Help needed

[BCMan]

About three months ago I homed a rescue BC from the herp shop I deal with. She was confiscated from her previous owner because she was in really bad condition; she had not shed for a very long time. I have kept her in a very humid viv, and been taking her to a vet just about every week for the last two months. He was giving her vitamin A injections and washing her, meanwhile I have been bathing her at home and pulling off loose scales. Then the best thing happened just now, my gf was pulling loose scales off and a big thick lump of skin came off, revealing lovely new skin underneath. We started taking more and more off and now just about all the layers of dead skin have come off, apart from most of the head which is loose enough yet. She now looks really nice, but I am confudsed as to what type of Boa she is.

When I homed her I was told she was a BCI, but you couldn't see any colour or pattern because she was so thick with unshed skin. (Incidently, the vet, who is a well recommended reptile vet, says it is the worst case he has ever seen.) Now it has all come off we can see the pattern and colours. She has a BCI style pattern down her back ie saddles and side markins, but the tail looks like a Mexicans tail with the criss-cross pattern. Her ventrl scales are very dark and heavily freckled, while her overall colour is mostly black. This is not like my common boa or any boa I have seen. Does anyone have any ideas? My thoughts are that she is either a mexican cross, or more likeyl, she has discoloured through not shedding for so long. I will post pictures as soon as I can get some of her. Any suggestions would be helpful though.

Thank you
Jamie

ps I am really chuffed our hard work has paid off!!

[ChaosCat]

I believe mexican BCI have salmon colored bellies-my sonorans do.

She may be a cross. You'll find out when she gets to full size-either she'll be 5 feet or 9 feet. :P

-cat

[reverendsterlin]

without a pic, all responses would be guesses

[BCMan]

I am well aware that without a pic it would all be guess work, which is why I hope to get a pic up tomorrow. As for knowing when she is full size, well she is about 5 or 6 yrs old (guess) and over 7 feet long at the moment.

The only skin that is left on her now is a bit under her chin, and her eyecaps. I have gently pulled at them and can see what looks like the inside of her eye sockets coming with them. I daren't pull too hard and risk injuring her eyes. As soon as I let the skin go it sinks back into her eye as it were before. Does anybody have any idea how to deal with this? With the build up of so many layers of skin it could be a real problem. My guess is to leave it until a) she pulls them off herself or b) the vet see's her on Tuesday and he decides how best to deal.

Thanks for the replies

[ANACONDASAURUS]

Originally posted by BCMan
I am well aware that without a pic it would all be guess work, which is why I hope to get a pic up tomorrow. As for knowing when she is full size, well she is about 5 or 6 yrs old (guess) and over 7 feet long at the moment.

The only skin that is on her eyecaps. I have gently pulled at them and can see what looks like the inside of her eye sockets coming with them. I daren't pull too hard and risk injuring her eyes. As soon as I let the skin go it sinks back into her eye as it were before. Does anybody have any idea how to deal with this? With the build up of so many layers of skin it could be a real problem. My guess is to leave it until a) she pulls them off herself or b) the vet see's her on Tuesday and he decides how best to deal.

Thanks for the replies

I've used scotch tape and try to soak her in a tub and try rubbing them off and @ the same time try tweezers. I have had very good success with these methods.

[HetForHuman]

does it look like any that are in this thread?
go have a look

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23167