Give Me Food and Water

[Twisted Mister]

I have had it necessary to force feed my almost 3' redtail boa with two small fuzzies just to get her to eat. She has gone for lengths at a time between feedings but never as long as recent. Her skin has tented and even though I have given her a bath with 50/50 Epsom and water which initially improved her activity it did not last. She is listless in her tank compared to being very feisty before this last episode of non eating. Her eyes are covered with what appear to be shed but on a better note, she did shed with only small amounts of skin left. She also excreted the two fuzzies she got.What now? There's been no change after subsequent bathings.

[bcr229]

How long have you had her? Did you produce her, buy her locally, or was she shipped? Have you asked her prior owner for help? Did her prior owner send a feed card or tell you what she was eating before you bought her?

What are her warm and cool side temps? How big is her enclosure and how are you heating it?

[Twisted Mister]

For whatever reason I can’t figure out this posting system. I posted the other day the answers to bcr229’s questions but must have done something wrong. I’ve had her over 8+ yrs and found her in the street, while her owner had just come down from an adjacent apt house. The young women told me that she wouldn’t be able to keep the pet due to its continued escape prowess and her mom’s disgust for slithering surprises. She asked if I wanted the snake and I said sure, so the history is unknown of this pet.
She has recently improved after a short period of a respiratory infection with the increase of temperature and length of time her heaters/lamps were introduced into her enclosure. Her temperature ranges from the low 50s at night to her @10-12 hrs of 78-80* at the base of the tank.

[Albert Clark]

IMO, Epsom salt is very high in sodium and is a questionable treatment for dehydration especially at that concentration. I would just use warm water in the future. Low 50's at night? I'm confused about that temperature. Her temps should be boosted several degrees all around.

[Aaron_S]

Your temps seem low. What's the hot spot at? Ambient humidity?

Have you seen a vet? You should really get a culture done if there's an actual RI as well as dehydration.

If she's 8 years old how is she only 3 feet? Even after rescuing her with proper feeding and temperatures she should have grown.

I think your environment is well off and is a contributing factor at this time. Despite how hardy boas can be to husbandry it seems like this time it finally caught up to your snake.

[bcr229]

For whatever reason I can’t figure out this posting system. I posted the other day the answers to bcr229’s questions but must have done something wrong. I’ve had her over 8+ yrs and found her in the street, while her owner had just come down from an adjacent apt house. The young women told me that she wouldn’t be able to keep the pet due to its continued escape prowess and her mom’s disgust for slithering surprises. She asked if I wanted the snake and I said sure, so the history is unknown of this pet.
She has recently improved after a short period of a respiratory infection with the increase of temperature and length of time her heaters/lamps were introduced into her enclosure. Her temperature ranges from the low 50s at night to her @10-12 hrs of 78-80* at the base of the tank.
Ok... so you have a boa constrictor imperator (BCI) in a glass tank at lower than optimum temperatures with heat lamps providing what little heat she's getting, which means your humidity is likely too low as well. Yeah, that will throw any boa off food. Also if she's only three feet long at eight years old something is very, very wrong... or you don't have a boa constrictor, got pics?

Her temperature should be 78*F on the low side, 88-90*F basking spot, with humidity 50-60% in the enclosure. Enclosure temps should not swing with day/night temps unless you're cooling the animals for breeding, which isn't really needed for BCI's anyway.

Cut out the Epsom salt soaks, they're not needed and the salt will dry her out even more.

This care sheet has some good information:
Colombian Red Tail Boa (Boa constrictor imperator) (http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?127288-Colombian-Red-Tail-Boa-(Boa-constrictor-imperator))

[Paul K]

Buy an UTH and heat the tank up to proper temperatures. that should fix the problem. also regulate the UTH. In my experience snakes will stop eating due to low temperatures and not low humidity so that seams like the issue to fix first. good luck

[lady_bug87]

The salt baths are the most confusing part of all this.

You're definitely not keeping her right. Literally everything you're doing is wrong. Believe me boas like feed day when kept properly.

Listen to all the fine keepers that gave you advice.

[Albert Clark]

Maybe even consider switching to a tub over the tank? Definitely the heating factors need to be addressed and corrected asap.

[jossh27]

update on your snake?