I have no clue what is going on.....

nick654377 · 12-06-13, 03:01 PM

So back in march/april I bought a albino from bob clark. I have been in contact with him the whole time and all he will offer to do is swap out the snake and I do not want that option. I like the snake way too much.

Here is the thing. When I got him in april he was 74ish grams. I was feeding him mouse pinkys and he was in qt. The bci was born in feb 2013. I am feeding him weekly and every once and a great while (say every 5 weeks) I skip a week. He is now on rat fuzzies at 15-20 grams. his current weight is 130 grams empty.

It is so weird that he is not growing. He only goes to the bathroom once a month.

His hot spot is 90* and hot side ambiet temp is 84, cool side is 78ish. He has multiple hides, water and a humidity around 55-60%.

Two months ago I brought him to the vet because I wanted him de wormed just for safe measure and went threw that all.

Im at a loss with this one. He acts perfectly fine and is very active when out.

My other three boas are thriving very well and I don't think my husbandry is off expessaly since my bcc (the not so beginner snake, one that had mites and pin worms when I got him) is thriving as well as he is.

Also to note the albino has only shed twice in the 8 months I have had him.

Please help. ugh

nyx · 12-06-13, 03:53 PM

Depending on how large the animal physically is, you may be underfeeding. I would be giving a neonate feedings on a 5-day schedule, and rat fuzzies sound small; I have a 150g corn on that size, but it's hard for me to visualize the size of your animal from a gram weight.

That being said, he gained some weight, behaves normally, presumably has good muscle tone and strength. I don't think I'd be that worried. Increase feeding frequency and MAYBE increase his rat size to pups if he is big enough.

nick654377 · 12-06-13, 03:59 PM

a 20 gram rat will leave a lump for 3 days so I don't want to go much larger. just is weird because I see year old bci's that are 500-800 grams and this guys is so tiny. Im going to still keep him on a 7 day feed because even the way he poops makes me thing his metabolism is not normal. I have a 450 gram arab that poops every 10 days on the money.

KORBIN5895 · 12-06-13, 04:55 PM

I eould never have a boa on mice pinkies unless it is a real runt. I personally think that the first six months of a snakes lives are going to really set the pace for growth. Especially if you look at how they live in nature, around the sixth month mark is when they start to cool down.

**lady_bug87** · 12-06-13, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

I eould never have a boa on mice pinkies unless it is a real runt. I personally think that the first six months of a snakes lives are going to really set the pace for growth. Especially if you look at how they live in nature, around the sixth month mark is when they start to cool down.

Agreed
Even my 38g amazon started with me on mouse fuzzies she is now 70g and on rat pinks.

Its possible that the mouse pinkies kinda stunted it a little
bit just keep feeding it properly and it will probably catch up. He may always be on the smaller side but it should be healthy

shaunyboy · 12-06-13, 08:10 PM

up his prey size,a boa that age imo will take larger prey than rat fuzzies.....

he will grow better on larger prey

imo he don't poop much because he is absorbing what little meat is on rat fuzzies

cheers shaun

nick654377 · 12-07-13, 12:50 PM

ok my bad he wasn't on mouse pinks. he was on mouse hoppers.

The next size up rats are too big. the rats he is getting now are the size of medium mice. it is just weird that he is growing so slow.

KORBIN5895 · 12-07-13, 01:08 PM

There is a huge difference between mouse pinks and hoppers.

A boa that poops once a month is totally normal.

Also the fact that Bob is even willing to switch snakes with you says a lot of good about his business practices.

I have a female that was severely neglected the first 8 months. When I got her a fuzzy rat almost too big. I just kept her on a 7 day schedule but she hasn't really grown til just recently. About three months ago I gave her a small rat (45g-75g) and it was huge. Her growth in the last three months has really kick in. Two weeks ago I fed her a medium guinea pig and she nailed it.

Snakesitter · 12-10-13, 02:42 PM

Sounds like a healthy snake, just a slow grower. They almost all catch up eventually. Just keep at it!

warehouse13fan · 12-10-13, 03:52 PM

doesnt sound unusal about the fact that he is pooping once a month......

BryanB · 12-10-13, 04:48 PM

My BCL was 129 grams at 2years when I rescued him he was maintenance fed and kept in a shoe box he went from big mice to weened rats in a month now 16 months later he is 1800 grams and will take a med-large rat and he is a light bodied boa. Pics always help here are a couple of Inka

Day one august 2012
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Last month
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