Don't know if its rats, but I'm pretty sure its some sort of toxin. Boas shed their color when the kidneys are overloaded by something toxic to the animal's normal physiology. The boa's body then tries to rid itself of the toxin through its skin, by shedding. The toxin overload initiates the shed. Only problem is, the shed isn't normal. The dermis is shed as well as the epidermis. Whether or not that's from a premature shed (sloughing epidermis before the process is complete) or damage to the dermis from the presence of toxins, I don't know.
If its what I think it is, your snake will never look like it used to. Its skin has been scarred.
I've heard of very fatty rats doing this. I have personal experience with overdosed antibiotics doing this. Unlike the calico effect, the obverdosed antibiotics left the skin black in places.
Mucho mucho hydration may help reduce the damage if initiated prior to the shed.
jsc

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