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  1. #1
    Registered User DLLNP's Avatar
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    Is this boa thin? Or am I going crazy...or both

    Good morning everyone!

    I was wanting some extra eyes on this snake for an opinion (there’s only so much my non-reptile hobbyist fiancé can put up with ).

    I feel like I have been struggling with this boa since the day I got her. I’m constantly under the opinion that she looks underweight. She also has quite a “soft” body tone compared to my other boa, i.e. my other boa seems to have a more firm muscle tone than the one in question. This is really only noticeable when she’s coiled up/ relaxing somewhere (her body doesn’t seem to hold that classic ‘square’ boa shape when she’s coiled up), when I pick her up she feels like a normally (albeit relaxed and calm) boa.

    Some back ground on this animals—

    I rescued her when she was about 1, she’s 4 years old now. She was is pretty bad shape when I got her, malnourished, dehydrated, no water dish, no heat source, the usual. I eventually tracked down the original breeder to learn there had been a power outage mid-pregnancy and the entire litter was born with kinked tails (you can see it in the picture).

    Currently, she’s on medium rats every 3 weeks (late summer I usually bump up to every 2 weeks and stretch it out to 4 weeks during winter).

    Other than her “softness” she is seemingly healthy. Eats every meal offered, aggressive strike/coil response, sheds, poops, climbs and explores her enclosure (although she does get lazy when I bump her up to meals every 2 weeks, sits in her hide and waits for the next meal. Hence why I only do that a few times per year).

    These were her weights over the years:
    July 2016: ~100 g
    July 2017: ~400 g
    July 2018: ~1000 g
    Current: ~2000 g

    I know boas grow slowly, but does she look underweight to you? Or am I going crazy! If she does look underweight, in your experience what is the best way to bump her up? Like I said going to meals every 2 weeks seems to create a lazy snake, but maybe it’s what she needs? I think a large rat is still a bit much for her (medium leaves a lump).

    Anyway, it’s hard to say how much the power outage during her prenatal development affected her, it’s possible the soft muscle tone is linked to a slightly neuro defect. Who knows!! I’ll stop typing now I think haha.

    Thanks for taking a look! These pictures are from March. I’ll take more when she’s out of shed.






    Ps. I know every snake grows at a different rate, however is was nice to see Jeff Ronne’s collection in Barczyk’s vlog a few weeks ago.. all his 4-5 year females looked about 5-6 feet and around 2000-2500 g. Those 8’ 2 year olds on Facebook always throw me off...

    Regards,
    Dillon


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  3. #2
    BPnet Senior Member AbsoluteApril's Avatar
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    She looks fine to me, body shape looks good for a boa.
    I have some that are more 'soft' than others and get a little flatter looking when resting but when moving looks square again which may just be a muscle tone issue.
    But yeah, she looks fine in my eyes.
    ****
    For the Horde!

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    DLLNP (05-25-2019)

  5. #3
    Registered User DLLNP's Avatar
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    Re: Is this boa thin? Or am I going crazy...or both

    Thanks for the feedback! Ya since I only have two boas my sample size is quite small. Definitely makes me feel better!


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    BPnet Senior Member richardhind1972's Avatar
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    Re: Is this boa thin? Or am I going crazy...or both

    Looks fine to me too, really nice looking boa
    I've got a few boas and they all have different body shapes

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    DLLNP (05-25-2019)

  8. #5
    BPnet Veteran FollowTheSun's Avatar
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    I'm not a boa expert (or a snake expert for that matter) but your post about her being softer and having a bit less tone than normal, and her in-utero issue reminded me of some of my pediatric patients. Some have hypotonia (low muscle tone) due to damage in utero or certain syndromes. I imagine it happens to other animals too. She seems like she has a nice home with you. :-)
    2 BP's, one ratsnake, 2 dogs, 3 cats, 2 small caged birds, 7 chickens, and a toddler in a pear tree

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    DLLNP (05-25-2019)

  10. #6
    Registered User DLLNP's Avatar
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    Re: Is this boa thin? Or am I going crazy...or both

    Quote Originally Posted by FollowTheSun View Post
    I'm not a boa expert (or a snake expert for that matter) but your post about her being softer and having a bit less tone than normal, and her in-utero issue reminded me of some of my pediatric patients. Some have hypotonia (low muscle tone) due to damage in utero or certain syndromes. I imagine it happens to other animals too. She seems like she has a nice home with you. :-)
    Hmm that’s really interesting! Definitely a possibility that’s for sure. I’ve always wondered if she could still be suffering from issues related to the power outage. It’s funny, my partner is actually a NICU nurse... I’ll have to give her hell for not thinking of this . Thanks again!


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    FollowTheSun (05-25-2019)

  12. #7
    Registered User DLLNP's Avatar
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    Re: Is this boa thin? Or am I going crazy...or both

    Quote Originally Posted by richardhind1972 View Post
    Looks fine to me too, really nice looking boa
    I've got a few boas and they all have different body shapes

    Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk
    Thank you! Ya she’s a great looking snake, and she’s very polite as well haha


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