Boa Question -help!!

[sideshowsteve]

Hi,
I just got my first snake in about 10 years, used to keep alot of snakes., but I seem to have forgotten alot about care and health.
My boa, (about 4 years old, 5 ft. long) for the first 6 weeks, mostly basked over top of the heat pad, pretty normal behavior..
I fed her frozen thawed 4 days ago, she only ate one medium mouse of the 3 she normally does, and basically, ever since, shes been hiding in the clay planter I use for her hide box, hasn't come out. (shes never done this after eating before)
I moved it last night, just t see if she looked okay, and she was PISSED! (again, probably normal) I left the room ,an hour later, she was back in the planter. Its not over the heat source, but the tank heat varies from about 82-84 by the heat pad, to 77 or so on the other end. Is her hiding for days on end okay, or should I be concerned.
She shed last week.. It wasn't as solid as usual. thats about the only other unusual thing.
HELP!!

[BoidKeeper]

One post per problem per forum. I moved your other one as this is the forum for this type of question.
As for your question, hiding is normal and she should have a hide box on both ends of the cage so she doesn't have to chose security over proper temps. She maybe going into a shed cycle and this may explain the sudden hiding. What ever the reason hidding is normal and helps eliminate stress so as I said before one hide box per end should be provided.
As for you temps they are too low. The basking spot should be about 88 and the cool end about 80-82. My Hog Island boas like 90. Also one last thing, rats are better then mice. Instead of feeding a bunch of mice to constitute a proper meal one rat equal to your snakes girth is all you will need.
Cheers,
Trevor

[jjnnbns]

First off, that is WAY too cold for a boa if the hottest spot maxes out at only 84! They should have a basking spot between 90-95 and the whole enclosure shouldn't drop below 78-80.

Next, only 3 mice per feeding on a 5ft boa?!?!, I have a 3' JCP that takes down five mice in a feeding. You should try and get her on medium rats, then you won't have to feed her one after another.

Other than that, she will know what temps shes at, and move to which one she prefers accordingly. There should however be a hotter spot for her to bask after eating.

Good luck and try to get those temps up!

Brent Strande

[Jeff_Favelle]

Too cold. Pick up a boa book and READ! Research prior to getting that animal would have told you the correct temperature gradient to calibrate your setup to.

[Invictus]

3 medium mice??????!!!!!!???????? I have a 4 foot boa that takes a large adult rat every feeding. 3 medium mice is what I would give to a yearling corn snake. This probably also explains why your 4 year old female boa is only 5 feet long. She's stunted from being underfed. Now that she's 4 she probably won't grow any more. Kinda sad.

[sideshowsteve]

HI,
This was my first post here and I appreciate the advice, but not the assumptions and judgement.
The previous owner (who had her until just over a month ago) was feeding her too large, eg. degus, etc. and she had regurged, so I was going smaller to be safe, plus thats all that is available locally. The implication that I'm uninformed because I asked for help is laffable. In fact, I did research temps and found VARIED info online, I went for the middle. These off the cuff reactions make this place seem like a pissing contest rather than a community gathering place. You know, I tried to figure out the snakes change in behavior, but couldn't explain it. She JUST shed, so its not a shed cycle, and shes normally out in the open.
I couldn't find any direct info about this type of behavior change, so I did the responsible thing- I asked those who might know,only to get shat on.
Great community spirit guys! Rah rah rah
-oh yeah, it's funny, I got a response from another new user here, and she got the same type of attitude when she asked about what types of live plants would be adequate to put in for her boa to climb on. no one actually helped, just ridiculed.

[mark129er]

perhaps a more elaborate explanation of your situation and that of your new snake could have eliminated most of the snap judgements.

[BoidKeeper]

I think he's right. We're too quick to judge and assume around here lately and it's going to give us a bad name.
My two cents,
Trevor

[Invictus]

Yes, we are quick to judge, but there is a reason for that. Often times it's A) inaccurate descriptions of the problem that make the owner look lazy and/or uninformed, or B) A description that comes across as an abusive or neglectful situation, which tends to get a lot of us in a fit because of how readily the information is available on common boas. In this case it was both.

Steve, I apologize for jumping to conclusions here. To offer some actual advice instead, the boa regurging has nothing to do with the prey size. Degus should be a fine sized prey item. I think it's more likely caused by stress and/or improper temps, though I'm skeptical if 3 degrees really makes that much of a difference (77 intead of the recommended 80... I dunno. It's not ALWAYS 80 degrees in central america). Other possibilities can include internal parasites. I'd be taking her to a vet if I were you.

[ChristinaM]

Originally posted by BoidKeeper
I think he's right. We're too quick to judge and assume around here lately and it's going to give us a bad name.
My two cents,
Trevor

Trevor, this has nothing to do with this post other than in regards to the assumptions, but I have to agree. Whilst some jumping is warranted, other times, the more experienced keepers tend to act like king ^%$& and ridicule persons asking honest questions. I definately agree, as of lately, I've seen a whole lot more jumping and assuming, that warranted :( It definately makes the lesser experienced think twice bout what we post :(

[dave68]

can't we all just get along?

[ChristinaM]

Originally posted by dave68
can't we all just get along?

but that would just be too easy LOL :rolleyes:
me thinks life would be too plain and dull and boring if we did that eh :)

( i'm saying this lightly and attempting a poor attempt to make peep's smile :) )

[BoidKeeper]

I think we just need to step away some times and think a little longer before replying. We can get our point accross with out the jumping is all. We need to ask more questions and assume less. The problem is that doing that way takes more time but in the end everyone should win because we get some of the info we need to stop us from wanting to tear someone a new one and they get the help they need.
When I see myself writing one word answers and making comments like "It's in you ball python manual" I know it's time to take a break for a while.
Those of us that have been on here for a long time get jaded when people are asking the most basic of questions like it was as complicated as breeding Chondros. No one held my hand or found my care sheets for me so we get anoyed when people don't know the correct temps or are surprised that balls go off food.
However, not everyone starts out the same but that doesn't mean they can't master their herps husbandy once they get going. I think we need to remember where we started a little more often instead of getting so high and mighty.
Cheers,
Trevor

[sideshowsteve]

guys,
thanks for your insights, I don't feel like my inner-child has been
molested anymore! Invictus, thank you, I think I'll take that advice about a visit to the vet. I'm still pretty concerned, she hasn't emerged yet. I'm going to go do a search for a herp vet on the island right now..

[BoidKeeper]

I'm going to go do a search for a herp vet on the island right now..
Well it's about time! lol
Good luck and keep us posted,
Trevor

[sideshowsteve]

GO figure,
There is no vet on the island who deals w/ reptiles
Just spoke w/ 2 different clinics, both said Dr David Huff , who does all the care for the reptiles at Vancouver Aquarium(about 6 hours away) is the vet I need to see...
I was told when I bought her that vet care was an issue locally, but this is ridiculous!!! NO rats, NO vets, you'd think that I'd moved to the sticks!!! (wait, I did....) Theres got to be one on the island somewhere dammit....

[BoidKeeper]

I'm sure if you put up a post in the general forum asking for vets on the island someone will come up with something for you because there are lots of herpers here from the island.
Good luck,
Trevor

[sideshowsteve]

HEy again,
just found one in Nanaimo (1 1/2 hours awway)
Expecting a phone call from him shortly...