Tequila Out for Exercise (Very Pic Heavy)

We've been promising pics of Tequila out for an evening's fun so finally got a bunch tonight. We also got to finally get a proper length measurement on her.....8 feet 10 inches! :)

Checking out the small bookcase in our livingroom.....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...g08onfloor.jpg

We think this might be her first experience with stairs.....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...tairsAug08.jpg

She quickly figured out the stairs but was cautious and careful, peeking over each step before proceeding (all 16 stairs including both corners - it took awhile! LOL). She's a big, mature boa who has the the wisdom to go with it and seemed to want to make sure she was safe before proceeding to the next stair....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...tairsAug08.jpg

Relaxing on our king size bed after her big journey up the stairs....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...zeBedAug08.jpg

Awww what a face......
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...aFaceAug08.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...onBedAug08.jpg

Relaxing with Mike on the big bed.....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...aMikeAug08.jpg

Back downstairs she went for a nice slither down our long central hallway (one of her favorite places to stretch out that big, long body of hers) - Mike did carry her back down the stairs (big spoiled snake! LOL)....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...eHallAug08.jpg

Time to go back in. Surprisingly unlike a lot of boas she's quite good about going back into her home. We just open her door, point her head that way and she's quite happy to head back to home base in her slow, graceful way.....

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...kHomeAug08.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...FloorAug08.jpg

Peeking out her mesh window.....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...rHomeAug08.jpg

After a good drink, she started the big climb up to her basking shelf.....

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...bingAug081.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...bingAug082.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...bingAug083.jpg

Ahhhhhhhhh.....relaxing under her evening heat lamp....time for a good big rest after her evening of fun and excitement.....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...stingAug08.jpg

She's a doll Jo!

I love the pictures! Thank you much for sharing!:gj:

Great pics Jo, hows is it to handle a snake that size, is she pretty good about you lifting her up and handeling her? I would love to have a boa like that..

Wow. I love how big she is! I also love how you guys take care of her so well, it really looks like you make your snake a part of your family which is awesome.

Love It! :P She looks like she's having a good time ;) She's beautiful!

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Originally Posted by V1L3 DiaL3cT

She's a doll Jo!

I love the pictures! Thank you much for sharing!:gj:

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Glad you enjoyed them! We love having Tequila in our lives. I've been promising Jamie (who we adopted Tequila from) for ages to do a proper evening picture taking session so tonight was finally the night. :)

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Originally Posted by Broseph

Great pics Jo, hows is it to handle a snake that size, is she pretty good about you lifting her up and handeling her? I would love to have a boa like that..

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Thanks Joe. She's absolutely excellent to handle. It's obvious this 16 year old snake was always handled beautifully and has never developed a fear of human interactions. She's quite heavy and of course all muscle so quite an armful but she doesn't struggle or fuss at all when lifted or moved around. She's not at all head shy. We've found she doesn't like her tail touched and will flinch away if you do that so we avoid messing with her back end as much as possible.

Because of her size we do make it house policy that both Mike and I are present when she's out of her enclosure (which is padlocked at all other times). Also when one of us is cleaning, and therefore below her on her basking shelf, the other is keeping an eye on her. She's never show us any aggression but we feel it's important to work safely with her (and model that for our kids).

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Originally Posted by envy_ld50

Wow. I love how big she is! I also love how you guys take care of her so well, it really looks like you make your snake a part of your family which is awesome.

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Her enclosure is right in our livingroom (all the boa's and the milksnake are in the livingroom) so she's right in the thick of things and often watches us from various places in her home. The funniest part is when she goes nose to nose through the mesh with either the cat or dog. They haven't got a clue what to think of her and she seems equally as fascinated with them. They are never allowed to interact though other than through that door. If Tequila is out, the cat and dog are both locked securely away.

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Originally Posted by lenastorms

Love It! :P She looks like she's having a good time ;) She's beautiful!

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Thanks so much, we think she's just a gorgeous girl! She seems to enjoy her exercise time and never shows a bit of stress or a fear response to anything.

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Originally Posted by Broseph

Great pics Jo, hows is it to handle a snake that size, is she pretty good about you lifting her up and handeling her? I would love to have a boa like that..

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Actually, I should have also said something else about handling Tequila. Other than the technical side of handling what for Mike and I is the biggest snake we're ever likely to own, there is also an incredible emotional aspect to it.

I think I now understand why people like Kevin and Kara or Brian are so fascinated with their giant snakes. There is something so awe inspiring, so humbling almost about having this almost 9 foot snake lay beside you or gracefully slither over you. Feeling her body with her incredible powerful muscles but she's relaxed, she's not afraid....it's just....amazing! That this snake who could hurt us if she wanted to, is chosing to trust us, is intelligent enough to know we mean her no harm....well even for gabby talkative me, it's just pretty hard to put into words just how very incredibly cool that is!

We'll never be able to own a retic or a burm or an anaconda, but through Tequila we are getting a taste of the wonderful world of bigger snakes. :)

She's an extremely impressive snake! Great pictures, Jo! Looks like Tequila had a blast!

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Originally Posted by JLC

She's an extremely impressive snake! Great pictures, Jo! Looks like Tequila had a blast!

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Thanks Jude! We were pretty impressed with her measurement let me tell you LOL. We knew she was likely over 8 feet but hadn't been able to get a true measurement on her before tonight. Darn girl is almost 9 feet! :O

Thank goodness she's a sweetie and that's due in large part to both her original owner who had her for most of her life, then to Jamie and Amy who had her for almost 3 years. She's so very obviously been a beloved animal that's never been given a reason to fear people or known a day of bad care. It's so nice for our family to benefit from all those years of dedicated snakekeeping that have resulted in this lovely snake with her big but gentle ways.

She looks great Jo! Nice and muscular. Very healthy happy Boa!

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Originally Posted by jim020cricket

She looks great Jo! Nice and muscular. Very healthy happy Boa!

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Oh I'm glad to hear that! You're our go to guy for boa stuff and I was hoping you'd think she looked good. She's eating a couple of jumbo rats every 10 day to 14 days - she basically tells us when she's ready for food by her mannerisms. The boa stare LOL.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Actually, I should have also said something else about handling Tequila. Other than the technical side of handling what for Mike and I is the biggest snake we're ever likely to own, there is also an incredible emotional aspect to it.

I think I now understand why people like Kevin and Kara or Brian are so fascinated with their giant snakes. There is something so awe inspiring, so humbling almost about having this almost 9 foot snake lay beside you or gracefully slither over you. Feeling her body with her incredible powerful muscles but she's relaxed, she's not afraid....it's just....amazing! That this snake who could hurt us if she wanted to, is chosing to trust us, is intelligent enough to know we mean her no harm....well even for gabby talkative me, it's just pretty hard to put into words just how very incredibly cool that is!

We'll never be able to own a retic or a burm or an anaconda, but through Tequila we are getting a taste of the wonderful world of bigger snakes. :)

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Jo, Thats awesome, your passion for your snakes is very apparent... Tequila is turely a awesome looking boa:D:gj:

Hey hon you did get some amazning pics of tequila. It's fun to watch her explore the house,it was like wow stairs are these like my tree they go up cool. I find interacting with her and our other boas to be intresting as them seem to like and enjoy such interaction more so then our bp's.

Mike and Jo~ Thanks for all of those great pictures!! Tequila is simply awesome and what a thrill to see her 'on the go'! Wow~ I just don't think that I have the words to describe my feelings when I look at that big and beautiful snake :love: It's just really something very special.

She's lovely Jo,

Looks like Missy has really made her mark with the new family. :)

Congrats with her (you are really making us want one!).

Bruce

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Originally Posted by Broseph

Jo, Thats awesome, your passion for your snakes is very apparent... Tequila is turely a awesome looking boa:D:gj:

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Thanks Joe. :)

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Originally Posted by McAdry

Hey hon you did get some amazning pics of tequila. It's fun to watch her explore the house,it was like wow stairs are these like my tree they go up cool. I find interacting with her and our other boas to be intresting as them seem to like and enjoy such interaction more so then our bp's.

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Okay dear but now I get to tell them about that one "interaction" LMAO!

Mike was lifting Tequila off our bed in preparation for hauling her big butt back downstairs when she did a very typical boa move - the big head swing. Well Mike was wearing a pair of those loose legged board shorts and geeze guess where Tequila swung that big head of hers!

Yep, right up the leg of Mike's shorts!!! :rofl:

Okay I know I should have been the responsible snake handler and immediately helped remove her but heck...I burst out laughing at the look on his face! It was all I could do to NOT take a quick snapshot of that! LMAO Apparently men don't see this situation as quite the hilarious moment as women do. HAHAHAHAHA

All the credit to Mike though, he handled it perfectly. Didn't get freaked out, just stood still and removed Tequila. I don't know if I would have been that calm had she done that with me. LOL

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Originally Posted by starmom

Mike and Jo~ Thanks for all of those great pictures!! Tequila is simply awesome and what a thrill to see her 'on the go'! Wow~ I just don't think that I have the words to describe my feelings when I look at that big and beautiful snake :love: It's just really something very special.

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Thanks McKinsey, we think she's very special too. :)

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Originally Posted by Loft Lizard

She's lovely Jo,

Looks like Missy has really made her mark with the new family. :)

Congrats with her (you are really making us want one!).

Bruce

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Bruce, properly handled and cared for these are very incredible snakes. That they can be out and about for more extended time periods and handled without creating as much stress for them is really fun. Since most of these type of boas seem to have a pretty laid back approach to life makes them a real joy to have around. Feeding day is a different ball of wax though. Big strike range, heavy hitters that don't play around when hunting, but other than that I've yet to see any real temperment issues with the boas we've had in the house.

She is lovely, Jo. Its unreal to us to think that our Sammy could get as big as Tequila. I know what you mean though about holding a big snake. I was overwhelmed the first time I actually held Sam, it was amazing. She was more active, less shy, faster moving, and much heavier than any of our other babies, she explored for a bit and then settled down with most of her coiled next to me and her head on my stomach.
I loved it, so I know how you feel!!!!

What a beautiful boa, very nice job and awesome pics. I can't wait till my little 2footer,gets to be that size. Even at 2ft u can tell how strong and muscular these snakes are...again awesome boa...

Jo,

Tequila looks great! I couldn't have found a better home for her than with you, Mike and the family.

Jamie

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

The boa stare LOL.

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Most people are not aware but boas try to practice ESP: "Yeeess...you want to feed me. Mmm, imagine yourself taking the rat out of the freezer. It's a happy time. Feeeed meeeee."

Our boa only comes out of her hide when she's hungry; Carmen arranges herself and tight and snugly in a back corner of her cage with just her head sticking out. As soon as she hear you coming, she looks at you with big puppy dog eyes and flicks her tongue: "I'm reeeaaaadddyyy!"

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Mike was lifting Tequila off our bed in preparation for hauling her big butt back downstairs when she did a very typical boa move - the big head swing. Well Mike was wearing a pair of those loose legged board shorts and geeze guess where Tequila swung that big head of hers!

Yep, right up the leg of Mike's shorts!!! :rofl:

Okay I know I should have been the responsible snake handler and immediately helped remove her but heck...I burst out laughing at the look on his face! It was all I could do to NOT take a quick snapshot of that! LMAO Apparently men don't see this situation as quite the hilarious moment as women do. HAHAHAHAHA

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BEST - STORY - EVER!

Mike = :O !!!!

Thanks for sharing Tequila pictures. I agree with you whole heatedly about the amazing interaction we as human can experience with a giant snake - they are incredible. =)

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Originally Posted by Mina

She is lovely, Jo. Its unreal to us to think that our Sammy could get as big as Tequila. I know what you mean though about holding a big snake. I was overwhelmed the first time I actually held Sam, it was amazing. She was more active, less shy, faster moving, and much heavier than any of our other babies, she explored for a bit and then settled down with most of her coiled next to me and her head on my stomach.
I loved it, so I know how you feel!!!!

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Boas really do have that winning personality as long as you build a good relationship with them. :)

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Originally Posted by bradabolics

What a beautiful boa, very nice job and awesome pics. I can't wait till my little 2footer,gets to be that size. Even at 2ft u can tell how strong and muscular these snakes are...again awesome boa...

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Thanks Brad. Enjoy that little boa, treat it right and someday you'll have a big, beautiful sweetheart of a boa on your hands.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Jo,

Tequila looks great! I couldn't have found a better home for her than with you, Mike and the family.

Jamie

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Aww thanks Jamie! You know how crazy Mike and I are about Tequila. It's been such a joy to watch her become used to her enclosure. At first she was pretty unsure of this whole climbing up a tree deal but now she pops up and down her tree like she's been doing this her whole life.

The funniest thing is when she poops. She'll go down to the floor level, leave a big stinker on her cypress mulch, retreat back up her tree then lay there looking over her basking shelf at what she's done. If I peek in at her, she looks at me then goes back to staring down over the shelf edge. That's my clue that she's done a stinker (like the smell doesn't clue me in LOL). It's really funny how boas seem to really dislike their own feces smell.

Funny how smart she is. She absolutely never fouls her basking shelf. If she has to pass any sort of waste product she goes down to the cypress to do so. The only thing she'll do on that shelf other than bask and enjoy life is to drop her shed up there but she's never once made a mess up there.

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Originally Posted by cassandra

Most people are not aware but boas try to practice ESP: "Yeeess...you want to feed me. Mmm, imagine yourself taking the rat out of the freezer. It's a happy time. Feeeed meeeee."

Our boa only comes out of her hide when she's hungry; Carmen arranges herself and tight and snugly in a back corner of her cage with just her head sticking out. As soon as she hear you coming, she looks at you with big puppy dog eyes and flicks her tongue: "I'm reeeaaaadddyyy!"


BEST - STORY - EVER!

Mike = :O !!!!

Thanks for sharing Tequila pictures. I agree with you whole heatedly about the amazing interaction we as human can experience with a giant snake - they are incredible. =)

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Sev is like that. He has his peek his head out of his big hide, please feed me look. Tequila on the other hand comes down to the ground, parks herself at her door and does this intent...HEY TOSS ME A RAT SOMEBODY!!! look. It's very different from her....hey what you all doing, look there's a cat/dog walking by, la-dee-da just hanging out look.

It was hilarious Cass. I about got a stitch in my side laughing at his face and how darned fast that big girl swung around and stuffed her face up his shorts LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really should have taken a picture but I think Mike would have made me pay for that! :rofl:

Glad you all enjoyed this little pictorial evening with Tequila. :)

twasn't funny.lmao it was just glad I could move fast enough lol a snake bite their would be a new one.

How awesome :) I hate to see boas all over the place looking for homes (like, on craigslist, petfinder, etc.) It warms my heart to see a giant girl like yours, in the hands of loving and able people like your family!

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Originally Posted by McAdry

twasn't funny.lmao it was just glad I could move fast enough lol a snake bite their would be a new one.

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Considering your history with pretty much being bitten by everything with fur, scales and feathers - I think we're both glad you got Tequila out safely. :rofl:

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Originally Posted by Ginevive

How awesome :) I hate to see boas all over the place looking for homes (like, on craigslist, petfinder, etc.) It warms my heart to see a giant girl like yours, in the hands of loving and able people like your family!

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It is sad, Jen, how many folks get a baby boa and then have no idea how big then can get or how long they can live. I have to bite my tongue everytime I met someone in a pet store who says..."oh I used to have a *insert boa, burm, etc.*", and I stupidly say..."oh what happened to it"....and they say..."oh it got too big"

What in holy blazes was it supposed to get!!!! :taz:

Thanks for the kind words, Jen. We're so very pleased to have Tequila. She's just perfect, big enough to enjoy that feeling of owning a snake of real substantial size without being so big she's overwhelming to us and our handling experience. :)

how do you keep temps and humidity up in that closet?