Boa constrictor stunted growth.

[J.huff23]

I have had my red tailed boa for about 5 years now. I bought her as a hatchling. Everything I have read online claims that by now she should be around 7 feet long. I have had her in ideal temperatures on a routine feeding schedule. Right now she is about 3.5 feet or longer and is eating medium frozen thawed rats. Everything I read seems to indicate that she should be twice this size already. Is this fake news or is there some sort of growth stunt going on?

Thanks,

-Jake

 

[basin79]

I have had my red tailed boa for about 5 years now. I bought her as a hatchling. Everything I have read online claims that by now she should be around 7 feet long. I have had her in ideal temperatures on a routine feeding schedule. Right now she is about 3.5 feet or longer and is eating medium frozen thawed rats. Everything I read seems to indicate that she should be twice this size already. Is this fake news or is there some sort of growth stunt going on?

Thanks,

-Jake

Pics of the snake? That's more like hog island than BCC. And a male at that size not a female.

*Edit

Unless your measurements are out and your snake is over the 4ft+ mark but that would still be a slow growing male BCC.

 

[J.huff23]

Pics of the snake? That's more like hog island than BCC. And a male at that size not a female.

*Edit

Unless your measurements are out and your snake is over the 4ft+ mark but that would still be a slow growing male BCC.

Here is a picture. I just measured her and she is just a pinch over 3.5 feet.

 

[basin79]

Here is a picture. I just measured her and she is just a pinch over 3.5 feet. View attachment 350196 View attachment 350197

Well she's a bonny little boa. I have to type I'm unsure as to me she doesn't look anything like a hog and she's not a Crawl Cay.

Do you 100% know she is a she? Could just be a very small male BCI.

 

[J.huff23]

Not 100 percent no. It was sold as such but I have never confirmed it. I just want to make sure nothing in my husbandry has led to the small size. When she was little she was getting a mouse every week. Now she’s feeding on medium rats every other week.

 

[basin79]

Not 100 percent no. It was sold as such but I have never confirmed it. I just want to make sure nothing in my husbandry has led to the small size. When she was little she was getting a mouse every week. Now she’s feeding on medium rats every other week.

Well she certainly looks healthy from the outside. Boas are somewhat slender, or at least should be compared to say a retic. Not that retics should be over fed the way they are by many.

Probably be worth posting on a reptile forum as although I've kept a few snakes I've never own a boa constrictor.

 

[viper69]

Well she's a bonny little boa. I have to type I'm unsure as to me she doesn't look anything like a hog and she's not a Crawl Cay.

Do you 100% know she is a she? Could just be a very small male BCI.

There’s actually a small B.c.c. that fits this size, but not this exact look.

locality boas that fit this small size tend to be rare and quite expensive relative to common boas. I doubt you have any of those.

I wouldn’t be worried.