Newborn Baby, Help, Please! (:

[Ohlacey]

Posted this on the RTB forums but I haven't gotten an answer... Any input is appreciated!

Well hey there, first of all, it's a pleasure to 'meet' you all. My name is G.R Lacey... I have 2.2 Ball Pythons, 0.1 BRB, 1.0 Red Blood Python and 1.0.1 RTBs. I have a unique situation on my hands that I could use some help with.
Today I came into possession of a baby boa from an accidental pairing. It's situation wasn't great and wasn't going to get much better and I didn't want to see it's health deteriorate, which it would if left in the conditions which stood. The baby is about a week and five days old and has not shed his/her silver coat.
I have him in a 16qt sterilite tub with damp paper towels. The temp is 80 with humidity around 90 at the moment. I've got a small tupperware that is big enough to soak and a smaller ceramic bowl at the other side.
I'm a little worried that the humidity is way too high, so I've been keeping an eye out and sliding the top off for periods of time. And what should the temp be? I have an available heating pad but I worry that it will be too much for the baby.
For the last few hours he's been pretty active... exploring and poking is head up at the top. I've got holes throughout the tub but I'm a little worried he's searching for better ventilation. If he's not poking around he's soaking. I imagine this isn't a bad thing, but I'd definitely like your input!
To sum up my questions...
What should my temp/humidity be right now?
Should I use a heating pad?
How soon can I expect the baby to shed?
Is active a bad thing?
When should I offer a hide?
Also... I'm pretty curious about his color. As I said, the breeding was accidental... Someone claimed their snake was a male, and upon being boarded at a shop it seems both 'males' were put together with no check. Needless to say, someone popped wrong at some point. Both were albino. There was het coral and sunglow somewhere in there, and I believe pastel dream. What do you think?


Thank you all so, so very much. I really appreciate your time and experience.

[dragonboy4578]

I keep my boa's the same way I keep my ball pythons. 80 degree cold side, and 90 degree hot spot. I keep the humidity the same as my ball pythons. I do use flexwatt. I also use hides just like I do with my ball pythons.

[Evenstar]

I keep my boa's the same way I keep my ball pythons. 80 degree cold side, and 90 degree hot spot. I keep the humidity the same as my ball pythons. I do use flexwatt. I also use hides just like I do with my ball pythons.

Agreed. I wouldn't freak out too much with him not shedding yet. Sometimes it takes a while. Also soaking is not the best idea at this point - that can actually remove the oils under the skin that help a snake shed. Slightly damp paper towels to keep the humidity about 75-80% is enough and it can drop to a more normal level after he does shed.

Take out the tupperware with water in it - he doesn't need to soak. Give him hides.

Activity is not a bad thing. Boas are naturally curious.

Do not use a human heating pad - they get way too hot. Pick up a good quality UTH if you don't want to use flexwatt. You can pick up an Ultratherm from www.reptilebasics.com. Make sure its on a thermostat!!!

Basically, you should have this baby set up as you would your other snakes. You've indicated you have 7-8 other snakes so do for him as you do for them.

If both parents were just albinos, then the baby is too. Coral is genetic, but not fully understood. More info on Coral albinos here. An albino can't be "het" for sunglow. A sunglow is a hypo albino. If the animal carries the hypo gene, it'll be expressed because hypo is dominant. It is possible your baby IS a sunglow, but it would not be HET for sunglow. It's hard to tell in the pics - it'll be easier to know after he sheds.

[JimiSnakes]

Pretty spectacular looking boa from an accidental breeding! As long as his/her yoke belly has gone down and the u-cord has fallen off without any unnecessary bleeding, he/she should be fine. Baby boas usually take anywhere from 10-20 days to shed their first shed. Change the towels daily and keep them extremely damp but not flooded until the shed happens. The first shed is usually a very ugly looking shed, so don't get alarmed when he/she gets all nasty looking in a few days to a week.

Best of luck,
Jimi

[Ohlacey]

Thanks guys! I do have a zoomed UTH under there but I'll have to hook up a new thermostat... my old one seems a little out of wack, so I've unplugged the whole set up until I get a new one. I'm swapping the tupperware for the ceramic bowl, which is sittining hot water with the little hide right now.

I think I'll purchase the flexwatt today, though I've never used it. I'm pretty good with my hands, and I'll be following step by step the actions on the ' DIY flexwatt ' threads here. @Dragon... I might shoot you a message about it if it's okay with you?

He had an attached yolk when he was born, and I looked it up and had him isolated in a small container that was pretty moist. It absorbed and the U chord fell away with no problems, much to my surprise. The people keeping the litter lost most of them, and this guy was the 'little one' of what was left.

Thanks for the reassurance on shed... I've been freaking out about it because I've never been in the position. Heh. Thanks as well for the input on color! I'll be sure to post pics of the ugly stage and the aftermath. (;

Another question... I've sexed young boas before in the manner that involves simply running your finger along their tail with a bit of pressure to feel for spurs in there. I haven't sexed this little one yet because I thought I should at least wait for the shed. Reasonable assumption?

Thanks again you guys! You answered a lot faster than the boa forums, and it means a whole lot to me! (:

[Jason Bowden]

Nice albino!
Keep the paper towels wet until it sheds. Keep us posted with some after shed pics.