View Full Version : Please Help. Pic Heavy Lipstick
BoaBoy91
07-22-13, 05:18 PM
Ok today i picked up a beautiful female lipstick boa. I noticed two things about her that i need some advice about. She is cage aggressive, once i have her out she is great. With handling and age will she out grow it? and i also noticed a line/indention on her belly (going down about 50% of her belly). does this indicate anything bad?
Mikoh4792
07-22-13, 05:35 PM
Wow I've never seen anything like that. Could just be a birth defect of some sort. If she poops, pees, and eats fine I wouldn't worry about. Does she move normally?
Hannibalcanibal
07-22-13, 05:35 PM
The line is the snake's "belly button" (all my snakes have something like that). And it might grow out, might not, but i hear they (boas) usually get better with age, though not always.
bigsnakegirl785
07-22-13, 05:47 PM
That looks to be a bit more extreme than what you would call the snake's belly button. It's much larger than Cloud's was when he had one. I should still have a picture if you'd like to see. To me, it looks like maybe it's an indentation. My ball python has been climbing up the overlap of his glass doors, and he has a line down his belly just like that. As far as the aggression is, I don't know, I've never run into it with mine. Try getting some thick gloves if you don't want to be bit, and handle her regularly. She may clear up her attitude as she gets older.
Chris72
07-22-13, 05:50 PM
How old is your snake (that is a goood lookin' animal BTW)
The line:
Hard to tell from the pic but that line on the belly is likely fine and just a remnant from growing in the egg. If the area is not red, scales are not lifted, etc. I wouldn't think you have anything to worry about with that line. Have seen much, much worse.
Google: miracle ball markus
On the aggressiveness:
With age and regular handling it may get better. However it may not. A client of mine is a marine biologist who once said during a conversation "animals are like humans in some ways....most are even tempered for thier species, some are stand-offish, and the odd few are like Charles Manson". Move slowly, respect her cage space and you have a good chance. Not a boa guy...I'm sure there will be boa specific advice coming. :)
BoaBoy91
07-22-13, 07:40 PM
Thank you all. yeah i ask because i have 7 days to return if anything is wrong with her, and i want to eventually get into breeding her. As for the aggression I'm not as worried because she hasn't struck at me yet.....but she has hissed and opened her mouth when i touched her.
Chris72
07-22-13, 08:18 PM
Oh Gawd...a little hiss in the cage is nothing. Even more so if you are in there bugging her during the day; remember she is nocturnal. Give her some time....looks like you have a good one!
rocknhorse76
07-22-13, 08:25 PM
Not sure about the line, but my male Dumeril's hisses at me almost every time I lift his hide to pick him up. I just give him a few taps before I pick him up and all is well. He's over 6 feet long and about 10 lbs, but he doesn't scare me :rolleyes:
Lankyrob
07-23-13, 04:26 AM
Tap training
Mikoh4792
07-23-13, 04:34 AM
Not sure about the line, but my male Dumeril's hisses at me almost every time I lift his hide to pick him up. I just give him a few taps before I pick him up and all is well. He's over 6 feet long and about 10 lbs, but he doesn't scare me :rolleyes:
Tap training
How do you tap the snake? Lightly on the head? with the hook? I may need to do this when my snakes become bigger.
KORBIN5895
07-23-13, 05:04 AM
How do you tap the snake? Lightly on the head? with the hook? I may need to do this when my snakes become bigger.
Punch it in the nose.
@op
I have a yearling that is named Malice. She lives up to her name hardcore. She is super cage defensive but I just reach in and grab her she has never tagged me yet. Now one of my womas on the other hand......
Mikoh4792
07-23-13, 07:05 AM
Punch it in the nose.
But that's what I do to kill the mice before feeding!
This behavior is pretty common amongst boas in new homes. Ideally you'd want to just leave them be with no interaction for several weeks to acclimate to their new environment. If you're planning on breeding down the road just get used to this type of behavior so you know how to deal with it. You'll need the experience when dealing with offspring and trying to remove the mother from them. If all else fails, I like Korbins advice on a good nose punch!
BoaBoy91
07-23-13, 07:21 AM
Here is two more pics I took yesterday
Pareeeee
07-23-13, 07:34 AM
Snake bellybutton. I freaked the first time I saw this on my BP as well.
Lankyrob
07-23-13, 09:22 AM
How do you tap the snake? Lightly on the head? with the hook? I may need to do this when my snakes become bigger.
Use the hook to lightly touch the snake on the head each time you are going to remove the snake from its home for handling. NEVER NEVER NEVER use the hook during feeding. The snake must associate that hook=no food.
Snake bellybutton. I freaked the first time I saw this on my BP as well.
It looks REALLY long compared to the one on my BP and CORNS..........
Mikoh4792
07-23-13, 09:27 AM
Use the hook to lightly touch the snake on the head each time you are going to remove the snake from its home for handling. NEVER NEVER NEVER use the hook during feeding. The snake must associate that hook=no food.
It looks REALLY long compared to the one on my BP and CORNS..........
Thanks. I was just about to punch it on the nose.
Chris72
07-23-13, 02:56 PM
On the belly line.... Here is the link I wanted you to read for context:
Markus Jayne, Ball pythons | ballpython.ca (http://www.ballpython.ca/miracle.html)
It can be really, really bad (beyond a line) and the animal can thrive and be healthy. The line is part of your animals appearance than should not have any bearing on her health.
Hope that helps a bit.
BoaBoy91
07-23-13, 03:17 PM
Thank you Chris72, yeah i read that link and it was really good to know. I think that it is somewhat a "birthmark" but she is over a month old though i just got her and she hasn't eaten for me yet (Getting use to the new enclosure and such)... she does look and seem pretty healthy and is almost always slithering around the tank.
MrCaveman
07-23-13, 04:01 PM
I wouldnt worry about the line, itll probably go away eventually.
He's freakin awsome looking, i wish i could ad a lipstick to my collection.
I wouldnt worry about the line, itll probably go away eventually.
He's freakin awsome looking, i wish i could ad a lipstick to my collection.
I agree... if she eats, poops and shed ok, there is no problem!! that line could go out with the time and growing. By now, enjoy your new girl, she es very good looking!!
great to see a real lipstick for once!!
the line is a belly button like everyone has said. full term healthy babies have a small cord, with a tiny hole. Babies that didn't cook as well will have an entire yolk sac attatched to their under side and a huge gaping opening. Its a bit scary at first to see but is simple to handle. She obviously was one of those babes and will be fine :)
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