Issue?

[Gio]

My boa, who normally goes to the bathroom weekly hasn't eliminated yet. It's been over a week and lately I've been giving her soaks, but nothing.
Otherwise she is healthy and normal. Her viv is normal, nothing out of the usual

You live in Detroit. It's cold and even if you don't change anything with your husbandry and lighting, snakes will sense the seasonal changes. This is the dead of winter, metabolisms slow, and so does activity.

I have not read through all of the posts here, so there could be some other variable involved, however if you read the book

THE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR by Vincent Russo, you will come to a chapter where he speaks of seasonal changes, less activity, and less interest in food. These changes will often slow metabolism down, which in turn can spread out the time of elimination after a meal.

I can't recommend that book enough to anybody interested in boa constrictors.

There is also no set rule that a snake will take a dump every Tuesday. As mentioned they go when they go.

If you enjoy "soaks", that is fine, but if your husbandry is on, they are not needed.

Another boa expert, and when I say expert, I mean a world authority on boa constrictors, says continued soaking is NOT usually a good idea. I'm not going to go into all of his reasoning, but Gus Rentfro should be listened to. A bath now and then is OK, but not necessary.

Do not be nervous unless you begin to see other issues appear things will happen naturally.

[ispitroseas]

Update; I think she absorbed it. The rat was small and she seems super active, not like she's working on something.

[ispitroseas]

You live in Detroit. It's cold and even if you don't change anything with your husbandry and lighting, snakes will sense the seasonal changes. This is the dead of winter, metabolisms slow, and so does activity.

I have not read through all of the posts here, so there could be some other variable involved, however if you read the book

THE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR by Vincent Russo, you will come to a chapter where he speaks of seasonal changes, less activity, and less interest in food. These changes will often slow metabolism down, which in turn can spread out the time of elimination after a meal.

I can't recommend that book enough to anybody interested in boa constrictors.

There is also no set rule that a snake will take a dump every Tuesday. As mentioned they go when they go.

If you enjoy "soaks", that is fine, but if your husbandry is on, they are not needed.

Another boa expert, and when I say expert, I mean a world authority on boa constrictors, says continued soaking is NOT usually a good idea. I'm not going to go into all of his reasoning, but Gus Rentfro should be listened to. A bath now and then is OK, but not necessary.

Do not be nervous unless you begin to see other issues appear things will happen naturally.

Also thanks for this. I'll be getting some literature on boas!