New addition

[OokamiReyuu]

Hello all i haven't been here for a while but i finally got one of the snakes one my wishlist. I went to the reptile show in hamburg Pa and brought home this little beauty. (Note: this was on 2/23/13)

(Her on the way home)

(exploring her new home)



(Her being bad)

(slight bulge after eating)

Thats one thing i have to ask should she be on something bigger? Maybe a Rat pup? also i'm not sure if shes a B.C.c or a B.C.i i know her morph is pastel mixed with something i cannot remember for the life of me.

[Mrl249]

Awesome boa. Really like her pattern! I wouldn't handle her right after she ate if I were you though.Give her a day or two to digest. Wouldn't want a regurg happening :/

Usually we try to match how big the rat is around compared to the snakes girth.

[OokamiReyuu]

I handled her to put her back into her enclosure. I wasn't sure that she was gonna eat well since she was a live eater. She wouldn't strike at it at all and i made the rat dance flop etc. then my mom said tap her on the nose to make a defensive strike, that worked somewhat she just opened her mouth and took the mouse. she dropped it two times then i turned away for a second and she took the rat and swallowed and didnt even constrict. Shes gonna be the one i'll have to feed in a tub

[Daybreaker]

Cute boa! She's a BCI (Colombian)

I would definitely feed inside the tub/enclosure every 7 days, no sooner. Some of my boas will eat if I just leave the feeder in with them too (f/t).

[OokamiReyuu]

I use cypress mulch wouldnt there be a risk of her eating the mulch

[xFenrir]

I use cypress mulch wouldnt there be a risk of her eating the mulch

A little substrate won't hurt her, as long as it's not large chunks. If you're really worried, lay down some paper towels/blank newspaper over part/all the substrate then feed her on that.

[OokamiReyuu]

Ok. Like i said i know she has pastel in her but any idea of what else? I'm talking withe the guy who runs the show to get the breeders name

[Evenstar]

Cute boa! She's a BCI (Colombian)

I would definitely feed inside the tub/enclosure every 7 days, no sooner. Some of my boas will eat if I just leave the feeder in with them too (f/t).

A little substrate won't hurt her, as long as it's not large chunks. If you're really worried, lay down some paper towels/blank newspaper over part/all the substrate then feed her on that.

Feed her inside her enclosure. Boas are a bit more sensitive than Balls and will not do well with being moved every time you feed her. Plus, when she's 6+ feet, you're definitely NOT going to want your hands anywhere near her when she's in feed mode, lol.....

If she's hesitant to eat, leave the f/t rodent in with her and give her some privacy. Boas are usually garabage disposals and once they are comfortable, they'll eat (and don't tap her on the nose with the prey either - that will turn a snake off feeding faster than nearly anything else). The substrate won't hurt her. They don't get "clean" rodents in the wild. I would personally put her on paper towels though since she's brand new - you'll be able to see mites and any other problems much more quickly. But the cypress won't hurt her if she's fed on it.

As Daybreaker said, do not feed her more than every 7 days. And, again, boas are not Balls and, therefore, should not be fed like balls. Do not give her something too big. Smaller is better for boas. Feed her something that does not leave a noticable lump in her belly - the pic above showing that lump indicates too large a prey item, not too small. Judging by her size in your hand (and keeping in mind that I can't see her in person), I would feed her a hopper or weanling mouse, not a rat.

I don't mean to sound harsh. We only want you to have the best experience with your new snake that you can have! But boas really are different from balls and they need some different considerations.

Your snake is very pretty! She is definitley pastel. I like her markings. You will enjoy her - but keep in mind that boas are addictive. Bet you can't have just one!!

[OokamiReyuu]

The guy said the fuzzy rat would be the same size of the type of hopper they fed her.

Shes.in a glass tank so im worried about humidity with the paper towl thing

Also idk normally how expensive they are but I got her for under $100

[Evenstar]

Well, like I said, the cypress is fine. But since you got her from an expo, mites are a real possiblity - no offense to her breeder, but at expos, the snakes are exposes to all manner of things. It just goes with the territory. And it'll be very difficult to spot mites quickly if she's on cypress. You can solve the humidity problem by covering the screen top with wax paper, tin foil, or even a towel and misting a little every day. But the choice is up to you.

And do you mean that breeder said the fuzzy rat you bought her is the same size as the hopper mouse he was feeding?? I'm not sure I understood that part of your post. Either way: 1) Mice are healthier for baby boas than rats. Rats contain more fat and mice are easier for a boa's high metabolism and more sensitive system to handle. They switch very easily from mice to rats when they get older. All of my boas are kept on mice until they are able to eat adults. They are then switched to a comparitively sized rat (so they are usually over a year old at that time). 2) The prey size is still to large. You should not see a lump. Or there should only be a tiny lump. Boas can be prone to regurging and too large a prey item can cause that. Smaller is better. It is virtually impossible to underfeed a boa as long as they are getting something every 10 days or so.

Sounds like you got her for a good price. Normals would sell at an expo for around 40-60 depending on pattern, but since she is a pastel, that adds to her value. I don't know exactly what you paid, but under 100 is pretty good. Congrats again!