Reptile & Amphibian Forums

To get right to the point. I read these forums all the time. I have multiple reptiles. The one that I am concerned about is a Central American Boa. I was told that they need to be put down to get into the breeding cycle. I put him with my colubrids and pits and the temps dropped to a steady 55-60. He was down for about 1 mo. I check them weekly and started to notice strange actions. I believe it would be called "stargazing". He keeps his head up and when touched he bends it almost backwards. from what i read this sounds familiar to IBD. I would like to know what you all think. Like I said I have about 33 snakes at my house right now. All colubrids except 5 BP's this guy and a tree boa. Please help me with this problem
Cody

I havent had any new snakes in my collection except for 3 baby balls. They were quarantined then put into my collection. Those snakes cam from a reputable breeder and i have contacted him since. They eat like champs. I dont think it was from them. The boa though i bought at a show about a year ago. The seller approached me at a table and asked if I wanted a baby boa. He was tired of it cause he couldnt get it to eat and it was mean. The boa ate for me right away and never refused a meal. He ate great up till cooling. He is also now showing signs of what looks like mouth rot. He keeps his mouth partially open with the interior swollen white. Ill ask the boa forum as well and see what they think. He looks like he is very uncomfortable and maybe in pain. If he is then i dont want to put him down but at the same time i dont want him to suffer for my ignorance to boid care.
Thanks for responding
Cody

I think you really should take your boa to a vet. I really think that steady temps of 55 to 60 degrees for a month, could have caused your boa some problems. It could be he's got an RI, or worse.

BTW who told you to drop the temps that low?

The few people I did talk to about boas were at Stlouis Reptile shows. I used to work a table with a friend of mine. I will call a vet and see when I can get him in. Thanks for the help. I appreciate all your responses.
Cody

I just moved down here to the STL area myself and I can tell you not many people here know about exotics period. I took my boa to a good vet though at webstergroves animal hospital. webstervet.com I think is the website.
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Being that cold can cause neurological type symptoms, which if done for too long can cause permenant damage. They can go down to those temps at night, but have to come back up to normal temps during the day. I really don't understand why anyone would have do so, I've never had to do anything special and always gave my Boas steady conditions throughout the year.

I concur with the rest of the posts, I think a trip to the vet is warranted. I don't intentionally cool my boas even for breeding. Sometimes cold snaps will cause a slight drop in ambient temps during the winter. The coolest the ambient temp in the room ever gets is about 78F, and the hot spot is always available during the day ranging from 86F to 92F. I dont' work with Argetines (BCO), but I understand they may like a bit cooler temps than I just mentioned. However, I have never heard of anyone taking BCI that low, or for that long without daytime heat.

Good luck, hope you can save him!

Mark
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uncommonboa.com

with the other posts... vet is in order. I don't think it is IBD, though low (and excess) temps can cause many problems that are seen in boas suffering from IBD. Get him back up to normal temps asap, without sending him into shock, and make an appt. to have him seen. He could come out of this fine, but likely will need meds to get over possible respiratory issues due to the cooler temps.
I leave my snakes at normal recommended temps all year round, they still breed, eat, and act normally. The only reason the temps alter is when the room cools slightly at night and throughout the season, or if I up the heat for gravid females to bask. Otherwise, hot spots are generally the same as always. This forum is the best place for opinions if you need them and facts... good that you came here. Colubrids don't really need as much heat as some of the boids and pythons do... IMO I'd double check the temps suggested to you for your balls and tree python too... just in case! Could save you grief later if they need to be raised a bit also.
Good luck!
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Steph S.
Boas...
1.1 Albino boas (Loki & Hope)
1.4 07 Het. albino boas (Petty & Lady,Sierra,Madeline,Lola)
0.1 Reverse stripe poss. het albino (Cookie)
0.1 Salmon/hypo (Scarlet)
0.1 Anery poss. het snow (Missy)
1.0 Anery (Reno)
0.1 DH Sunglow (Bonnie)
1.0 Het. Anery (Guy)
0.3 Normals (Ophelia, Sasha, & Lulu)
1.1 Surinames (Solomon & Surreal)
1.2 Hogg Isles (Mr.Orange & Peaches, Apricot)
0.0.1 Central American (Sassy)
0.1 Emerald Tree boa (Jade)
1.0 ATB (Satan... seriously!)
Pythons...
2.1 GTPs (B., Monty & Jewel)
0.0.3 BPs (MJ, Precious, Houdini)
1.1 Carpet Pythons (Jackson & Charlotte)
0.1 Blood python (Akaia)
Misc.
1.1 Mandarin Ratsnakes (Jack & Jill)
1.0 Boxer/Pitt Mutt (Tyson)

Again thank you all for your input. I spoke to a vet here that is great with reptiles. Im going to see him tomorrow morning. Hes going to check the boa out and see what he thinks it may be. From what i have told him he agrees it may be neurological. I guess well just have to wait and see. For the rest of my snakes. The tree boa has never been cooled. I keep him up all year. I was going to get a mate for him but didnt. The balls are up also. They are all eating and the adults are breeding. The only thing cooled now are 1 southern pine, 1 snow corn, 8 hondo's. They all will be breeding in the spring. This will actually be my first year for snake breeding. Hopefully it turn out good. I also have 8 Leopard gecko's. They will be breeding as well. But right now my concern is for the boa. Today i checked him out and he was upside down. Thought he was dead but he wasnt. Im clueless right now. I feel guilty for not asking you guys here and listening to some guys word about cooling them. Guess experience is the best teacher. Be nice if nothing had to suffer from my bad judgement.

thanks
Cody

Most people don't cool their boas they just simply reduce the light cycle or a window works well too but don't allow direct sunlight on any of your caging
Bob

Experience WAS the best teacher. When people were just getting started keeping these animals.

NOW the best teacher is RESEARCH.

Not to mention, I do not know if you suddenly dropped the temp, or if it was gradual. When I cool, and when I bring them back to normal temps, I do it gradually. Too much and you can shock their systems.
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http://www.GilbertBoas.com/
http://www.BoaList.com/

Some people know everything dont they. I spoke to people that I thought knew what they were talking about. Guess i was wrong for not asking you. Like I said my concern now is for the boa to recover.
Cody

People that quote regurged web text should be avoided IMO.
People that cool boa for breeding should be in the back seat of the same car leaving town.
Every kid with a PC thinks their a boa Guru based on their copied/saved data.Most of the info was good for its time,thankfully there have been advances in boa husbandry.

Best of Luck with that animal.

>>Some people know everything dont they. I spoke to people that I thought knew what they were talking about. Guess i was wrong for not asking you. Like I said my concern now is for the boa to recover.
>>Cody
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TnK

Here you get MANY different views, and not just one. If someone doesn't agree, there is a debate and you get to see all the good/bad points to each side. Very nice to hear from different people, with different tricks and experiences. That is what I like about the forum. Most of the people here will give it to you straight and only want to help, very rarely will you get a rude response toward ignorance or misinformation. If I ever have a problem, a trip to the vet and a visit here always frees my mind or gives me new things to consider!
Good luck! I'd like to hear how things go....
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Steph S.
Boas...
1.1 Albino boas (Loki & Hope)
1.4 07 Het. albino boas (Petty & Lady,Sierra,Madeline,Lola)
0.1 Reverse stripe poss. het albino (Cookie)
0.1 Salmon/hypo (Scarlet)
0.1 Anery poss. het snow (Missy)
1.0 Anery (Reno)
0.1 DH Sunglow (Bonnie)
1.0 Het. Anery (Guy)
0.3 Normals (Ophelia, Sasha, & Lulu)
1.1 Surinames (Solomon & Surreal)
1.2 Hogg Isles (Mr.Orange & Peaches, Apricot)
0.0.1 Central American (Sassy)
0.1 Emerald Tree boa (Jade)
1.0 ATB (Satan... seriously!)
Pythons...
2.1 GTPs (B., Monty & Jewel)
0.0.3 BPs (MJ, Precious, Houdini)
1.1 Carpet Pythons (Jackson & Charlotte)
0.1 Blood python (Akaia)
Misc.
1.1 Mandarin Ratsnakes (Jack & Jill)
1.0 Boxer/Pitt Mutt (Tyson)

For future reference, and anyone else that reads this.

The coolest any boa should be subject to would be night time temperatures for Tarahumara Mt. boas which would be 65. And that is only for cooling during breeding, and only at night.

A Central American boa at the COLDEST would be subject to somewhere around 82 day and 75 night. Any colder and you risk SERIOUS problems.

Respiratory infections, and added stresses on the immune system from cool temperatures can cause DEATH.
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http://www.GilbertBoas.com/
http://www.BoaList.com/

Why were you cooling him in the first place?

Quote - "Like I said I have about 33 snakes at my house right now. All colubrids except 5 BP's this guy and a tree boa."

What were you planning on breeding him with if he was the only BCI in your collection?

.
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Jason Gonzalez

Not all of the snakes were cooled. Just the colubrids and this guy. I have a female available for him when he is ready. I now know not to cool boa's at all. Very very little if any. I cam rhere to ask for advice and opinions. I got both and thank you to those who responded. On my way to the vet in a little to see what he can do. Thanks again.
Cody

It's good that you're getting him to the vet so quickly. Hopefully he'll be alright.

Please come back and let us know how he's doing.

Good luck at the vet.

Boa Constrictor are NOT Colubrids, and should not in any way be treated with the same husbandry practices. Cooling you Boa to those temps is a good way to KILL your Boa.

I don't care if God himself gave you this info. It's dead wrong. Cooling or Brumating a Boa is not needed to have successful litters.
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Richard Carew
Sunset BCI
You laugh at me cuz I'm different! I laugh at you cuz you're all the same.
Stop Inhumane and Illegal Practices

As some of the others said, it is really good you are getting him to the vet quickly. You made a mistake cooling him that much but you are righting it as much and as quickly as possible so you deserve credit for that! I'm glad you came here as there are a lot of knowledgeable herpers on this forum. Let us know how everything goes and when all is well, I'm sure we'd all love to see some pictures of your collection.

-Joley

I was trying to get my male anery to breed and for a while I didnt think he had it in him this year to do so then we got that cold snap where our high was roughly 25 for two days and I checked in on him and he was a machine. since hes only 18mo old I am not crossing my fingers because he will likely shoot blanks but its ok at least I know hes interested.

I didnt drop my temps at all and I keep the same heat source on my snakes constantly just shows you that you really dont need to do a thing for them to go at it.
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how long is he?
Bob

4.5 ft born march of last year
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I don't bet on anything but I bet you he is ready, have you seen any sperm plugs floating in the water bowl or anything similar, going off food or restless trying to get out to attack a female and give you babies best of luck to you with him
Bob

he just took a break from one female and was running around the cage so I put him in with another and 15min later hook up. He is very eager to do it but since he is young Im not betting anything that she takes. I have not seen any plugs though.
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