Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Yesterday just wasn't a good day for me at all. Rough day at work, and then the usual problems with the faince, and what do I find at home that night? My 4/5 month old baby Suriname boa, that Ive been struggling with for 2 months now, has died. I just realy do not find it fair where some people go to a store, and buy these snakes because they are *pretty* and house them in a 10 gallon tank for god knows how long and they come out with big beautiful, yet stressed, snakes. While me, as i pay attention to specifics, have a flop. Temps were controlled by a UTH, thermostat and temp gun. Warm side air temps were kept at around 92, while floor was obviously a little higher. And the cooler side was around 82. Humidity was at about 50-60 constant.

The little guy never acted *normal* like my friends does but i figured thats just his attitude. He would eat every two weeks, even though i had to struggle with that, and..grrr...im just so pissed of. I dont know if I should give him another shot and get another one at the reptile expo in September or just give up.

I really like the true reds, peruvian, suriname, etc. But im also considering blood python, dumerils boa, and rainbow boa. But I love the true reds.

He was housed in a 20 high with glass siliconed across the mid to give him a 2 level environment. Im in the process of building a 47" L by 18" W by 38" H cage...

Sorry to hear about your bad day. Some days life just isn't fair.

I guess it's really up to you if you want to get another snake. If it were me I'd give it a few months. If after that length of time I still felt the need for a new boa, I'd get one.

BTW It wasn't your fault that your boa passed. Sometimes you can do everything right and you wake up to a dead boa. I don't know if there was an underlying cause that caused your snake to pass. Unless you have a necropsy done you'll never know for sure. I do know that some boas, even though they appear healthy, fail to thrive. They will die for no apparent reason. In many cases new owners will try to blame it on some "disease" or claim the breeder/seller sold them a sick/dying animal. The fact of the matter is that sometimes a boa will die for no reason.

I had a baby boa die a few years ago. I took it to the vet for a necropsy. I was sure that I was sold a "sick snake". I had simular problems that you mentioned. It turned out to be one of those that simply "failed to thrive". So, I paid out 300 dollars to find out "the breeder and I did nothing wrong".
BTW the breeder gave me another one for free. In fact, the breeder insisted I take it and pay nothing. My replacement boa doing extremely well.

Believe me everyone here has had this experience one time or another, or will. I am sorry. I know how it feels. The best thing to do is wait and see how you feel in a bit about it. Chances are you did nothing wrong. Don't hurt yourself more with guilt. I feel for you, and I am sorry for your loss.

Caden

Sorry, For your loss. One thing I have learned in the 15years I have been breeding is nature is not fair some animals thrive and some do a nose dive no matter how good your husbandry and veterinary skills are. But it is also without a doubt the most rewarding thing I have done in my life.(Besides the birth of my two sons) You have to understand when working with animals you have to take the good with the bad and just roll with the flow. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and say this isn't going to break me. I have wanted to sell off my collection at least a dozen times in the past five years, beacuse of humbling experieneces with my boas and I have over 200 so I know how humbling they can be! Just keep on keeping and you will be rewarded someday as well!

Al Brown/Brown's Boas
Chattanooga, TN

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Jason Gonzalez
PreMeditated Morphs
www.PreMeditatedMorphs.com
Jason@PreMeditatedMorphs.com

First of, thank you very much and you have a beautiful baby.

I just feel really depressed for some reason. It just seems worse because I am able to keep all my other animals healthy and all (bearded dragons, frilled lizards, corns and kings, chinchillas, fish, etc.) And ive cared for my freinds" boas and pythons when they go away for vacation but it never works out for ME. Even when i tried gettin a ball python last year, i knew it was sick and it prob wudnt make it but i tried to help it, and guess what? It died. I dun't know...its just really depressing. Not to mention the money that goes into it...

Plus i have to decide what I want by Sept. 10, thats when the reptile expo is going to be. I want a snake and thats about all i know. Im still leaning towards the red tails compared to the other snakes Ive mentioned but still...I don't know. Another few hundred to dish out and me beeing scared its going to die again. Its not that easy when You're 18 and heading into college. But hey, at least when i become a vet in a few years, no more bills right?

Thanks for your support guys, but a few more replies would prob help...

You don't have to decide by Sept 10. you can buy a snake anytime on kingsnake. Might be better to wait to get your head back into it first.

I think you'll make a good vet too, because you care so much about animals.

Caden

...true reds are very touchy espiecally babies...you "could" try a Healthy C.B. Colombian B.C.I.!...

P.S. sorry about your snake all part of the hobby...just like getting bitten...not some thing you want to happen but just know that if you keep snakes...both will happen

Ehhhh, im not exactly a fan of the Columbians. Once I spit out money for something, i want something beautiful,lol. Its like *doing it right the first time*.

Newho, I know i can order stuff online, but this time I'd rather see the animal i get ya know. Plus, like i said, at my age and with school and stuff, don't have the money to dish out what half these breeders want.