Dumeril Question

We were at Brookfield Zoo today and their Dum (Feathers and Scales building) looked rather flat and squashy. I assume Dumeril's are supposed to have a nice square body shape like other boas? Or do they . . . squish down when they're relaxed?

I noticed the same things about the dumerils at St. Louis zoo last I was there. I've never worked with the species personally so I don't know what an adults body shape should look like. I would assume less squash than what you and I observed


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They're supposed to be square and muscular... I wonder why it's squashed.

Maybe the dums were a bit dehydrated?

My SWAG is over-fed rather than dehydrated. I saw clean water available in almost every enclosure (and I probably just didn't notice the exceptions), and many had signs of misting.


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Were they moving or just laying around chilling? When mine move they square up, but if they've been laying relaxed for a while I suppose they could look a bit flattened out.

A lot of the larger constrictors will flatten out. Even the most rectangular of the boas, which is probably the Suriname BCC will do this.

There is reasoning behind it. Not many folks realize snakes are able to regulate their temperatures by subtly raising and lowering their bodies. The amount body mass that touches a surface may absorb more heat, or may help cool them down.

There is a much more distinct look to dehydration and an overfed snake has other characteristics making it easy to spot.

I guess without seeing it in person it is hard to say.

A Dumerils boa will not have nearly the loaf shape of a boa constrictor

Yep, the Dumeril and most of the other snakes were just laying around. Thanks Gio and bcr, that makes sense - I hadn't noticed it much in my pythons (but wasn't looking for it, either, probably will now), and my husband's BCI loves to lurk in his artificial log, so I almost always see him squared up.


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