Sneak Peek - My New Super Ghost BCI

Hey There!

I wanted to give everyone a sneak peak of my 1st ever BOA that I’m anxiously awaiting arrival next week. He’s a Super Ghost BCI that was supposedly born in April of this year. After doing a lot of research, I came across the breeder ‘John Chausmer Reptiles’ who was a pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a BOA.

Anyways, I’m planning to start a progression thread once he arrives but in the meantime, I’m looking for a name so if something comes to mind please let me know.

Also, any info on feeding would be greatly appreciated. John said he’s currently on F/T med-large mice every 7-10 days. Are there any feeding charts that exist as they do for Ball Pythons?

Here’s some pics:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...303fe5df23.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f09d065d0d.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1e07d278c7.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b327c5fec0.jpg

Here’s one next to a Ghost which shows the contrast in colors.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0b2297f1cf.jpg

Also wanted to thank the several BOA keepers on here who have greatly helped me out during this exploratory journey. You know who you are!

Thanks for looking!



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Very nice indeed, his tail is amazing, what a great pick up
Can’t wait to see his progression thread



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AHHHHHH! I've been drooling over that boa for awhile! John is from around my area and I've been meaning to catch up with him at a couple shows - specifically to see this one! I haven't been able to, mostly because I know I'm not ready for a boa yet... that's so funny that you grabbed him! Big congrats, I think this baby is super beautiful, and yes, John is awesome to work with.

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Originally Posted by richardhind1972

Very nice indeed, his tail is amazing, what a great pick up
Can’t wait to see his progression thread

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This means a lot coming from you! You have great collection and a wealth of knowledge that has helped myself and others out greatly. I’ll be leaning on your experience in the near future as I grow with this little guy!

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Originally Posted by ladywhipple02

AHHHHHH! I've been drooling over that boa for awhile! John is from around my area and I've been meaning to catch up with him at a couple shows - specifically to see this one! I haven't been able to, mostly because I know I'm not ready for a boa yet... that's so funny that you grabbed him! Big congrats, I think this baby is super beautiful, and yes, John is awesome to work with.

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That is absolutely crazy!! I’ve never met John face to face but came across his collection online after hearing positive reviews from others who have purchased from him. After speaking with him, I could sense the passion he had for BOAs and how cared about educating owners and not just trying to make a quick buck like several others in the industry. I don’t even think this particular BOA was posted online but moreso I described what I was looking for and he mentioned he might have one that fit my interest. Thanks for the comments!

Always good to know some good breeder contacts - I've seen his stuff listed on morphmarket before so I knew the name from there. I think I recall seeing that particular snake as I do remember seeing a Ghost with "bowtie" shaped saddles.

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Originally Posted by dboeren

Always good to know some good breeder contacts - I've seen his stuff listed on morphmarket before so I knew the name from there. I think I recall seeing that particular snake as I do remember seeing a Ghost with "bowtie" shaped saddles.

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yep, I was starstruck seeing the Ghost w/ the bowtie saddles but it was a female w/ a hefty price tag ;)

Thanks chuck
You can ask questions anytime mate


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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

yep, I was starstruck seeing the Ghost w/ the bowtie saddles but it was a female w/ a hefty price tag ;)

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Ah, I see that listing now. Yours is kind of bowtie shaped but he has a $1000 female that's SUPER bowtie shaped. Yeah, that's kind of high and a female is going to be a bigger snake too. If/when I pick up a BCI I'll only be looking at males.

Anyway, I think you ended up with an awesome looking snake :)

Congrats on the awesome new critter CK. I just got my first boa recently too. He's been great so far! Keep the pics of this beauty coming . :)

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

Congrats on the awesome new critter CK. I just got my first boa recently too. He's been great so far! Keep the pics of this beauty coming . :)

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Awesome! We'll have to compare notes. The breeder said he's pretty docile which I hope remains true. What part of GA are you in? I'm in Smyrna.

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

Awesome! We'll have to compare notes. The breeder said he's pretty docile which I hope remains true. What part of GA are you in? I'm in Smyrna.

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I'm in Acworth CK. We're almost neighbors. :)

Congrats ! What a stunner!!

welcome to the Boa club!!!

Such awesome snakes. I don’t have a BCI yet but do have a Dumerils and a caye caulker. Happy to help if needed

Marietta here, we're all in pretty much the same area.

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Originally Posted by Phillydubs

Congrats ! What a stunner!!

welcome to the Boa club!!!

Such awesome snakes. I don’t have a BCI yet but do have a Dumerils and a caye caulker. Happy to help if needed

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Thanks Philly! Yea.....Caye Caulker was in my final list after salivating over yours for weeks!!! He/She is a looker for sure!

Awesome! Beauty!

I am traveling today but will answer feeding questions ASAP.

Two rules of Boas IMO:

1. Feeding = less is more. Slow grown is the way to go.

2. Hook train. If a calm snake otherwise, you just need to avoid startling them, or more likely, get them out of food response mode. Remember a boa in its home thinking food is not a boa being handled.

If I judged Behira by her food response, I would never take her out, and she’s a joy.

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Originally Posted by dakski

Awesome! Beauty!

I am traveling today but will answer feeding questions ASAP.

Two rules of Boas IMO:

1. Feeding = less is more. Slow grown is the way to go.

2. Hook train. If a calm snake otherwise, you just need to avoid startling them, or more likely, get them out of food response mode. Remember a boa in its home thinking food is not a boa being handled.

If I judged Behira by her food response, I would never take her out, and she’s a joy.

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I was waiting for your response Dakski ;) Your two rules have already been noted and are on the top of my list!

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

I was waiting for your response Dakski ;) Your two rules have already been noted and are on the top of my list!

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Nice. I will respond soon with feeding guidelines.

Do you know his weight and age?

Also, for his first feeding or two, give him what he’s been eating and on the smaller side. Let him settle in.

Use tongs!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Phillydubs

Congrats ! What a stunner!!

welcome to the Boa club!!!

Such awesome snakes. I don’t have a BCI yet but do have a Dumerils and a caye caulker. Happy to help if needed

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Thank you very much that’s very kind of you her name is Lady liberty and she is a female. Very cool snak I love her very much. And Richard was kind enough to inform me that she is in fact a BCI just a dwarf locality which I honestly didn’t even know so it was cool to hear and I guess I can stop saying that I don’t have a BCI because I do just not a big one LOL I can’t wait to see more pics of your boy and watch him grow

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Originally Posted by dakski

Nice. I will respond soon with feeding guidelines.

Do you know his weight and age?

Also, for his first feeding or two, give him what he’s been eating and on the smaller side. Let him settle in.

Use tongs!!!!!!!!!!!

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I'm not sure about his weight but he's about 18 inches long and I believe about 4 months old. Definitely using tongs...in fact I bought some new ones for the quarantine process.

I assume just like for a BP, to let them go for about 3 feedings before handling, etc.....

Congrats CK...You finally found the one! I am happy for you and can't wait to see more pictures. I love his light colors and that tail is pretty sweet... Have you thought of a name yet? Maybe wait til you get him and see how he acts a bit..

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

I'm not sure about his weight but he's about 18 inches long and I believe about 4 months old. Definitely using tongs...in fact I bought some new ones for the quarantine process.

I assume just like for a BP, to let them go for about 3 feedings before handling, etc.....

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Good on tongs and good on tongs just for him. Good quarantine procedure.

If he's eating small mice now, keep on that definitely until he's really settled in. In general, you want the prey item to leave a small bulge in the body of the BCI, but have it be gone within about 1 day. Again, less is more. Behira, at 1,000G could eat a 100-110G medium rat pretty easily, but I am still feeding 75-90G small rats for now. I'd rather feed 7-8% of body weight (less important than snake width) than 10-11% for her. Easier to digest, and it only means a few grams less growth each feeding, but long-term is better for her. Also, because of rat maturity, fat content, etc. the larger you go with prey, the less frequently you need to feed (I'll lay it out in a second). When Behira does go to medium rats, she will eat every 3 weeks instead of every 2 like she is now.

Here's how I would feed a male BCI.

Small mice: 1X weekly.

Adult mice: 1X weekly.

When too big for adult mice, I would switch to weaned rats (30-50G but stay on the small side to start). BCI's will pretty much eat anything and switching over to rats should not be a problem. For ease and health reasons it makes sense to go to weaned rats from adult mice. Jumbo mice are fatty and not ideal. BCI's don't do great with fatty meals in general, and need lean protein while growing.

Weaned Rats: 1X weekly

Small Rats (60-90G): 1X every two (2) weeks.

Medium rats (95-140G): 1X every three (3) weeks.

Large rats (180-280G): 1X every 3-4 weeks, probably closer to 4.

IF he gets big:

Jumbo rats (300-400G): 1X every 4-5 weeks (I would recommend smaller and every 4 as opposed to a big one every 5 weeks).

They sell colossal rats too that are 400-600G or so. They tend to be retired breeders and are generally a little too fatty and harder to digest. I would recommend, on the off chance he gets over 5,000 grams, that you feed either two large rats every 4 weeks or so or one jumbo every 3-4.

As an adult, which will be a long ways from now (4-6 years if fed properly for a BCI to reach adult size/weight - probably more on the 5-6 year timeframe), you can experiment and see how well he's maintaining weight with less food and adjust. If he's losing, feed more often or bigger prey. If he's gaining, cut back. Captive BCI's can get heavy pretty quick and it's hard to take the weight off. Keep him lean and fit.

Regarding handling. I think most BCI's are a lot braver than your average BP. However, I would get a good two meals into him before anything other than necessary handling (tank cleaning, water bowl changes, etc.). I do recommend removing him and placing him in a holding container when cleaning. BCI's are curious and think about food a lot. Would hate for your hand to get mistaken for dinner. I always remove Behira before doing anything in her tank. I generally do with the BP (Shayna) as well, but it's only 50% necessary, and my corns really don't care too much what I do in the tank. However, to be extra safe, I usually remove them too.

When you do start handling him, after two good meals, I would take it slow, be gentle, and very short handling sessions. Once he's got 3-4 meals in him, you are home free and can stop working with him a lot more.

I hope this helps and don't be shy about asking for clarification, or any other questions. He's a stunner and has found a good home.

Additionally, the above is my opinion and what I have settled on after reading everything I can find on BCI's, talking to multiple breeders, vets, other keepers, and years on this forum. If anyone disagrees, please feel free to do so. Not the word of G-D, but I hope it's a good starting point.

It's been a long time since I had BCI's but in my experience they are not shy with handling. They tend to be inquisitive and confident snakes that have no fears interacting with people. BUT, I would still let him settle in first. Changing environments is stressful and you want him to feel comfortable and familiar in his new home to ensure that he's in a positive state of mind. If he doesn't feel secure in his new place yet he may be nippy.

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Originally Posted by Jus1More

Congrats CK...You finally found the one! I am happy for you and can't wait to see more pictures. I love his light colors and that tail is pretty sweet... Have you thought of a name yet? Maybe wait til you get him and see how he acts a bit..

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Thank you and Yes I did find the right one!!! No names yet but I was thinking I was going to try and stay with a ‘Ghost’ referenced name but couldn’t come up with any that sounded good. I’m still searching so any suggestions would be great.

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Originally Posted by dboeren

It'sbeen a long time since I had BCI's but in my experience they are not shy with handling. They tend to be inquisitive and confident snakes that have no fears interacting with people. BUT, I would still let him settle in first. Changing environments is stressful and you want him to feel comfortable and familiar in his new home to ensure that he's in a positive state of mind. If he doesn't feel secure in his new place yet he may be nippy.

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Dually noted dboeren! While it was tough waiting for my BP to settle in, I’m pretty sure it helped matters once I started holding him.

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Originally Posted by dakski

Good on tongs and good on tongs just for him. Good quarantine procedure.

If he's eating small mice now, keep on that definitely until he's really settled in. In general, you want the prey item to leave a small bulge in the body of the BCI, but have it be gone within about 1 day. Again, less is more. Behira, at 1,000G could eat a 100-110G medium rat pretty easily, but I am still feeding 75-90G small rats for now. I'd rather feed 7-8% of body weight (less important than snake width) than 10-11% for her. Easier to digest, and it only means a few grams less growth each feeding, but long-term is better for her. Also, because of rat maturity, fat content, etc. the larger you go with prey, the less frequently you need to feed (I'll lay it out in a second). When Behira does go to medium rats, she will eat every 3 weeks instead of every 2 like she is now.

Here's how I would feed a male BCI.

Small mice: 1X weekly.

Adult mice: 1X weekly.

When too big for adult mice, I would switch to weaned rats (30-50G but stay on the small side to start). BCI's will pretty much eat anything and switching over to rats should not be a problem. For ease and health reasons it makes sense to go to weaned rats from adult mice. Jumbo mice are fatty and not ideal. BCI's don't do great with fatty meals in general, and need lean protein while growing.

Weaned Rats: 1X weekly

Small Rats (60-90G): 1X every two (2) weeks.

Medium rats (95-140G): 1X every three (3) weeks.

Large rats (180-280G): 1X every 3-4 weeks, probably closer to 4.

IF he gets big:

Jumbo rats (300-400G): 1X every 4-5 weeks (I would recommend smaller and every 4 as opposed to a big one every 5 weeks).

They sell colossal rats too that are 400-600G or so. They tend to be retired breeders and are generally a little too fatty and harder to digest. I would recommend, on the off chance he gets over 5,000 grams, that you feed either two large rats every 4 weeks or so or one jumbo every 3-4.

As an adult, which will be a long ways from now (4-6 years if fed properly for a BCI to reach adult size/weight - probably more on the 5-6 year timeframe), you can experiment and see how well he's maintaining weight with less food and adjust. If he's losing, feed more often or bigger prey. If he's gaining, cut back. Captive BCI's can get heavy pretty quick and it's hard to take the weight off. Keep him lean and fit.

Regarding handling. I think most BCI's are a lot braver than your average BP. However, I would get a good two meals into him before anything other than necessary handling (tank cleaning, water bowl changes, etc.). I do recommend removing him and placing him in a holding container when cleaning. BCI's are curious and think about food a lot. Would hate for your hand to get mistaken for dinner. I always remove Behira before doing anything in her tank. I generally do with the BP (Shayna) as well, but it's only 50% necessary, and my corns really don't care too much what I do in the tank. However, to be extra safe, I usually remove them too.

When you do start handling him, after two good meals, I would take it slow, be gentle, and very short handling sessions. Once he's got 3-4 meals in him, you are home free and can stop working with him a lot more.

I hope this helps and don't be shy about asking for clarification, or any other questions. He's a stunner and has found a good home.

Additionally, the above is my opinion and what I have settled on after reading everything I can find on BCI's, talking to multiple breeders, vets, other keepers, and years on this forum. If anyone disagrees, please feel free to do so. Not the word of G-D, but I hope it's a good starting point.

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Wow Dakski! Wouldn't expect anything less from you. It's a lot to digest but something that I'll find myself looking at often. Currently w/ my BP feedings, I'll feed in the dark and he'll retreat to his hide so I've never noticed the size of the bulge in his body but I guess I'll have to start taking notice w/ the BCI. The breeder said he was currently on Med/Large Mice which seemed a little large for a 4 month old BCI but I guess I won't know until I take receipt of him. Hopefully I make the right decision in ordering the right size food. As always, thanks for the the well thought out responses!

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

Wow Dakski! Wouldn't expect anything less from you. It's a lot to digest but something that I'll find myself looking at often. Currently w/ my BP feedings, I'll feed in the dark and he'll retreat to his hide so I've never noticed the size of the bulge in his body but I guess I'll have to start taking notice w/ the BCI. The breeder said he was currently on Med/Large Mice which seemed a little large for a 4 month old BCI but I guess I won't know until I take receipt of him. Hopefully I make the right decision in ordering the right size food. As always, thanks for the the well thought out responses!

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Thank you Ckuhn003!

I must have thought I saw small mice, not med/large. I'd confirm with the breeder, but again be consistent, but on the small side.

You can judge by checking him out the next day. For a growing snake, I never feed less than about 7% of body weight. However, as an adult, that or less can sustain them easily. My goal is about 8-10% per feeding. I think if you eye it and stick to under 10% of body weight for the prey item, you will be fine.

Again, less is more.

I feed everyone at night with the lights off. Just enough light in the room so I can see what I am doing and where the snake(s) are.

Behira knows nighttime is food time, so do all the other snakes. However, not all the other snakes, attack the doors when it's night and they are in hunt mode :).

I literally take her drape down, feed her quick, and put the drape up after she wraps. I don't wait for her to finish and look for more!

Keep in mind, I keep her drape up over her tank so she doesn't strike at the doors every time I walk by at night. She's got a mad food response, not unheard of in Boas.

Once your little guys settles in and realizes food comes in his tank and at night, he'll be ready too! I hope not as ready though!

I like feeding everyone at night because it's when they naturally hunt (all my snakes are nocturnal - BCI, BP, and corns) and because day time means handling and they aren't on guard.

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Originally Posted by dakski

You can judge by checking him out the next day. .

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With my BP, I try to not disturb him for the next 48 hours after feeding which basically means that I don't get to see him since he's in his hide. Are you recommending lifting the hide w/ the BOA to check for a bulge or do BOAs tend to be more sociable and not spend 99% of the day in their hides?

Feed based on girth, nothing larger than the thickest part of the body. You can probably feed rat fuzzies no problem for a 4 month old.
Some boas love their hides, some don't care.

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

Thank you and Yes I did find the right one!!! No names yet but I was thinking I was going to try and stay with a ‘Ghost’ referenced name but couldn’t come up with any that sounded good. I’m still searching so any suggestions would be great.

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Don't know if you like video games but you could do something a bit obscure like "Sagira" which is the name of Osiris' ghost in the game Destiny.
this is Sagira, even has the same light grey coloration
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...st%20shell.jpg
just an idea :)

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

Feed based on girth, nothing larger than the thickest part of the body. You can probably feed rat fuzzies no problem for a 4 month old.
Some boas love their hides, some don't care.



Don't know if you like video games but you could do something a bit obscure like "Sagira" which is the name of Osiris' ghost in the game Destiny.
this is Sagira, even has the same light grey coloration
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...st%20shell.jpg
just an idea :)

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Thanks for the name suggestion! Although I have to admit that I'm not familiar with the reference but I appreciate it none the less :)

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

With my BP, I try to not disturb him for the next 48 hours after feeding which basically means that I don't get to see him since he's in his hide. Are you recommending lifting the hide w/ the BOA to check for a bulge or do BOAs tend to be more sociable and not spend 99% of the day in their hides?

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First few feedings, leave him alone for 2 days at least.

After that, you can check on him, but as AbsoluteApril said, aim for about the girth of the body and you will be fine. I get scientific and if feeding 7-8% of body weight, doubt there will be much of a bulge. It's when you start pushing past 10% that you risk that, IMO.

However, I will defer to AbsoluteApril since she has taught me much of what I know about BCI's.

Regarding hides, Behira uses them sometimes, sometimes she half uses them (tail and body in and head and neck out), and sometimes she doesn't use them at all. She's certainly not shy or timid like a BP. Very different personality both in and out of the tank. Boas curiosity and inquisitiveness tends to outweigh any fear they might have. As they get bigger, fear seems to go out the window.

My BP is almost always in her hide unless hunting. Same with my corn snakes. Behira, eh, she does what she wants.

Hide usage will probably change as he grows up too. Baby snakes are prey for almost anything so they tend to hide more. As they get bigger, they're also moving up the food chain and don't have to be as paranoid.

My carpet used to be in her hide all day and only come out at night. Now she's out a lot more in daylight and if her head is peeking out of her hide and you open the door for cleaning or whatever she'll come partway out to see what's going on.

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

Thank you and Yes I did find the right one!!! No names yet but I was thinking I was going to try and stay with a ‘Ghost’ referenced name but couldn’t come up with any that sounded good. I’m still searching so any suggestions would be great.



Dually noted dboeren! While it was tough waiting for my BP to settle in, I’m pretty sure it helped matters once I started holding him.

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CK... when I am trying to think of a name I usually look up baby names on Google. In your case you could search for boy names meaning "white" or boy names meaning "spirit" like a ghost. That is how I looked up all of my snakes names which ended up to be all Spanish or Latin names...LOL

Jus1More - I was noticing your sig, I also used to have a greenbottle blue. Most interesting spider in my collection though I don't keep any anymore.

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Originally Posted by dboeren

Jus1More - I was noticing your sig, I also used to have a greenbottle blue. Most interesting spider in my collection though I don't keep any anymore.

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Yes, GBB's are very beautiful...and fast. Sadly, my girl died in her juvi stage. I miss seeing her exotic webs and colors. I still have my Mexican red knee though. She is the most docile tarantula I have ever seen. You literally have to move her body in order to make her want to move. But I'm sure if something spooked her she would be fast...LOL

That's a shame. Mine was really cool, made a big web mat all over the floor of its enclosure - I guess it could feel prey approaching or something? Either that or it just didn't like the vermiculite :)

Whoops I missed this! But omg congrats!!! He's looking incredibly handsome!!

As for names, Phantom, Reaper and Wraith could be neat options!

Only other ghost related names I know are all video game or anime references so I'm not sure you'd be familiar with them aha :P

Ghost in different languages.

https://www.indifferentlanguages.com/words/ghost

Not sure if that is the way you want to go, but thought it was a cool link.

All my snake names are from from other languages except for Figment.

He is purple so I named him after the old Imagination Ride dragon, Figment, from Epcot center.

You can be clever or meaningful, but he might just be a Joe. You never know. You’ll have to decide when you meet him.

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Originally Posted by MissterDog

Whoops I missed this! But omg congrats!!! He's looking incredibly handsome!!

As for names, Phantom, Reaper and Wraith could be neat options!

Only other ghost related names I know are all video game related so I'm not sure you'd be familiar with them aha :P

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Haha....I was just checking out Tapioca's latest pictures. He's putting some weight on and looking very handsome! Mine is being a little stubborn w/ his food lately.....hopefully I won't have to deal with issues like this with the 'new guy'.

Appreciate the names! Funny enough, Phantom was on the top of my list but I do like Reaper and Wraith.

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

Haha....I was just checking out Tapioca's latest pictures. He's putting some weight on and looking very handsome! Mine is being a little stubborn w/ his food lately.....hopefully I won't have to deal with issues like this with the 'new guy'.

Appreciate the names! Funny enough, Phantom was on the top of my list but I do like Reaper and Wraith.

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Thanks! Haha yeah he's been growing like a weed and he's still an absolute pig. Mind you, I'll have to see if that will still be the case once he hits 'the wall" Hoping your guy will turn around!

I'm sure your new kid will be an eager eater. I always hear good things about their appetite :P

CK..Any thoughts on a name yet? Phantom really is a cool name for your newbie, but it's your call! Keep us posted.

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Originally Posted by Jus1More

CK..Any thoughts on a name yet? Phantom really is a cool name for your newbie, but it's your call! Keep us posted.

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I still haven’t found that name that really feels right but then again I haven’t taken ownership of this little guy yet (arrives in two days). Phantom is definitely at the top of my list. One of my favorite football players is ‘Saquon’ which I think has a nice ring to it. Who knows?!?! Thanks for asking.