Some Boa info needed

I just got an approximately 5 year old male Colombian who is lean and just the right size for me.
[[I'm 5'3"/100 lbs]

He has the proper "loaf of bread" shape and is not fat at all.

I read somewhere that "conservative feeding" would keep him basically at the size he is now.

I would prefer that but do not want him to feel "underfed".

Would feeding medium/large rats every 2-3 weeks maintain his current size without increasing it?
Or would small rats every 2 weeks be "better"?

A herp breeder I know has a 7 year old male who is not only "loaf of bread" shaped, it's also much bigger around than an actual loaf of bread.
[it's huge!] :O

He feeds the largest prey his snakes will swallow and they live in very tight spaces so I reckon they can't "burn off" their calories at all.

Some of his females eat live Bantam chickens and rabbits and look like they've swallowed a football after they've eaten.

I do not want that.

Is there any truth to feed more/grow more or has my male more or less "topped out" at his current length?

I've seen a lot of massively fat Boas whose owners could barely lift.

That's not where I want to be a year from now.

This is a photo of him at the seller's place:

http://file.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/boa.jpg

And this is him in relation to me:

http://file.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/BROM2.jpg

[sorry I look so awful...been fighting "The WV Crud" flu for over a month and he was crawling over my head and messing up my hair, to boot]

All I know of him is that the seller got him in a trade and that he's about 5 years old and a guesstimate would be around 5-6 pounds.
I don't even know what "kind" of Colombian he is.
[common? generic?]...;)

I also have a 7 year old Dumerils who's decided [after living a life of neglect and constant cold prior to coming here] that she is starving all the time.

A jumbo rat keeps her happy for less than a day and she's constantly "begging", now.

She's also about 5' long and I'd like her to "stay there", too.....:P

I have 11 BPs and don't really have this issue with them.

The biggest BP is still infinitely manageable.

I got the Dum because I couldn't stand to see her living like that any longer and the Colombian because I wanted a bold snake who wasn't nervous about being handled.

He's turning out to be a wonderful snake, in general, although he does tend to curl up on my shoulders and stare at hubby with his neck in an "S shape"...even though he'll then stretch out from me and cheerfully hop onto hubby's shoulders.
[but he still occasionally still stops exploring and looks at hubby with the "S shape neck" thing going]

Is that just their normal "curious examination posture" or is he thinking about biting hubby's face off?....LOL

He was not handled very much before coming here.

Is this just a "getting used to everything" phase?


[the "S" thingy makes hubby a bit nervous but he's an ex-snakaphobic while I've never been afraid of them and they seem to emotionally glom onto me instantly and become "mommy's snakes"]

Also, is it 'normal' for him to stick his head straight in the air every time we go under a light fixture?

He's obsessed with lights...any kind of lights...even drawn to them like a moth to a flame....maybe because he's always been in a tub with no experience with lights?

Sorry to be so clueless but the Boas are SO different from the BPs.

:D

Snakes grow all their lives, although much, much slower after they mature. I figure it's basically reached it's full size at 5 years old. Feeding time is all according to how the snakes acting. I have 2 full grown Hog Island Boas that I feed every 3 to 4 weeks depending on their actions, observation is the key. I have 2 juvy BCI's that i feed every 5 to 7 days depending on their actions. Attention to detail. Yes, boas are much different then Balls.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TheWinWizard

Snakes grow all their lives, although much, much slower after they mature. I figure it's basically reached it's full size at 5 years old. Feeding time is all according to how the snakes acting. I have 2 full grown Hog Island Boas that I feed every 3 to 4 weeks depending on their actions, observation is the key. I have 2 juvy BCI's that i feed every 5 to 7 days depending on their actions. Attention to detail. Yes, boas are much different then Balls.

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Thanks!

[does this mean I should feed the bottomless pit Dum every day, based on her "I'm dying of hunger, here!" actions?]...LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salamander

Thanks!

[does this mean I should feed the bottomless pit Dum every day, based on her "I'm dying of hunger, here!" actions?]...LOL

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I would just continue to feed her every 10-14 days...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vypyrz

I would just continue to feed her every 10-14 days...

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Indeed, that would be my suggestion as well. I can't see a Dum being hungry all the time. LOL

Boas all have very different and very pronounced personalities compared to the Balls. I have a 6-7 month old juvenile female Dum who, even though I feed her every Friday on "feeding day" will sometimes look at my hand two days later like..."Okay mom, where's the food?" Your snake's "I'm starving!" reaction is likely because of the neglect, and now that she is fed regularly, she just wand to take advantage of that while she can. I have a female ball that was neglected and she was voracious for the first year or so I had her. She has only now calmed down enough that I can reach in and pick her up without her posturing. Lol. Your girl will calm down over time with regular feedings. (Hopefully).

As to that "S shape" posture, my boa does that when she's chillin on my neck if someone walks up or sits down next to me. It's almost like "Hey! This is my warm comfy place! What do you want...Oh, nothing? Okay, well, I can relax now." lol. He too will probably calm down over time with regular handlings.

The light thing though, none of my kids do that. I've heard of boas and retics doing it before, but personally I have no experience with it. Perhaps someone with more experience with boas could chime in and help with that bit.

Good luck with your new boy! He's a good looking snake! :gj:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TheWinWizard

Indeed, that would be my suggestion as well. I can't see a Dum being hungry all the time. LOL

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Hmmm...I'm sensing that gluttony is one of a Dum's "normal traits".....:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WarriorPrincess90

Boas all have very different and very pronounced personalities compared to the Balls. I have a 6-7 month old juvenile female Dum who, even though I feed her every Friday on "feeding day" will sometimes look at my hand two days later like..."Okay mom, where's the food?" Your snake's "I'm starving!" reaction is likely because of the neglect, and now that she is fed regularly, she just wand to take advantage of that while she can. I have a female ball that was neglected and she was voracious for the first year or so I had her. She has only now calmed down enough that I can reach in and pick her up without her posturing. Lol. Your girl will calm down over time with regular feedings. (Hopefully).

As to that "S shape" posture, my boa does that when she's chillin on my neck if someone walks up or sits down next to me. It's almost like "Hey! This is my warm comfy place! What do you want...Oh, nothing? Okay, well, I can relax now." lol. He too will probably calm down over time with regular handlings.

The light thing though, none of my kids do that. I've heard of boas and retics doing it before, but personally I have no experience with it. Perhaps someone with more experience with boas could chime in and help with that bit.

Good luck with your new boy! He's a good looking snake! :gj:

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Aw, my poor, pitiful Dixie!
I wish she could understand that warmth and food are the rule now, rather than the exception.

I hope she eventually learns to trust.

As of now, when I take her out, she just wraps around my waist like a belt and hides her head behind me on the chair.

She does accept gentle stroking now, though.
For the first week or so, she'd jump or twitch when I touched her.

The boy is just the opposite.
He can't get enough attention.

His obsession with lights reminds me of myself, the first time I went to NYC.
I nearly broke my own neck, gawking upward at the skyscrapers.

Since he has to look at everything, I suspect his life has possibly been pretty much one of general sensory deprivation.

Thanks for the info on the "S thing".

I was a bit concerned that he [like all my other critters] was becoming obsessive/possessive of me.

Hubby loves all of our pets but, if I leave the room, they follow me out, ignoring his calls for them to stay with him.

All the snakes will let him hold them but after a short while, they start stretching and straining to get back over to me which is harmless if they're BPs but having a big Boa "S" at him unnerved him a bit.....LOL

Hubby had the Boa for a while and he was moving around too much and the Boa, naturally, wrapped around his neck for security/stability.

Himself asked what the snake "was doing".

Jerk that I am, I calmly replied "I assume he's preparing to strangle you".

[I know...I'm no help at all].....:D

Your Colombian looks perfect. He's got the perfect size and shape to him. Your Dum will definitely get larger than 5' being a female but don't give in to her begging. Just keep feeding her the proper way. It sounds like you know what your doing :)

She will calm down with patience and handling. If she was neglected her attitude is to be expected.

Boas are naturally more active and curious snakes. Your male is just happy to have something to do. I'm sure he's overwhelmed with how big the world just got when you took him in lol!

That "S" curve look is really common with boas. Both of my babies do it all the time and it never means anything. Seems to be just how they look at the world, lol...

As far as feeding, you should never be too conservative just as you should never overfeed either. Just choose an appropriate sized rat or two and feed every 10-14 days. As he gets a bit older once every 2 weeks will be fine. And you can certainly keep him on rats. 1-2 large to jumbo sized rats should do him for the rest of his life. If you were to switch to rabbits, it could instigate a growth spurt. But the rats are fine.

He will grow as a big as nature intended if he's properly fed - but that does not mean he'll turn into an overgrown monster. At 5 years old and being a male, he really shouldn't get much bigger than he is now - he looks perfect. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Foschi Exotic Serpents

Your Colombian looks perfect. He's got the perfect size and shape to him. Your Dum will definitely get larger than 5' being a female but don't give in to her begging. Just keep feeding her the proper way. It sounds like you know what your doing :)

She will calm down with patience and handling. If she was neglected her attitude is to be expected.

Boas are naturally more active and curious snakes. Your male is just happy to have something to do. I'm sure he's overwhelmed with how big the world just got when you took him in lol!

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Her life was so sad, before.
I wish I'd taken photos because no words could do it justice.

Her 'box' was in a basement maintenance room at a college and though there had to be a mile of FlexWatt laying around, none of it was being used.
There wasn't even a space heater.

[the cold kept everybody's metabolisms low, thereby limiting their hunger/growth...seriously. if they'd been much colder, their metabolisms would have just stopped]

She felt like ice when I first held her.
The slew of corn snakes who shared her space were swimming in filthy tubs.
Two 20 YO+ BPs were living together in a small aquarium.
Their skin looked like old leather.
A 4-5 foot alligator was running loose in the room, checking out my bare ankles.

It was totally surrealistic.

I'm not sure if this is a Dum trait or not but she can roll her eyes around so far that you can actually see the "whites", if she's afraid.
It looks so "human" that it breaks your heart.

The boy, OTOH, can't get enough of anything.
Has to see, feel, grab, thoroughly examine whatever is near him.

I took him into PetCo with me the night I got him, tucked in my down coat for warmth and he was grabbing everything off the shelves with his neck and tail.

I guess it's harmless if he's a kleptomaniac but he could at least steal things that are useful to him.

[What good are squeaky toys and catnip mini-tennis balls to a snake?]

:oops:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

That "S" curve look is really common with boas. Both of my babies do it all the time and it never means anything. Seems to be just how they look at the world, lol...

As far as feeding, you should never be too conservative just as you should never overfeed either. Just choose an appropriate sized rat or two and feed every 10-14 days. As he gets a bit older once every 2 weeks will be fine. And you can certainly keep him on rats. 1-2 large to jumbo sized rats should do him for the rest of his life. If you were to switch to rabbits, it could instigate a growth spurt. But the rats are fine.

He will grow as a big as nature intended if he's properly fed - but that does not mean he'll turn into an overgrown monster. At 5 years old and being a male, he really shouldn't get much bigger than he is now - he looks perfect. :gj:

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Well, if he's got a "twisted view" of the world, too, we'll get along just fine...LOL

I think he was getting 1 med. rat per week.
I can email his seller to be sure.

He has a 4x2x2 split level 'condo' now but I don't want him to wind up like the huge male I mentioned.

It lives in a 3x3 display case and is so big around, it just lays there, curled up, doing nothing...most likely because there's not enough room to do anything.

I don't think nature intended for them to be immobile and I suspect it's not an especially happy or healthy life.

Actually, my eventual plans are to clean out one of the spare bedrooms upstairs, turn it into my permanent "snake room" and make both Boas large, built-in wall habitats that are 12' x 3' x 8'.

I just haven't figured out the heating/humidifying details for the wall units, yet.....:-\

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Originally Posted by Salamander

Well, if he's got a "twisted view" of the world, too, we'll get along just fine...LOL

I think he was getting 1 med. rat per week.
I can email his seller to be sure.

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If that's what he has been getting and he's readily accepting each week, you could leave him on that. My suspicion though is that 1 large rat or maybe even 1 jumbo rat every 2 weeks would actually be better for him. But whatever works for both him and you should be fine. Just be flexible. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salamander

He has a 4x2x2 split level 'condo' now but I don't want him to wind up like the huge male I mentioned.

It lives in a 3x3 display case and is so big around, it just lays there, curled up, doing nothing...most likely because there's not enough room to do anything.

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He won't get bigger by living in a bigger cage. The 4x2x2 is a good size for an adult male boa. Get him outta that 3x3!

Just remember, we can not control just how big these snakes will get. There are some that will get huge even staying on rats all their lives. Nothing you do, short of not feeding him, will garauntee he stays small (and I know you won't not feed him... :oops:).

However, he's 5 years old. He's not going to get much bigger. I don't think you have a thing to worry about. Yes, snakes continue to grow their whole lives - but as adults, they do so at a much slower rate. I can not see a 5yr old boa attaining more than a few more inches unless you start him on rabbits. Just feed him appropriately sized rats and he'll do great! :gj:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Salamander

I don't think nature intended for them to be immobile and I suspect it's not an especially happy or healthy life.

Actually, my eventual plans are to clean out one of the spare bedrooms upstairs, turn it into my permanent "snake room" and make both Boas large, built-in wall habitats that are 12' x 3' x 8'.

I just haven't figured out the heating/humidifying details for the wall units, yet.....:-\

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That sounds amazing!! Be sure to post pics someday when you've got it done!



BTW, I see you have 3 Ibizan Hounds! I have an Ibizan too! I raise German Shepherds, but a friend who's been involved with Ibizans for years got me interested in the breed. We co-bred a fabulous litter and I kept Miss Chloe. If you're interested, check out my website... ;) http://www.freewebs.com/evenstaribizans/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

If that's what he has been getting and he's readily accepting each week, you could leave him on that. My suspicion though is that 1 large rat or maybe even 1 jumbo rat every 2 weeks would actually be better for him. But whatever works for both him and you should be fine. Just be flexible. ;)




He won't get bigger by living in a bigger cage. The 4x2x2 is a good size for an adult male boa. Get him outta that 3x3!

Just remember, we can not control just how big these snakes will get. There are some that will get huge even staying on rats all their lives. Nothing you do, short of not feeding him, will garauntee he stays small (and I know you won't not feed him... :oops:).

However, he's 5 years old. He's not going to get much bigger. I don't think you have a thing to worry about. Yes, snakes continue to grow their whole lives - but as adults, they do so at a much slower rate. I can not see a 5yr old boa attaining more than a few more inches unless you start him on rabbits. Just feed him appropriately sized rats and he'll do great! :gj:



That sounds amazing!! Be sure to post pics someday when you've got it done!



BTW, I see you have 3 Ibizan Hounds! I have an Ibizan too! I raise German Shepherds, but a friend who's been involved with Ibizans for years got me interested in the breed. We co-bred a fabulous litter and I kept Miss Chloe. If you're interested, check out my website... ;) http://www.freewebs.com/evenstaribizans/

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OMG!
You probably know me!
I was on the IHCUS rescue staff for a while and the Ways/Means chairperson for a year and have donated artwork for trophies for the shows!

I did the t-shirts for the 2007 MO specialty.
[the 2 Ibizans under the St Louis arch]
This was on shirts and totes, too

http://file.walagata.com/w/the-salam...ubis_risen.jpg

and tons of these mini- bas relief sculptures were given out as class prizes

http://darkridenet.fatcow.com/ibizans/stuff.htm

Small world!!!

:D

My Boa's not in a 3x3 box...heavens no! :O
That was the huge male I mentioned living in a store.

He's in a condo like Miss Dixie Lee Dumeril lives in

http://file.walagata.com/w/the-salam...ixieshouse.jpg

Hers is black and his is maple but the design is the same.

So...what made you decide to insert a totally wild dog into your home full of wonderfully obedient and rational dogs?

[it's a weird trend...a lot of Dobe owners wind up with Ibizans...I always refer to my first one as "the day I lost my mind"] .....LOL

I've had 7 in the last 20 years and still have 3 left.
[had 6 at one time, for several years...major chaos!] :P

I recently went back to Dobes.

[I needed a break from all the 24/7 Beezer madness]

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

BTW, I see you have 3 Ibizan Hounds! I have an Ibizan too! I raise German Shepherds, but a friend who's been involved with Ibizans for years got me interested in the breed. We co-bred a fabulous litter and I kept Miss Chloe. If you're interested, check out my website... ;) http://www.freewebs.com/evenstaribizans/

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OMG!

I know Julie, Meegan and Alex!
Alex's kid did wonders with their first IH rescue!

In obedience, no less!

That's a bonafide miracle!

LOL

OMG! That's hysterical! Julie is my friend who got me into the breed. I fell head over heels for Tino and when she decided to breed him to Tickle, Meegan and her and I got our heads together. Alex owns Tino's sister and Chloe's aunt - Enya - and I wanted one just like her. I got it too. But I also had it in my head that I wanted something just totally different than my shepherds. I don't know what the ___ I was thinking.....

I also call the day I brought Chloe home the day I lost my mind! :rofl::rofl::rofl:

......I am going back to German Shepherds...... :D

I have 6 dogs now and it is pretty chaotic. Thank heavens 4 are GSDs and they reign in some order!

Your boa's setup sounds great! I love the condos! :gj:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

OMG! That's hysterical! Julie is my friend who got me into the breed. I fell head over heels for Tino and when she decided to breed him to Tickle, Meegan and her and I got our heads together. Alex owns Tino's sister and Chloe's aunt - Enya - and I wanted one just like her. I got it too. But I also had it in my head that I wanted something just totally different than my shepherds. I don't know what the ___ I was thinking.....

I also call the day I brought Chloe home the day I lost my mind! :rofl::rofl::rofl:

......I am going back to German Shepherds...... :D

I have 6 dogs now and it is pretty chaotic. Thank heavens 4 are GSDs and they reign in some order!

Your boa's setup sounds great! I love the condos! :gj:

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I don't know what the ___ I was thinking.....

Yep.
I reckon that's what I ought to have put on my tombstone or written over the door to my future psych ward 'quiet room'.....LOL

I feel your pain.

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

They're sneaky, too.

My first one, Minny, was the sweetest, most mellow dog ever.
Never needed to put a leash on her unless it was in public and the law required it.
She was an absolute angel.
I also got her dad and aunt the next year.
Wild deer would've been more calm in the living room.

Then I found Minny's sister and she'd had a litter so I had to get her nephew Jack.
[aka Jack The Ripper]

Wow.
What a shock he was.
[Picture Tigger on crack]

Then I put my head up to the gun again and got his sister from the next year's litter, my sweet Isobel.
Izzy was a Minny clone.
Nice, wonderful dog.

Then came Phoebe and her sister Pookie.
[aka Heckyl and Jeckyl]

Not having learned any lessons [I'm kinda dumb that way] I got Izzy's sister's daughter, Djinni.

Wild as a coyote, giddy as a schoolgirl, flighty as a deer but lord, I do love her so.

http://darkridenet.fatcow.com/ibizans/DSC6183.jpg

Odin, the Dobe, fancies her as alternately, his "girlfriend" and/or lunch.

http://file.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/odinlunch.jpg

Later, I went completely mad and got a Portuguese Podengo Medio

http://file.walagata.com/w/the-salamander/Gyps.jpg

[did you know that Velociraptors aren't really extinct? they just migrated to Portugal and grew fur]

I'm right there with ya on the "reining in" part.

Odin thinks he's the jack-booted house cop.

All I have to do is say "Bubby, go make 'fill in the blank' behave and he hops off the sofa and shoulders his way in and makes them go get up on their sofa and knock off whatever they were doing.

[I love working dogs]....;)

You can observe all my demon-spawn kids from a safe, sane distance here:

http://www.ibizan-hound.com

:D

Thanks about the condos.
They're so heavy though, that wherever they are now is probably right where they'll be 10 years from now.....LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

OMG! That's hysterical! Julie is my friend who got me into the breed. I fell head over heels for Tino and when she decided to breed him to Tickle, Meegan and her and I got our heads together. Alex owns Tino's sister and Chloe's aunt - Enya - and I wanted one just like her. I got it too. But I also had it in my head that I wanted something just totally different than my shepherds. I don't know what the ___ I was thinking.....

I also call the day I brought Chloe home the day I lost my mind! :rofl::rofl::rofl:

......I am going back to German Shepherds...... :D

I have 6 dogs now and it is pretty chaotic. Thank heavens 4 are GSDs and they reign in some order!

Your boa's setup sounds great! I love the condos! :gj:

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p.s....Nan Kilgore-Little [IHCUS club historian/board director/editor-publisher of the Third Eye/god knows how many other positions] is my best friend...she's even crazier than I am]....LOLOL

ROFLMAO......... :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

"""Then I found Minny's sister and she'd had a litter so I had to get her nephew Jack.
[aka Jack The Ripper]

Wow.
What a shock he was.
[Picture Tigger on crack]"""


Yup. That's Chloe. I will never forgive Julie. Never. Even though I love her. ;)

And I love the pictures! The one with your Dobe is fantastic! My young GSD, Briana, does this to Chloe too - I just haven't been able to catch a picture of it. Wonder if this is standard proceedure a working dog uses to instill submission...... :8:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

And I love the pictures! The one with your Dobe is fantastic! My young GSD, Briana, does this to Chloe too - I just haven't been able to catch a picture of it. Wonder if this is standard proceedure a working dog uses to instill submission...... :8:

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I dunno.

I always figure he's just checking to see if she's ripe, yet.

:P