Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK... given perfect conditions, all well with in the standards that we all agree are exceptable for keeping RTB or BCI's in general, why is it that the last two babies ( one just right at four months and a previous one around 6 months old ) I've had issues with them getting prolapse like bulges ( not a complete prolapse ) and dying? I've only had pythons in the past and was trying to getting into keeping boas... but um... yeah... they keep dying... my other snakes in the collection, are surviving and thriving... the boas... not so much... any insight as to why?? feel free to fire away...

And I know you guys are going to ask....
Heating...
basking sight around 92... ambient air usually around 75 to 80 on the hot side... 70 to 65 on the cool side (it's a long 40 gallon tank with plenty of hiding spaces.. )

Subtrate...
Coconut bark... which I put through a strainer to get all the dust out before placing into the enclousure...

Both were eating well proportioned meals for their body size... WAS NOT POWER FEEDING, as I wasn't in any hurry to breed them for any reason....

Umm, yeah... anything else you'd like to know... hit me back...

I would say you have [bleep]ty luck.Also dont feed on the coconut bark.I used newspapers with my boas and never had a problem.
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If lead paint is so deadly why do they make it so delicious?

I'll do you one better... I don't feed in their houses... I have rubermaid sweater sized tubs that I feed in... but thanx..

is too low and they are getting dehydrated/constipated, thus causing prolapse? Your cool side seem rather low to me too.I never let my boas cage get below 75 anywhere.Just a suggestion of things to check out..Anyways I dont have a ton of experience with boas having only one but mine is quite huge and healthy so I must be doing something right..
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One environmental guess I would have is that even though they are fed out of the enclosure they are ingesting bedding while drinking, wiping their face or burrowing. Seen it happen. Only a necropsy would really tell you.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

Yeah... that or I have the worst luck with red tails in the world... I keep all my snakes on the same bedding since the first day I've brought them home... and I sifted the subtrate to remove all the "coconut dust" with the smaller guys to help keep that veryt thing from happening... But again, anything is possible.. just find it really funny that none of my baby pythons have had any issues with it... ( burmese, carpet and ball ) I've got one of my friends wives looking into it for me.. ( she's a vet ) so I should find out here soon what happened... hopefully...