Behira - 2016 Female Ivory Ghost - First BCI

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.

That IS pretty rough to have such a strike at face level...:O 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".)

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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Looking good even in shed! Can't wait to see her fresh skin. :)

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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Behira outside. It was cloudy, so no direct sunlight, but she still looks good.

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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. :).

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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She's getting so big! Do you feel two water bowls helps add to the humidity levels??

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

She's getting so big! Do you feel two water bowls helps add to the humidity levels??

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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.

She’s looking good! Imo, the indirect sunlight compliments snakes’ colors a lot more than direct sunlight anyways. [emoji6] It can still be nice getting that sheen, but the indirect just brings out more character.


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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.

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

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Originally Posted by 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

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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.

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.

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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.


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Originally Posted by dakski

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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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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. ;) Relax...

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).

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SWEET! Cute kid and cute boa! :gj:

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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Originally Posted by 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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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 :). 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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Originally Posted by dakski

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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Amen! teaching the next generation is the best way we can help our scaly friends.

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.

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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She is looking awesome.


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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.

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.

That's great news dave

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Two pics of Behira post shed.

BTW - That chair is huge! She's a good 5 1/2 feet now.

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She's looking fantastic dave

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Actually, you're both looking well. ;) :gj:

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.


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Originally Posted by richardhind1972

She's looking fantastic dave

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Thank you, Rich.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Actually, you're both looking well. ;) :gj:

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Awwwww, shucks :P. 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::rofl:.

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Originally Posted by 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.


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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.

Behira is simply gorgeous.


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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.

https://vimeo.com/474462907

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.

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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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.

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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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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She's looking great dave
Has her shedding issues eased any?

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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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Originally Posted by richardhind1972

She's looking great dave
Has her shedding issues eased any?

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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.

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Originally Posted by 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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Yeah, she's only about 5 pounds. She has a ways to go. Such a docile girl though. No worries.

That's great news dave, let's hope she's turned that corner now [emoji106][emoji106]

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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.

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.

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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She's looking fantastic dave.
behira really thickening up, let's hope she's over this short shedding spell now[emoji1696][emoji1696][emoji1696]

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She is beautiful as always.


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Originally Posted by richardhind1972

She's looking fantastic dave.
behira really thickening up, let's hope she's over this short shedding spell now[emoji1696][emoji1696][emoji1696]

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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.

She looks amazing Dave!