BCC Behavior. Is this normal or...

...not.

Cass and I only have experience with Ball Pythons and thier behaviour which is why we need some advice here!

We consulted with LLL Reptiles when were there buying her and thier advice was "keep them in the same conditions as you would a Ball Python". Se we set up an enclosure with a temp gradient (82/92) and 60% humidity and two hides.

Carmen has been in here enclosure for 6 days now, and we've been observing her behaviour.

She shows no interest in her hides - at all. She either coils up in the corners, or coils up at the top of one of the plastic plants we have in there. Are these less shy than Balls? Is being out in the open "normal" for them?

When we go in to change the water and poop patrol she gets more active and will usually try to get out - looks like a definate "lemme outta here" reaction.

My first concern was that being as she was avoiding the hides that she would be away from the primary thermoregulating zones, the edge of the enclosure is cooler than the areas directly above the UTH's. This was the case for a day or so, but adjusting the CHE has gotten the whole substrate up to 80F, with 92F on the warm side. (we use one CHE above, one UTH on the cool side and one UTH on the warm side.)

I'm thinking we have the temps wrong for a BCC maybe? Or some other area of our husbandry is off somehow... Or she's just not settled yet.

Comments? :)

we keep our boa a little cooler than the balls.
80 low/ 88 high. if you have boa questions i highly recommend giving kevin and charlotte a call.

www.ectothermics.com



vaughn

We keep our boa (a BCI) at the temps Vaughn mentioned so a bit cooler than the bp's as well. Also Rauri has never shown a real interest in any hides we've given him but granted he's a 6 foot long big butt male snake. He does like to sort of burrow down a bit in his substrate though. Boa's do seem very personable and at least Rauri always likes to come out and "play". Handling doesn't seem to stress him near as much as the other snakes. Putting him back in the enclosure is a 2 person job though LOL (by the time you get the butt in, the head 6 feet away is hanging out and then you shove the head in and...well it's fun! lol) Oh and he loves to climb...anywhere, anything, anytime, big humans being a preferred snakey jungle gym.


~~Jo~~

My juvie BCC likes her hides, but these guys do enjoy climbing. She sounds fine to me. :)

Okay good... sounds all normal then.

I've adjusted the thermostats down a bit, I'll take temp readings again in the morning to check the new levels.

Tonight while I was taking temp reading and general maintenance we weakened and took Carmen out for a little while... Silly snake doesn't seem to like me much and gets off me ASAP and heads for Cass. Sickening I tell you!

But that's okay, Cleo is my girl, she is happier with me than with Cass.

His-n-Hers snakes I guess!

Boas are almost a completely different world than BPs, huh? Suris are beautiful, any pics?

The few pictures of her we have you can see on this thread :)

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=28536

MY girl! Neener!

She does seem to prefer me. :D

What do you guys use as hides for larger snakes? I want to get one for my large BCI girl.

Large boas do not need hides.

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Originally Posted by Shelby

Large boas do not need hides.

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Just curious, what is the reasoning there?

Well think about it.. a baby or small snake is timid and is going to want to hide under something.

If you were a fat butt 20lb boa constrictor, you don't need to hide! ;)

All of my bigger boas (from my 6' hog island up) don't have hides and they do great.

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Originally Posted by Shelby

Large boas do not need hides.

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They dont? Why not? NM, you posted before I got this out there.

And while they may not need hides, I am sure they appreciate them. My boa loves his hide, and seems to be more comfortable and less stressed when he has one offered to him.

I use anything from small cat litter pans to larger ones, and plan on using bigger rubber maids that are not too tall in height when he is older.

Well, mine are perfectly fine without them. My dum eats like no tomorrow and she's got more room to stretch out without the hides taking up the space.

ssscales was the one who told me that they don't require hides.. and they've got a lot more boas than I do.

We've got 2 nice fake-rock hides in Carmen's cage, like we do in Cleo's (one on the warm side, one on the cool side), but Carmen has yet to use them. She perfers lying on or under either of her two silk plants - which I guess is kind of a hide, just, leafier. =)

My young one likes her hide.. but when I had hides in the big boa cage, she'd just sit on top of them a lot of the time.

Whatever works for your snakes. You get to know their individual needs. Some snakes are more shy than others, and may indeed need a hide at adulthood. The boas I have tend to know they don't need to hide. lol which can make them handfuls.

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The few pictures of her we have you can see on this thread

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Very nice!!! I think Suris and Guyunas are THE BEST looking snakes out there. None beat them IMO. I'm trying to purchase a genetic stripe Guyuna right now.

Awww man suris are beautiful, I can't wait to get a boa.