Behira - 2016 Female Ivory Ghost - First BCI

Behira looked particularly good the other day when I took her out. Really light. Thought I would post pics.

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She looks great, & btw, it's true (I know-) blondes have more fun! :cool:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

She looks great, & btw, it's true (I know-) blondes have more fun! :cool:

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LOL. I know, Katie says the same thing :).

Good to see your boas healthy and thriving.

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Originally Posted by Gio

Good to see your boas healthy and thriving.

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Thank you, Gio.

Feliz is doing well also. I need to get some pics of him soon. Been very busy lately.

Beautiful Behira!


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Behira looking great Dave

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A few more of Behira. Notice she's in her darker phase and her head is very dark.

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Behira is coming out of blue and will shed soon. I skipped her feeding tonight.

However, I did take her out today because her light on the cool side needed to be changed. The fluorescent bulb burned out.

She was fine when I touched her with the hook and even with my hand. However, when I went to pick her up, HIIISSSSSSSSSSSS!

What a bluffer. I picked her up, put her in her holding container, changed the light, and put her back with no issues.

The bigger she gets though the more she's testing my resolve :). Seriously though, she showed not other signs of defensiveness. She didn't go into "S" position/strike mode, and didn't really tense up. It was more of a, "really Dad? Don't you know I am shedding soon and this isn't comfortable!"

Bluffing or not, the hiss of a good-sized boa really gets your attention. :D I remember when the BCI I used to have would do that every once in a great while- she sounded so evil, but never even tried to bite- I'd just pet her coils for a minute or so, then she was fine to pick up & cuddle. It was like she temporarily "forgot" she knew me, & the touch reminded her that indeed she did, & that I was nothing to fear. It did catch me off-guard a little though, because she wasn't even in shed when she did that- at least, nothing obvious. It was more like a rare "mood". :snake: But who wants a snake without quirks anyway?

Behira shed today. That's 44 days between sheds. The same as last cycle.

She looks beautiful but I haven't taken her out and to take pics yet. I will soon.

Again, well out of the danger zone for sheds and I'll take 44 days as a positive.

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Originally Posted by dakski

Behira shed today. That's 44 days between sheds. The same as last cycle.

She looks beautiful but I haven't taken her out and to take pics yet. I will soon.

Again, well out of the danger zone for sheds and I'll take 44 days as a positive.

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That's great news dave

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Originally Posted by richardhind1972

That's great news dave

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Thanks Rich!

Yeah, the trend is definitely positive. I am now seeing the reverse of how it started about a year ago. Originally is was something like 97 days between sheds, then 90, then 40, then 18. Now the distance is gaining between sheds instead of dropping and I'll take that for my girl.

Hope everything is going well with your crew as well! I know you have some awesome newer additions.

As promised here are some pics of Behira post shed.

I think she was hoping for some food tonight, but I am feeding everyone next Sunday so she will have to wait. Regardless, a stroke with the hook and she was happy to come out and play. Such a sweet girl.

A got a few with me holding her and a few with the iPhone looking down the tank with her in it. The tank is 6X2X1'.

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Aww, "Daddy's little girl"! ;)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Aww, "Daddy's little girl"! ;)

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You know it. Love her! She was my first Boa and only female boa. She's very special to me.

Her personality doesn't hurt and her ability to have light and dark phases is pretty awesome too.

She is looking amazing!

Awesome. Love these pictures.


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My mom today with Behira.

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Both are beautiful.


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Originally Posted by Kam

Both are beautiful.


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I'll tell my mom you said that. It will make her year. I turned 41 this week and she is, well, older than that. Katie and I tell her how great she looks, but she doesn't seem to believe it.

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Originally Posted by dakski

I'll tell my mom you said that. It will make her year. I turned 41 this week and she is, well, older than that. Katie and I tell her how great she looks, but she doesn't seem to believe it.

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She does look great! You can tell her I said so too- :D

These medium rats don't look too big anymore in comparison to Behira.

I've grown her slow, and do not need her getting huge, but she's almost 5 (June this year) and about 2.2KG and 5 1/2 feet. I am fine with that as long as she's happy and healthy, which she seems to be.

Anyone have any thoughts on feeding larger prey? I do not plan to feed larger than a large rat (180-220G), if possible, due to fat content of bigger rats and difficulty getting small frozen rabbits consistently. I would be willing to feed rabbits if I had a reliable source, certainly as a supplement.

Right now she is getting a medium rat (100-130G +/-) every two weeks except in shed. On that note, her sheds are getting farther apart and she seems completely healthy otherwise.

If she's happy and healthy, again, I have no need to feed her larger meals to make her grow, or grow faster. I have nothing to prove and just want a happy and healthy snake.

However, if Boa peeps out there think I should be doing something different, I am open to suggestions and appreciate them. I have a text into Jeff Ronne with a recent picture of Behira and her measurements. I am sure he will have something to say about it as well and I will share what he says on here. Maybe I just need to remember to practice what I preach and that less is more?

Anyway, here she is after grabbing her dinner.

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For her size (length) I would think a medium rat is plenty big enough. Curious to see what breeders say though.

https://www.rodentpro.com/informatio...ertebrate-prey
Heres an interesting read on reptile feedings
Quail arnt bad alternative Mr dave for abit of variety

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The consensus is that she can definitely eat large rats (or similar size qual - per Rich), but that she doesn't need to.

Jeff Ronne agreed she looked very healthy and that large rats would make her grow "a lot," but I am not breeding her and she's healthy and growing on mediums. For now, I will stick to medium rats.

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Originally Posted by dakski

The consensus is that she can definitely eat large rats (or similar size qual - per Rich), but that she doesn't need to.

Jeff Ronne agreed she looked very healthy and that large rats would make her grow "a lot," but I am not breeding her and she's healthy and growing on mediums. For now, I will stick to medium rats.

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I sure would too [stick to mediums].

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Originally Posted by dakski

The consensus is that she can definitely eat large rats (or similar size qual - per Rich), but that she doesn't need to.

Jeff Ronne agreed she looked very healthy and that large rats would make her grow "a lot," but I am not breeding her and she's healthy and growing on mediums. For now, I will stick to medium rats.

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If its filling her fine then definitely stick to the same food dave.
As you say just because she can doesn't meen you have to, she looks really healthy so all good mate.

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Behira shed yesterday. That's 49 days since last shed, a 5 day jump (she shed at 44 days last time). Every shed is getting farther and farther from the last shed. She looks good and is doing great.

Tonight is feeding night and she and everyone else (snake wise) will get fed.

Notice she's in her darker phase (look at the dark on her head). Having said that, she can get darker. Love how she has the light and dark phases. Very cool.

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That's fantastic news her sheds are getting further apart, she's looking great dave

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Originally Posted by richardhind1972

That's fantastic news her sheds are getting further apart, she's looking great dave

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Thank you, Rich!

What a relief.

She is looking as beautiful as ever.


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My niece, Meghan, was over the other night. She hasn't been over in some time because of COVID - probably 6-7 months. She's 10 1/2 now and growing like a weed, but Behira is growing too. She spent some time with a few of the reptiles and we went to Reptile Trivia Night at the local reptile zoo (Riverside Reptiles in Enfield, CT). Both Meghan and Behira are looking great.

Meghan was a little hesitant with Behira at first, but came around pretty quick. Her size can be a little intimidating and I understand that. I was right there with her and encourage Meghan to be assertive, but gentle with her. She's good on the gentle, but we are working on the assertive part with her a bit. Same with Yafe (CP), who has gotten pretty big and is can be a quick compared to Behira. Regardless, Meghan did a great job and continues to love seeing and interacting with the reptiles.

Behira weighed in dry at about 2.3kg a day later. I have been feeding medium rats every 2 weeks for Behira for a bit and she seemed to have hit a plateau for a a little while weight wise. However, she seems to be hitting another spurt now. I'll keep everyone posted.

Below are pics are Meghan and Behira and a few of Behira alone.

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I like how Behira matches Meghan's shirt...(except that boas don't have fangs, lol).

Behira looking awsome dave.
Glad meghan was OK with behira's growth spurt

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Awwwwwwww


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Haven't posted in a while. As many of you know, a lot has been going on lately.

I wanted to post that Behira hasn't go into blue yet and hasn't shed in 50 days. This marks the longest in over a year that she hasn't shed, and again, she's not even in the shed cycle yet.

Things have been tough, but I wanted to share some good news on that front.

That’s such great news dave


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Behira's looking gorgeous as ever! Glad to see her trucking along same as ever, and helping ease the young ones in with snakes. :)

Behira is looking good! Really getting some size to her.

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Behira shed yesterday (7-4-21). That's a whopping 77 days since last shed. Her previous sheds were an average of 46 days apart. Huge jump for her. She's looking happy and healthy. She ate on 7-1-21, but still had a great shed. I don't worry too much with her in shed and knew she was about 3 days away and also not in blue anymore. She had only had one rat in the previous 9 weeks anyway due to my health issues and then the finished basement/reptile area flooding. I know a fast here and there won't hurt her, but want to get everyone back on track soon, Behira included. Unfortunately, there is a lot more that has to be done and redone in the basement now.

At least I feel better about her shedding issues and can knock that off my worry list.

I don't have pictures, but we also had some new friends over. One was so excited to the meet the reptiles, the other (her boyfriend) was indifferent, but excited to show them to his girlfriend (having met a few already), and the other was his (the boyfriends) sister. She was pretty skeptical, to say the least, especially about the snakes. When I took Behira out, and she saw her size, she freaked out a little and walked away. However, curiosity got her and after watching her brother's girlfriend handle Behira for a bit, couldn't believe how calm she was. She ended up touching her and then holding her tail, and then holding Behira!

She went on to hold Feliz, Solana, Yafe, and Figment as well.

Another convert thanks to Behira and the rest of the crew.

You, Katie, and your critters are all awesome ambassadors for our hobby Dave!

Amazing!!! So glad to hear it :)

So glad behira spreading her sheds out now Dave,
Fingers crossed they soon get your snake room sorted without too much disruption [emoji1696][emoji7][emoji7]

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Behira is getting some size to her now. Haven't weighed her in a while, but she's looking healthy and happy.

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Behira's looking awsome dave

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My niece, Meghan, came over and we went to Riverside Reptiles for a snake event. That was pretty cool, but I'll post more on that under that thread.

She also spent some time with Behira, Jeff, and Yafe.

Both Meghan and Behira are growing!

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Despite feeding less frequently due to basement disasters this summer, Behira is growing. She is now 2,330G dry versus about 2,180G at the end of March.

She's doing great despite all the disruptions this summer.

That's because she's got a great 'daddy' looking after her & all the others. ;) Hang in there, the disruptions won't be forever. It's just that kind of a year...:rolleyes:

Katie held Behira a bit yesterday. Please pardon the basement, which is hopefully getting put back together soon. We are still organizing after the sewage leak!

Behira is really getting some size to her now and even Katie will admit that Behira is incredibly calm and deliberate. You can tell from Katie's smile she's enjoying Behira as much as Behira is enjoying Katie!

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