New 2 year old Boa size

[James_Snakes]

Hey Guys

So I just recently picked up Roxy at the Cincinnati Reptile expo a couple weeks ago! Shes a 2 year old Columbian Red Tail and is a complete puppy dog that loves to be handled. The breeder claimed he had hand raised her, and actually wasn't planning to sell her, but he heard I was looking for a female and pulled her out from behind his booth. I immediately fell in love and brought her home with me, however I just have one concern. As the post says she's currently only 2 years old; she's about 5 1/2 ft long and weighs just under 7lbs or ~3,000 grams (shown with my 350g ball python for scale). I know there's a big debate in the boa world about power feeding these snakes and getting them up size too quick, and from what I've seen she is about the biggest 2 year old boa I have been able to find. The breeder has fed her weekly since birth, and she is currently eating one med-lrg rat a week. At her current age and size is this too often to be feeding her? I've heard there can be serious complications involved with feeding too often and I certainly don't want to put her through that. Also, if I stop feeding her weekly will that affect her temperament? She's used to being fed every Thursday, so if I start feeding every 10-14 days will she be food aggressive when I try to pick her up and handle her on Thursday/Friday because shes used to being fed then? I currently handle her just about every day unless I feed her, and I plan to continue to do so.

Note***

I'm well aware that my 36"x18"x18" ball python cage is far too small for this girl. My dad and I are currently in the process of building her a 6'x2'x2' wooden/pvc enclosure.

[bcr229]

Her body condition looks ok though at two years old I'd be feeding a medium rat every 2-3 weeks not weekly. Tap training will help with her expecting weekly feedings.

If this is a recent pick-up the boa shouldn't be anywhere near the ball python to help prevent diseases from being transmitted between the two.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...antine-process

[CloudtheBoa]

It's spelled Colombian, and red tail is a separate species. Your boa would be considered a common boa constrictor (Boa imperator), I hesitate to use Colombian as most boa constrictors in captivity are mutts.


Yes, she is absolutely over-sized and overfed. My first boa reached 5'2" at 2 years old because I was unaware I was overfeeding him. When he was 2.5' at a year old, I panicked thinking he was stunted until I came onto this forum around the time he was 2-2.5 years old. I've been learning a lot since, and have gotten quite a few boas (and other snakes!) since. With my current feeding regimen, I have two (female) boas that will be 5 in June. One is over 4.5' and the other I'm guessing is over 5' but I haven't measured her in a year or more. Both of them are eating a medium rat every 3 weeks. At 5.5', if it's eating a large rat without a bulge, I'd go 4-6 weeks. She looks fairly overweight, but not as bad as I've seen.


I also don't feed my more mature boas during the winter. 2-3 months no food, plus a 5 degree temp drop. From 88-90F hot area to 85F hot area, and 80-85F ambient to just 80F.


Her temperament may or may not change. None of my boas have been all that affected by a diet change, but I see some who do experience it.


You should not be handling her at all until you've had her a week, and she's eaten at least once. After that, I recommend no more often than 2-3 times a week, besides 2-3 days after eating and while in shed.


You also really should be practicing quarantine. Your boa and bp should not have been introduced. I personally recommend 6 months to a year of qt, but many will recommend 3-6 months. That's keeping the snake in a separate air space from your other snakes, using separate feeding and cleaning utensils, and handling the new snake last. IBD is going around in boas, and they tend to either be asymptomatic or don't show symptoms up to 3 years. But besides that, there are a whole host of other diseases and parasites to be worrying about.

[Zincubus]

That spelling oddity is similar to the Brazil : Brasil one I guess..


—

This was just taken off Google


When you refer to the South American country that limits Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Panama and is washed by the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, then the name Columbia is correct, but the name Colombia is preferred in English.


Oddly , I’ve always said Columbia ..
( Of course , Columbian women are the most beautiful in the world !! )


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[CloudtheBoa]

That spelling oddity is similar to the Brazil : Brasil one I guess..


—

This was just taken off Google


When you refer to the South American country that limits Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Panama and is washed by the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, then the name Columbia is correct, but the name Colombia is preferred in English.


Oddly , I’ve always said Columbia ..
( Of course , Columbian women are the most beautiful in the world !! )


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In my Spanish class, it was always spelled Colombia with an accent over the second o. So it’s pronounced Koe-lohm-bee-a not Kuh-lum-bee-ah as most English speakers pronounce it. Columbia is the more common incorrect English spelling from everything I can find on the internet. Colombia seems to be the more accepted proper spelling from everything I can find. Everything I’ve been taught in school and from what I can find is Colombia. Not Columbia.


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[outworldreptiles]

She definitely seems big for her age but doesn't look too overweight. As others have suggested I would switch to a medium rat every 2-3 weeks. For reference my 2-3 year old female boas are in the 2-4ft range, not sure on their average weight off the top of my head, and they usually get fed a medium rat every 2-3 weeks. My female boas that are 4+ get a large rat every 3-4 weeks, most of them are between 5-7ft. I typically feed more frequently from March-September, and start going longer or skipping the occasional meal from October-February. That isn't necessary though, plenty of people use the same feeding schedule year round.

Also seconding hook training. Boas tend to have a strong feeding response and mine always act hungry a week after a meal, some of them act hungry the day after, lol. So before taking any of them out of their cage I just tap them on the head with the hook so they know it's not feeding time.

[Zincubus]

In my Spanish class, it was always spelled Colombia with an accent over the second o. So it’s pronounced Koe-lohm-bee-a not Kuh-lum-bee-ah as most English speakers pronounce it. Columbia is the more common incorrect English spelling from everything I can find on the internet. Colombia seems to be the more accepted proper spelling from everything I can find. Everything I’ve been taught in school and from what I can find is Colombia. Not Columbia.


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Maybe we get into a muddle with there being a British Columbia ?

So the two get mixed up somewhat ?
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[CloudtheBoa]

Maybe we get into a muddle with there being a British Columbia ?

So the two get mixed up somewhat ?
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British Columbia and Colombia do not share the same spelling. Spanish and English spellings are different. Christopher Columbus’ name is originally Cristoforo Colombo. But yes, in English the two spellings often get mixed.


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[James_Snakes]

I had taken both snakes to the local vet and she said they were both healthy and disease free so I figured it would be okay to get them out together. I won't be doing this anymore for a few months now, but I guess it might be too late... Hopefully not. I'm new the hobby so excuse my spelling. The breeder also told me it was a Colombian Red Tail BCI. Sounds like that may not be accurate, but I'm not too worried about the exact breed of the snake per say; I'm just happy to have a boa that is as beautiful and tame as her. As for the handling I've had her a few weeks and she's eaten twice. I know not to handle her for a few days after her last meal, but beyond that I respect your recommendation. However, this snake was handled daily for 2 years before I got her and I'm going to continue to do so. She never gets stressed out and actually seems to enjoy hanging around my arms and neck for an hour or two sometimes without moving. She's obviously a very tame snake and has been babied her whole life, I'm just trying to make sure she continues to live the same lifestyle (minus some of that extra fat shes got). I'll try cutting her feeding down to every 2 weeks at first, thanks for the help.

[Zincubus]

British Columbia and Colombia do not share the same spelling. Spanish and English spellings are different. Christopher Columbus’ name is originally Cristoforo Colombo. But yes, in English the two spellings often get mixed.


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Yeah .. the two different places / spellings was my point .. it may explain why in some cases ( mine for one) that the confusion arises


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