BC, but I don't think it's meant to be right now. I really love my collection and am spending the time I want with them (handling), cleaning, etc. Space is also a commodity I am short on now. Plus, with my health, no need to push it. The last thing I want is too many animals and not enough time or energy. I have a job and other hobbies and it's not my job (reptiles), nor do I want it to be. Yes, we are only talking one more snake, but it's never really only one more, right? Important to draw a line somewhere (and that's a personal thing). 
> 
> However, I really do like a good sized boa. Cannot wait for Behira, Jeff, and to a smaller extent (literally, not figuratively), Feliz, to get there. It's going to be a while though. Jeff's just about 1, Feliz is 2 1/2 and Behira is about 3 3/4 years old. 
> ...


I really think that's a good call with helding back, lol
There's no point in  it having to be a chore to keep up on husbandry etc , hobbies are supposed to be fun and I know you give a 100% care to your animals. Especially with behira at moment, fingers crossed she will stop soon and her hormones settle down and get back into a regular shed cycle 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (02-10-2020)

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## Bogertophis

> ...Of course, I started reading Vin's new book tonight and it says sheds of less than a month apart usually mean a sick snake!
> 
> Seriously though, when I spoke to Vin today he was surprised both the white blood cell count and the stool where low and negative, respectively. Also, the vet said she would repeat tests and/or prescribe an antibiotic IF things got worse or she stopped eating, etc. We are nowhere near that as far as I can tell with her devouring her meals and even in blue...


That's always been my understanding too, but hey, they used to think the world was flat, y'know?  Now it looks like there can be more than one cause for this phenomenon, making it that much more crucial to have a vet who's good at diagnosing the difference between sickness & raging growth hormones.  We're all still learning things about  :Snake:

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## dakski

> That's always been my understanding too, but hey, they used to think the world was flat, y'know?  Now it looks like there can be more than one cause for this phenomenon, making it that much more crucial to have a vet who's good at diagnosing the difference between sickness & raging growth hormones.  We're all still learning things about


I am an investor by trade, and often look at things quantitatively. Looking at Behira quantitatively it seems she must be sick, certainly from the perspective of the frequent sheds. Not so much from the eating perspective. However, what are the odds of such an anomaly in shedding?

However, qualitatively, it's a different story. I had her out this morning and same old sweet Behira. Great muscle tone and strength and vibrant color. She's acting normal except for the shedding. Even Pounding food with zest. 

I am taking this in stride now and giving it time. I am letting go of my scientific and quantitative data and going with my gut and with the vet, etc. 

Look at her - she looks great!

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*Bogertophis* (02-10-2020),Gio (02-24-2020),_jmcrook_ (02-10-2020),_Kam_ (02-11-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-10-2020)

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## Kam

> Sure, rub it in! .
> 
> I hope he finds a really good home. He was really both stunning and calm as can be.


I think you should get it. And if doesnt work out I will send you my address. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (02-11-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-11-2020)

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## dakski

Behira looked a little less red yesterday than she did this time after last shed (4 days), I think anyway. Who knows. She was her normal awesome as I had her out for a bit. 
Tonight she nailed and devoured another medium rat. 

I am happy every time she eats. Makes me believe she's keeping her strength up and the food could help her fight off anything that could be going on, or not  :Smile: . Either way, I am glad she is pounding food. If it is hormones, etc. and she needs to grow a little bit now, I know I am giving her what she needs. If not, she hasn't been overfed, so I do not believe this hurts her at all, and I will slow down the feedings when the shedding issue is clearly resolved.

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Craiga 01453 (02-13-2020),_Kam_ (02-12-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-13-2020)

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## richardhind1972

> Behira looked a little less red yesterday than she did this time after last shed (4 days), I think anyway. Who knows. She was her normal awesome as I had her out for a bit. 
> Tonight she nailed and devoured another medium rat. 
> 
> I am happy every time she eats. Makes me believe she's keeping her strength up and the food could help her fight off anything that could be going on, or not . Either way, I am glad she is pounding food. If it is hormones, etc. and she needs to grow a little bit now, I know I am giving her what she needs. If not, she hasn't been overfed, so I do not believe this hurts her at all, and I will slow down the feedings when the shedding issue is clearly resolved.


Really glad she's still eating 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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## dakski

> Really glad she's still eating 
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


ME TOO!

She's really nailing her food and she seems to be looking for food more too.

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_richardhind1972_ (02-13-2020)

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## dakski

I had Behira out tonight. She's looking good and feels strong. She's alert and active (except for when she fell asleep hanging from neck for 10 minutes  :Smile: ). 

It's been 12 days since her last shed. She's darker, and her belly is getting pink again, as are her sides a bit. However, she's not in blue yet. She was at 12 days last time. Who knows, but I'd be happy with a longer duration between sheds. 

In the meantime, as documented here, she's nailing rats and seems to have grown a little. I haven't gotten a present from her in a bit, so I cannot give an official weight yet, but I will. 

Here are two pics of Behira chilling with her papa.

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*Bogertophis* (02-19-2020),_Kam_ (02-19-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-20-2020)

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## dakski

Behira came out of blue today and absolutely clobbered a F/T medium rat tonight. 

I'll report when she sheds again, but everything else is status quo with her.

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_EL-Ziggy_ (02-24-2020),Gio (02-24-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-24-2020)

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## dakski

Behira shed last night. That's 18 days. She hasn't dropped any waste in a bit (1 month - not a big deal and no sausage butt, etc.), but I decided to weigh her anyway. 

Dry on 1-26-2020, she was 1,680G. 

Today, with, I imagine quite a bit of waste in her, she weighed 2,010G. I don't think she has 330G of waste in her, but we will see when I weigh her dry, hopefully soon. 

I think she has grown in the past month with the new feeding regiment. That tells me she is doing okay. 

Still some redness around her tail after shed, but again, it was a perfect shed.

----------

_EL-Ziggy_ (03-06-2020),_Kam_ (02-27-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-26-2020),_WrongPython_ (02-27-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Really glad she's doing OK dave, good news she hasn't lost any weight. 
I love her glossy white belly on the pics

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (02-26-2020)

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## dakski

> Really glad she's doing OK dave, good news she hasn't lost any weight. 
> I love her glossy white belly on the pics
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


We will see when she finally drops a bomb, but I am pretty sure she's gained if anything. When I got confirmation I will post. However, I am feeling good about her at the moment, well except for the shedding. However, she seems to be overcoming that with extra food intake and staying healthy otherwise. 

She's still my sweet girl and he pounding food and hopefully gaining weight has caused me to calm down a bit too. 

My grandmother used to say, "Don't cry until you are cut." Unless she stops eating and growing, I am going to be cool and calm and continue to love her and care for her normally (except for the extra feeding for now).

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_richardhind1972_ (02-27-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Or, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"   :Good Job:

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_dakski_ (02-27-2020)

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## dakski

Good news on Behira. 

She dropped a bomb, and dry, weighed 1,820G. That's well over 100G more than her last dry weight. She still looks and acts fine and I am relieved to see she's put on substantial weight with the new food regiment.

----------

*Bogertophis* (03-02-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (03-05-2020),_jmcrook_ (03-02-2020),_Kam_ (03-03-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-03-2020),_WrongPython_ (03-02-2020)

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## dakski

Behira eats tonight but I had the DSLR out and bothered her for a few in tank pictures. She didn't mind.

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_EL-Ziggy_ (03-05-2020),_Kam_ (03-05-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-05-2020)

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## dakski

If anyone was worried about Behira's appetite, don't be.

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*Bogertophis* (03-09-2020),_Kam_ (03-06-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-06-2020)

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## EL-Ziggy

Gimme that rat! Nom nom nom!

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_dakski_ (03-06-2020)

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## Kam

She reacted like I do when the restaurant takes to long with my food. Gimme nowwwwww....


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*Bogertophis* (03-09-2020),_dakski_ (03-06-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-06-2020)

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## dakski

I had Behira out for a bit today. It's been 13 days since she shed last, and she is doing well. She's been gobbling down rats every 10 days and is growing like a weed, from what I can see, and from what her last weight said.

----------

_AbsoluteApril_ (03-12-2020),*Bogertophis* (03-09-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (03-12-2020),_jmcrook_ (03-09-2020),_Kam_ (03-12-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-09-2020)

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## Bogertophis

She's just a typical "teenager"...she can't wait to grow up!   :Very Happy:

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_dakski_ (03-09-2020)

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## dakski

> She's just a typical "teenager"...she can't wait to grow up!


Let's hope that's what it is!

Eating - Check 

Normal Waste - Check

Growing - Check

Normal Behira/Boa attitude (or lack there of) - Check

Until she gives me a reason (other than the shedding) to worry, I am just keeping her fed and happy. 

As you know, I will keep everyone posted.

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## AbsoluteApril

oh look how pretty and big your girl is getting! She looks great

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_dakski_ (03-12-2020)

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## dakski

Good news on Behira. 

Today is day 16 since shed. She's been shedding at 17-19 days and going into blue at 10-12 days. She just went into blue today. 

Maybe the cycle is starting to slow a little?

Too early to tell as we will need a few shed cycles for definitive evidence, and then would want it spread out even more. However, I'll take it.

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*Bogertophis* (03-12-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-12-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Fingers crossed Mr dave

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_dakski_ (03-12-2020)

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## dakski

Behira shed this afternoon. I'll post pictures soon. 

That's 21 days. That's the longest in a while between sheds, but only by 3-4 days. She'd been shedding at 17-18 days. Not sure that means anything. 

Either way, she will eat tonight. She was due Sunday, but I held off thinking she would shed by today. So she'll eat tonight and next Sunday. That's the plan anyway. 

I'll keep everyone posted.

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*Bogertophis* (03-17-2020),_Kam_ (03-17-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-17-2020),_WrongPython_ (03-17-2020)

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## Gio

This is the only time in 2020 that I've fed my boa to date. He ate 2 days ago. Your boa WILL NOT drop weight. You have a healthy snake and if you read through the COMPLETE and MORE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR books you'll likely see the "seasonal Changes" part.

My boa hasn't had a meal since October and that is completely normal. Holding some waste is also normal. 

That boa looks great from what I see in the pictures. 

I'd slowly space out the feedings she's old enough. She'll do great.

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*Bogertophis* (03-17-2020)

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## dakski

> This is the only time in 2020 that I've fed my boa to date. He ate 2 days ago. Your boa WILL NOT drop weight. You have a healthy snake and if you read through the COMPLETE and MORE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR books you'll likely see the "seasonal Changes" part.
> 
> My boa hasn't had a meal since October and that is completely normal. Holding some waste is also normal. 
> 
> That boa looks great from what I see in the pictures. 
> 
> I'd slowly space out the feedings she's old enough. She'll do great.


Gio, 

Thank you for the post. I just realized how many posts I've had on Behira since she started shedding about every 3 weeks. I imagine you didn't read through all of it, so I'll summarize here for everyone's sake. 

I agree less is more with Boas. 

Having said all that, her breeder (BoaKings), Jeff Ronne, Vin Russo, Tommy Carpenter,  my vet office (3 vets), have all encouraged me to feed her more often as the shedding is a little worrisome. No one seems to know for sure what's going on with that, but it does take energy for her to shed frequently, and the consensus is that this is either hormonal or she wants to grow right now. 

She had been on an every 3 week schedule, and I pushed to every ten days. That is temporary. Also, any signs of losing her preferred lean body shape and that will be spread out again. 

I know you are an authority here on Boas and really appreciate your post. I just want to make sure we are on the same page and that you know I am not acting quickly or recklessly, but rather listening to those with great knowledge on the issue and even the guy who wrote the Boa books, Vin. 

The waste issue is non-existent, I was just interested in getting a dry weight on her. 

Thank you again and continue to share your thoughts. 

David




I got a few pictures of Behira with Katie and it's always great to see the love of my life with the animals, especially Behira.

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*Bogertophis* (03-17-2020),Gio (03-17-2020),_jmcrook_ (03-17-2020),_Kam_ (03-17-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-18-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Behira matches Katies hair real well... :Very Happy:

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_dakski_ (03-17-2020)

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## Gio

> Gio, 
> 
> Thank you for the post. I just realized how many posts I've had on Behira since she started shedding about every 3 weeks. I imagine you didn't read through all of it, so I'll summarize here for everyone's sake. 
> 
> I agree less is more with Boas. 
> 
> Having said all that, her breeder (BoaKings), Jeff Ronne, Vin Russo, Tommy Carpenter,  my vet office (3 vets), have all encouraged me to feed her more often as the shedding is a little worrisome. No one seems to know for sure what's going on with that, but it does take energy for her to shed frequently, and the consensus is that this is either hormonal or she wants to grow right now. 
> 
> She had been on an every 3 week schedule, and I pushed to every ten days. That is temporary. Also, any signs of losing her preferred lean body shape and that will be spread out again. 
> ...



Hi,

Sorry, I just read some of the latest stuff in this thread and apologize that I have not followed the whole thread. Tommy Carpenter and Vin Russo advice is to be followed over anything I've stated.

The boa looks great to me from the photos you've posted. 

I hope all turns out as it should. Reptiles can be very strange and there isn't an overabundance of studies on them.

Thanks for at least looking at my post, but I think you are a few steps ahead of my comments.

Best of luck and I'll try to stay more current.

The retic forum was my stomping ground for a while. That's over now and I'm back to the areas I enjoy most. Boas and carpets.

Keep the updates coming.

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_dakski_ (03-17-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-18-2020)

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## dakski

> Hi,
> 
> Sorry, I just read some of the latest stuff in this thread and apologize that I have not followed the whole thread. Tommy Carpenter and Vin Russo advice is to be followed over anything I've stated.
> 
> The boa looks great to me from the photos you've posted. 
> 
> I hope all turns out as it should. Reptiles can be very strange and there isn't an overabundance of studies on them.
> 
> Thanks for at least looking at my post, but I think you are a few steps ahead of my comments.
> ...


All good brother. 

Sorry things didn't work out retic wise, but glad to have you back with us Boa and Carpet lovers!

I will keep everyone posted.

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Gio (03-17-2020)

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## dakski

Behira is growing! Haven't gotten a weight, but she's maintaining good body shape and seemingly growing with the new food regiment. Let's hope it knocks out this frequent shedding. 






*
(Part of a) 6X2' Boaphile for reference. Can't get her to stretch out, but I think she's well over 5ft now. 

*

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*Bogertophis* (03-21-2020),_cletus_ (03-21-2020),Gio (03-21-2020),_Kam_ (03-22-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-21-2020),_WrongPython_ (03-21-2020)

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## Gio

Looking good!

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_dakski_ (03-21-2020)

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## cletus

She's gorgeous!!

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_dakski_ (03-21-2020)

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## richardhind1972

She's looking great dave 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (03-21-2020)

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## Shayne

Shes beautiful, Dave!

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_dakski_ (03-21-2020)

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## dakski

> Looking good!


Thank you! I am hoping you, and Rich, in particular, let me know if she starts to look too heavy. Right now, the extra rats are going to growth for sure, but I do not want her putting on fat, even it means slowing feeding when everyone says she should be growing to break the shed cycle. Growing is good. Fat is not. 




> She's gorgeous!!


Thank you Cletus. I love her. She's got a great demeanor too. I originally wanted a sunglow, but her demeanor stole my heart. Of course, now I have one of those (sunglow) too. 




> She’s beautiful, Dave!


Thank you Shayne (see comment above). 




> She's looking great dave 
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


Thank you Rich. See comment above on keeping me on my toes and keeping her lean and muscular. Thank you buddy.

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_richardhind1972_ (03-22-2020)

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## Kam

She is beautiful. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (03-22-2020)

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## dakski

I wanted to take Behira out today to spend some quality time, but Katie spent most of the time with her. She filled her bowl with waste and I spent the time cleaning her bowl and tank.  :Sad: . 

It's good that Katie's spending more time with her lately though. 

So, dry, she's 1,850G now. Growing girl indeed. She's also the biggest and heaviest reptile in the house now. Shayna (BP) is about 1,840G. 

She's looking good and of course, I took some pictures tonight. 

She was in her "light phase" and I love how mature looking her head is getting. She will be 4 years old in June.

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*Bogertophis* (03-23-2020),_cletus_ (03-23-2020),_Kam_ (03-24-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-24-2020),_WrongPython_ (03-23-2020)

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## Kam

She is beautiful. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (03-24-2020)

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## dakski

Behira was in her dark phase today. I love taking pictures of her with this contrast, especially on her head. 

I got a video too. She's so gentle. This shows the contrast well, but do not feel compelled to watch the whole thing.  :Smile: .

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*Bogertophis* (03-25-2020),_ckuhn003_ (03-25-2020),_cletus_ (03-30-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (03-30-2020),Gio (03-31-2020),_Kam_ (03-25-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-26-2020),vivi (04-06-2020),_WrongPython_ (03-25-2020)

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## dakski

What a crazy feeder this girl is. She smelled the rat as soon as I got in the room and was ready. 

First she nailed the acrylic door as I took down the drape (quickly - which usually works). Then she nailed the tongs and door and I dropped the rat. Then she struck again as I picked up the rat. Then, finally, she nailed the rat and gobbled it down. 

Well, keeps my adrenaline going anyway! She's getting bigger and stronger and wow can she hit hard. 

Additionally, today is 13 days from last shed and no signs of shed. Her color is bright and no "blue" yet. I am optimistic we are beginning to break to the cycle. She sure isn't feeding/eating like a snake I need to worry about!

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_cletus_ (03-30-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (03-30-2020),Gio (03-31-2020),_Kam_ (03-31-2020),_richardhind1972_ (03-31-2020)

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## Bogertophis

I suspect boas are all reincarnated boxing champions?   :Very Happy:

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_cletus_ (03-30-2020),_dakski_ (03-30-2020)

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## dakski

Today is day 20 since Behira's last shed. She went into blue a few days ago and is still in blue. I am pretty sure this shed is going to be farther from her last shed than her shed prior. 

Fingers crossed.

Otherwise, she is doing great. She will eat after she sheds.

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_Kam_ (04-06-2020),_richardhind1972_ (04-07-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Hey, that's cool...a little longer cycle, so maybe now her sheds will start to normal out- I hope so, & maybe you can stop worrying.  Apparently she's just got a terrific growth spurt going on.  How long now since she's been doing this?  (I know it "feels like forever")

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_dakski_ (04-06-2020)

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## dakski

> Hey, that's cool...a little longer cycle, so maybe now her sheds will start to normal out- I hope so, & maybe you can stop worrying.  Apparently she's just got a terrific growth spurt going on.  How long now since she's been doing this?  (I know it "feels like forever")


I am not too worried because she's pounding food and seems fine otherwise. Plus everyone told me to STOP WORRYING unless she stops eating. I listened. 

October was her first shed at a little more than a month and then a skew of them at about 17-19 days. 

Last one was 21 days. This one looks longer. She seems to be staying in blue longer and going into blue later. All good signs.

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*Bogertophis* (04-06-2020)

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## Bogertophis

I'm sure she (or rather, her body) knows what it's doing.

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_dakski_ (04-06-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Fingers crossed she's starting to break that cycle mate

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_cletus_ (04-07-2020),_dakski_ (04-07-2020)

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## dakski

Behira shed yesterday - 23 days from prior shed. It's moving in the right direction. Last 4 sheds by days; 17, 18, 21, 23. 

I'll take it. 

She looks beautiful and I'll offer food tonight.

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*Bogertophis* (04-10-2020),_Kam_ (04-10-2020),_richardhind1972_ (04-10-2020),vivi (04-10-2020),_WrongPython_ (04-10-2020)

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## richardhind1972

She's looking great dave 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (04-10-2020)

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## Kam

She is looking beautiful!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (04-10-2020)

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## dakski

Behira got some time to stretch out on the bed downstairs today. She's getting really strong  :Smile: . She looks great and is doing well after devouring another rat two nights ago.

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_EL-Ziggy_ (04-12-2020),Gio (04-12-2020),_Kam_ (04-12-2020),_richardhind1972_ (04-12-2020),_WrongPython_ (04-12-2020)

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## EL-Ziggy

She's really stretching out now Dave and looking good!

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_dakski_ (04-12-2020)

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## Gio

Looking good sir.

I think you are going to have a fun spring. Looking forward to some outdoor pictures.

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_dakski_ (04-12-2020)

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## richardhind1972

She really is looking great dave 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (04-12-2020)

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## dakski

Behira weighed in dry today at 1,890G. She also stretched out in her tank and although I didn't get a picture, I am pretty sure she's well over 5FT now. 

She's still eating medium rats every 10-14 days now, but as soon as her shedding gets longer in duration (which it seems to be starting to), I will go back to every 3 weeks. 

She also still appears lean and muscular, not looking heavy at all. I am keeping a close eye on that. That would be another reason to spread out feedings again. So far, it looks like she's putting it to growth and that might be part of why she was shedding so close to begin with; wanted to grow.

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*Bogertophis* (04-21-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (04-23-2020),_richardhind1972_ (04-18-2020),_WrongPython_ (04-17-2020)

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## richardhind1972

> Behira weighed in dry today at 1,890G. She also stretched out in her tank and although I didn't get a picture, I am pretty sure she's well over 5FT now. 
> 
> She's still eating medium rats every 10-14 days now, but as soon as her shedding gets longer in duration (which it seems to be starting to), I will go back to every 3 weeks. 
> 
> She also still appears lean and muscular, not looking heavy at all. I am keeping a close eye on that. That would be another reason to spread out feedings again. So far, it looks like she's putting it to growth and that might be part of why she was shedding so close to begin with; wanted to grow.


Hopefully that's what she's doing dave, let's hope She starts to space her shedding out again soon, as long as she's still eating, that's always a positive thing in my opinion mate 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (04-18-2020)

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## dakski

Light Phase! Looking good Behira!

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_AbsoluteApril_ (04-22-2020),*Bogertophis* (04-21-2020),_ckuhn003_ (04-21-2020),Gio (04-21-2020),_jmcrook_ (04-21-2020),_Kam_ (04-21-2020),_richardhind1972_ (04-22-2020),_RickyNY_ (04-22-2020),_WrongPython_ (04-21-2020)

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## Gio

Looking great!

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_dakski_ (04-21-2020)

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## dakski

Behira ate today - 13 days from last feeding. She annihilated the medium f/t rat. One of her hardest strikes ever. 

It's been 14 days since shed and she's starting to a look a little looser skinned, but no blue yet, and not too dark either. I am hopeful this shed is longer from the last shed than they've been, but we will see. 

Again, just happy she's eating happily and seems great otherwise.

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_Kam_ (04-23-2020),_richardhind1972_ (04-24-2020),_WrongPython_ (04-24-2020)

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## dakski

Some pictures with the good camera. She's darkening and her skin is loosening up and she has a red belly. It's been 17 days, but I am pretty sure she hasn't gone into blue yet. I could have missed it, but optimistic for a shed a week or so from now, not sooner. 

Got some pictures with the nice camera today and she was a sweetie as always.

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*Bogertophis* (04-26-2020),_Kam_ (04-27-2020),_richardhind1972_ (04-26-2020)

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## richardhind1972

They always look sorry for them selves in shed 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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*Bogertophis* (04-26-2020),_dakski_ (04-26-2020)

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## dakski

Today is 21 days from Behira's last shed and she just went into blue. That's an improvement of several days from last time. I expect her to shed at 24-26 days from last shed, but we will see. Either way, we seem to be getting out of the "danger" area of 17-21 days. 

I'll keep everyone posted.

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*Bogertophis* (04-30-2020),_Kam_ (05-01-2020),_richardhind1972_ (04-30-2020),_WrongPython_ (04-30-2020)

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## dakski

Day 26 since the last shed, and still no shed. I think she will shed tonight or tomorrow. She looks ready and I have upped humidity appropriately. 

I'll keep everyone posted, but the past two sheds now will have been a dramatic improvement. She was averaging 18 days for a while. Now, 23, and 26+, we are looking good. 

I am breathing a sigh of relief and hoping things continue in this direction. 

She's already eating every two weeks now instead of every ten days and still improving. SO HAPPY!

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*Bogertophis* (05-05-2020),_ckuhn003_ (05-05-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (05-06-2020),_jmcrook_ (05-05-2020),_Kam_ (05-06-2020),_richardhind1972_ (05-06-2020),_WrongPython_ (05-06-2020)

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## dakski

Behira did shed last night. That put this shed at 26 days. Still not super, but she looks awesome, and that's a big improvement the past 3 sheds (21, 23, and 26 days respectively). We are clearly moving in the right direction. As I mentioned yesterday, I am very pleased. 

Got some pics of her post shed today and plan to feed her tonight or tomorrow night. 

She still likes to wrap my arm and hang on but man, she is getting heavy.

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Bodie (05-12-2020),*Bogertophis* (05-10-2020),Gio (05-06-2020),_Kam_ (05-06-2020),_richardhind1972_ (05-07-2020),_WrongPython_ (05-06-2020)

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## Gio

She looks great!

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_dakski_ (05-06-2020)

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## dakski

I am moving Behira to an every 2 week feeding schedule, from her short-term 10 day schedule, and eventually back to her 3 week schedule. 

Her shedding duration seems to be spreading out and I want to keep her lean. Today was 17 days and she annihilated a F/T medium rat. Sunday is the normal feeding day here and I wanted her back on that schedule. She will eat again in two weeks. 

Assuming the shedding duration gets longer and longer, I will keep feeding at 2 weeks for a bit and then get her back to 3 weeks. If she starts shedding sooner again, I will drop to 10 days between feedings again. 

Overall, she's doing great. Always great to see her ready and willing to nail her prey and eat.

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*Bogertophis* (05-10-2020),_jmcrook_ (05-10-2020),_Kam_ (05-11-2020),_richardhind1972_ (05-11-2020),_WrongPython_ (05-10-2020)

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## dakski

Here are a few pictures of Behira in our huge "reptile area" chair. It's massive but Behira is growing and looking good. I have my hand and arm in one of the pictures to show her size better. "Big" girl is looking good and chill as ever.

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aurum (05-12-2020),Bodie (05-12-2020),Gio (05-13-2020),_Kam_ (05-12-2020),_richardhind1972_ (05-13-2020),_WrongPython_ (05-12-2020)

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## Bogertophis

She's looking good...actually, from this angle, it appears your ARM is growing though-  :ROFL:

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_dakski_ (05-12-2020)

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## dakski

Outside pictures!

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*Bogertophis* (05-15-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (05-16-2020),Gio (06-26-2020),Jboyzboas (05-18-2020),_Kam_ (05-15-2020),_richardhind1972_ (05-15-2020),_RickyNY_ (05-15-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking great dave, really brings her markings out in natural daylight 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (05-15-2020)

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## Kam

Behira looking all gorgeous and stuff...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (05-16-2020)

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## Jboyzboas

> We got our first Boa yesterday!
> 
> She's a 2016 (so about 1 1/2 years old) Ivory Ghost BCI. 
> 
> She is incredibly docile and calm, and quite beautiful. We named her Behira because it means "light" and "clear" in Hebrew. 
> 
> She's a lighter morph and her eyes are bright blue-grey. 
> 
> Inserted is a picture I took of her as well as photos from the breeder. I will get more, and better photos up soon. 
> ...


She is very beautiful!! Its amazing watching them grow. This is my female ivory ghost as an adult. I cant seem to find the baby pictures I had.


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*Bogertophis* (05-24-2020),_dakski_ (05-24-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (05-24-2020),Gio (06-26-2020),_Kam_ (05-24-2020),_richardhind1972_ (05-23-2020),_RickyNY_ (05-23-2020)

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## Jboyzboas

My girl was actually in shed what a pleasant surprise! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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*Bogertophis* (05-24-2020),_dakski_ (05-24-2020),_Kam_ (05-24-2020)

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## dakski

> My girl was actually in shed what a pleasant surprise! 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


What a beauty. Thank you for sharing!

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Jboyzboas (05-24-2020)

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## dakski

19 days since shed and Behira is definitely getting close. She looks like she is just starting to go into blue. 

Regardless, she destroyed a F/T medium rat tonight. 

She's up a from about 1,700G at the end of January to about 1,900G now. So definitely growing and still clobbering the rats. 

I am feeling good now that she's shedding at 3-4 weeks instead of 2-3. That's a big improvement.

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_richardhind1972_ (05-25-2020),_RickyNY_ (05-25-2020),_WrongPython_ (05-25-2020)

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## richardhind1972

That's good news then Dave 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (05-25-2020)

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## dakski

Behira shed last night. That's 27 days since last shed, or a one day improvement from last time, and much better than 17 days!

She's moving in the right direction and looking great. I am thrilled. 

I'll keep everyone in the loop, but I think we are out of the danger zone now. 

I really appreciate everyone's support through this. It was very scary when she was shedding at about 2 weeks+. I still want the shedding to spread out more, but I am pleased that we are moving in the right direction.

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Jboyzboas (06-02-2020),_jmcrook_ (06-02-2020),_Kam_ (06-03-2020),Reptile$ 4 Life (06-02-2020),_richardhind1972_ (06-02-2020),_WrongPython_ (06-02-2020)

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## richardhind1972

That's good then dave, she's looking great 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (06-02-2020)

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## Reptile$ 4 Life

that's great to hear!

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_dakski_ (06-02-2020)

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## Kam

She is looking amazing. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (06-03-2020)

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## dakski

Behira went to the bathroom, so I cleaned, and had her out for some fun time with dad. She's looking awesome and was in her light phase today.

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*Bogertophis* (06-05-2020),_ckuhn003_ (06-05-2020),_RickyNY_ (06-08-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Your golden girl is looking lovely, & the very picture of health.   :Good Job:

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_dakski_ (06-05-2020)

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## dakski

> Your golden girl is looking lovely, & the very picture of health.


Thank you Bogertophis. I tend to worry, and it's good to hear reassurance that she looks good. 

Again, clobbering rats, sheds are getting further and further apart, looks beautiful and healthy, and acts totally normal.

Still good to hear. Thank you again.

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## Bogertophis

I can understand some level of paranoia after what you went thru with Yafe, but in this case, I think you can relax.  Even the "experts" you consulted saw no issues.   :Wink:

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_dakski_ (06-05-2020)

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## Reptile$ 4 Life

She's looks fantastic. Also great to hear that the sheds are a little more spaced out.

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_dakski_ (06-06-2020)

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## dakski

I had Behira out today and stretched out on the couch. I did my best with the measuring tape and I think she is "only" about 5 - 5.25'. Not easy to measure, but that's what I got. 

She eats tonight and everything else seems status quo. Love this girl. 

Her "color" washed out a little on the sofa with the lighting and the sofa brown as a background. She did let me get a good selfie of us together though!

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_EL-Ziggy_ (06-07-2020),Reptile$ 4 Life (06-07-2020),_richardhind1972_ (06-08-2020)

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## EL-Ziggy

Lady B is lookin good bro!!

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_dakski_ (06-07-2020)

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## Gio

I'd like to see her colors outdoors!

Looking good indoors for sure.

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## RickyNY

> 


This picture would be a perfect YouTube video Thumbnail.  :Very Happy:

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_dakski_ (06-08-2020)

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## dakski

> I'd like to see her colors outdoors!
> 
> Looking good indoors for sure.


https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...rst-BCI/page64

Gio, took outdoor pictures a couple of weeks ago. I think you missed it. See above link.

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## dakski

Behira was looking good today.

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*Bogertophis* (06-10-2020),Gio (06-26-2020),_richardhind1972_ (06-10-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking great dave 

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (06-10-2020)

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## Reptile$ 4 Life

She looks great dave! 

I find it kind of funny that so many of your reptiles are insanely colorful... and then there's Behira. I have to admit she balances the others in your collection quite nicely. Gives your eyes a bit of a rest from all the intense colors and you can really admire her less intense colors. She's definable one beautiful snake.

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_dakski_ (06-10-2020)

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## dakski

16 days since shed and she seems to be getting a little darker and her belly getting a little red. She hasn't gone into blue yet, but I am not sure if this will be a longer shed cycle than last time. We will see. Either way, definitely out of the "danger zone."

Got some good shots of her with me today. Man, she's getting really heavy and the one arm photos are going to be a thing of the past soon. I am going to need Katie's help pretty soon to take pictures of us.

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Craiga 01453 (06-23-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-26-2020),Reptile$ 4 Life (06-23-2020),_richardhind1972_ (06-17-2020)

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## dakski

Behira went into Blue again the other day. She came out of it today, which is day 22 since shed. We are out of the danger zone, but I am wondering if I should feed her every 10 days again. That seemed to help. 

Here she is blue (I had to change her water). She wasn't really interested in socializing, but was pretty chill about it. Not too much of a fuss and no hissing this time.

----------

aurum (06-23-2020),*Bogertophis* (06-26-2020),Craiga 01453 (06-23-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-26-2020),Reptile$ 4 Life (06-23-2020),_richardhind1972_ (06-23-2020),_WrongPython_ (06-23-2020)

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## Reptile$ 4 Life

She looks great even in shed!  :Good Job:

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_dakski_ (06-23-2020)

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## dakski

Behira shed today - 25 days since last shed. I am going to start feeding her more often again, or move her up a prey size. Not sure which yet. Any suggestions?

She's been eating 100-120G medium rats and she weighs about 1,900G. I was thinking of moving her up to large rats - about 170-180G but not feed more than every two weeks. Does that make sense, or better to feed mediums every 10 days?

Thank you in advance.

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## EL-Ziggy

She's pretty much an adult at this point so I'd be more inclined to increase her prey size rather than her feeding frequency.

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_dakski_ (06-26-2020)

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## Bogertophis

> Behira shed today - 25 days since last shed. I am going to start feeding her more often again, or move her up a prey size. Not sure which yet. Any suggestions?
> 
> She's been eating 100-120G medium rats and she weighs about 1,900G. I was thinking of moving her up to large rats - about 170-180G but not feed more than every two weeks. Does that make sense, or better to feed mediums every 10 days?
> 
> Thank you in advance.


Personally I'd feed mediums about every 10-14 days.  That's what I did with the BCI I used to have.  Large rats are more fatty, not as good for your snake.

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_dakski_ (06-26-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-26-2020)

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## dakski

Spoke to Jeff Ronne today. He said mediums more frequently. So, she pounded one tonight and Ill be offering every 10 days for her for a bit.

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*Bogertophis* (06-27-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-26-2020)

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## Gio

> https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...rst-BCI/page64
> 
> Gio, took outdoor pictures a couple of weeks ago. I think you missed it. See above link.


Just saw them!
Looking good. 

It's hard to keep up sometimes.

Thanks for posting those.

----------

_dakski_ (06-26-2020)

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## dakski

> Just saw them!
> Looking good. 
> 
> It's hard to keep up sometimes.
> 
> Thanks for posting those.


No problem Gio!

Thanks for looking!

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## dakski

Behira looks super after (another) shed. She ate two days ago, but regardless, is really starting to put on some girth. 

Katie got a couple pics of me holding her as well.

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*Bogertophis* (06-28-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-29-2020),Reptile$ 4 Life (06-28-2020),_richardhind1972_ (06-29-2020)

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## Reptile$ 4 Life

She looks fantastic! Also that shirt is hilarious.  :ROFL:

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_dakski_ (06-28-2020)

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## dakski

Got a few more pics of Behira today. She's looking great and is as calm as ever. She even fell asleep on my lap, again!

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Reptile$ 4 Life (06-29-2020),_richardhind1972_ (06-30-2020)

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## dakski

Behira left me a big present today. She's now 1,930G dry. That's up 260G since the beginning of the year and when she was stagnant due to an every 3 week feeding schedule and frequent shedding. This is encouraging me to stick to a more frequent feeding schedule for her (every ten days) until she breaks the frequent, although not as frequent, shed cycle. 

I can see the growth as she's really thickening up, but it's nice to confirm it with her weight. 

She was in her light phase today and looking beautiful so I snapped a couple of pics.

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*Bogertophis* (07-02-2020),Reptile$ 4 Life (07-02-2020),_richardhind1972_ (07-03-2020)

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## dakski

Back on her ten day feeding schedule. Behira devoured another medium F/T rat tonight. She still cannot wait to eat and often (like tonight) strikes the door (acrylic) before I can even get the rat in front of her. That doesn't stop her from nailing the rat immediately when offered. 

So far, except for once when young, she hasn't done any damage to herself, but I wish she would calm down! When young, she bent a tooth, but it came out on its own next feeding. Good thing, I am not a reptile dentist. 

I do, as many of you know, keep a drape up over all my boas (3) tanks so they don't strike at movement at night, which they will do. So at least there are no unsolicited strikes at the doors these days.  :Smile:  :Sad:  :Smile: 

Also, I've decided to keep Behira on medium rats for a while, but feed every ten days vs. 14-21 on larger prey. 

I spoke with Jeff Ronne and some peeps on here and that was the sentiment.

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_richardhind1972_ (07-07-2020)

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## dakski

Spent some time with Behira today. She's such a good girl. 

She's looking good and no signs of shed at the moment, which is also good.

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_richardhind1972_ (07-25-2020),_WrongPython_ (07-09-2020)

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## dakski

Behira shed a couple of days ago - 26 days. She's doing great and getting bigger and STRONGER! She's currently back to eating every ten days - but a medium rat - which isn't too big for her. They weigh about 100G and she's pushing 2KG.

We spent some quality time today and I got a few pics.

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*Bogertophis* (07-25-2020),_ckuhn003_ (07-24-2020),_richardhind1972_ (07-25-2020),_WrongPython_ (07-24-2020)

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## dakski

Behira left me a pretty large present today. Dry, she weighed in at 2,060G. That might be a little high since she ate on Monday, but I think she's definitely crossed the 2KG mark. 

She seems great, but I only spent a little time with her as she wasn't the only one who left me something to clean  :Smile: .

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*Bogertophis* (07-30-2020),_richardhind1972_ (07-30-2020)

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## dakski

Behira left me another present yesterday. Unusual that close together, but she is eating every ten days now. 

She weighed 2,010G after that drop. So, still over 2KG now. 

She is starting to thicken up and get that more adult boa body style.

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*Bogertophis* (08-04-2020),cincy (08-04-2020),Gio (08-05-2020),_richardhind1972_ (08-05-2020),_WrongPython_ (08-05-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking great Mr dave

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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## CloudtheBoa

She's looking good!  She shares body type with my own ghost girl, who had kind of a skinny lanky girl look to her until she reached the 2,000 gram mark.  I did also deal with a striking problem with my jungle girl, but her's seems to have been a hormonal thing.  She stopped striking the glass as soon as I introduced a male to her, and she only really did it during season changes.  She continues to be nice now that she's hopefully gravid: upping her feeding didn't help but breeding did lol.  Just waiting on that POS that should happen this month. ^.^  Hopefully Behira starts behaving for you, too, I've had a few food-driven snakes, and at least ime more food hasn't fixed the issue just made them fat.  All of those were adults, though, so no growth spurts to cause a response like that.  Gonna have to wait and see how maturity fits her.

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_dakski_ (08-05-2020)

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## dakski

> She's looking good!  She shares body type with my own ghost girl, who had kind of a skinny lanky girl look to her until she reached the 2,000 gram mark.  I did also deal with a striking problem with my jungle girl, but her's seems to have been a hormonal thing.  She stopped striking the glass as soon as I introduced a male to her, and she only really did it during season changes.  She continues to be nice now that she's hopefully gravid: upping her feeding didn't help but breeding did lol.  Just waiting on that POS that should happen this month. ^.^  Hopefully Behira starts behaving for you, too, I've had a few food-driven snakes, and at least ime more food hasn't fixed the issue just made them fat.  All of those were adults, though, so no growth spurts to cause a response like that.  Gonna have to wait and see how maturity fits her.


Thank you. 

The more frequent feeding is an attempt to address the frequent shedding issue. She does not seem to be getting too fat, but I am keeping an eye on her. Any signs of excess fat vs. growth and she goes back to a longer duration between feedings regardless of shed cycle. 

Not sure what to do about the striking except keep the drape up so it only happens with feeding and she doesn’t get hurt when I walk by the tank. 

She is still a total sweetheart once I touch her with the hook and take her out.

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_CloudtheBoa_ (08-06-2020),_richardhind1972_ (08-05-2020)

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## CloudtheBoa

> Thank you. 
> 
> The more frequent feeding is an attempt to address the frequent shedding issue. She does not seem to be getting too fat, but I am keeping an eye on her. Any signs of excess fat vs. growth and she goes back to a longer duration between feedings regardless of shed cycle. 
> 
> Not sure what to do about the striking except keep the drape up so it only happens with feeding and she doesnt get hurt when I walk by the tank. 
> 
> She is still a total sweetheart once I touch her with the hook and take her out.


Ah yes, I guess I didnt go back far enough to see the shedding issue, though I did see about it awhile ago.  How has the shedding issue panned out?  Id usually assume some sort of injury or illness if a snake was shedding more often than once a month.  I went back quite far and couldnt find the beginning of the issues, but you mentioned a vet?  Did they not perform any kind of x-ray or blood work to rule out an illness or physical issue?  Especially with it still seeming to be happening.  Even though shes shedding less often now, going back through the thread as far as I went, the frequency seems to have jumped back and forth without stabilizing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-06-2020)

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## dakski

> Ah yes, I guess I didnt go back far enough to see the shedding issue, though I did see about it awhile ago.  How has the shedding issue panned out?  Id usually assume some sort of injury or illness if a snake was shedding more often than once a month.  I went back quite far and couldnt find the beginning of the issues, but you mentioned a vet?  Did they not perform any kind of x-ray or blood work to rule out an illness or physical issue?  Especially with it still seeming to be happening.  Even though shes shedding less often now, going back through the thread as far as I went, the frequency seems to have jumped back and forth without stabilizing.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Vet did ultrasound and I think bloodwork. Dont remember now. 

Shedding has stabilized at about every 25-27 days. 

Would like to see that at 2 months plus instead. 

She seems healthy otherwise. Gaining weight, eats like a pig, goes to the bathroom normally, etc.

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_CloudtheBoa_ (08-06-2020)

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## CloudtheBoa

> Vet did ultrasound and I think bloodwork. Dont remember now. 
> 
> Shedding has stabilized at about every 25-27 days. 
> 
> Would like to see that at 2 months plus instead. 
> 
> She seems healthy otherwise. Gaining weight, eats like a pig, goes to the bathroom normally, etc.


Hopefully it stays that way.  I did notice in the past it would jump between the more frequent and the 20+ day frequencies, so fingers crossed it sticks this time.  Its so strange Ive never heard of anything like this before, not for this long at least.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-06-2020)

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## dakski

Had Behira out today for a bit. She's looking great and so calm and docile. 

There's a video below of her just chilling on me, mostly of her head (light phase too). I want to show people that even though Boas can get big, they are incredibly manageable and calm creatures. Great to handle. Yes, they have an epic food response, but hook training pretty much ensures that you do not get mistaken for prey. If you can get over, or like, their size, and can handle the food response, they are awesome pets.

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_ckuhn003_ (08-08-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (08-08-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (08-09-2020),_richardhind1972_ (08-09-2020)

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## dakski

Behira is darkening up, but her eyes aren't blue yet. 

She shed 22 days ago, so we are on the right track.

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_CloudtheBoa_ (08-13-2020),_richardhind1972_ (08-14-2020),_WrongPython_ (08-13-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Glad she's getting past the point where she's stressing you about shedding too often.

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_CloudtheBoa_ (08-13-2020),_dakski_ (08-13-2020)

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## dakski

Behira shed last night or this morning. That makes 30 or 31 days. Either is the longest she's gone between sheds in a year and that number is improving. 

She will eat tomorrow night. 

She's doing great and looking great.

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*Bogertophis* (09-02-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (08-24-2020),_jmcrook_ (08-22-2020),_Reinz_ (08-23-2020),_richardhind1972_ (08-22-2020),_WrongPython_ (08-22-2020)

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## richardhind1972

> Behira shed last night or this morning. That makes 30 or 31 days. Either is the longest she's gone between sheds in a year and that number is improving. 
> 
> She will eat tomorrow night. 
> 
> She's doing great and looking great.


That's good news dave, fingers crossed she's going back to a normal shed cycle, she is looking great mate

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-22-2020),_Reinz_ (08-23-2020)

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## dakski

Behira is hovering around 2KG (weighed her dry today at 1,980G) and still annihilating F/T medium rats. 

I plan to feed her mediums for a while and not move up to large rats - which as high as I plan to go with her (I will adjust frequency to maintain body condition versus feeding larger meals that are more fatty). I am still feeding every 10-14 days because of her shedding issues, which are improving, and he body condition is excellent and there is no need to rush her. 

I tried something new when feeding her tonight. I peeked in the tank right before I turned the lights off (they are on a timer but I manually shut them off a minute or two before they would normally go off in the hopes of catching Behira off guard and keeping her from nailing the doors). Behira was on the left side of the tank. I hit the lights, went to the right side of the tank, dropped the drape, and used the center divider in the tank to hide from her view a little. Then I opened up the right side quick, stuck the tongs in with the medium rat, and BAM! She hit the rat instead of the doors. 

Not sure this will work every time, but the more I can keep her from nailing the doors, the happier I am  :Smile: .

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*Bogertophis* (09-02-2020),_jmcrook_ (08-24-2020),_richardhind1972_ (08-25-2020),_WrongPython_ (08-25-2020)

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## CloudtheBoa

Fingers crossed she keeps up the normal shedding frequency for you!  That was really bizarre.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-24-2020)

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## dakski

Behira is looking great and I changed her water today. When I put her back, she started drinking, so I caught some of that on video. Always cute. As a bonus, she was in her "light" phase. 

Sorry for the poor quality through the acrylic door (I didn't want to bother her by opening the door again).

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*Bogertophis* (09-02-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (09-02-2020),_Kam_ (09-02-2020),_Reinz_ (09-03-2020),_richardhind1972_ (09-02-2020),_WrongPython_ (09-02-2020)

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## Kam

She looks so small drinking the water and then you see her in the holding pin like...what just happened!!!

As always she is beautiful. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (09-02-2020)

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## dakski

> She looks so small drinking the water and then you see her in the holding pin like...what just happened!!!
> 
> As always she is beautiful. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thank you Kam! It is a 6X2' tank and that's a big water bowl - she can fit in it at 5 1/2 feet. Perception is everything, LOL.

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_Kam_ (09-02-2020)

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## dakski

I just noticed that Behira's thread (this thread) has over 100K views! WOW. 

Thank you guys!

I feel I post too much of her, but if you guys are reading/viewing, that's awesome. 

I partly post to share her and hopefully help others with their boas (same with Jeff and Feliz) but also because it's a life journal for Behira (and me). 

It's amazing how far she's come since I got her (she's grown a lot) and how much more she has to go!

Also, we (Me and Behira) have a special bond and she's my therapy snake (not literally, but she always cheers me up). 

Thank you all again and I'll keep posting here (and on my other threads) as long as you keep looking!

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*Bogertophis* (09-02-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (09-05-2020),_jmcrook_ (09-02-2020),_Kam_ (09-03-2020),_richardhind1972_ (09-03-2020)

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## ccplotner

Great thread!

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_dakski_ (09-03-2020)

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## dakski

Well, it seems Behira still has that crazy hunger drive. Sunday night I offered food and as soon as the drape came down, she nailed both doors a total of 3X. Hard and fast too. She seemed to stun herself, so when I offered the rat, she wasn't too quick to strike. Ultimately, she did strike and eat the F/T medium rat, but not without drama. 

A quick inspection today and she's no worse for the wear, but I am not sure we will continue to be so lucky. 

I discussed with Katie, who made the drapes for all the boas, and I think we decided to do two drapes/two rods. One for each 3X2' side of the tank (her tank is a 6X2' which is 2 3X2' Boaphiles bolted together). This way, I can look in before offering and see which side she is on, and then take off the drape and put the rat in the other side. 

I hope this will help, but I honestly don't know. I am running out of ideas and really don't want her getting hurt. Additionally, my brain knows she cannot get through those acrylic doors, but I am not sure my heart does! Having my big girl striking at me at close to face level gets my heart going for sure.

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*Bogertophis* (09-09-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (09-19-2020),_jmcrook_ (09-09-2020),_Kam_ (09-09-2020),_richardhind1972_ (09-09-2020),_WrongPython_ (09-09-2020)

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## Bogertophis

That IS pretty rough to have such a strike at face level... :Surprised:   Kinda rough on her face too, so I hope the drapes work for you.  I'm glad my BCI was never at face level-
it was hard enough to lift up the top of her tank with a big BCI aiming for the hemostats holding her rat, especially since she considered ALL motion to be fair game.   :ROFL: 
(I miss that big "monster".)

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_dakski_ (09-09-2020),_richardhind1972_ (09-09-2020)

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## dakski

Behira should shed any day now, so I will hold off feeding tomorrow night. She's looking good and is an absolute pleasure, even in shed. 

She needed fresh water and was out and about otherwise I would not have taken her out. It's been about a month since last shed, so that's good.

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*Bogertophis* (09-19-2020),_richardhind1972_ (09-20-2020)

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## CloudtheBoa

Looking good even in shed!  Can't wait to see her fresh skin.  :Smile:

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_dakski_ (09-20-2020)

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## dakski

Behira did shed today and did eat tonight (without nailing the doors too). She still ate voraciously, just went right for the rat and not the doors first. That was good. 

She's looking bright even in her dark phase.

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*Bogertophis* (09-20-2020),_richardhind1972_ (09-21-2020)

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## dakski

Behira outside. It was cloudy, so no direct sunlight, but she still looks good.

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*Bogertophis* (09-28-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (10-03-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (10-05-2020),_richardhind1972_ (09-28-2020)

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## dakski

I fed Behira tonight. I had taken out the two smaller hides that she really didn't fit in anymore earlier this week. This leaves her more ground space and hides that are appropriate for her on the warm side and cool side. She used to like to prop herself up on the hot side smaller hide that was towards the front of the tank and strike the doors from there. I am not saying she cannot strike the doors still, and she has from other spots, but she didn't tonight. She was around the center divide and nailed the rat on attempt number one while striking over a foot. I've never seen her strike so far. I usually get the rat pretty close and then she nails it. This time, as soon as the rat was in the tank - BAM!

Happy to have her be enthusiastic without hurting herself.  :Smile: . 

I am still considering putting up two smaller drapes - one for each side of her tank and each door. However, the past two feedings she has avoided the doors. Maybe that's progress?

I also had her out earlier today and we spent some quality time. When I put her back I got a few shots of how she's really starting to fill out her tank. She still has a ways to go, but these show her in one side of her 6X2' Boaphile, or a 3X2' floorspace.

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*Bogertophis* (10-01-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-01-2020)

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## ckuhn003

She's getting so big! Do you feel two water bowls helps add to the humidity levels??

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*Bogertophis* (10-01-2020),_dakski_ (10-03-2020)

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## dakski

> She's getting so big! Do you feel two water bowls helps add to the humidity levels??


Thanks Ckuhn003! Yeah, she's growing all right. 

Yes, the two water bowls increase humidity a bit more than 1, but not crazy or anything. I want extra humidity for her with the frequent shedding, but that's improving.

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_ckuhn003_ (10-03-2020)

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## CloudtheBoa

Shes looking good!  Imo, the indirect sunlight compliments snakes colors a lot more than direct sunlight anyways.  It can still be nice getting that sheen, but the indirect just brings out more character.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-03-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-04-2020)

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## dakski

I spoke to a local reptile expert, who just opened a reptile zoo in my town, and keeps everything from cobras to milk snakes, about Behira's shedding and door striking. 

He laughed about the door striking. He says some animals just do it. He said he has 12+ Foot retics who still do it, and a handful of other snakes too. He liked the drape idea to keep her from striking at any movement, but kind of said she might grow out of it, or not. I am optimistic since Feliz used to do that and hasn't in a few months, but who knows. 

Regarding the frequent sheds, he said he dealt with it several times over his years of keeping reptiles. He said 9/10 it's a skin irritation or infection. He said he just dealt with it with his spitting cobra (which he said was not too fun giving medicine too). In that case, it wasn't getting better. He said that since Behira is improving, and dramatically, let her be. However, if she stops eating or it regresses to take swab anywhere on the skin and send it in for bacterial and fungal infections. 

The consensus was she's pounding food and the sheds are getting farther and farther apart, therefore she's beating whatever was ailing her. He did recommend another vet closer to me if I wanted to get a second opinion. 

For now, she seems so healthy, pounding food, growing, and the sheds are getting farther apart. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If anything changes though, you all know I will be on top of that.

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*Bogertophis* (10-09-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (10-09-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (10-05-2020),Reptile$ 4 Life (10-11-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-05-2020)

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## richardhind1972

That's good news Dave. 
Good you got that  new reptile shop in town and it's great to be able to talk to someone about it especially as he's been thru it with his reptiles . hopefully she's getting over what ever it was now 

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-05-2020)

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## dakski

> That's good news Dave. 
> Good you got that  new reptile shop in town and it's great to be able to talk to someone about it especially as he's been thru it with his reptiles . hopefully she's getting over what ever it was now 
> 
> Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk


Yeah, exactly, Rich. He's been through it, and with a positive outcome both with intervention and without. Nothing wrong with hearing that at all. 

His "shop" is actually a reptile zoo he opened here in my home town. Check out my thread. https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ter-Enfield-CT. Some awesome critters in there. 

He has years of experience with everything from lizards, to boas, to alligators, to venomous, and even small colubrids and giant species like retics and burms. Really cool guy and super happy to talk shop. 

Great having this place near me for fun, but also great to have him (Brian) as a resource. Most importantly, he does a great job of taking care of his animals and showing reptiles in a positive light. It's a place you want to support.

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_richardhind1972_ (10-05-2020)

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## dakski

Behira is doing great. She's really filling out and getting pretty darn sturdy. She's well over 2,100G now dry and is gaining weight in the past two months faster than she has in a while, on the same prey items (F/T medium rats) and frequency (10-14 days). 

Here are a few pics of her on the couch and in her new "holding container." She looks a little scary but she was just being curious.

----------

*Bogertophis* (10-09-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (10-09-2020),_Kam_ (10-10-2020),_Reinz_ (10-11-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-10-2020)

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## CloudtheBoa

Shes looking good and filling out like a proper lady!

Yeah, something like a skin infection definitely sounds plausible if thats something that can go undetected like that.  Frequent shedding like that typically is tied to health issues, and like I think you mentioned earlier, the meals just gave her a bit of a boost to fight it off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-09-2020)

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## Bogertophis

> ...
> Regarding the frequent sheds, he said he dealt with it several times over his years of keeping reptiles. He said 9/10 it's a skin irritation or infection. He said he just dealt with it with his spitting cobra (which he said was not too fun giving medicine too). In that case, it wasn't getting better. He said that since Behira is improving, and dramatically, let her be. However, if she stops eating or it regresses to take swab anywhere on the skin and send it in for bacterial and fungal infections. 
> 
> The consensus was she's pounding food and the sheds are getting farther and farther apart, therefore she's beating whatever was ailing her. He did recommend another vet closer to me if I wanted to get a second opinion. 
> 
> For now, she seems so healthy, pounding food, growing, and the sheds are getting farther apart. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If anything changes though, you all know I will be on top of that.


I wouldn't worry, but I do agree.  This is how a snake's body reacts to a low-grade infection, injury or irritation of some kind (internal OR external)- by self-healing.  And the extra food was needed to accomplish that.  With snakes, sometimes it's better to do too little than too much, knowing how meds can negatively impact their organs.  And it's not as if you never had her checked out, but hey, she's got this.   :Wink:   Relax...

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_CloudtheBoa_ (10-09-2020),_dakski_ (10-09-2020)

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## dakski

My niece Meghan was over, and as usual spent a lot of time with the reptiles. 

She's doing great handling them and loves Behira. Despite Behira's size, Meghan is not intimidated (of course I am a foot or two away).

----------

*Bogertophis* (10-11-2020),_Kam_ (10-11-2020),_Reinz_ (10-11-2020),Reptile$ 4 Life (10-11-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-11-2020)

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## Bogertophis

SWEET!  Cute kid and cute boa!   :Good Job:

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_dakski_ (10-11-2020)

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## Reptile$ 4 Life

I find it funny that it is always the kids who want to hold my snake and rarely the adults. Even when the adults do hold them they are really freaked out.

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_dakski_ (10-11-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-11-2020)

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## dakski

> I find it funny that it is always the kids who want to hold my snake and rarely the adults. Even when the adults do hold them they are really freaked out.


I hear you.

That's because they didn't have an, "Uncle David" growing up. 

Meghan has been holding snakes since she was 2 and I remember her interacting with my Beardie George (RIP) before that. Meghan turns 10 in December (WOW) and her brother Chris just turned 7. He's not as interested in the reptiles but he is hardly afraid. He pets Behira while Meghan holds her sometimes. He can be a little quick, so I stick with the big snakes that I trust implicitly with him. Shayna and Behira, are great for him, as is Figment and Solana. The younger and growing snakes like Yafe and Jeff and Feliz I let him see but with a healthy dose of Uncle David right there and controlling his interactions. With Meghan and say, Behira, I trust him with verbal cues. It's funny, some kids are so curious and respectful and others are like COOL, but then on to the next. 

It's funny. I remember being a little kid and loving the reptile section of the bronx zoo. Then when I was about 5 or 6, my best friend had a reptile guy at his birthday party. Boa, Burmese, Corn Snake, etc. That was it, I was hooked. I used to find snake skins in the yard and was taught to be respectful of the big rat snakes and an occasional copperhead. Didn't keep from being curious, but I wasn't out trying to catch everything either. 

I also remember as a kid some nasty water snakes down by the pond I used I to catch frogs at. A few really scared me. Darting over my feet and hissing etc. I never got bit though (and knew none were venomous). My first snake, a BP, did bite me, but he/she was little and I knew it wasn't my fault. Frankly, I was more worried, at 10, about him/her. It actually helped take a lot of the fear out as it was so anticlimactic. Even with these potentially negative, not bad, experiences, I was never afraid, just cautious. I learned to be respectful instead of fearful. 

Of course I have a healthy respect for Behira now when she comes flying at the door looking for her food  :Smile: . She gets my heart racing, but I am not scared or afraid, just very cautious. Thankfully, she's predictable. 

Anyway, so important to teach the younger generations to respect and not fear these animals. Meghan has always had a propensity towards them, like I did, so all I do is feed into that.

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_Kam_ (10-11-2020),Reptile$ 4 Life (10-11-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-11-2020)

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## Reptile$ 4 Life

> Anyway, so important to teach the younger generations to respect and not fear these animals. Meghan has always had a propensity towards them, like I did, so all I do is feed into that.


Amen! teaching the next generation is the best way we can help our scaly friends.

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*Bogertophis* (10-30-2020),_Reinz_ (10-12-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-11-2020)

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## dakski

I tried something new with Behira yesterday while feeding her. 

I took the drape off before I turned the lights out. 

Drapes off. Lights out. Door open. Rat offered. BAM. 

She went for the rat and not the door this time. Maybe that's the ticket. She seemed surprised at first that I was offering a rat but then was like, GIVE ME!

Rather a couple second delay than smashing doors. 

I'll keep everyone posted as to whether this works long term.

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*Bogertophis* (10-30-2020),_Kam_ (10-12-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-20-2020)

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## dakski

It's been a month since last shed and although Behira is starting to darken up a little, she hasn't gone into blue yet. I am really happy with her progression there. 

She's getting big and strong but is still a puppy dog. She was really active when I took her out tonight, but then ended up falling asleep on my shoulders.

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*Bogertophis* (10-30-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (10-30-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (10-23-2020),_jmcrook_ (10-20-2020),_Kam_ (10-19-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-20-2020),_WrongPython_ (10-19-2020)

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## Kam

She is looking awesome. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-19-2020)

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## dakski

Behira just went into Blue. Should be shedding in the next 7-10 days +/-. That's still pushing the sheds out farther and farther now. Last two sheds were both 30 days. However, it's been 32 days already since last shed. Things are looking good. 

As always, thank you to everyone who's supported me through Behira's shedding issues. It's great to know she's getting back and track, but the support along the way has been awesome.

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*Bogertophis* (10-30-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (12-29-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (10-23-2020),_Kam_ (10-24-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-23-2020)

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## dakski

Behira shed last night or today. That makes 37-38 days since last shed! YAY! She's moving quickly in the right direction and I think she is definitely out of the danger zone. I believe it's just a matter of time until she returns to a normal shed schedule and is totally healed. 

I'll post pics soon.

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*Bogertophis* (10-30-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (10-30-2020),_jmcrook_ (10-28-2020),_Kam_ (10-30-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-29-2020),_WrongPython_ (10-28-2020)

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## richardhind1972

That's great news dave

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-29-2020)

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## dakski

Two pics of Behira post shed. 

BTW - That chair is huge! She's a good 5 1/2 feet now.

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*Bogertophis* (10-30-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (12-29-2020),_Kam_ (11-01-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-30-2020)

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## richardhind1972

She's looking fantastic dave

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-30-2020)

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## Bogertophis

Actually, you're both looking well.   :Wink:   :Good Job:

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_dakski_ (10-30-2020)

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## CloudtheBoa

Looking good!  So glad hear shes out of the danger zone and is still holding out on her new shed cycle.  And being a bit more hesitant at least the last time you mentioned it is a big plus.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-30-2020)

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## dakski

> She's looking fantastic dave
> 
> Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk


Thank you, Rich. 




> Actually, you're both looking well.


Awwwww, shucks  :Razz: . I am fortunate to be surrounded with beautiful women. Katie and Behira included. It's nice to know they are not the only eye candy around here  :Sarcasm Alert:  :ROFL: .




> Looking good!  So glad hear shes out of the danger zone and is still holding out on her new shed cycle.  And being a bit more hesitant at least the last time you mentioned it is a big plus.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yeah, she was shedding at 2X this rate only months ago. I'll take the improvement. 

Going to try the lights on, drape down, lights off, rat in, technique again. I'll advise. Really don't want her hurting herself.

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*Bogertophis* (11-01-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (10-30-2020),_richardhind1972_ (10-31-2020)

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## Kam

Behira is simply gorgeous. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (11-01-2020)

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## dakski

Have a short video below of me and Behira. I am getting distracted by football a little, but wanted to show off her size, looks, and demeanor. She's got a lot of growing left, but she's my biggest reptile already. She's awesome. 

I feed tonight and will only report if she strikes the doors and the new lights on, drape off, lights off, technique doesn't work as it has the past two feedings.

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_Kam_ (11-01-2020),_richardhind1972_ (11-02-2020)

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## dakski

Behira left me a huge present today, but still weighed in at 2,120G. She's definitely growing slowly, but surely. She was about 1,670G at the beginning of the year and was having major shed issues, as many of you know (frequent sheds). Now that the sheds are spreading out, so is her food intake. I am moving her from every 10 days to every 2 weeks, but still medium rats (about 100-130G). 

Nothing else to report really, but I will post pictures soon. She's looking great, I just didn't have time to take pics tonight as she pooped later in the day, I had other stuff to do, and I didn't want to leave it overnight.

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*Bogertophis* (11-18-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (12-02-2020),_jmcrook_ (11-12-2020),_Kam_ (11-12-2020),_richardhind1972_ (11-13-2020)

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## dakski

Got a couple of pics of Behira today before changing her water. She eats tonight. She was in her dark phase.

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*Bogertophis* (11-18-2020),_CloudtheBoa_ (12-02-2020),_Kam_ (12-03-2020),Reptile$ 4 Life (11-18-2020)

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## dakski

Behira had a perfect shed last night. That's 35 days since last shed. The prior shed was 38 days, but we are still in range. She's doing great otherwise. 

I'll post pics soon.

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*Bogertophis* (12-03-2020),_Kam_ (12-03-2020),_richardhind1972_ (12-04-2020)

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## dakski

Behira weighed in dry today at 2,190G. She's looking great and still her sweet self when out and about. 

She's putting on size, but not too fast. She's 4 1/2 this month and "only" about 5 1/2 feet. She's still on medium rats (about 100G) every 2-3 weeks, but usually closer to 2 weeks. 

I have no intention of moving her up to large rats for a while. Of course, when I do, I plan to feed her less frequently, especially if, as I assume they will be, her shed issues are gone by then.

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_CloudtheBoa_ (12-29-2020),_jmcrook_ (12-04-2020),_Kam_ (12-04-2020),_WrongPython_ (12-04-2020)

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## dakski

Behira continues to do well. She's looking good and continues to be the least "grippy" of all my boas. That's good, because she is getting very strong. 

Here are some recent pics.

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_jmcrook_ (12-28-2020),_Kam_ (12-28-2020),_richardhind1972_ (12-28-2020),_WrongPython_ (12-28-2020)

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## richardhind1972

She's looking great dave
Has her shedding issues  eased any? 

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (12-28-2020)

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## Kam

I just love how they look sooooooo small and then you have them hanging off you and I am like whoa. They are huge. 


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## dakski

> She's looking great dave
> Has her shedding issues  eased any? 
> 
> Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk


Thank you for asking, Rich. Last two sheds were 38 and 35 days, so much better. She shed 12-4-2020 and has darkened up at all yet. I am continuing to be optimistic, especially since she is putting on weight eating a medium rat every other week. 




> I just love how they look sooooooo small and then you have them hanging off you and I am like whoa. They are huge. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yeah, she's only about 5 pounds. She has a ways to go. Such a docile girl though. No worries.

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_Kam_ (12-28-2020),_richardhind1972_ (12-28-2020)

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## richardhind1972

That's great news dave, let's hope she's turned that corner now 

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (12-28-2020)

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## CloudtheBoa

I'm glad to hear she's still heading in the right direction.  Hopefully this will be a long forgotten incident soon!  She's looking good and fit.

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_dakski_ (12-29-2020)

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## dakski

Behira looks like she will shed in the next few days, but her last shed was 12-4-2020. So, regardless, she is still moving in the right direction.

I'll try to post some pics after she sheds. She's is doing great.

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_jmcrook_ (01-14-2021),_Kam_ (01-14-2021),_richardhind1972_ (01-14-2021),_WrongPython_ (01-14-2021)

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## dakski

I was incorrect, her last shed was 12-2-2020 and she shed last night, 1-15-2021. So, that's 44 days! Awesome. Moving in the right direction significantly now. 

Here are a few pics. She eats tonight and was sweet as always when out and about with me.

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*Bogertophis* (01-16-2021),_EL-Ziggy_ (01-16-2021),_jmcrook_ (01-16-2021),_Kam_ (01-16-2021),_richardhind1972_ (01-16-2021),_WrongPython_ (01-16-2021)

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## richardhind1972

She's looking fantastic dave. 
behira really thickening up, let's hope she's over this short shedding spell now

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (01-16-2021)

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## Kam

She is beautiful as always. 


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_dakski_ (01-16-2021)

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## dakski

> She's looking fantastic dave. 
> behira really thickening up, let's hope she's over this short shedding spell now
> 
> Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk


Thank you, Rich. Yeah, she's thickening up, but even at 4 1/2 years old, 2.2kg, and 5 1/2 feet (or less), she's eating medium rats every 2-3 weeks now. She's growing consistently, but not too fast. 

Regarding the shedding, I think it's only a matter of time now before that gets back to normal.

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*Bogertophis* (01-16-2021),_richardhind1972_ (01-17-2021)

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## EL-Ziggy

She looks amazing Dave!

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_dakski_ (01-16-2021)

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## dakski

Behira looked particularly good the other day when I took her out. Really light. Thought I would post pics.

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*Bogertophis* (02-26-2021),Gio (02-02-2021),_jmcrook_ (02-03-2021),_Kam_ (02-02-2021),_nikkubus_ (02-04-2021),_richardhind1972_ (02-03-2021),_WrongPython_ (02-02-2021)

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## Bogertophis

She looks great, & btw, it's true (I know-) blondes have more fun!   :Cool:

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_dakski_ (02-02-2021)

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## dakski

> She looks great, & btw, it's true (I know-) blondes have more fun!


LOL. I know, Katie says the same thing  :Smile: .

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## Gio

Good to see your boas healthy and thriving.

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_dakski_ (02-02-2021)

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## dakski

> Good to see your boas healthy and thriving.


Thank you, Gio. 

Feliz is doing well also. I need to get some pics of him soon. Been very busy lately.

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## Kam

Beautiful Behira! 


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_dakski_ (02-02-2021)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking great Dave

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_dakski_ (02-03-2021)

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## dakski

A few more of Behira. Notice she's in her darker phase and her head is very dark.

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*Bogertophis* (02-05-2021),_Kam_ (02-05-2021),_nikkubus_ (02-05-2021),_richardhind1972_ (02-05-2021),_WrongPython_ (02-05-2021)

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## dakski

Behira is coming out of blue and will shed soon. I skipped her feeding tonight. 

However, I did take her out today because her light on the cool side needed to be changed. The fluorescent bulb burned out. 

She was fine when I touched her with the hook and even with my hand. However, when I went to pick her up, HIIISSSSSSSSSSSS!

What a bluffer. I picked her up, put her in her holding container, changed the light, and put her back with no issues. 

The bigger she gets though the more she's testing my resolve  :Smile: . Seriously though, she showed not other signs of defensiveness. She didn't go into "S" position/strike mode, and didn't really tense up. It was more of a, "really Dad? Don't you know I am shedding soon and this isn't comfortable!"

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_nikkubus_ (02-27-2021),_richardhind1972_ (02-26-2021)

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## Bogertophis

Bluffing or not, the hiss of a good-sized boa really gets your attention.   :Very Happy:   I remember when the BCI I used to have would do that every once in a great while- she sounded so evil, but never even tried to bite- I'd just pet her coils for a minute or so, then she was fine to pick up & cuddle.  It was like she temporarily "forgot" she knew me, & the touch reminded her that indeed she did, & that I was nothing to fear.  It did catch me off-guard a little though, because she wasn't even in shed when she did that- at least, nothing obvious.  It was more like a rare "mood".   :Snake:  But who wants a snake without quirks anyway?

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_dakski_ (02-26-2021),_nikkubus_ (02-27-2021),_richardhind1972_ (02-26-2021)

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## dakski

Behira shed today. That's 44 days between sheds. The same as last cycle. 

She looks beautiful but I haven't taken her out and to take pics yet. I will soon. 

Again, well out of the danger zone for sheds and I'll take 44 days as a positive.

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_EL-Ziggy_ (02-28-2021),_jmcrook_ (02-28-2021),_richardhind1972_ (03-01-2021),_WrongPython_ (02-28-2021)

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## richardhind1972

> Behira shed today. That's 44 days between sheds. The same as last cycle. 
> 
> She looks beautiful but I haven't taken her out and to take pics yet. I will soon. 
> 
> Again, well out of the danger zone for sheds and I'll take 44 days as a positive.


That's great news dave 

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (03-01-2021)

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## dakski

> That's great news dave 
> 
> Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk


Thanks Rich!

Yeah, the trend is definitely positive. I am now seeing the reverse of how it started about a year ago. Originally is was something like 97 days between sheds, then 90, then 40, then 18. Now the distance is gaining between sheds instead of dropping and I'll take that for my girl. 

Hope everything is going well with your crew as well! I know you have some awesome newer additions.

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_richardhind1972_ (03-01-2021)

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## dakski

As promised here are some pics of Behira post shed.

I think she was hoping for some food tonight, but I am feeding everyone next Sunday so she will have to wait. Regardless, a stroke with the hook and she was happy to come out and play. Such a sweet girl. 

A got a few with me holding her and a few with the iPhone looking down the tank with her in it. The tank is 6X2X1'.

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*Bogertophis* (03-01-2021),_Kam_ (03-13-2021),_nikkubus_ (03-02-2021),_richardhind1972_ (03-02-2021)

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## Bogertophis

Aww, "Daddy's little girl"!   :Wink:

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_dakski_ (03-01-2021),_Kam_ (03-13-2021),_richardhind1972_ (03-02-2021)

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## dakski

> Aww, "Daddy's little girl"!


You know it. Love her! She was my first Boa and only female boa. She's very special to me.

Her personality doesn't hurt and her ability to have light and dark phases is pretty awesome too.

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_richardhind1972_ (03-02-2021)

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## nikkubus

She is looking amazing!

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_dakski_ (03-02-2021)

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## Kam

Awesome. Love these pictures. 


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_dakski_ (03-13-2021)

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## dakski

My mom today with Behira.

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*Bogertophis* (03-24-2021),_Hugsplox_ (03-24-2021),_Kam_ (03-24-2021),_richardhind1972_ (03-24-2021),TofuTofuTofu (04-12-2021),_WrongPython_ (03-24-2021)

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## Kam

Both are beautiful. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (03-24-2021)

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## dakski

> Both are beautiful. 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I'll tell my mom you said that. It will make her year. I turned 41 this week and she is, well, older than that. Katie and I tell her how great she looks, but she doesn't seem to believe it.

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_Kam_ (03-25-2021)

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## Bogertophis

> I'll tell my mom you said that. It will make her year. I turned 41 this week and she is, well, older than that. Katie and I tell her how great she looks, but she doesn't seem to believe it.


She does look great!  You can tell her I said so too-  :Very Happy:

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_dakski_ (03-25-2021)

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## dakski

These medium rats don't look too big anymore in comparison to Behira. 

I've grown her slow, and do not need her getting huge, but she's almost 5 (June this year) and about 2.2KG and 5 1/2 feet. I am fine with that as long as she's happy and healthy, which she seems to be. 

Anyone have any thoughts on feeding larger prey? I do not plan to feed larger than a large rat (180-220G), if possible, due to fat content of bigger rats and difficulty getting small frozen rabbits consistently. I would be willing to feed rabbits if I had a reliable source, certainly as a supplement. 

Right now she is getting a medium rat (100-130G +/-) every two weeks except in shed. On that note, her sheds are getting farther apart and she seems completely healthy otherwise. 

If she's happy and healthy, again, I have no need to feed her larger meals to make her grow, or grow faster. I have nothing to prove and just want a happy and healthy snake.

However, if Boa peeps out there think I should be doing something different, I am open to suggestions and appreciate them. I have a text into Jeff Ronne with a recent picture of Behira and her measurements. I am sure he will have something to say about it as well and I will share what he says on here. Maybe I just need to remember to practice what I preach and that less is more?

Anyway, here she is after grabbing her dinner.

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_Kam_ (03-30-2021)

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## Bogertophis

For her size (length) I would think a medium rat is plenty big enough.  Curious to see what breeders say though.

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_dakski_ (03-30-2021)

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## richardhind1972

https://www.rodentpro.com/informatio...ertebrate-prey
Heres an interesting read on reptile  feedings
Quail arnt bad alternative Mr dave for abit of variety 

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (03-30-2021)

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## dakski

The consensus is that she can definitely eat large rats (or similar size qual - per Rich), but that she doesn't need to. 

Jeff Ronne agreed she looked very healthy and that large rats would make her grow "a lot," but I am not breeding her and she's healthy and growing on mediums. For now, I will stick to medium rats.

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*Bogertophis* (03-30-2021),_jmcrook_ (03-30-2021),_richardhind1972_ (03-30-2021)

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## Bogertophis

> The consensus is that she can definitely eat large rats (or similar size qual - per Rich), but that she doesn't need to. 
> 
> Jeff Ronne agreed she looked very healthy and that large rats would make her grow "a lot," but I am not breeding her and she's healthy and growing on mediums. For now, I will stick to medium rats.


I sure would too [stick to mediums].

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_dakski_ (03-30-2021)

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## richardhind1972

> The consensus is that she can definitely eat large rats (or similar size qual - per Rich), but that she doesn't need to. 
> 
> Jeff Ronne agreed she looked very healthy and that large rats would make her grow "a lot," but I am not breeding her and she's healthy and growing on mediums. For now, I will stick to medium rats.


If its filling her fine then definitely stick to the same food dave.
As you say just because she can doesn't meen you have to, she looks really healthy so all good mate. 

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (03-30-2021)

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## dakski

Behira shed yesterday. That's 49 days since last shed, a 5 day jump (she shed at 44 days last time). Every shed is getting farther and farther from the last shed. She looks good and is doing great. 

Tonight is feeding night and she and everyone else (snake wise) will get fed. 

Notice she's in her darker phase (look at the dark on her head). Having said that, she can get darker. Love how she has the light and dark phases. Very cool.

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*Bogertophis* (04-19-2021),_jmcrook_ (04-19-2021),_Kam_ (04-20-2021),_richardhind1972_ (04-19-2021),_WrongPython_ (04-19-2021)

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## richardhind1972

That's fantastic news her sheds are getting further apart, she's looking great dave

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_dakski_ (04-19-2021)

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## dakski

> That's fantastic news her sheds are getting further apart, she's looking great dave
> 
> Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk


Thank you, Rich!

What a relief.

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_richardhind1972_ (04-19-2021)

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## Kam

She is looking as beautiful as ever. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (04-20-2021)

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## dakski

My niece, Meghan, was over the other night. She hasn't been over in some time because of COVID - probably 6-7 months. She's 10 1/2 now and growing like a weed, but Behira is growing too. She spent some time with a few of the reptiles and we went to Reptile Trivia Night at the local reptile zoo (Riverside Reptiles in Enfield, CT). Both Meghan and Behira are looking great.

Meghan was a little hesitant with Behira at first, but came around pretty quick. Her size can be a little intimidating and I understand that. I was right there with her and encourage Meghan to be assertive, but gentle with her. She's good on the gentle, but we are working on the assertive part with her a bit. Same with Yafe (CP), who has gotten pretty big and is can be a quick compared to Behira. Regardless, Meghan did a great job and continues to love seeing and interacting with the reptiles. 

Behira weighed in dry at about 2.3kg a day later. I have been feeding medium rats every 2 weeks for Behira for a bit and she seemed to have hit a plateau for a a little while weight wise. However, she seems to be hitting another spurt now. I'll keep everyone posted. 

Below are pics are Meghan and Behira and a few of Behira alone.

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*Bogertophis* (04-27-2021),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-08-2021),_jmcrook_ (04-28-2021),_Kam_ (04-28-2021),_richardhind1972_ (04-28-2021),_WrongPython_ (04-28-2021)

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## Bogertophis

I like how Behira matches Meghan's shirt...(except that boas don't have fangs, lol).

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_dakski_ (04-28-2021)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking awsome dave.
Glad meghan was OK with behira's growth spurt

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (04-28-2021)

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## Kam

Awwwwwwww


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_dakski_ (04-28-2021)

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## dakski

Haven't posted in a while. As many of you know, a lot has been going on lately. 

I wanted to post that Behira hasn't go into blue yet and hasn't shed in 50 days. This marks the longest in over a year that she hasn't shed, and again, she's not even in the shed cycle yet. 

Things have been tough, but I wanted to share some good news on that front.

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*Bogertophis* (06-09-2021),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-08-2021),_jmcrook_ (06-07-2021),_richardhind1972_ (06-08-2021),_WrongPython_ (06-07-2021)

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## richardhind1972

Thats such great news dave


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (06-08-2021)

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## CloudtheBoa

Behira's looking gorgeous as ever!  Glad to see her trucking along same as ever, and helping ease the young ones in with snakes.  :Smile:

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_dakski_ (06-08-2021)

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## dakski

Behira is looking good! Really getting some size to her.

----------

*Bogertophis* (06-09-2021),_CloudtheBoa_ (06-11-2021),_jmcrook_ (06-09-2021),_Kam_ (06-21-2021),_richardhind1972_ (06-09-2021),_WrongPython_ (06-09-2021)

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## dakski

Behira shed yesterday (7-4-21). That's a whopping 77 days since last shed. Her previous sheds were an average of 46 days apart. Huge jump for her. She's looking happy and healthy. She ate on 7-1-21, but still had a great shed. I don't worry too much with her in shed and knew she was about 3 days away and also not in blue anymore. She had only had one rat in the previous 9 weeks anyway due to my health issues and then the finished basement/reptile area flooding. I know a fast here and there won't hurt her, but want to get everyone back on track soon, Behira included. Unfortunately, there is a lot more that has to be done and redone in the basement now. 

At least I feel better about her shedding issues and can knock that off my worry list. 

I don't have pictures, but we also had some new friends over. One was so excited to the meet the reptiles, the other (her boyfriend) was indifferent, but excited to show them to his girlfriend (having met a few already), and the other was his (the boyfriends) sister. She was pretty skeptical, to say the least, especially about the snakes. When I took Behira out, and she saw her size, she freaked out a little and walked away. However, curiosity got her and after watching her brother's girlfriend handle Behira for a bit, couldn't believe how calm she was. She ended up touching her and then holding her tail, and then holding Behira!

She went on to hold Feliz, Solana, Yafe, and Figment as well. 

Another convert thanks to Behira and the rest of the crew.

----------

_EL-Ziggy_ (07-05-2021),_GiddyGoat_ (07-05-2021),_jmcrook_ (07-05-2021),_Kam_ (07-05-2021),_RedRabbit_ (07-18-2021),_richardhind1972_ (07-05-2021),_WrongPython_ (07-06-2021)

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## EL-Ziggy

You, Katie, and your critters are all awesome ambassadors for our hobby Dave!

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_dakski_ (07-05-2021)

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## GiddyGoat

Amazing!!! So glad to hear it  :Smile:

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_dakski_ (07-05-2021)

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## richardhind1972

So glad behira spreading her sheds out now Dave,
Fingers crossed they soon get your snake room sorted without too much disruption 

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (07-05-2021)

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## dakski

Behira is getting some size to her now. Haven't weighed her in a while, but she's looking healthy and happy.

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*Bogertophis* (08-03-2021),_jmcrook_ (07-19-2021),_Kam_ (07-20-2021),_richardhind1972_ (07-20-2021),_WrongPython_ (07-20-2021)

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## richardhind1972

Behira's looking awsome dave

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (07-20-2021)

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## dakski

My niece, Meghan, came over and we went to Riverside Reptiles for a snake event. That was pretty cool, but I'll post more on that under that thread. 

She also spent some time with Behira, Jeff, and Yafe. 

Both Meghan and Behira are growing!

----------

*Bogertophis* (08-03-2021),_Kam_ (08-03-2021),_richardhind1972_ (08-03-2021),_WrongPython_ (08-03-2021)

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## dakski

Despite feeding less frequently due to basement disasters this summer, Behira is growing. She is now 2,330G dry versus about 2,180G at the end of March.

She's doing great despite all the disruptions this summer.

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*Bogertophis* (08-12-2021),_jmcrook_ (08-12-2021),_richardhind1972_ (08-13-2021),_WrongPython_ (08-12-2021)

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## Bogertophis

That's because she's got a great 'daddy' looking after her & all the others.   :Wink:   Hang in there, the disruptions won't be forever.  It's just that kind of a year... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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_dakski_ (08-12-2021)

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## dakski

Katie held Behira a bit yesterday. Please pardon the basement, which is hopefully getting put back together soon. We are still organizing after the sewage leak!

Behira is really getting some size to her now and even Katie will admit that Behira is incredibly calm and deliberate. You can tell from Katie's smile she's enjoying Behira as much as Behira is enjoying Katie!

----------

*Bogertophis* (08-29-2021),_richardhind1972_ (08-29-2021)

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## Bogertophis

Boas are great to cuddle with & Behira obviously knows how to charm.   :Very Happy:

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_dakski_ (08-29-2021)

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## dakski

Behira at almost 2.4kg dry. She's looking great, if I can say so myself.

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*Bogertophis* (09-08-2021),_CloudtheBoa_ (09-15-2021),_richardhind1972_ (09-08-2021),_WrongPython_ (09-08-2021)

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## Bogertophis

She's an asset to any couch, that's for sure.   :Very Happy:

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_dakski_ (09-08-2021)

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## Snagrio

> Behira at almost 2.4kg dry. She's looking great, if I can say so myself.


Just yesterday I posted to family about how my BP went from 95 grams to 620 in the span of roughly a year and how he seems so big now. And then I read over _2400 grams_ for a BCI and it's like, oh...

I know they're different species and all plus mine isn't even a full adult yet (not to mention his gender denotes a smaller size) but still. Mind-boggling.  :Omg:

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*Bogertophis* (10-05-2021)

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## CloudtheBoa

Shes looking good!  Growing steadily.  Shes holding color really well, too, cant wait to see her fully grown.  Youve been doing a great job working with her, too, with the ups and downs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (09-15-2021)

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## dakski

Behira is doing great. She's almost 2.5KG and once she reaches that I plan to switch her to large rats from medium rats. I'll feed every 3-4 weeks at that point for a while. She's been eating every 2-3 weeks on medium rats. 

She's still a cuddle bug and looks awesome. She was in her dark phase today when I cleaned her tank and gave her fresh water. I got some pics and a some close ups of her head showing off the dark phase.

----------

AutumnVanilla (10-07-2021),*Bogertophis* (10-05-2021),_CloudtheBoa_ (10-10-2021),_EL-Ziggy_ (10-06-2021),Gio (10-06-2021),_Kam_ (10-11-2021),_richardhind1972_ (10-06-2021),_WrongPython_ (10-07-2021)

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## richardhind1972

> Behira is doing great. She's almost 2.5KG and once she reaches that I plan to switch her to large rats from medium rats. I'll feed every 3-4 weeks at that point for a while. She's been eating every 2-3 weeks on medium rats. 
> 
> She's still a cuddle bug and looks awesome. She was in her dark phase today when I cleaned her tank and gave her fresh water. I got some pics and a some close ups of her head showing off the dark phase.


Behira looking great dave

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-06-2021)

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## Gio

Looking good. 

I'm not getting on the board as often but it is always nice to see boas when I do pop in.

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_dakski_ (10-06-2021),_richardhind1972_ (10-07-2021)

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## CloudtheBoa

Looking good as ever!  I love how well shes kept her colors and appearance so far!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (10-10-2021)

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## dakski

Behira ate a medium rat tonight. 

And................She shed yesterday as predicted. Not a big deal, right? A 5 year old Boa shedding? Well, this marks 139 days since last shed. The shed before was 77 days. Before that it had been as low as 17 days in the past year, as documented in this thread. Whatever seems to have been bothering her and causing her to shed more appears to be resolved! 4 1/2 months between sheds also makes sense because with all the chaos in the basement, I've been feeding less often. I hope to return to a more regular feeding regiment ASAP once the basement is fixed. You can see my other thread for the fun I am having with the contractors, but I am optimistic. 

All around, good news on the Behira front.

----------

*Bogertophis* (11-22-2021),_jmcrook_ (11-22-2021),_Kam_ (11-23-2021),_richardhind1972_ (11-22-2021),_WrongPython_ (11-22-2021)

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## Bogertophis

That's a HUGE change in frequency of shedding.  I'm glad.  We'll likely never know what was causing that- maybe it was just hormones out of whack, or fighting off something unknown, or healing something, but it's very reassuring that her sheds have finally slowed down dramatically.

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_dakski_ (11-22-2021)

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## richardhind1972

I'm so glad she's back to a normal shedding cycle dave

Sent from my ELS-NX9 using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (11-22-2021)

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## dakski

Had Behira out for a cage cleaning and some bonding time today. She's looking great. In retrospect, she looks great compared to when she was shedding too often. She was constantly in shed cycle for a while. It's good to see her glowing and being a happy "little" girl.

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*Bogertophis* (11-27-2021),Gio (11-27-2021),_Kam_ (11-27-2021),_richardhind1972_ (11-27-2021)

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## Gio

> Had Behira out for a cage cleaning and some bonding time today. She's looking great. In retrospect, she looks great compared to when she was shedding too often. She was constantly in shed cycle for a while. It's good to see her glowing and being a happy "little" girl.


Outstanding!

Nice looking snake right there!

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_dakski_ (11-27-2021)

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## dakski

Behira's doing great. They are still working on the basement - probably for the next two weeks. The animals are taking it in stride despite spending time in my office at 2-3 day clips every week. 

Today was put everyone back in their tanks day as the workers finished for the week. 

Got some nice pics of Behira while putting her back. What a sweetheart. Although, she's getting strong!!!!

----------

_Kam_ (12-25-2021),_richardhind1972_ (12-25-2021),_WrongPython_ (12-25-2021)

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## Bogertophis

She's looking great- I had a couple of my rat snakes snakes outside today for sunshine -it was in the low 70's- totally crazy weather for late December here, but much enjoyed.   :Cool:

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_dakski_ (12-24-2021)

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## dakski

> She's looking great- I had a couple of my rat snakes snakes outside today for sunshine -it was in the low 70's- totally crazy weather for late December here, but much enjoyed.


That's great RE rat snakes. Yeah, we have snow on the ground in CT here. Nice and warm inside though.

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## Bogertophis

> That's great RE rat snakes. Yeah, we have snow on the ground in CT here. Nice and warm inside though.


Brrr!  I can do without too much of that white stuff.  Better snow than ice though.  We never know around here, we get some of everything, but it shouldn't be THIS warm right now.

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## Kam

Looking great as always. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (12-25-2021)

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## dakski

My Mother holding Behira, and another sneak peek of the almost finished basement.

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*Bogertophis* (01-23-2022),_Kam_ (01-23-2022),_richardhind1972_ (01-24-2022),_WrongPython_ (01-24-2022)

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## Bogertophis

Your mom always rocks!   :Good Job:   Basement is looking pretty good too, but it won't ever top your mom, modeling snakes!   :Very Happy:   Feel free to quote me to her...

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_Albert Clark_ (02-04-2022),_dakski_ (01-23-2022),_richardhind1972_ (01-24-2022)

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## dakski

Thank you, Boger. My mother is very pleased she's a hit on the forum. She truly does enjoy the reptiles and was showing Behira off to my step-father while she was draped on around her. My step-father isn't as enamored with them as my mom, but he isn't afraid, so it's all good. 

Meanwhile, Behira nailed a medium rat tonight and is looking a little darker. Not too close to shed yet, but I think she might be getting there in the next few weeks. No sweat, her last shed was over 3 months ago and she's been eating more regularly now that the basement/reptile area major work is done (and the rest is getting close). So relieved she's back to a normal shed schedule. My "baby" had me worried for a bit.

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_Albert Clark_ (02-04-2022),*Bogertophis* (01-25-2022),_richardhind1972_ (01-25-2022)

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## dakski

Behira weighed in dry today at 2,580G. Still growing well on medium rats.

----------

_Albert Clark_ (02-04-2022),_Kam_ (02-12-2022),_richardhind1972_ (01-29-2022)

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## dakski

Behira still hasn't gone into shed, which is fine. She's still darkening up and is looking great. Still a total sweetie too.

----------

_Albert Clark_ (02-04-2022),AutumnVanilla (04-26-2022),*Bogertophis* (02-04-2022),_jmcrook_ (02-04-2022),_Kam_ (02-12-2022),_richardhind1972_ (02-05-2022),_Trinityblood_ (02-05-2022)

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## Albert Clark

Extremely gorgeous girl Behira. How old is she now?

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## dakski

> Extremely gorgeous girl Behira. How old is she now?


Thank you!

She's 5 years old. She will turn 6 in June.

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_Albert Clark_ (07-14-2022)

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## Kam

She is beautiful as always. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (02-12-2022)

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## dakski

Here's Behira all spread out on the chair and stool in the reptile area. She's really getting some size to her. Still a puppy dog. 

My mother said it looked like she was posing for a magazine spread. I'll have to ask Feliz and Jeff (male Boas) if they want me to a poster of her up in their enclosures!  :Sarcasm Alert: 

Without further ado, Boa of the Month (April), Behira.

----------

_Albert Clark_ (07-14-2022),AutumnVanilla (04-26-2022),*Bogertophis* (04-25-2022),_jmcrook_ (04-25-2022),_Kam_ (04-28-2022),_richardhind1972_ (04-26-2022),_WrongPython_ (04-26-2022)

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## richardhind1972

Great pics of behira dave, she's looking great 

Sent from my SM-S908B using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (04-26-2022)

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## Kam

She is soooooo beautiful. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (04-28-2022)

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## dakski

Behira shed. She also turned 6 years old this month and got a nice medium rat for dinner tonight. 

She's doing great and will be on large rats soon.

----------

_Albert Clark_ (07-14-2022),*Bogertophis* (06-20-2022),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-23-2022),_Homebody_ (06-21-2022),_Kam_ (07-26-2022),_richardhind1972_ (06-21-2022)

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## Bogertophis

That's a snake for you-  we ask them to smile for the camera & all they want to do is hide their face under a pillow... :Very Happy:

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_dakski_ (06-21-2022),_richardhind1972_ (06-21-2022)

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## dakski

I had on the perfect shirt for cleaning water bowls today. Everyone came out for a bit and Katie was downstairs watching a movie, so she took some pics of me with Behira.

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_Albert Clark_ (07-14-2022),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-28-2022),Gio (06-27-2022),_Homebody_ (06-26-2022),_Kam_ (07-26-2022),_richardhind1972_ (06-26-2022),_WrongPython_ (07-03-2022)

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## Bogertophis

Perfect shirt!   :Cool:

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_dakski_ (06-26-2022)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking awsome mr Dave and definitely a perfect shirt for the photo 

Sent from my SM-S908B using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (06-26-2022)

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## dakski

Behira weighed in empty today at 2,550G. She's only gained about 100G in the past 9 months. She's probably averaged eating a medium rat every three weeks over the past year, although I try to feed every two weeks. As many of you know, things have been crazy with the house, especially the basement and reptile area this past year, so it's been difficult to stick to the 2 week regiment. 

In any event, I think it's time to move her up to large rats every three weeks versus mediums every two weeks. Any thoughts?

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_Albert Clark_ (07-14-2022),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-28-2022),_Homebody_ (06-28-2022),_richardhind1972_ (07-11-2022)

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## Gio

Good looking boa, and so is the other one.

You can easily move up the sizes you feed both of them.

Unless you are feeding something completely unreasonable in size, you won't have an issue.

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_Albert Clark_ (07-14-2022),_dakski_ (06-27-2022),_EL-Ziggy_ (06-28-2022),_Homebody_ (06-28-2022)

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## EL-Ziggy

Behira looks amazing Dave! I agree with bumping up her prey size at this point. As you know I feed my snakes a little on the heavier side but nothing extreme. For contrast, my 2017 male BI and 2018 female BCO have been on large rats since late last year. I feed them every 3-4 weeks. I don’t normally weigh my snakes but I just put the BI on the scale and he’s 2733g. He did have a chick for a snack a week ago so he’s not totally empty.

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_Albert Clark_ (07-14-2022),_dakski_ (06-28-2022),_Homebody_ (06-29-2022)

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## dakski

Thanks for the comments. Behira is moving up to large rats this week!

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_Albert Clark_ (07-14-2022)

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## dakski

Behira ate her first large rat tonight. 

I had to postpone feeding a week because of Alpha, my dog who was very sick. 

From now on, I'll plan to feed every 3 weeks and a large rat.

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_Albert Clark_ (07-14-2022),_Homebody_ (07-11-2022),_richardhind1972_ (07-11-2022)

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## dakski

Behira looks unfazed by her large rat the other day. She's getting big. Katie held her for the first time in a long time today. Was amazed at how thick and heavy she was. My mom held her the other day too. She was sitting down and was a little overwhelmed by her size. She's nervous about her getting bigger, but I reminded her she's a sweetie and that she's the same Behira that was 400G when we got her. We will see. I hope she keeps interacting with her, it's good for both of them.

----------

_Albert Clark_ (07-14-2022),*Bogertophis* (07-13-2022),_EL-Ziggy_ (07-24-2022),_Homebody_ (07-13-2022),_Kam_ (07-26-2022),_richardhind1972_ (07-14-2022)

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## dakski

My mother came up today and held Behira again. This time standing up and in the middle of the reptile area. This way, Behira could climb on her, but was not trying to get in cabinets and around chairs, etc. It went better.

----------

*Bogertophis* (07-15-2022),_EL-Ziggy_ (07-24-2022),Gio (07-26-2022),_Homebody_ (07-16-2022),_Kam_ (07-26-2022)

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## dakski

I cleaned Behira's tank today and got some good shots of her. She's doing great. 

For reference, that's a 6X2X1' Boaphile she is in. That side (water bowl to the left is 3X2'). She's getting big. Weighed in dry today at 2,580G. A peak weight for her.

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_EL-Ziggy_ (07-24-2022),_Homebody_ (07-24-2022),_Kam_ (07-26-2022),_richardhind1972_ (07-27-2022)

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## Bogertophis

She's looking good- what a sweet face she's got.

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_dakski_ (07-24-2022)

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## EL-Ziggy

Behira is looking awesome and growing beautifully Dave! I see she had no problems moving up to large rats. Good for her!!

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_dakski_ (07-24-2022)

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## Kam

She is beautiful.

S/N:

Mom is beautiful as well!

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_dakski_ (07-26-2022)

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## dakski

> She's looking good- what a sweet face she's got.





> Behira is looking awesome and growing beautifully Dave! I see she had no problems moving up to large rats. Good for her!!





> She is beautiful.
> 
> S/N:
> 
> Mom is beautiful as well!


Thank you! Behira is doing great. I am glad I moved up to Large Rats. Although, she was a little disappointed Sunday night when Jeff got his small rat and she has to wait until next week. 

Kam - my mother appreciates the comments. She's still a little nervous with the size Behira is now and will be, but she's coping well.

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_Kam_ (08-02-2022)

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## dakski

Katie offered to hold Behira today while I cleaned her water. 

My two ladies!

----------

*Bogertophis* (07-30-2022),_EL-Ziggy_ (07-30-2022),_Homebody_ (07-30-2022),_Kam_ (08-02-2022),_richardhind1972_ (08-17-2022)

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## Kam

Katie is looking stunning as well. Beautiful lady holding a beautiful boa.

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_dakski_ (08-02-2022)

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## dakski

Behira got her second large rat tonight. She's never struck so hard. It felt like the recoil on a .40 caliber. I wasn't expecting it. She was facing towards the front of the tank and I was putting the rat in from the side. She didn't seem to see it and then BAM! She struck sideways, nailed it, and coiled. Katie was 20 feet away in the other part of the room and couldn't see what was happening. She thought Behira had fallen out of the tank striking at the rat the BAM was so loud.

----------

*Bogertophis* (08-02-2022),_Kam_ (08-09-2022),_richardhind1972_ (08-17-2022)

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## Bogertophis

:ROFL: A 40 caliber BCI-!   :ROFL:  They do know how to punch, don't they?

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_dakski_ (08-02-2022)

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## dakski

Behira was still in food mode today when I went to take her out. Nothing a few strokes with the hook handle didn't solve, but she was ready for another rat! She also hit the door when walked up to the tank. She's learned to look through the top of the drape. I made the mistake of feeding Frank (BTS) in the tank above prior to taking her out. Wishful thinking Behira. 

In any event, once out, as always, a total sweetie. She's getting bigger and stronger, but I continue to trust her and it seems vice versa. 

I got a picture if her mostly stretched out. That's two 3X2X1' Boaphile's joined. She's about 6 feet now, maybe a tiny bit less.

----------

*Bogertophis* (08-04-2022),_Homebody_ (08-05-2022),_Kam_ (08-17-2022)

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## dakski

My sister Ally came to visit. She's a big fan of the snakes.

----------

*Bogertophis* (08-12-2022),_EL-Ziggy_ (08-12-2022),_Homebody_ (08-12-2022),_Kam_ (08-17-2022),_richardhind1972_ (08-17-2022)

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## Bogertophis

Looks like she's got them all mastered!   :Cool:

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_dakski_ (08-12-2022)

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## dakski

Here are some shots of Behira from today. She is 2,630G dry now. She's averaging 60-70G of weight gain per large rat it seems. She was holding steady at about 2,500G prior to switching to large rats. She's had two and is due for another this weekend.

----------

*Bogertophis* (08-17-2022),_Homebody_ (08-17-2022),_Kam_ (08-17-2022),_richardhind1972_ (08-17-2022)

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## Bogertophis

I like how she's using the ottoman too- :ROFL:

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_dakski_ (08-17-2022)

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## richardhind1972

Behira looking fantastic 

Sent from my SM-S908B using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (08-17-2022)

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## Kam

Behira, is looking stunning as always!

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_dakski_ (08-17-2022)

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## dakski

Behira got a large rat tonight, her third in total since she switched to large rats. I got a good picture of her coiling the rat and of Jeff and Feliz (in the same stack) coiling their small and medium rats, respectively.

----------

_Homebody_ (08-25-2022),_richardhind1972_ (09-14-2022)

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## Bogertophis

I just love the enthusiasm of a BCI.   :Very Happy:

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## dakski

> I just love the enthusiasm of a BCI.


LOL. Yeah, that's one way to put it. Another is BE CAREFUL! Boas love their food! At Behira's size, and the size she will get, feeding is not for the faint of heart or those who aren't cautious. She strikes soooooo hard! Yafe, in comparison grabs the rat off the tongues. The Boas hit like a freight train! Every time, like clockwork, BAM!

----------

_Homebody_ (08-25-2022),_richardhind1972_ (09-14-2022)

----------


## Bogertophis

> LOL. Yeah, that's one way to put it. Another is BE CAREFUL! Boas love their food! At Behira's size, and the size she will get, feeding is not for the faint of heart or those who aren't cautious. She strikes soooooo hard! Yafe, in comparison grabs the rat off the tongues. The Boas hit like a freight train! Every time, like clockwork, BAM!


I know- don't forget, I had a large BCI for many years.  FUN to feed!   :ROFL:  And I never had to beg her to eat or blow-dry her food, lol.

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_dakski_ (08-25-2022),_richardhind1972_ (09-14-2022)

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## dakski

> I know- don't forget, I had a large BCI for many years.  FUN to feed!   And I never had to beg her to eat or blow-dry her food, lol.


LOL! Yeah, the corn snakes and the boas could care less about warming it up in hot water or blow drying it. I can barely get in the darn tank before they are on it. They would probably go after it frozen (of course I would never do that). 

Shayna (BP) and Yafe (CP) are pretty good about a quick warm and then they are on it pretty quick too. However, can't beat a defrost, offer, and BAM! I will say that the boas seem to wrap/coil forever though. I feed them first and everyone else is usually finished before they uncoil!

I want to tell them, "Um, it's already dead guys." However, if i had that ability, to speak to reptiles, I would probably tell the boas to chill and let me get the food in the tank before they go after it! My heart would probably last longer!

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_Homebody_ (08-25-2022),_richardhind1972_ (09-14-2022)

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## Bogertophis

> LOL! Yeah, the corn snakes and the boas could care less about warming it up in hot water or blow drying it. I can barely get in the darn tank before they are on it. They would probably go after it frozen (of course I would never do that). 
> 
> Shayna (BP) and Yafe (CP) are pretty good about a quick warm and then they are on it pretty quick too. However, can't beat a defrost, offer, and BAM! I will say that the boas seem to wrap/coil forever though. I feed them first and everyone else is usually finished before they uncoil!
> 
> I want to tell them, "Um, it's already dead guys." However, if i had that ability, to speak to reptiles, I would probably tell the boas to chill and let me get the food in the tank before they go after it! My heart would probably last longer!


I agree about boas being slower to feed- that's even true of my rosy boa- her motto seems to be "can't be too careful"?  My spotted python & all my rat snakes love to streak after & grab their food too- they keep my reflexes in shape, hahaha.

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_Homebody_ (08-25-2022),_richardhind1972_ (09-14-2022)

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## dakski

Behira shed last night. I got some good pics of her and her and me today. 

She gets another large rat next weekend. She's doing great on those and looks happy and healthy. I saw someone's hypo BI female the other day. 5 years old +/- and 2X Behira's weight, but not much longer. She has been on rabbits for a while, and often. To each her own, but I like the way Behira has grown and continues to grow; slow and steady. At no point has she been starved or even fasted, but she's consistently been fed an appropriate sized meal every 2-3 weeks once on rats. 

I am always open to criticism, and have heard different approaches, but have yet to hear someone say that slow(er) growing hurts BI's or affects longevity. I've heard the opposite, but nothing to support what I am doing is harmful. 

Anyway, I ranted here, but when in doubt, with BI's at least, I believe in slower growing and not trying to get to breeding size or "show off to your friends," size too quickly.

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*Bogertophis* (09-09-2022),_EL-Ziggy_ (09-11-2022),_Homebody_ (09-09-2022),_Kam_ (09-17-2022),_richardhind1972_ (09-14-2022),Wanik4 (09-13-2022),_WrongPython_ (09-22-2022)

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## dakski

Behira left me a huge present this morning. She weighs in dry at 2,740G now. She's hitting a growth spurt on the large rats.

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_Homebody_ (09-10-2022)

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## Bogertophis

> Behira left me a huge present this morning. She weighs in dry at 2,740G now. She's hitting a growth spurt on the large rats.


Proud Papa!   :ROFL:

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_dakski_ (09-10-2022)

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## richardhind1972

Behira is looking awsome dave

Sent from my SM-S908B using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (09-14-2022)

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## dakski

2,800G dry now. Definitely having a growth spurt. 

Behira is looking great, and so is my mom, one of my favorite snake models.

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*Bogertophis* (10-06-2022),_Homebody_ (09-26-2022)

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## dakski

Behira loves her large rats. She's having a good growth spurt and has adjusted to eating every 3 weeks vs. every 2.

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*Bogertophis* (10-06-2022),Gio (10-07-2022),_Homebody_ (10-06-2022)

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## Bogertophis

> ...
> 
> Behira is looking great, and so is my mom, one of my favorite snake models...



Mine too!   :Good Job:   LOVE this shot!  Your mom's a natural-  :Cool:   If you didn't know different, one would think this was her very own snake.

I think your mom has a great future in modeling snakes!   :Very Happy:

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_dakski_ (10-06-2022),_Kam_ (12-20-2022)

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## dakski

Thank you, Boger! My mother appreciates the comments. You would never know she used to petrified of snakes!

She loves them now and is both a great model and a great snake grandma.

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*Bogertophis* (10-06-2022)

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## Bogertophis

> Thank you, Boger! My mother appreciates the comments. You would never know she used to petrified of snakes!
> 
> She loves them now and is both a great model and a great snake grandma.


No, no one would ever think she was once afraid of snakes.  Your mom is so totally cool!   :Cool:

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_dakski_ (10-06-2022)

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## dakski

Behira on the couch. She's really getting big and strong. Still more to go too! Good thing she's so sweet and calm.

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*Bogertophis* (10-08-2022),Gio (10-08-2022),_Homebody_ (10-07-2022),_Kam_ (12-20-2022),_WrongPython_ (10-08-2022)

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## dakski

Behira looks bigger every time I take her out now. She ate earlier in the week, so I didn't weigh her, but best guess is a solid 3kg now. 

I just put her adult hides in her tank and she seems to like them. Good thing she's in a 6X2', they take up a lot of room.

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*Bogertophis* (11-27-2022),_CloudtheBoa_ (11-28-2022),_Homebody_ (11-27-2022),_Kam_ (12-20-2022),_richardhind1972_ (12-01-2022)

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## CloudtheBoa

She is looking absolutely gorgeous!  Man, she's keeping her appearance spectacularly with her age and size!  Love the pic of her tail hanging, that is one stumpy female tail. lmao

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_dakski_ (11-28-2022)

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## dakski

> She is looking absolutely gorgeous!  Man, she's keeping her appearance spectacularly with her age and size!  Love the pic of her tail hanging, that is one stumpy female tail. lmao


Thank you. I thought I had replied to this. I really think she's doing great. Tail is definitely getting stumpy! The large rats pushed her growth into overdrive. She's gained about 500G in the past 6 months. 

IN THE REPTILE AREA, WEIGHING IN AT 3KG, IT'S BEHIRA!

​

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*Bogertophis* (12-08-2022),_Homebody_ (12-08-2022),_Kam_ (12-20-2022)

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## dakski

Here's Behira getting back in her tank after I cleaned up some urine and urate. 

She was in an interesting mood today. Kind of grumpy. Didn't want to come out, was kind of jumpy and not her chill self, and huffed when I went to pick her up to put her back in her tank. 

Temps have been getting cold here in CT and we had snow the other day. Maybe she's sensing it? Usually my BP, Shayna is barometer of winter weather as she goes off food many winters. Of course, she ate like a champ tonight, so who knows. 

Everyone is entitled to a bad day, and if that's as bad as she gets, I am a happy camper. 

She happily ate a large rat tonight, so maybe just a little hungry too.

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*Bogertophis* (12-14-2022),_Homebody_ (12-15-2022),_Kam_ (12-20-2022)

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## dakski

My sister Ally is visiting for the holidays. She's sleeping in the downstairs/finished basement where the reptile area is. Well, Behira and Yafe left her some nice waste and smells to go with it to welcome her back to our house. Needless to say, some quick cleanup was necessary. 

Ally held them while I cleaned. She was shocked at how much bigger Behira is. She's a good 3kg now and was about 2.5kg last time Ally was here (about 5 months ago). She's growing like a weed on the large rats. 

Here are a few pics of Ally with Behira. I'll get more in the coming days (with the rest of the crew as well).

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*Bogertophis* (12-18-2022),_CloudtheBoa_ (12-22-2022),_Homebody_ (12-18-2022),_Kam_ (12-20-2022)

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## Bogertophis

I see you come from a family of "models"- :Cool:   Ally looks very comfortable with the snakes.

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_CloudtheBoa_ (12-22-2022),_dakski_ (12-18-2022)

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## Bogertophis

That sounds like something my snakes would do- take a big dump just in time for the company.

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_CloudtheBoa_ (12-22-2022),_dakski_ (12-18-2022)

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## Kam

Behira is looking gorgeous per usual. I have to second the fact that you come from a family of models.

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_dakski_ (12-20-2022)

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## dakski

More of Ally and Behira.

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*Bogertophis* (12-25-2022),_CloudtheBoa_ (12-30-2022),_Homebody_ (12-25-2022),_Kam_ (12-25-2022)

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## Kam

The dynamic beautiful duo. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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_dakski_ (12-25-2022)

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## CloudtheBoa

> More of Ally and Behira.


Big beautiful Behira, and Ally does a great job as a model!  The focus is equal between the two of them.

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_dakski_ (12-30-2022)

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