How long after feeding my Red Tail Boa can i handle him?
Congratulations on your new friend. I have a RTB and she is the most gorgeous thing ever. The only thing I regret is not getting her sooner. I have had her for almost 10 months now, she is a little over a year. I'm glad you are asking questions. One thing I can say is that even thinking that I've read all I can there are still little things I find I need to know. Sometimes asking the same question twice gives a new insight. I always wait up to 3 days before I handle my baby. If you handle him too soon the food item can damage his insides as well as make him regurgitate which is very stressful for him not to mention you. Yes your 6 year old son can handle him as long as (like you said) you supervise. They are really great pets. There is so much detail one can give about many aspects of the RTB so you can contact me if ever you need to. Enjoy and keep asking.
How often should i feed my 6 foot red tail boa?
You want to offer a prey item that is equal or slightly larger to the thickest point of girth on the snake every 7-10 days. I try to feed on the same day every week whenever possible. If you are offering very large prey items such as rabbits or Guinea pigs you can offer food every 10-14 days. My larger boas (those in the 10'-13' range) are fed rabbits on a 14 day schedule.
Why is my red tail boa shedding so much?
It really depends on various factors such as age, food supply, good temperatures, and humidity. An example is a one year old red tailed boa will be shedding more than a seven year old individual purely because the first is still growing and is not an adult. Appropriate temperatures humidity and food or in other words perfect conditions will provide good growth. Slightly imperfect conditions will lead to a slowed growth rate. It really depends on so many factors.
Will a 5yr old red tail boa that is only 3ft long, still reach its adult size?
I have a 5yr old red tail boa that was given to me by a friend. He had him for the past 5 years and i have had him for about 2months. My friend didn't feed him but maybe every 3months, and sometimes with gaps in feeding of 6months or so. I have been taking great care of him so far. I feed him every 7-10 days, pending on whether he defecates. He is only 36inches long and about 6inches in circumference at his thickest part. Im really trying to take good care of him and let him be able to grow. I bought him a lot bigger container, and keep his temp and humidity perfect. I just want to know if he will grow to his full potential, and if so will it take forever to do it, now that he is so old.
Red-tailed boa's growth?
before 10 years of age they will be about as big as they are going to get. depends on how much you feed it and and how often. (don't overfeed as this can be fatal). and they also live 20-30 years.
What does a red tail boa's shedding process consist of?
The whole process lasts anywhere from four days to a week, and it starts with your snake's skin becoming cloudy and dull. Soon, it's eyes should turn blue, sort of like a dog with cataracts. Just before it starts shedding, it's skin should start to peel and the eyes will return to their normal color. Within the next few days, the snake should fully shed. Make sure to keep something rough in it's enclosure, so it has something to rub on. I use a large piece of manzanita wood.
How much are baby red tail boas?
We'll it would depend on the morph,sex and species you want. But generally Normal Colombian red tail boa hatchlings start at around $50 from what i see,sometimes i see cheaper and higher prices but for the most part its around $50. Then price will rise on depend on morph and other things i stated above. As for cage size,i cannot answer that with out knowing the measurements, for all i know those cage's could be 3ftlong x 1ft wide? But a 6x3x3 would be what you want/need for an adult. And you can start in a 40g , i prefer tubs though, so a 28qt would do in that area. Good luck, remember do the research.
My red tail boa isn't growing, why is this?
You may not be doing any thing wrong. Have you had it checked for internal parasites? Growth rates are variable. Many factors are involved - genetic deposition, prey type,and frequency of feeding are just a few. Remember that snakes grow through out their life. Just because one has a slow growth rate, does not mean it will not reach a large size. I have 07 that are only 4 ft, and 08 that are that size, they are on the same prey and feed schedule. Nothing wrong with mice, though I suggest switching over to the proper size rats as they have a higher protein density. My litter from June 2009 are on adult mice now until I place and receive a new order next month for frozen. Even in this litter the growth rates are variable. They were 8-12 inches at birth, the largest is 26-28 inches and the smallest is still only 16-18 inches now. But I have had boas stay 2-3 ft at a year old, nothing wrong with that. Keep on a nice weekly schedule and insure proper husbandry and you will have a nice healthy boa.