Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi guys...this is my first time posting...been a lurker for a while now you all have some amazing animals...anyway i just fed my female bci this morning an was wondering if shes growing as fast as i think or if shes just about normal.....shes about 18 months bought her as a 4 week old neo at about 15 inches...well shes now 5'-5'1/2 feet long an about 10-11 lbs....does this sound about rite or a lil on the large side for her age??? Thanks for reading and any comments would be appreciated.........

Alberto

I don't have tons of experience with boas, but I've been keeping them for about 2 yrs now. I would say that the important thing is to feed them the appropriate size meals (food items no larger than the widest girth of the boa) every 7 days or so. then you can just let the boa grow as it will. If you are just raising the boa as a pet you could even go with feeding every 10 to 14 days. Boas do most of their growing in the first 3 years or so, so you will see a lot of growth during that time. from my experience, your boa seems a bit large for it's age, but some boas grow more than others - so if you are feeding correctly and it is still growing like that - your boa just may have the genetics to be that size. I've read that over feeding can end up causing health problems down the road.

Patrick

yeah i had read that too...When i first got her i fed her once a week....the meals got bigger as she got bigger...at about 3-4' i started feeding her about once every 14 days or so...now she gets a large rat about every 3-4 weeks...so if anything i guess shes been under feed a bit......shes a big thick girl i didnt want her to get too fat....shes just gonna be a big girl i guess....shes just a pet as of rite now...but i do intend to breed her down the line...at what age do they become sexually mature???

Alberto

Look at her size, for her age she should still be lean (thick and strong, not fat or bulging)there should be a nice taper to the tail, not a fat snake to the cloaca and a skiny little tail, and the head should not look small to the body size.

I have a pair of bci's that I held back from 3/29/03 litter. I have not pushed them at all they only eat every 2 weeks or so (depending on when they pooped last) They both have there sheds within a day or two apart. They are both around 40-48 inches long and about thick as a 50 cent piece at there thickest point. I'm sure they would eat twice the ammount they are eating now but they do not need it. They are not thin at all and they are not fat.
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True Redtails

they sound like their doing well.....my girl is actually from a 4/03 litter....i have no doubt if i had still been feeding her every 10-14 she'd be pushin 7'....shes also nice an thick but still not too fat...do you think this is a genetic thing or just an individual boa growing fast???????

i wonder how big she'll end up

Alberto