Bye Bye Ball Hello Red Tail!

As the title states, I am trading my Ball Python for a Red Tail Boa... It's a bitter sweet feeling since I got so attached to my Ball Damien. I have always wanted a Red Tail Boa, I didn't think i'd actually get a reply to my ad. but i'm STOKED!:D:( I will definitely look into getting another ball in the future but this time a MORPH!

Congrats, but why did you get the ball in the first place?

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Originally Posted by SK_Exotics

Congrats, but why did you get the ball in the first place?

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I didn't want to start off with a HUGE snake and I already had a Corn Snake, he seemed perfect. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the little dude but can't keep both the Red Tail and him.

Congrats u can't go wrong with a boa I love all mine r u going to get a morph or no and look into hog island boas they are nice to congrats again

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

Thank you! I just got him and he is a Pastel Red Tail and is pretty much all I know... He is about 2 feet long or less, cute little guy. His name is Castro, pictures coming soon!

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Thank you! I just got him and he is a Pastel Red Tail and is pretty much all I know... He is about 2 feet long or less, cute little guy. His name is Castro, pictures coming soon!

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yea pastels rtb are awesome and the cool thing about boa imo is that they seem to attach to you alot more lol defiantly get some pictures up i want to see this guy.

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Originally Posted by tsshields

yea pastels rtb are awesome and the cool thing about boa imo is that they seem to attach to you alot more lol defiantly get some pictures up i want to see this guy.

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He is SO chill! He'll just hang out on my shoulders, I thought my Corn was chill... I will definitely be getting another Ball in the future though, as soon as we move into a larger place. I don't know how to upload pictures onto a macbook... :rolleyes:

He's so TINY, less than 2 feet long... :D
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...n/IMG_1844.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...n/IMG_1839.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...n/IMG_1842.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...n/IMG_1817.jpg

I used to own over sixty balls. Now I own one normal that I have had for over ten years. I traded and sold all of them off for boas. I love boas personalities and morphs. I own quite a few different morphs, and even some locality dwarf boas. Here are a few pics of some of mine:

Sabogae "Pearl Islands" boa:
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...0069/011-2.jpg

T+ Nic:
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...69/TposF1b.jpg

Sunglow:
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/Sunglowg.jpg

Ugh, sunglow...WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANT

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Originally Posted by pavlovk1025

Ugh, sunglow...WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANT

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I still have one, and my pair is breeding again this year. ;)

i think it's a good choice out of all my snakes my boa has to be my favorite always curious and ready to squirm around XD

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

I used to own over sixty balls. Now I own one normal that I have had for over ten years. I traded and sold all of them off for boas. I love boas personalities and morphs. I own quite a few different morphs, and even some locality dwarf boas. Here are a few pics of some of mine:

Sabogae "Pearl Islands" boa:
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...0069/011-2.jpg

T+ Nic:
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...69/TposF1b.jpg


Wow! BEAUTIFUL!! Love the Sunglow... Whould you happen to know what morph mine is, I was told Pastel but I have no idea. Lol! They really are very curious... Mine and my brother in laws always flick their tongue on my face. They will kind of just stay there for a bit, do lots of flicking, then move on to a different part of my body and do more flicking. It's so cute and it tickles... :P
Sunglow:
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/Sunglowg.jpg

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Wow! BEAUTIFUL!! Love the Sunglow... Whould you happen to know what morph mine is, I was told Pastel but I have no idea. Lol! They really are very curious... Mine and my brother in laws always flick their tongue on my face. They will kind of just stay there for a bit, do lots of flicking, then move on to a different part of my body and do more flicking. It's so cute and it tickles...

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Thanks. The sunglows are, in my opinion, one of the nicest looking boa morphs out there. I think yours is a pastel. It looks like a normal Colombian, except for the pinks down its sides. I do not own any pastels, so I do not have anything to compare it with. I bet it will darken somewhat, and get better looking with age.

That's pretty funny about the boas flicking their tongues at you. That is just their way of sensing you.

Yeah, I love it! It makes me giggle like a little girl. Lol! I got him about 3 days ago now and am having such a hard time leaving him alone for a week! I haven't touched him, he's been hiding out in his hide BUT ah! I just want to pull him out and have him hang out with me while I do dishes and stuff. :( Soon enough... 5 more days.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

I used to own over sixty balls. Now I own one normal that I have had for over ten years. I traded and sold all of them off for boas. I love boas personalities and morphs.

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Beautiful animals.

-Just curious-

What makes one get rid of 60+ Balls and make the move to boas? You obviously have/had a passion for balls owning 60+. Did you get bored with them as you said you love the Boas Personalities? I know there are a lot of boa morphs...but we all know the endless crosses surfacing with balls.

I can completely see trading one animal for another as the OP did...but to have an established collection...just curious why one decides to make such a big leap from one species to another...

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Yeah, I love it! It makes me giggle like a little girl. Lol! I got him about 3 days ago now and am having such a hard time leaving him alone for a week! I haven't touched him, he's been hiding out in his hide BUT ah! I just want to pull him out and have him hang out with me while I do dishes and stuff. :( Soon enough... 5 more days.

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If it were me, I would go ahead and get his out as long as he doesn't look stressed out. I normally can't wait to hold my new purchases, and do so after a couple of days.

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Originally Posted by Jerhart

Beautiful animals.

-Just curious-

What makes one get rid of 60+ Balls and make the move to boas? You obviously have/had a passion for balls owning 60+. Did you get bored with them as you said you love the Boas Personalities? I know there are a lot of boa morphs...but we all know the endless crosses surfacing with balls.

I can completely see trading one animal for another as the OP did...but to have an established collection...just curious why one decides to make such a big leap from one species to another...

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Honestly, all of mine fed live and there were no rat breeders in the area. We had one for a little while, but he moved out of state. I had to drive a three hour round trip to get rats. I tried many many times to get the balls to take f/t, but none of them would even consider it. I tricked one into taking a f/t once, but he or she didn't fall for it again. I started breeding rats, but I did not like it. I bred them for around a year-and-a-half. I was eventually spending more time with the rats than I was with the snakes. I just got tired of it. I do regret it sometimes, but I also love my boas, so I get over it. I have thought about adding a few balls lately, but only if they are strong eaters on f/t.

I had a couple of boas while I had the balls, and loved their personalities and morphs. I started getting more into them as I was deciding not to keep the balls, so decided to trade / sell them off for the boas. I now have a pretty diversified boa collection, and am happy with them. I do plan on adding a few other species to the collection in the future, such as Black-headed pythons and Angolan pythons.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

If it were me, I would go ahead and get his out as long as he doesn't look stressed out. I normally can't wait to hold my new purchases, and do so after a couple of days.

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Um, I actually gave in last night, lol! I pulled him out for a few minutes then decided i'd feed him since he just came out of shed. He struck at the mouse right away and caught me off guard, lol! It made me jump when he struck.:D I waited for him to finish eating then put him back in his warm hide. Now I have to leave him alone for another couple of days. Oh and I video taped it too... :P

It's a long video but at least you can see how pretty he is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITsjDq9OAr4

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Um, I actually gave in last night, lol! I pulled him out for a few minutes then decided i'd feed him since he just came out of shed. He struck at the mouse right away and caught me off guard, lol! It made me jump when he struck.:D I waited for him to finish eating then put him back in his warm hide. Now I have to leave him alone for another couple of days. Oh and I video taped it too... :P

It's a long video but at least you can see how pretty he is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITsjDq9OAr4

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Hmmm. I'm at work, so I will have to wait until I get home to watch... I'm like you. I can't wait to hold my new little ones. I normally hold them for a few minutes when I first get them in, and then give them a couple of days to settle in.

I was able to watch the video on my phone. He took it like a champ. I like the song in the background. It added to the effect. Why did you feed him out of his enclosure? I always feed mine in their enclosures. My reasoning is that I increase my chance of being bit while transferring them back to their enclosures after they have eaten, since they are still in "feed mode". Just something to consider.

By the way, he is a great looking boa. :gj: His pattern is very clean. I am normally not a big fan a speckled boas.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

I was able to watch the video on my phone. He took it like a champ. I like the song in the background. It added to the effect. Why did you feed him out of his enclosure? I always feed mine in their enclosures. My reasoning is that I increase my chance of being bit while transferring them back to their enclosures after they have eaten, since they are still in "feed mode". Just something to consider.

By the way, he is a great looking boa. :gj: His pattern is very clean. I am normally not a big fan a speckled boas.

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Thank you, he's my baby. Lol!

I don't know, honestly I have read to feed in a separate container since I started keeping snakes and is just what I have been doing since. I know there is lots of controversy but my MAIN reason is because I use repti-bark as substrate, don't want anything to be ingested by accident. I have my tongs that I usually use to tap them on their head to get them off of feeding mode (something I read) and has worked for me. I have been bitten once by my Ball but it was totally my fault...

Right now i'm trying to get either a Dumerils Boa or Brazilian Rainbow. :D

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Thank you, he's my baby. Lol!

I don't know, honestly I have read to feed in a separate container since I started keeping snakes and is just what I have been doing since. I know there is lots of controversy but my MAIN reason is because I use repti-bark as substrate, don't want anything to be ingested by accident. I have my tongs that I usually use to tap them on their head to get them off of feeding mode (something I read) and has worked for me. I have been bitten once by my Ball but it was totally my fault...

Right now i'm trying to get either a Dumerils Boa or Brazilian Rainbow. :D

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Do what works for you. I personally feed all mine in their own enclosures, but all mine are kept on newsprint, unprinted newspaper. If you do continue to feed out of the enclosure, watch out when he gets a little older. A bite from a adult would hurt, especially if it is a feeding response bite, because he may bite and coil...

I don't own any Dumerils or Rainbows, but they are both great looking snakes. I have considered getting some Rainbows, but I would probably get a few morphs to breed.

Another species that you could consider is a Woma python. Those are great looking, stay a manageable size, and normally have great dispositions.

nice pics =)

Awesome video Prettyinink87, also thats a very nice boa!

One thing for feeding. If you're worried about getting tagged putting the snake back in instead of tapping it on the head you could always try learn to use a hook and only use it after feeding.

I've got a friend that owns a hook specifically so he can move his boa right after she's eaten... I would to though after what she did to his arm.... 8 feet long and almost 15 lbs she left a very nasty bite on his arm... Just thought I'd share what I know other people have done, not criticising what you are doing now in any way. :P

@ Wh00h0069 - That's a stunning sunglow pic! How old is he/she? If you don't mind my asking. :P

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Originally Posted by cjt23

nice pics =)

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Thank you!

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Originally Posted by David802

Awesome video Prettyinink87, also thats a very nice boa!

One thing for feeding. If you're worried about getting tagged putting the snake back in instead of tapping it on the head you could always try learn to use a hook and only use it after feeding.

I've got a friend that owns a hook specifically so he can move his boa right after she's eaten... I would to though after what she did to his arm.... 8 feet long and almost 15 lbs she left a very nasty bite on his arm... Just thought I'd share what I know other people have done, not criticising what you are doing now in any way. :P

@ Wh00h0069 - That's a stunning sunglow pic! How old is he/she? If you don't mind my asking. :P

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Thank you! I might want to get a hook and try using it for that... Yes he's tiny right now and I wouldn't mind getting bit by him but when he's older I sure would not like it. Lol! It really is amazing how chill he is...

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Thank you! I might want to get a hook and try using it for that... Yes he's tiny right now and I wouldn't mind getting bit by him but when he's older I sure would not like it. Lol! It really is amazing how chill he is...

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I know what you mean. My new guy is only 10 weeks old.... He's so small I'm afraid to touch him unless he's out chilling on his log.

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Originally Posted by David802

@ Wh00h0069 - That's a stunning sunglow pic! How old is he/she? If you don't mind my asking. :P

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Thanks! He was born last May, and the pic was taken around January.

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Originally Posted by David802

I know what you mean. My new guy is only 10 weeks old.... He's so small I'm afraid to touch him unless he's out chilling on his log.

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Lol! Wow, he's that tiny? I don't know exactly how old Castro is but he's definitely small, i'd say less than 2 inches.

Oh and another question, do they tend to darken as they age? Well I have only had Castro for about 2 weeks and just 2 days ago I pulled him out and noticed that he turned a slightly darker grey. ??????

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Lol! Wow, he's that tiny? I don't know exactly how old Castro is but he's definitely small, i'd say less than 2 inches.

Oh and another question, do they tend to darken as they age? Well I have only had Castro for about 2 weeks and just 2 days ago I pulled him out and noticed that he turned a slightly darker grey. ??????

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Yes, they do darken as they age. Yours could be going into shed, which would explain the graying color.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

Yes, they do darken as they age. Yours could be going into shed, which would explain the graying color.

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Really? He had just finished shedding before he was brought to me. Could he be in pre-shed already? I tried feeding him last night and he didn't take the mouse BUT I had fed him about 5 or 6 days ago. He hasn't pooped either... Weird.:confused:

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Really? He had just finished shedding before he was brought to me. Could he be in pre-shed already? I tried feeding him last night and he didn't take the mouse BUT I had fed him about 5 or 6 days ago. He hasn't pooped either... Weird.:confused:

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Quite often they will shed after being put into a new environment. I bet that is why he didn't eat for you too.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

Quite often they will shed after being put into a new environment. I bet that is why he didn't eat for you too.

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Yeah, him shedding didn't even come to mind because he had already shed but him being a baby, it makes sense he'd shed quickly. He has had 2 feedings with me, I think I have had him for almost 3 weeks (forgot when I got him)... Also, he's REALLY calm and I have heard about snakes being extremely grumpy while in preshed or shedding. My Ball, Corns, and Gopher snakes were never grumpy during preshed or during shed. I don't know... Lol!I guess I should raise humidity just in case.:)

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Yeah, him shedding didn't even come to mind because he had already shed but him being a baby, it makes sense he'd shed quickly. He has had 2 feedings with me, I think I have had him for almost 3 weeks (forgot when I got him)... Also, he's REALLY calm and I have heard about snakes being extremely grumpy while in preshed or shedding. My Ball, Corns, and Gopher snakes were never grumpy during preshed or during shed. I don't know... Lol!I guess I should raise humidity just in case.:)

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That really depends on each snake. I have some that get pretty grumpy during a shed, and others that are laid-back. Luckily, I know how to handle them, so they never actually get me when they try to take my head off...

Another nice thing about boas is they are really forgiving with low humidity. I never had to do anything to raise humidity, and they all shed perfectly. My humidity is usually around 25 - 40%.

Awesome, I mist his enclosure lightly every night. Also, he prefers to be on the cool side even when it's cold. Why? Last night I took him out and maybe i'm being paranoid but he felt a little thin to me. Might be that I was use to handling my Ball but this little guy looks like he can be just a tad bit plumper. The color thing, weirds me out, lol!

Don't try to plump up a boa. Fat boas die young. Read as much as you can. Boas are awesome! I have 8!

Congrats on getting such a beauty! He won't be that small for long.

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Originally Posted by Jason Bowden

Don't try to plump up a boa. Fat boas die young. Read as much as you can. Boas are awesome! I have 8!

Congrats on getting such a beauty! He won't be that small for long.

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Thank you! By "plumping" him up I meant just putting a tad bit more fat on him, don't want to make him FAT, lol! In my opionion, fat isn't healthy for any animal unless your a Seal or something like that. :P Again, maybe i'm just being paranoid.

Here is a link of a video of him eating... Thin, ok?:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITsjDq9OAr4

Also, I have read that they grow a couple of inches a month, true?

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Thank you! By "plumping" him up I meant just putting a tad bit more fat on him, don't want to make him FAT, lol! In my opionion, fat isn't healthy for any animal unless your a Seal or something like that. :P Again, maybe i'm just being paranoid.

Here is a link of a video of him eating... Thin, ok?:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITsjDq9OAr4

Also, I have read that they grow a couple of inches a month, true?

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He looks good to me. As long as you are feeding him a good-sized meal ever seven days, he will be the right size. Once he is around one-and-a-half to two years-old, switch him to every ten days. Once he is around three, switch him to every fourteen days. Boas can become overweight easily, because they are voracious eaters. Many boas die if overfeed though, so make sure you do not overfeed him. It sounds to me like you are going to take very good care of him.

That is a little odd that he is staying on the cool side. What is your cool side and hot side temps? Does he have a hide on the hot side?

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Lol! Wow, he's that tiny? I don't know exactly how old Castro is but he's definitely small, i'd say less than 2 inches.

Oh and another question, do they tend to darken as they age? Well I have only had Castro for about 2 weeks and just 2 days ago I pulled him out and noticed that he turned a slightly darker grey. ??????

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Yeah I'm still feeding mine fuzzy mice because rat pups and mice are way to big. He sits comfortably in my palm. :P

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Originally Posted by PrettyInInk87

Really? He had just finished shedding before he was brought to me. Could he be in pre-shed already? I tried feeding him last night and he didn't take the mouse BUT I had fed him about 5 or 6 days ago. He hasn't pooped either... Weird.:confused:

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Humiddity doesn't seem to be as important as Wh00h0069 said but I did notice my Guyana preferred a good soak in his water dish right before he shed and my uncle's normal does the same thing. That's how I new he was almost done was when I came home and he was coiled up in his water dish. :P

Gorgeous Red Tail, Congrats!

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

He looks good to me. As long as you are feeding him a good-sized meal ever seven days, he will be the right size. Once he is around one-and-a-half to two years-old, switch him to every ten days. Once he is around three, switch him to every fourteen days. Boas can become overweight easily, because they are voracious eaters. Many boas die if overfeed though, so make sure you do not overfeed him. It sounds to me like you are going to take very good care of him.

That is a little odd that he is staying on the cool side. What is your cool side and hot side temps? Does he have a hide on the hot side?

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I know i'm going to get chewed out for this but I have a stick on temp. gauge. It reads 80 most of the time so I assume it is just a tad bit warmer than that. Yes yes, I need to get a digital one and will get on theat when I get some extra cash on me. He does have 2 hides though and does have a choice where he wants to be. :)

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Originally Posted by Dshizznit_08

Gorgeous Red Tail, Congrats!

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Aw, thank you! :D

Nice red tail! it will grow up in no time ;)

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Originally Posted by Danounet

Nice red tail! it will grow up in no time ;)

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Thank you! I actually found out he is a Colombian Boa and not an actual Red Tail which is fine with me, he is awesome! :)