Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I lost my 8ft BCI female that I have had for 18 years. She has always been my favorite and this season was the first time I bred her. After introducing the male she started to regurge and was treated with panacure and flagyle . She had showed improvement and was doing much better. I woke this morning to find she had passed in the night. She was obviously gravid , I will miss her she was a great animal. It is hard to look at her empty cage!

Unfortunately that's one reality of breeding. Not one any of us like to face. I've lost two to breeding so far, one female last year, I believe was gravid and a male this year who passed at the same time his female ovulated, looks like he did get the job done.

Keep your chin up and keep her in your memories.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

That's too sad I'm sorry to hear that.Lar M

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Boas By Klevitz

Sorry man - I've lost a few this way too. It's hard, but hang in their.
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Snake room janitor

n/p

jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Major bummer, but that's an accomplishment keeping one that long. I'll bet very few have had one Boa they have kept that long. Sorry for the loss.
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Boaphile Home
All Original/Boaphile Plastics
The Boa Network

>>Major bummer, but that's an accomplishment keeping one that long. I'll bet very few have had one Boa they have kept that long. Sorry for the loss.
>>-----
>>Boaphile Home
>>All Original/Boaphile Plastics
>>The Boa Network
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Meant to add, my longest term boa was 17 years...

I kept a shed/growth record of her in my office...

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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

That's really cool, Dave.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

How long was that 17 year old Boa Dave ,14 feet long?
Lar M

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Boas By Klevitz

She was around 11 feet long, the longest shedding in the pics is about 12 feet. She was a big girl but never fat, one of those that was genetically predisposed to be a big un!
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Sorry for your loss. I lost my first boa last year and it sucked. I didn't have her for as long as you by far so i'm sure it's a little harder. 18 years is like losing a family member. Hang in there.

Our hearts go out to you.

Sorry for your loss.

Brian
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Brian Gundy

www.for-goodness-snakes.com

I'm very sorry for your loss. I can only try to imagine how attached you must've been to your boa. I lost quite a few adult female boas last season...it crushed my morale. I have a few questions...did you take her to a vet/or self treat? Also, why did you treat with panacur & flagyl? Aren't these meds for worms & protozoa? Do you think it was simply stress from pregnancy combined with her age? or was it more complicated? I understand if you don't want to answer...I'm not asking to be offensive...but rather for learning & experience. Once again, I'm sorry for your loss. From the other folks that have responded, it sounds like you were very fortunate to have a boa live so long. It's quite an accomplishment and a testament to how well you must've cared for your pet.
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Sincerely, Jason
www.NortheastSnakes.com
NortheastSnakes@verizon.net

Well Done !
By todays standard of killing them with in 5-7 years due to over feeding,speed growing and consecutive breedings. You obviously took very good care of that animal.
Surely you have others ?Bummer to loose a friend I understand

Just get back on that horse ASAP !
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TnK

I would like to thank all that replied , it helped to hear the positive replys. I will try to respond to questions and give some info in the hope that someone will learn something from my loss. As someone already mentioned She was not power fed and was fed on a varried schedule depending on her weight. I bought her as a baby and after 2 years she was fed X large rats. Jason you are correct that the two meds are for worms and protozoa. I treated with panacure because I feel this is a fairly safe med and a good first choice. The flagyl was given after 2 weeks had past from the panacure treatment. Dont think for a second I havnt gone over my choices of treatment over and over. In my defense I have lost more animals in the past that seen a vet than the ones I treated. Many vets are very unexperienced with reptiles and many over or under medicate. She was in perfect health before breeding and her weight was great. She was over 8 ft and 23 lbs. I decided to breed her because I wasnt sure how much longer she would live and she had the best temperment. Her symptoms started when she regurged a meal amd shortly after I caught her vomiting. I was waitig for a fecal result when she passed. I really believe the breeding process is what killed her. The male she was with is eating fine and shows no issues at all. One thing I would recommend to others is to get your animal on paper towels or newspaper if they regurge one time. I think I missed her vomiting because the liquid was absorbed by the shavings. I would have hydrated her , flagyle can cause dehydration but as long as the animal is drinking I never worried. I believe dehydration played a part! Her name was Juliet and she is unreplaceable! Thanks for all that replied !
Her treatment is my personal preference but I highly recommend a Vet visit to all hobbyist. I will be investing in a quality microscope and all the info I can on parasites and micro-organisms. I hope to educate myself on the proper diagnosis and treatment. Good luck to you all this season !!!!!!!!! Bryan

Sorry to hear of your loss.