I promised to keep you al updated.
For you newbies - the scenario recap:
I received this boa today, 07-14-04, He was very emaciated and in the blue. A wrong address was put on his package and he stayed all day in a hot truck. It was in 91*F or warmer outside, I can't imagine the heat in the truck. While styro peanuts were used, the box was not styro lined and no cool pack was used.
He was purchased from (can't mention in here). I could not send him back, because they had spent my money before I received him. He promised he would eat within 2 weeks, he had been burmated (brumated), obviously starved to thepoint of death.
Update:
I re-contaced him after the 2 weeks (boa is getting worse)and several vet appointments, and he has not gotten back to me. I will re-email him today, forwarding my reply of a few days ago, in case, for some reason, he didn't get it. I will give him every opportunity to make things right by me before I do something about it.
He has gone back into the blue, w/o having ever eaten, except for the f/t weaned rat I force fed him about a week ago, which nearly killed him by the way he was acting after wards. He didn't seem to have the energy to propell it down his throat any further than I could get it, either that or he just plain was refusing to eat it. I feared he would regurg it and checked back frequently. Eventually, he must have got it down, as it was not in the cage. So, the wait was on....I need the poo for the vet, so he can give proper meds.
Well,I was going to try a live rat today to see if he would take it and noticed real quick that he was in the blue. He just shed a week or so ago. I soaked him today and what precious little poo I'd been waiting for, shot into the water diarrhea-like. I couldn't believe it...it was gone...I will try to syringe feed him some meat baby food if he won't eat after this shed. The tiny rat was just too hard on him.
I don't think he looks much worse in these pics, but I noticed it wen I held him and when he stretched out in the tub. You could actually see the uneven protrusions (or lumps) or ribs that stuck out here and there. My bath pics always turn too dark, so didn't take any.
But, now for the question...If he just shed a week ago, why would he be back in the blue...Please, with him at least 6' in length, tell me he is not growing again...I know that little hopper (weaned rat)could not have stimulated him that much. In fact, he would have had to have started the shed process immediately to be in the blue stage now. I have seen animals with two shed growths on them before..but you could tell they still needed to shed...outside of one stuck on eye cap, he looked completely shed out.
Received him 07-14-04:
Shed out 07-19-04:
My computer must be shut down and restarted, as it will no longer let me right click. I will post the shed pic and new pics below this.
Sorry
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He's mean as they come...although he lacks the power to do much damage as he is very weak...I wonder how rotton he will be if he survives and grows strong 6' animal??? 