Feliz - Venezuelan "Dwarf" BCC

I think Feliz is really settled in now. I fed him 5 days ago, a week after he arrived, but a small meal (a 10G hopper). As reported that night, I had dangled, but he didn't come out. So I laid it down in front of his hide and he came out fairly quick, grabbed it, and ate it. I want to get him on the Sunday schedule with everyone else, so I offered tonight, but a more reasonable meal for him (a 14g hopper).

He had his head sticking out of his warm hide, but when I opened the door to his enclosure, he pulled it back in his house. I dangled the mouse in front of his hide for all of 2 seconds and BAM! Wrap and coil! F/T is a non issue with this guy! He had the mouse down pretty quick and was back in his warm hide.

Frankly, I couldn't see him in the hide and he struck so hard and fast, it scared me a little bit. I'll take that every day and twice on Sunday though. Love a good food response. I think last week he was still settling in. Not so much anymore. He seems pretty happy and good to go now.

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Yeah, I think he's a keeper! ;) GOOD BOY, Feliz!

That is a really neat snake!!

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Originally Posted by FollowTheSun

That is a really neat snake!!

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If you don't already know, snakes are addicting! ;)

And yes, boas usually wrap their f/t prey reliably....it's hard to convince a boa to eat "politely"...that's more of a rat snake thing, lol...& not ALL of them! My c/b Florida
rat snakes (yellow x gulf hammock) grab food violently, & the largest (the males) are about 7' long.

The BCI I had for many years, well it was hard to even open her cage to feed her, as she already knew it was coming & was "loaded for bear". That's why they make
18-24" feeding tongs (hemostats), you really NEED them. Feeding a larger boa is not for the faint of heart. :cool:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

The BCI I had for many years, well it was hard to even open her cage to feed her, as she already knew it was coming & was "loaded for bear". That's why they make 18-24" feeding tongs (hemostats), you really NEED them. Feeding a larger boa is not for the faint of heart. :cool:

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Sounds like my Duncan...I use 12” hemastats for the small snakes, but purchased 18” hemastats years ago to use for my Bci. At 7’ long, she is impressive in feed mode. Even after over 15 years of eating f/t she still strikes and wraps as if it were alive.

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Originally Posted by dakski

I think Feliz is really settled in now. I fed him 5 days ago, a week after he arrived, but a small meal (a 10G hopper). As reported that night, I had dangled, but he didn't come out. So I laid it down in front of his hide and he came out fairly quick, grabbed it, and ate it. I want to get him on the Sunday schedule with everyone else, so I offered tonight, but a more reasonable meal for him (a 14g hopper).

He had his head sticking out of his warm hide, but when I opened the door to his enclosure, he pulled it back in his house. I dangled the mouse in front of his hide for all of 2 seconds and BAM! Wrap and coil! F/T is a non issue with this guy! He had the mouse down pretty quick and was back in his warm hide.

Frankly, I couldn't see him in the hide and he struck so hard and fast, it scared me a little bit. I'll take that every day and twice on Sunday though. Love a good food response. I think last week he was still settling in. Not so much anymore. He seems pretty happy and good to go now.

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Glad he’s settling in so well. Boas are such cool pets...and that feeding response! Definitely different from our bp’s. :D

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Originally Posted by Dianne

Glad he’s settling in so well. Boas are such cool pets...and that feeding response! Definitely different from our bp’s. :D

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I think that's why snakes are so addicting? If they were all the same, we could get by with just one, right? But there's so many personalities & quirks, not to
mention colors & patterns...

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I think that's why snakes are so addicting? If they were all the same, we could get by with just one, right? But there's so many personalities & quirks, not to mention colors & patterns...

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Spoken like the true enablers we are! :D

Feliz shed! He was in blue last Tuesday when he ate. I've been pretty much leaving him alone, and letting him settle in, so I wasn't 100% sure on the impending shed, but I was keeping humidity over 70% as opposed to over 60%, just in case.

He had a perfect, one piece, shed!

He's had two meals now, one shed, and seems settled in great. I am going to start gentle handling sessions a few times a week with him. In the limited handling I have done with him, he's a total sweetheart, but continuing to build trust with him can only help enforce that.

I got some pictures last night with my iPhone, but plan to get some more with my DSLR and better light ASAP.

Additionally, my Aunt and Uncle spent the last night with me and Katie on short notice on their way up to Maine to see their son, daughter in-law, and grandkids. My aunt Robin, who I am not sure ever held a snake, held both Feliz and Behira (see pictures in Behira's thread and really loved them) and my Uncle Al, who would not hold Behira, or even touch her, and was a little afraid, ended up holding Feliz. He did great. He was scared at first, but ended up doing well. I had explained "happy tongue" to both of them. Al held Feliz while Katie and Robin went upstairs to feed the dogs. At one point, while I was taking the pictures of him holding Feliz, Al got scared and said, "He's not flicking his tongue!" I explained that was okay, and he was just chilling out. I went over and tapped him and he went back to "happy tongue" and Al was relived. :).

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My Uncle Al with Feliz

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Looking really great Dave,looked like your uncle had some fun with feliz

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