Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've seen the word "fat" used to describe a boas level of health before. What are your thoughts on it?

NO NAMES OR REFERENCES TO PEOPLE, ADS, OR SPECIFIC ANIMALS, PLEASE

jb
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What's written above is purely my opinion. In fact, MOST of what you read on the internet is someone's opinion. Don't take it too seriously

Jonathan Brady
DeviantConstrictors.com
Deviant Constrictors picturetrail

Personally I don't like it, unless the boa is actually overweight. To me a term like "fat" or "fat and healthy" or some variation of those raises red flags to me concerning the animal's health.

Amie

I tend to agree. Using terms like "fat" tends to give the impression to newcomers that the animal is not being taken care of properly. I personally think this is one of the reasons that some people get the idea that their skinny boa or python is actually in a healthy state since it doesn't look like the "fat" ones they've seen online.

I think it would be nice to have some sort of averaged growth chart made up for the various boas and pythons out there that shows a healthy range weight and length for the sex and age of the species being kept. I know that it would help me out with some of the questions and concerns I've run into.
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Stay United!

I'm still not sure if it's weird that my best friend is a two year old boa named Ronin. He's quiet, non-judgemental and listens... what more could you want?

The word "fat" used to describe a boa indicates an overfed animal. Can't even begin to count the number of times I've seen the proud papa pics of their special this or that project snake they are raising up to breed where the snake looks like an overstuffed sausage.

I do agree it's every keepers choice how to care for their animals. I just do not feel feeding a lot to increase size rapidly is the best way to go. yeah, you might be able to breed it sooner but at what cost? Smaller litters, higher slug counts, weaker breeders that do not survive the process?

I also admit I have no factual data to back this up, only the sum total of what I've read on the forums etc, and my own conclusions on what I believe - that healthy animals make the best breeders and that in snakes a healthy animal is one that is lean and muscular with little surplus body fat.

I do find it amusing when a "known" breeder does post up one of those fat sausage pics and most of the replies are ooouuuuu, aaaahhhh, what a beautiful animal. While a similar pic from an "unknown" breeder may get a less than rave review.
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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 (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I agree with Dave
fat = overfed = unhealthy = an ad I would steer clear of

Now if it said PHAT I might have to take a look
LOL

-April
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'There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."' -Rainshadow