Boas - First Shed... quick help

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#2088755

Trapt5228
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First Shed... quick help

Hey, So I decided to let my girlfriend get her first snake. She picked out a RedTail, I’ll post pics later after this post gets answered maybe. Well, problem is, I havent had a snake in years and definetly never owned a baby, all my snakes were me babysitting for a few months of some much larger animals. This girl is 3 months old, 18", took her first meal without a problem. She is about to come into a shed, shes hiding a lot, blue eyes, the works. How long should a shed take a baby boa? I was figuring a few days, but its already been a few and she hasn’t even broke skin yet. Temps and humidity should be good. Just wondering to see if there may be reason of concern. Any input?????

10/26/09 12:09pm

#2088925

Ang>
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Message To: Trapt5228 In reference to Message Id: 2088755

First Shed... quick help

it actually takes a little longer than one would think. with my red tail, his eyes go blue for a few days and then clear up. about a week after they clear is when he decides to shed. so give her a little time and as long as her temps and humidity are right there should be no problem! during the shedding period it helps to bump up the humidity a little bit, to around 65% or so. make sure she’s got a water dish big enough to soak in also in case she feels the need.

glad to hear she’s eating! hope to see pics when she’s done shedding :)

10/26/09 11:48pm

#2088938

ReptileJay
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Message To: Ang> In reference to Message Id: 2088925

First Shed... quick help

Mine takes about 4 days to shed. He’s about 28". Keep the humidity up. 65% really isn’t very high. your average humidity should be around 50-60%, so for shed you should be up around 70%. Every snake is different, so be patient. I would just mist the cage once or twice a day and keep an eye on her. Also, if you think its been too long, you can give them a warm bath in small rubbermaid tub for about 20 minutes a day every couple of days.

10/27/09 12:39am

#2088972

Bciaddict
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Message To: Trapt5228 In reference to Message Id: 2088755

First Shed... quick help

Mine take between 7-14 days from the time I notice them just starting to go blue to the actual shed. Like everyone else said, make sure the humidity is up. Try not to handle her during this time.

Amie

10/27/09 06:44am

#2089019

Trapt5228
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Message To: Bciaddict In reference to Message Id: 2088972

First Shed... quick help

It could really take up to 2 weeks!! I’ve even had a redtail a couple years back but like I said much larger. She was pushing 5.5’ and would shed completely in a couple days.
I did the warm bath thing and am spraying in the tank more than usual to keep humidity high. She is still hiding so its hard to tell if she broke skin yet.
Thanks for the input everyone, pics ASAP

10/27/09 11:45am

#2089677

Fairy Frog Mother
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Message To: Trapt5228 In reference to Message Id: 2089019

First Shed... quick help

Great advice.
Mine take about 7 days from the time I notice them going blue, about 3 days after the blue goes to clear. I have a nice piece of granite in the cage for them to rub along as well to get the shedding going. Humidity, I agree, is the key to perfect sheds.

Good luck and get youre girlfriend to join up here too so she can show off her lovely snake too!

10/29/09 11:47am

#2090964

Trapt5228
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Message To: Fairy Frog Mother In reference to Message Id: 2089677

First Shed... quick help

Well, I’m a little late on the response but your advice was right on the money. She finished her shed a few days after I posted, after I took the advice, after I turned up the humidity a notch, and after disappearing into her hide box for about...34 straight hours!!! But she came through and she is beautiful, took a meal already too, after this first shed I mean which was her 3rd meal since we’ve had her.
My girlfriend has an account here she just doesnt post as much as I do, sometimes on the beardie forum but let me go get some pics on her behalf and I’ll show off her snake for her. Shes only a normal Colombian, but very pretty if I dont say so myself.
2 second style......

11/02/09 09:18am

#2091323

Ang>
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Message To: Trapt5228 In reference to Message Id: 2090964

First Shed... quick help

Quote:
Shes only a normal Colombian, but very pretty if I dont say so myself.

bah! bcis are just as awesome as bccs in my humble opinion, they are all gorgeous snakes. can’t wait to see some pics! that first shed at home is always exciting, congrats :)

11/02/09 11:51pm

#2091528

ReptileJay
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Message To: Ang> In reference to Message Id: 2091323

First Shed... quick help

BCIs are awesome snakes. But the right BCC has a paint job that blows a BCI away. I have a BCI and love him to death. But I’d love to get my hands on a nice BCC.

11/03/09 03:04pm

#2091689

Trapt5228
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Message To: ReptileJay In reference to Message Id: 2091528

First Shed... quick help

I just posted pics under the post name, "thanks for the help, here she is"
I’ve been doing snakes for a long time, mostly burms, but call me crazy for not knowing this. What is a BCC, BCI...What are you talking about????!!!!???? For the life of me, I cannot figure out that code.

11/03/09 09:30pm

#2091803

Bciaddict
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Message To: Trapt5228 In reference to Message Id: 2091689

First Shed... quick help

Bcc stands for Boa constrictor constrictor, and are basically South American boas (south of the Andes).

Bci stands for Boa constrictor imperator, which are Central American boas (north of the Andes).

Amie

11/04/09 07:01am

#2091862

Trapt5228
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Message To: Bciaddict In reference to Message Id: 2091803

First Shed... quick help

That is a funfact I’ve never known. I feel like part of a some club now. So being Columbia is in the northern-most part of South America, and technically not south of the Andes, which do we have, a BCI or BCC??

11/04/09 11:19am

#2091984

Bciaddict
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Message To: Trapt5228 In reference to Message Id: 2091862

First Shed... quick help

Ha! The ultimate question.

Yes there are both Bci in Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.

Most likely you have a Bci since nearly all the Colombian boas that have been imported are thought to be from the northern portion of Colombia. There are very few verifiable Colombian Bcc’s in the hobby.

Scale counts are helpful sometimes. :)

But natural intergrades do happen.

Amie

11/04/09 04:25pm

#2092121

Trapt5228
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Message To: Bciaddict In reference to Message Id: 2091984

First Shed... quick help

Well I must be a BCC fan because I’ve been wantin’ a South Brazilian for a while now.
We have pics posted under the post name -"thanks for the help, here she is"- and there are some before and after shots of her shed. Thanks for clearin up the BCC-BCI issue for me, thats a valuable funfact and its always nice to learn something new.

11/04/09 10:17pm