Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just wondering what you think. I tried to make an appointment with the vet, but she is out sick. Won't be back until the 22nd or there abouts. I called around to a few other places, and they all recommend going to the first place I called. I might try the pet shop in town or a guy I know that has a bunch of snakes and breeds them.

So anyway. What do you think? No, I'm not going to hold you to it, I promise. On pic #6, the snakes cholocea, cloeacle,......it's BUTT is by my finger. I should have marked the pictures. Sorry.

Thanks,
Rob

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Want a turtle? how about two?
They are real nice........

especially to each other........

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For Sale cheap: One (1) 6' 19 yr old male. Does no house work. Has no job and will complain. Constantly.
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa-Ziggy
1.0 Creamscicle motley corn--Cozmo
0.1 Creamscicle corn--Wanda
0.0.1 Normal corn
0.1 Black Pine - Spazz
1.0 Eastern King-Ozy
1.0 Bearded Dragon - Gomer

While trying to hold the tail still, the snakes vertebrae(sp?) (spine) sounded like it cracked, like what happens when you go to a chiropractor. I didn't pull on purpose, it just happened.

Did I just give my snake a minor adjustment? Is this dangerous? I'm not planning on doing it again, but if it happens by accident.

Thanks again,
Rob
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For Sale cheap: One (1) 6' 19 yr old male. Does no house work. Has no job and will complain. Constantly.
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa-Ziggy
1.0 Creamscicle motley corn--Cozmo
0.1 Creamscicle corn--Wanda
0.0.1 Normal corn
0.1 Black Pine - Spazz
1.0 Eastern King-Ozy
1.0 Bearded Dragon - Gomer

Well I can't say about the back popping sound but it would make me very nervous with any of my animals and I'd consult a vet/expert about it.

In terms of the sexing your rainbow boa, do you know anyone who breeds them or has BRB's of both sex's?

The most common way, as far as I know, of sexing them is by gently rubbing your thumb or finger down their underside near the vent. In the males you will feel a small lump when you do this. It's real easy to spot if you have both sex's on habd but is not visible that I've noticed, the lump that is. If you can get in contact with someone with both sex's them you should be able to have them sex it for you or teach you how to sex it for yourself pretty quickly. Took me five minutes to learn once I had my own pair to handle. Also it would save you the cost of a vet visit that was otherwise not needed.

Others may well be able to tell from pictures and just not have responded yet.

Sean.

Thanks Sean. Sorry I didn't respond sooner.

The tail popping kinda freaked me out. I didn't even pull more than needed to get her tail straight. I'll ask the vet about that when I get there. I tried to get a hold of a snake breeder that I know of, but he has been deployed someplace.

Thanks again,
Rob

>>Well I can't say about the back popping sound but it would make me very nervous with any of my animals and I'd consult a vet/expert about it.
>>
>>In terms of the sexing your rainbow boa, do you know anyone who breeds them or has BRB's of both sex's?
>>
>>The most common way, as far as I know, of sexing them is by gently rubbing your thumb or finger down their underside near the vent. In the males you will feel a small lump when you do this. It's real easy to spot if you have both sex's on habd but is not visible that I've noticed, the lump that is. If you can get in contact with someone with both sex's them you should be able to have them sex it for you or teach you how to sex it for yourself pretty quickly. Took me five minutes to learn once I had my own pair to handle. Also it would save you the cost of a vet visit that was otherwise not needed.
>>
>>Others may well be able to tell from pictures and just not have responded yet.
>>
>>Sean.
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For Sale cheap: One (1) 6' 19 yr old male. Does no house work. Has no job and will complain. Constantly.
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa-Ziggy
1.0 Creamscicle motley corn--Cozmo
0.1 Creamscicle corn--Wanda
0.0.1 Normal corn
0.1 Black Pine - Spazz
1.0 Eastern King-Ozy
1.0 Bearded Dragon - Gomer

Rob,
....It really is hard to tell looking at the PICs. It looks like there may be a bulge near the 10th and 11th scale after the cloaca which would indicate that it is a male. Feeling for the bulges which are at the ends of the hemipenes is the easiest method of sexing them at that size but you do need some experience with both of the sexes to get a feel for how large the bulge should be. At that size a male will often have spurs that are beginning to look larger and more usefull than a females but I do not see them in the PICs.
....Most veterinarians have limited experience probing snakes and are not accurate in determining sex by probing. There is a very simple method to determine if your vet knows what they are doing with snakes. Take in a snake that is not well known, like a Rainbow Boa and let the vet tell you what species it is and what it's husbandry requirements are. Most vets cannot identify a Rainbow Boa and will tell you to keep yours way too hot and dry.
Jeff

>>Just wondering what you think. I tried to make an appointment with the vet, but she is out sick. Won't be back until the 22nd or there abouts. I called around to a few other places, and they all recommend going to the first place I called. I might try the pet shop in town or a guy I know that has a bunch of snakes and breeds them.
>>
>>So anyway. What do you think? No, I'm not going to hold you to it, I promise. On pic #6, the snakes cholocea, cloeacle,......it's BUTT is by my finger. I should have marked the pictures. Sorry.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Rob
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>>2
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>>3
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>>4
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>>5
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>>6
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>>7
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>>Want a turtle? how about two?
>>They are real nice........
>>
>>especially to each other........
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>-----
>>For Sale cheap: One (1) 6' 19 yr old male. Does no house work. Has no job and will complain. Constantly.
>>0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa-Ziggy
>>1.0 Creamscicle motley corn--Cozmo
>>0.1 Creamscicle corn--Wanda
>>0.0.1 Normal corn
>>0.1 Black Pine - Spazz
>>1.0 Eastern King-Ozy
>>1.0 Bearded Dragon - Gomer

..., Jeff thats great, I never thought of/heard that before but is a great simple way to tell. I've never had to think about testing vets because of local breeders I know recommending local rep vets(4 rep vets in a single vet staff).

I'll definitely have to remember to try that test though if I ever move and need to find a decent repvet.

Besides when depressing it would also be worth some giggles to have the "expert" tell you how dry your BRB has to be kept lol.

Sean.

Thanks Jeff. Sorry I've been kinda busy. I should have replied sooner.

Tha vet I took my other snake to seemed kinda knowledgeable, but what you said sounds like a great idea. I never really thought about testing them.

I had just fed her so I didn't try too much to feel for a lump, but I will do that today. I didn't realize that BRB's had spurs. Do they look like the spurs in other types of boas? Where are they in relation to the cloaca? Thanks also for the proper spelling of that
Rob
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For Sale cheap: One (1) 6' 19 yr old male. Does no house work. Has no job and will complain. Constantly.
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa-Ziggy
1.0 Creamscicle motley corn--Cozmo
0.1 Creamscicle corn--Wanda
0.0.1 Normal corn
0.1 Black Pine - Spazz
1.0 Eastern King-Ozy
1.0 Bearded Dragon - Gomer

Rob,
....The spurs on Rainbow Boas are in the same location as those on other Boas but are smaller than Boa Constrictor's spurs. They are usually very difficult to detect on them until males are around 30 inches and females a little larger. On adult females the spurs are usually short little nubs and are usually dark brown colored so they are hard to see. As males mature the spurs get larger and on fully mature males they are like a kittens curved claw with the base of the spur dark colored but the rest of the spur will often be a much lighter color so they are very noticeable.
....I have not had a snake in to see a vet in over 15 years. I know there are some really good ones out there.
Jeff

>>Thanks Jeff. Sorry I've been kinda busy. I should have replied sooner.
>>
>>Tha vet I took my other snake to seemed kinda knowledgeable, but what you said sounds like a great idea. I never really thought about testing them.
>>
>> I had just fed her so I didn't try too much to feel for a lump, but I will do that today. I didn't realize that BRB's had spurs. Do they look like the spurs in other types of boas? Where are they in relation to the cloaca? Thanks also for the proper spelling of that
>>Rob
>>-----
>>For Sale cheap: One (1) 6' 19 yr old male. Does no house work. Has no job and will complain. Constantly.
>>0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa-Ziggy
>>1.0 Creamscicle motley corn--Cozmo
>>0.1 Creamscicle corn--Wanda
>>0.0.1 Normal corn
>>0.1 Black Pine - Spazz
>>1.0 Eastern King-Ozy
>>1.0 Bearded Dragon - Gomer

I would say to have you find a decent sized breeder in your area to sex the snake. In Chicagoland at the local show a real vet is there and sexes snakes. He is also a a decent size breeder and stated he sexes 10,000 snakes per year. At the shows vendors tend to only allow him to verify the sex of snakes they are selling. I also have a close friend that is a vet that specialized in reptiles. She does not sex too many snakes, but she will help me learn how to sex them.
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Mike

6.7 BRB
1.2 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

Thanks Mike. I've been busy or I would have gotten back to this sooner. I did manage to get out in the woods a little yesterday. I found a smooth earth snake, a lifer for me.

There was only a couple of BRB's at the last show I went to. I should have asked then to show me how to sex them. I tried to get ahold of a guy that breeds snakes, but he has been deployed somewhere.

Rob
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For Sale cheap: One (1) 6' 19 yr old male. Does no house work. Has no job and will complain. Constantly.
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa-Ziggy
1.0 Creamscicle motley corn--Cozmo
0.1 Creamscicle corn--Wanda
0.0.1 Normal corn
0.1 Black Pine - Spazz
1.0 Eastern King-Ozy
1.0 Bearded Dragon - Gomer