Is this normal?

billherricks · 03-08-03, 07:34 AM

I just traded my burmese python for a columbian red tailed boa,I've never owned one before,the guy told me a bunch of stuff I'd like to post it and maybe someone could tell me whats b.s. and whats the truth. First she's about 14-15 inches long and he said she was 8 months old. Is this possible?I called the pet shop and the owner said she was normal she just wasnt power fed. is this right? Also the guy had fed her a mouse that looked way to big for her the day before I got her she threw it up about 2 this morning lastly, What should I feed her? she's really small I dont know what kind of care she had,any help would be appreciated, thanks

asphyxia · 03-08-03, 08:30 AM

Hey Bill,

Sorry to hear your snake threw up.

I am no expert, but that doesent seem really that small to me maby just a little I would not worry about it, as it seems to be in good hands now.

The rule of thumb i use when feeding my snakes is to select a mouse or preferbally a rat as big as the biggest part of the snakes body, when feeding young snakes.

you may want to send a pic to ensure the type of snake it is, and make sure the temps are correct but i guess you know most of the facts as you did have a burm.

Good Luck
Brian

Ritus_Reptile · 03-08-03, 09:20 AM

hey bill,

14-15 inches is a kinda small if she is 8 months old, but not too big of a deal if you feed it once a week or so from now on. Also bill, if she has a big meal in her stomach there is a good chance it will be regurgitated if she is handled right after she is fed, even a day or 2 later it can still happen. She should do well on really small mice or fuzzies. Good luck with her keep us posted.

Pixie · 03-08-03, 09:57 AM

Ok, we're talking about a BCI, right?

I can't imagine how an eight month old boa could possibly be just 14-15 inches, that's close to their size at birth!!! Boas tend to grow rather quickly so I seriously doubt the true age of the snake or the species of the snake.

As for the regurgitation, it could be normal due to the fact the snake was moved shortly after it ate. The stress alone is more that a good factor in the cause, it's most likely the cause.

Bill: When you can, post pics of your new snake. It will help us properly identify your snake and help you more.

Pixie

nuno · 03-08-03, 10:04 AM

Hi Bill, by the sounds of things the boa sounds like it's been underfed. At 8 months the boa should be at the 3foot marker or slightly bigger. I would give her a week to recover from the regurge. When did you get her maybe she felt ill after the ride home? I would offer a rat pup every 5days untill she fills out.

Nuno

BurmBaroness · 03-08-03, 10:27 AM

I think you probably bought a very young boa, they are wrong about the age. that is about the size they are when born, give or take an inch or 2. Do NOT feed her for 7 days, after the regurge, as this will only stress her out even more, and when you feed, feed prekilled or frozen/thawed. A pic would also help

The_Omen · 03-08-03, 10:36 AM

Everyone is also overlooking that the boa may well be the runt, or could have a regurge problem other than this one time.
Could also be what has already been said, moved too soon after feeding AND with the food seeming to have been a bit large, could well have stressed the stomach with its' size alone.

Give it at least a week to replenish its' gut flora before feeding. and start with a smaller than normal food item, so the stomach is not quite as stretched out.

Another thing that you should do is have a fecal done to determine if any parasites that may be preventing growth and causing regurge.
Even if you are feeding f/t, you can never be sure whether it has been fed f/t all its' life.
Even with eating f/t, there is still a chance that it was exposed sometime in its' life, either through direct contact with another infected animal or through cross contamination.