Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just recently pruchased my first redtail boa from a local breeder she is about 7 months old, I have owned a ball python so i am not new to the snake thing, just the boa thing.. so here are my guestions...
I just received the snake on saturday, and pretty much let her be so she could get settles until monday evening when i fed her, she ate 2 adult mice in no time at all since eating on monday she has been very un active even at night, and has decided to burrow herself under the substrate i have in her tank...can it be normal for them to burrow like that and be inactive for periods of time? I know with my ball that as soon as lights out she is out prowling around. Also she has become a bit more stand offish then she was when i went to pick her out, she was not at all head shy then and very active when out, i finally forced her out from under her substrate today and held her, and she was head shy and not very happy with me....any ideas??? I called the vet and the first appt they had for exotics wasnt for 9 days from now, so i was hoping to get some ideas for the real experts...thanks in advance

Your boa needs time to digest. They only really roam when they are hungry. None of my boas have ever been as active as my ball python. Also, it can take a few weeks for a boa to feel comfortable with its new home.

Young boas love to burrow, my BCC now and my BCI past have both done it while young.

Sounds to me like your new pet is just acting like a boa. A vet appt to get a good look over couldn't hurt though, it'll let you know exactly where you stand with your new boa.

Also, snakes are moody and just because it is head tame one minute and not at another doesn't mean anything is necessarily wrong.

I handle my snakes every day and in the last year and a half I have seen my boas active maybe 3 or 4 times where as all of my ball pythons have been regular dawn/dusk explorers.

Hope this helps, good luck.

P.S. - If you wanna catch your boa roaming around, I have had all of my spottings between 3-5AM.
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-Iman
1.1 Sugar Gliders (Gizmo and Nema)
1.0 Ball Pythons (Spot)
0.1 Guyanan BCC (TBA)
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow (TBA)

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This wouldnt be a first time someone called me that, and i agree. I guess thats what I wanted to hear, like i said in my post I am used to BP behavior, the boa thing is all new to me so i was just looking for some reassurance to not worry then again had she not wolfed down two mice like they were nothing i might have been more worried. Thanks for the tip about roaming times, i guess ill just continue to watch my BP at night before bed.