Is my boa too skinny?!

[yaboyyoungd1234567]

I just got back from the vet and my Red Tail Boa weighs 695 grams SHE'S around a year old and around 3 1/2 foot in length. What is the average weight for a female yearling? Thank you!

[bcr229]

Post a picture. Generally with boas too thin is better than too fat. Their bodies should look like this [] and not this ().

[AbsoluteApril]

There is no average weight. Weight depends on many things, the size when born, the feeding size and frequency, the locality (there are dwarf localities)
Can you post a photo? That'll be the best way to judge if the boa is a healthy size. They should be lean and long with good musculature, in a loaf (square) shape and not round (like a python is healthy when round). The spine should not be a ridge down the back, that is a sign of an underfed boa.

[yaboyyoungd1234567]

I can't upload pictures from my phone. But, I have images of her in my gallery if you could please look at those. She eats a small mouse once every 7 days the vet said she has a really good muscular structure and use of muscle.

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***SMALL RAT***

[AbsoluteApril]

Boa looks to be in fine shape and a fine size for a yearling.
They continue to grow their entire lives.

edit - just saw your edit that you feed a small rat. That's fine. I actually feed slower and mine usually don't get to smalls until their second or third year.

Here is one of your photos

[yaboyyoungd1234567]

About to start feeding her medium rats today. She's never missed a meal and the medium rats are just as big as the biggest part of her body. If not a little smaller. But she's always hungry after feeding her. So I feel it's appropriate to bump up her food size especially if it's not too big.

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Really appreciate that thank you.

[AbsoluteApril]

how big are your medium rats? That seems too large?

[yaboyyoungd1234567]

Well they're little to be considered small in my opinion. Don't think the medium one I have is probably your small ya know?

[bcr229]

Weigh the feeders and report back - I've found a lot of variation between suppliers in the definition of "small" versus "medium" rats.

Also by the time a boa is big enough to take mediums it should be eating every 2-3 weeks, not weekly.

Unlike ball pythons boas will eat all day every day. Don't feed them just because they are hungry, you'll just make them obese and significantly shorten their lifespan.

[yaboyyoungd1234567]

I agree. I think she's actually on the slimmer side tbh. I feed her once a week and that seems to be just enough. It's just where I buy my rats from I feel their mediums are smalls. Because the medium one I'm going to fee her today that I bought from them is the same exact size as her body if not a little smaller.