Progression of Muriel the Albino Paradox

When my ball python was eating he was exactly like that. When he smelled food, he'd prowl his tub and if I walked up to it he'd strike at me. But now he's throwing a tantrum because I want to switch him back to rats. He won't even take a mouse now.

And yeah, boa constrictors are active as babies, but once they gain some size they usual become very lazy. My BCI rarely leaves his hides unless it's to switch hides or get a drink. He doesn't explore really anymore, and he even eats in his hide. He used to poke his head out to look at me whenever he felt me walking near, and used to explore his enclosure up and down.


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Originally Posted by CloudtheBoa

When my ball python was eating he was exactly like that. When he smelled food, he'd prowl his tub and if I walked up to it he'd strike at me. But now he's throwing a tantrum because I want to switch him back to rats. He won't even take a mouse now.

And yeah, boa constrictors are active as babies, but once they gain some size they usual become very lazy. My BCI rarely leaves his hides unless it's to switch hides or get a drink. He doesn't explore really anymore, and he even eats in his hide. He used to poke his head out to look at me whenever he felt me walking near, and used to explore his enclosure up and down.


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I've had my boa since she was 3 weeks old. If I ever saw her out and about, it meant I have snake poop to clean up. But yeah, she's pretty much as you describe your's. Was never active.

The specific ball python I was referring to is my male pastel. He goes far beyond prowling. He chases after the rat (or me for that matter) as if he were some sort of colubrid. So much for ambush predators. :rolleyes:
He also obliterates his enclosure in a ferocious fit of rage when he's randy, and likes to sidewind across the room when out but I don't want to hijack this thread any further. lol He is nothing like the other BPs I already have.

That sounds like a wild experience, Bluebonnet! Admittedly I do get a little nervous when feeding my ball python (whose name is Cinna, I forgot to mention). He seems so strike-happy that I'm afraid one of these days he's going to get my hand instead of the rat. I change out his water before bed and since that's around the time he's resting mostly outside his hide, it's really hard not to flinch because he does get really interested when he sees my hand reaching down for his dish. He'll get me, one of these days.. I just know it. She is really active! I hope it stays that way for a while because it's sooo entertaining, whereas I barely see Cinna at all.

As for the T8... I've been thinking long and hard about what I should do. I don't want to give up Cinna, he's my little scarface (he has a scar on the top of his head. I have no idea how he got it, but it's been there through a few shed cycles so I'm assuming it's permanent). I have no problem stacking two T8's, in fact I'd really like to give it a go, but I'm just worried about the cost of all of it. Right now I still have to buy an RHP to heat Muriel's cage and a proper thermostat (I'm thinking either a Vivarium Electronics VE-100 or a Herpstat 1) to regulate it. Then I'd have to make the purchase all over again for Cinna and at the moment I just don't have the funds. I guess I'll just have to improve his glass terrarium in the meantime.

Or I could put Cinna in the T8 first and get another one when she outgrows her 10 gallon, but I'm worried about how fast she could grow. I think she's about a foot and a half right now, which isn't so bad and she could probably stay in there for another few months. Her temps and humidity are actually spot on in such a small terrarium whereas Cinna's temps and humidity are not, so I'd like to move him into a different enclosure or fix up the one he's in now asap.

Well first off, I would buy a Herpstat over a VE any days. Much better bang for the buck as all the Herpstats from 1-4 are dimming style as well as the 1 and 2 are proportional as well. VE only has 1 model that is dimming, the VE 200D. As for the difference, dimming style is basically a controlled lamp dimmer so power is ramped up and down. Proportional is basically cycling power on/off really fast. That is why you can't use proportional with lamps, it would give a strobe effect. On a RHP, it would work but the Herpstat just offers so much more. Also I would probably just save the cash and get a Herpstat 2 so you can run both cages off 1 T-stat. It will be cheaper. I use a Herpstat 1 and Herpstat 2 and got a Hydrofarm as a backup.

As for caging, I would get the biggest snake a new cage first and since it sounds like Cinna's set up is all wacky, I would probably get her squared away first. Boas are slow growers and if worse came to worse, you could always pick up a 20 or 40 gallon on a Petco dollar a gallon tank sale. A 40 gallon would last Muriel until she was about 4-5' which would be a couple years. As an example, I got Vicky who is almost 3' in a 40 gallon now and she is happy as a clam. I did build "pvc monkey bars" for the cool side of her cage so she has some height to climb up which adds more space to the cage as now im using the height as well. And its cheap. To build Dottie and Vicky both pvc climbing bars cost about $15 for everything.

As for getting bit, I'm pretty sure you will lol. I've been bit by everyone except Dottie and that was just luck on my part. Even Vicky tagged me when she missed her mouse and got my finger. It really doesn't hurt and is over with pretty much before you even know it. Now that's for small snakes. I wouldn't enjoy getting tagged by Rosey as she is 6' and she is pretty brutal on eating, she slams her medium rats. Vicky is more of a polite eater or maybe it seems that way cause she is only half the size of Rosey lol. I'm actually surprised your BP even comes out. Dottie only comes out for food, poop, water or to move to a different hide. Otherwise I pretty much never see her except when I take her out or its the 5th or 6th day after food, then she comes out at night and patrols. My boas though are always out. Both of them either hang out half curled up on the cool side just relaxing or inside their warm hides with their head and neck stretched out the doorway. The only times I see either boa go completely inside a hide is when they are sleeping I'm assuming. Now both the boas will lift their heads or turn their heads and check out my hands when I reach in to grab their water bowls but after a couple flicks of their tongue, they just lay back down. I also will sometimes pet them on the head which mellows them out. But both the boas also get a lot of outside time on me so they are used to being handled a lot.

I'm definitely looking for a dimmer model. Glad you said that, Sauzo. I probably should have looked a little deeper into the VE- Now I see where it says it's an on/off type thermostat. The prices on the Herpstat models are a little better, too. I'd like to get one thermostat with two outlets so I can regulate two temps at once, but wouldn't that just be setting the thermostat to one temperature for both cages? Or can it control two different temps? Guess I should be doing my research.

Oh, I imagine it won't be too painful. I think it's just the split second of fear and shock I'm worried about, haha. I just don't want to end up dropping his dish and smashing him if he decides to get me while I'm changing his water. He doesn't really.. come out of his hide, he sits with his head and part of his body sticking out. Kind of reminds me of an old man hanging out on his porch, watching the world go by. Sometimes he'll venture out a little further for a drink, or he'll change hides, but I never see him in the daytime. At least Muriel hangs out where I can see her; she's never in her hide.

I am curious though, how often do boas shed? It's been almost two months since I got her and I haven't seen any sign of an approaching shed, although maybe it's hard to tell.

I have a Herpstat 2. It can control two of the same heat source (two heat pad/heat tapes, two bulbs, two RHPs, not like an RHP and a heat mat). It can control the heat sources at two different temps, yes.

How often they shed depends on growth rate. Boa constrictors grow the most during their second year, so you may not notice as much growth or shedding yet. I'd say 1-3 months is normal. Most of my animals shed within those time periods.


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The Herpstat 2 has 2 separate temp probes and outlets. On the display you will see 2 lines of display too, one for the left outlet and probe and one for the right outlet and probe. Its basically just 2 Herpstat ones in 1 box. As for shedding, Muriel will probably shed pretty soon. My snakes as babies shed about once a month. They go through growth spurts where they will shed pretty fast, then slow down and shed maybe every 2-3 months. I wouldn't worry about although on albinos and sunglows or any white snake, it can be hard to tell. I can only tell when Dottie is going into shed when she is in the deepest blue and that's because of her eyes. Vicky I cant even tell when she is going into shed except her red gets dull and doesn't pop.

Currently I am vacationing with my family on the tropical island of Kaua'i, but my roommate back home found that Muriel had had a perfect shed sometime this morning. Wish I could have seen it myself, but I'm sure I'll catch the next one. She is literally growing before my eyes.

Soon as I get back, I'll be getting a Herpstat 2 and an RHP to finally finish putting together one of the cages.

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That's great! You should feel good while you are away knowing that things are running smoothly back home. :snake:

That's right! I think I feel pretty comfortable knowing my snakes are in good hands. If they allowed snakes in Kaua'i I think I would have liked to live here for a year or two.

I ordered an 80w RHP and a Herpstat 2 redline (it was on sale) for this new cage, but I still can't decide who it's going to house. I added a divider for Muriel to add more space to the cage as she grows, but now I think it makes more sense to put my ball python in it as he needs it a bit more than she does right now. And something you brought up earlier, Sauzo, was that it would be tricky getting her out of a narrow T8 sized cage the bigger she gets. I think it would be nice for her to have more climbing room. She really loves to climb. I've been eyeballing some of the other cage sizes and I think maybe a T10 or T11 might work better for her. I'd like to get the T10 sometime in the future but I wonder if a 3" difference is worth it or if I should invest in a T11 or even the T12 instead.

Cmon, it's been a couple weeks.... we need more pictures!

My apologies, madelion. I've been meaning to build Muriel's T8 enclosure and share pictures with you all, but that's been delayed for now. There was a death in my immediate family that none of us expected, so I've been at my mom's house and my snakes are under my roommate's care for now.

I'll see if I'm able to snap a couple pics when I get back. She's growing fast.

So sorry to hear that you and your family have suffered a great loss.

By all means, a new enclosure and dealing with the passing is more important. I'm sorry to hear that happened. Besides, there are plenty of other pretty lil snakes to check out in the meantime.

Well, it's been a roller coaster ride of emotions and changes in my life and Muriel's been along for the ride. Finally I can say we're settled in somewhere after a brief period of uncertainty- turns out I'll have to give up my apartment in October. I'm also unable to care for my ball python any longer, as my mother isn't fond of two snakes boarding at her place and my roommate can only care for him for so long. Trying to find him a new home in the next week or two.

I set up Muriel's PVC cage last week and had it sitting at my mom's to get the temperatures right. Today was move-in day. After a rather bumpy drive into the country, I was able to settle her in comfortably. I've given her free reign of the entire enclosure (the RHP was making it difficult to add the divider) and she's been exploring every wood chip and branch for several hours now. At one point I went downstairs to find she had escaped, but it turns out she had only wedged herself between the slight gap between the plastic and the glass doors. She's a goof, even at four months old.



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Nice set up. I'm moving to KY and starting my new life. I can't wait to start my hobby again.

Muriel is now five months old. She's ever so slowly getting bigger and her black spots are a lot more defined now. She's still as goofy and as sociable as ever, too. My family is fascinated by her; I'm very lucky that's how they feel about a snake in the house, haha. The other day I let her slide around the great big coffee table in the living room and snapped a few pictures.


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This is so adorable. She's either Good for pictures or you're Very patient