Healthy weight?

I know I seem paranoid about this boa with all the questions I post here, but I can't seem to find the info ANYWHERE.

I have a 1.5-year-old female BCI. She's about 2.5 - 3 ft long, give or take, and currently taking one small rat every two weeks. I thought she was looking a little thin compared to when I got her and I can feel her spine every now and then. I know those are signs for an extremely underweight ball python, but I also know balls have a higher BMI than boas. Anyway, I just weighed her and she registered 17 oz/~482 g.

The internet and people here say her feeding schedule is appropriate for her size and age, but she just looks skinny. The only weight guidelines I can find are for adults. So is 482 g a healthy weight for her? If not, where should she be at?

I feed my 1.5 year old Boa one med. rat per week and she is between 4-5 feet long and in great shape...I haven't weighed her in a while, so I will try to get this info. If she looks thin, then feed her more. All snakes are different and grow at different rates. It is hard for anyone else to say how much/often yours should be eating.

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Originally Posted by DemmBalls

I feed my 1.5 year old Boa one med. rat per week and she is between 4-5 feet long and in great shape...I haven't weighed her in a while, so I will try to get this info. If she looks thin, then feed her more. All snakes are different and grow at different rates. It is hard for anyone else to say how much/often yours should be eating.

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I've tried feeding her more often and she just won't take it any sooner than 2 weeks. I guess I'll try upping her to a medium, but I'm a little afraid that will be too big, since the small is following the "slightly wider than the widest part of the body" rule.

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Originally Posted by SpartaDog

I've tried feeding her more often and she just won't take it any sooner than 2 weeks. I guess I'll try upping her to a medium, but I'm a little afraid that will be too big, since the small is following the "slightly wider than the widest part of the body" rule.

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If she won't eat more often, then just listen to her and stick with your schedule. I wouldn't give her too large a prey item though, that could cause real problems. Like I said...They are all very different. Mine would never consider refusing a meal, In fact, she would over eat in a second.

Could you post some pics of your Boa?

I try and keep my boas over a year old or so on a 10 day feeding schedule as opposed to 7 days or 2 weeks. It gives them enough time to digest without stretching it out to twice a month I guess.

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Originally Posted by LGray23

I try and keep my boas over a year old or so on a 10 day feeding schedule as opposed to 7 days or 2 weeks. It gives them enough time to digest without stretching it out to twice a month I guess.

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I tried that too. She just won't take it sooner than 14 days. Even then, sometimes I have to convince her it's worth eating XD

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Could you post some pics of your Boa?

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I most surely can.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...to01080142.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...to01080141.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...r7nh43qwr1.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...r7nh43f432.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...r7nh43buip.jpg

She looks healthy to me. I don't see underweight at all.

Yep perfectly fit looking girl. 14 days absolutely fine and if that is the schedule she wants to keep just go with it. :) A nice squarish loaf of bread shape with a nice defined muscle lines on her laterals, perfect.

Okay, well that's good. I was a little nervous about feeling her spine, but if that's what she's supposed to look like, I guess all is well.

Ah, the stress of venturing into new species XD

Yup, she looks fine. I'd much rather see nice muscle tone on a snake like(boa) that than just a fat worm. Keep up the good work!

Very beautiful healthy looking snake.....can't wait until my redtail gets that big

Your boa is beautiful! I'm with Derek, I can't wait till mine gets that big!

Pigfat man what's a guy got to do to see a pic of ur redtail?


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=36.862929,-76.206219
1.0 normal bp- Blitz
1.0 Nicaraguan boa- Gavin
0.1 Red Tail Boa- Tara

She looks perfect. With obesity being such a common problem in boas, it always makes me happy to see someone feeding their boa right. :gj: Contrary to what many seem to think, boas are going to grow to their full potential even if you keep them on a slow feeding schedule. I have a 3.5-year-old female who I've had since she was a tiny little worm; I've always had her on a slow feeding schedule (a meal every 2 weeks when she was younger, every 3 weeks since she started taking large rats) and she is at a very healthy length and weight for her age.

She looks healthy to me, not underweight at all.