Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi iv just taken on 2 boas cos the owner was moving and needed a good home. they are aprox. 3 years old and in good health the only thing is when they are held they tip thier heads up and over so they double back on them selves! is this a neuroligcal or something major. the bloke i got them off had them for 4 months and he said they were doing it when he got them, they were feeding fine but have not eaten in a couple of weeks, they were kept in his shed heated but temps have been dropping recently, they also both just shed, no problems there. any help wud be great.

>>hi iv just taken on 2 boas cos the owner was moving and needed a good home. they are aprox. 3 years old and in good health the only thing is when they are held they tip thier heads up and over so they double back on them selves! is this a neuroligcal or something major. the bloke i got them off had them for 4 months and he said they were doing it when he got them, they were feeding fine but have not eaten in a couple of weeks, they were kept in his shed heated but temps have been dropping recently, they also both just shed, no problems there. any help wud be great.

Is that the only time they do this< when they are held?

I would be highly cautious. I think a trip to the vet might not be a bad idea, and I'd definitely keep them quarentined far away from any other herps in your home.

Hope all is well, but, again, I'd be very cautious......
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GratefulFred

you are discribing something similar to "star-gazing" which is a neurological symptom for toxicities and/or viral diseases. A vet visit, strict quarantine, and optimal husbandry are essential. If you have other boids in your home, keep them in a seperate room, and wash your hands with an alcohol cleanser inbetween rooms. Look up other quarantine procedures!

Ian