My new (and first!) Boa - questions...

[Sethian]

Hey everyone,

A few days ago I finally got my first snake ever. I've been planning on this for a while now, and I was going to get a ball python, but I ended up being drawn to this beautiful baby female Het Albino Boa, and decided to just go with my gut feeling on this one.

And boy, do I love this snake!... I'm actually doing the best I can to control myself and leave her alone so she can get acclimated to her new home... otherwise i'd be behaving like an overly-smothering mamma bear

Two days ago I gave her her first thawed out fuzzie to eat, and she ate it no problem. However, she didn't strike at it, but just started devouring it... is this normal because the prey is dead? For the most part I'm just glad that she is eating, which must mean she is happy enough in her new home.

She hasn't defecated yet though, and it has been two days. Is this normal? How long does it take on average for a baby boa to digest one small meal like that?

And lastly, her eyes turned blue a few days ago, so I guessed she was going to shed soon... however now her eyes are back to normal, and she hasn't shed yet. Is it still going to happen?

I'm making sure that throughout all of this I haven't been handeling her at all or stressing her out so that she can get acclimated, digest, and shed in peace

[waltah!]

Hey everyone,

A few days ago I finally got my first snake ever. I've been planning on this for a while now, and I was going to get a ball python, but I ended up being drawn to this beautiful baby female Het Albino Boa, and decided to just go with my gut feeling on this one.

And boy, do I love this snake!... I'm actually doing the best I can to control myself and leave her alone so she can get acclimated to her new home... otherwise i'd be behaving like an overly-smothering mamma bear

Two days ago I gave her her first thawed out fuzzie to eat, and she ate it no problem. However, she didn't strike at it, but just started devouring it... is this normal because the prey is dead? For the most part I'm just glad that she is eating, which must mean she is happy enough in her new home.

She hasn't defecated yet though, and it has been two days. Is this normal? How long does it take on average for a baby boa to digest one small meal like that?

And lastly, her eyes turned blue a few days ago, so I guessed she was going to shed soon... however now her eyes are back to normal, and she hasn't shed yet. Is it still going to happen?

I'm making sure that throughout all of this I haven't been handeling her at all or stressing her out so that she can get acclimated, digest, and shed in peace

Firstly, congrats on your first snake! Very nice looking little boa. She may only defecate every week or two, so two days is nothing. If her eyes turned blue and they are back to normal she will probably shed for you tomorrow (guess). Way to go with not handling her and letting her get acclimated. It's tough to leave them alone, especially your first.
Have fun!

[Sethian]

wow thanks for the quick reply

okay, i feel relieved now that it takes them a while to digest.

how long do you think i should wait before handling her? obviously till the digesting and shed is over right? and how often is too much handling? i hear some people handle their snakes all the time and just sit with them letting them chill on their laps, around their necks, etc... and then others say that that isn't good to do because the snake will get stressed out and irritable?

[waltah!]

You pretty much wanna give them around 48 hrs after feeding before handling. With a little girl like that she may stress easily, so brief handling sessions of 10-15 min or so. Each snake is different and you will learn to read her and know when she's had enough.

[Hulihzack]

Two days ago I gave her her first thawed out fuzzie to eat, and she ate it no problem. However, she didn't strike at it, but just started devouring it... is this normal because the prey is dead?

. Snakes are lazy about eating when in shed, from what I've seen. All of mine will still eat when blue, but they sure won't put up a fight

[Sethian]

not sure if the shed is going so well.

her skin has started flaking away around her neck and a little down her body, but she seems to be having a hard time getting it off her head. she's pushing a lot against the glass and against herself. i read that i should have some rocky surfaces in their cages so that they can rub against those to seperate from the skin. the rock surfaces i have are her two hides. however, she keeps trying to rub against the glass and the the ground. my substrate is paper towels.

she's been wrestling with herself like this for quite a while. her eyes have already seperated and are hanging off. i don't know if all of this or normal and i should just give her some time. maybe i'm just been a paranoid noob

[Neal]

Maybe give us some insight on your setup temperature/humidity. Sounds if it's flaking like the humidity isn't where it should be.

Edit:
Nice boa btw.

[Sethian]

The temperature during the day rises to roughly 85-88 degrees farenheit. i have one hide on the cool side, and one on the warm side. i have a heat pad on the warm side that i never turn off, and a daylight lamp above the heat pad that i turn on and off in tune with sunrise and sunset. my substrate is paper towels because newspapers just seem dirty to me, and i wasn't sure yet what other substrate (straw, bark, sand, etc) would be best for her. the paper towels are at least easy for me to clean and replace with new ones regularly.

during the day she usually hangs out on the warm side, and that is where she is right now trying to shed.

at night she heads over to the cooler side and crawls into her hide over there to sleep.

every morning when i turn on the day lamp and every evening when i turn it off i spray down the encloser and the snake herself with a humidifying spray. i also just sprayed her down again when i noticed she was shedding. my thermometer sadly doesn't give me humidity readings, so i don't know if i should be spraying more or less.

oh, and there is also a water bowl on the cooler side of her enclosure.

[Neal]

You need to get something that measures humidity. You say you spray her down ever morning, but that may not be enough, actually i'm almost positive it's not enough. Your temperatures are ok, but without you knowing the humidity, it's really hurting you. For the time being just try to mist atleast twice a day, for her shedding.

[Sethian]

okay, thanks. what humidity should i have her enclosure at?

and should i get a rougher substrate like straw etc?

btw, i like your snake names in your sig i named my snake Persephone after the greek goddess of the underworld