a while back on another forum a discussion came about on deformed boas. well here is my story.....
Two years ago at a local reptile expo we were browsing around looking for stuff. we came across a seller/breeder selling argentine boas. We began to ask about them and he then pulled out a rubbermaid containing probably 20 other argentines. He told us he has just gotten then from a friend and they were born three days ago and had not yet eaten or shed. As we were looking we saw the body of a beautifully colored baby, we were so excited on how extraordinary she was compaired to the rest, so we dug through the mass and picked her up. Imediately we saw something that really bothered us, she had a bend in her neck, this was no kink mind you it was a 90 degree bend. Even then at three days old with her bend she was very active and had the sterotypicale argentine attitude, if not worse. Well we decided to buy another healthier looking argentine and as we were closing the sale he said if we wanted he would give us this bent neck boa because he could not sell it and otherwise he was going to take it home and put her in the freezer. Well russ looked at me and i at him and we said we would take it. On the ride home from the show we talked about this little bent neck boa and decided to give her a chance, we honestly didnt know if she would live and didnt know if she could even swallow her food. We agreed that we would try everything we could short of sustaining her and prolonging death. When we got home we set her up and waited for her to shed, a few days later she shed and the day after that i offered her a fuzzy mouse (smaller than what i would start most boas on). To my suprise she struck!!!!!!! curled it very oddly,but rolled it up none the less. and began to chew on it's a$$ hehe. She swallowed it and very quickly i might add. Ever since then she has NEVER refused a meal,even when she is in shed. She always looks for seconds !!!!!1 Because of the bend we feed her on a slow schedule and smaller prey than normal, we do believe she could take it but we worry about her (concerned parents i guess). So with a little work and effort put into a disposible ,unsellable,imperfect snake, she has tunred out to be healthy and great. She will never be bred but she was given a shot at life and a healthy existance. She is really funny sometimes she looks at you kinda sideways like she is looking at you through a periscope and sometimes she looks like a little shark. but we love her. to me this just proves to show you, all imperfect snakes are not doomed to the freezer given someone with a little love and patience.
hope you enjoy my little story.
Request from Linds... Mizz Bender our special boa
If an animal has the even the slightest will to live, it should be given every chance to do so. After all, it's a life........
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