What is a normal weight for a juvenile/yearling hog island boa?

[Bethstang]

Hi,
I have a 10 month old male hog island boa and was wondering what a normal weight would be. I just acquired him about 3 weeks ago and I am having trouble getting him to eat, so I wanted to keep track of his weight to make sure he is not losing.

Thanks so much
Beth

[aldebono]

It is just going to depend on how much he was being fed before you got him along with his own personal rate of growth. He should not have a triangular appearance, but slightly rounded with no backbone visible.

How are you trying to feed him?

[ktint]

There weeks is a long time for baby hog island boa and hog Island boas are normally eating machine. Mine take food while on shed circle except on two blind days. How is your basic set up (temp/humidity/hides)? How often do you handle?

[Daybreaker]

I got my Hog girl last Tuesday and she weighed in at 180 grams and she's a May '11 baby.

I agree, it's a bit odd for any boa to not be a good eater. Could it have been on live for the previous owner and you're trying only F/T with it?

[Bethstang]

I have been working with the breeder I bought him from on this situation. He's been really helpful.
This is the setup: 30 gallon aquarium, 90 on the hot side 78-80 on the cool side, humidity is 55%-60%. I have not handled him since I got him 3 weeks ago. He was born May 2011. Has been eating F/T since July ( I believe)according to his chart that was sent with him by the breeder. He has not come out of his hide that I have observed. Last time he ate was 2/27/12, a F/T mouse, at the breeders, according to chart. I offered him a F/T mouse a week after I got him, not interested.......a week later not interested again. I have been in close contact with the breeder on this, sent him a pic to make sure he's not too thin, he said he looks good. I'm not going to lie, I'm still concerned about this. So I was going to start tracking his weight to make sure he's not losing. Any suggestions?

Angelica, I got my boa from the same guy you did. Super nice guy and has helped me tremendously with all my concerns and emailing him all the time with my worries.

[Daybreaker]

Angelica, I got my boa from the same guy you did. Super nice guy and has helped me tremendously with all my concerns and emailing him all the time with my worries.

Very cool, Chad is a good guy: maybe your Hog is a sibling of mine

I would monitor weights and keep offering once a week: also I would try putting him in a tub setup if you have him in a large tank. I believe that Chad houses his little ones in tubs in a rack setup and maybe your little one is feeling a little insecure in the wide open tank when it may be used to living in a tub. My girl is in a tub and ate no hesitation with me, and I have no doubts that she'll eat today.

If you consider a tub setup I can let you know how I have my girl's tub setup like.

[Bethstang]

Yes, that would be great if you could tell me what your setup is.

[Daybreaker]

I have my girl in a 28qt tub for her QT period (lid secured with binder clips but luggage straps would work too), a UTH (20 gallon sized) attached to one side with aluminum HVAC tape so it doesn't fall off the bottom of the tub (make sure the UTH is regulated so it doesn't warp or melt the tub plastic), two hides for her, one on the hot side the other on the cold (she uses them, but some boas don't like hides), a water bowl on her cold side, and some fake brush for her to hide in. Temps are measured with a temp gun and accurite thermometer. I also put a towel over her tub to make her tub more secure, but she still gets natural light from a nearby window.

When she's out of QT she'll be going into my established collection rack system until she's big enough to need an actual enclosure with RHPs.

[Bethstang]

What is RHP's?

[devildog_dk]

Radiant heat panels. They're one option for heat in larger vision style enclosures.