# ne red tailed pyhon



## "qickshot" (Apr 19, 2005)

i really have his cage set up really bad. 1) he can burn him self 2) its really easy for him to exscape. the mouse in one of the pictures is what the guy is feading him. is this a good deal for 80 bux?


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## brutusbeefcake (Dec 8, 2004)

beautiful boa... i miss my hog island greatly!! boas are imo the best snakes to keep as pets if you can accomadate their somewhat larger sizes... and that mouse looks live? if it is kill it and then feed it to him, avoid live feedings!!


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## "qickshot" (Apr 19, 2005)

TheGame said:


> beautiful boa... i miss my hog island greatly!! boas are imo the best snakes to keep as pets if you can accomadate their somewhat larger sizes... and that mouse looks live? if it is kill it and then feed it to him, avoid live feedings!!


i leave him live he has bin bein fed live


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## brutusbeefcake (Dec 8, 2004)

well thats your risk bud! and im not gonna tell you how to take care of your snake but damn why risk it? imo when you have such a nice animal you should cut out every dangerous risk possible?


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## "qickshot" (Apr 19, 2005)

TheGame said:


> well thats your risk bud! and im not gonna tell you how to take care of your snake but damn why risk it? imo when you have such a nice animal you should cut out every dangerous risk possible?


well i like to watch him feed witch i havent yet but the guy at the pet store told me he wont eat unless its moven around and stuff cause i said i tryed to feed him a pinky he said he needssoemthin that moves and hops around or he wont eat


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## brutusbeefcake (Dec 8, 2004)

so then take a pair of tongs and do the ol dangle trick in front of his face... if he doesnt take it warm the mouse up a bit(put in baggie in warm water)... its quite a rush when he snaps it right out of your hands! but dude your way off feeding him live... if you talk to ANYBODY that knows anything about snakes they will tell you the same! and its to your benefit as you can keep a bag full of frozen mice in your freezer ...


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## bjmarche (Jun 30, 2005)

TheGame is right.
I've seen a few cases where the mouse caused significant damage to the snake.
Feeding frozen mice is cheaper, easier, and safer.
A live mouse could also be carrying a disease.


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

OK show of hands...how man of you knew I would be all over this?

May I begin with adressing the title....It is a boa, not a python. I wouls specifically like to take some time to address the so frequently incorrectly used vernacular term *"red-tailed"* boa...
 The boa in the picture is a columbian boa coinstrictor...and is called a Columbian boa constrcitor...the term Red -tailed is correctly used only on subspecifics originating out of th eamazon river basin only.......I will put a taxonomic overview of currently accepted positions of all the allocations for you all tomorrow.









Yes that set up is poor, good observation on the snakes ability to burn itself...a frequently seen problem in captive maintenance of the larger constrictors...unfortunately.
No it does not have to have live food. While snakes are one of the few predators that have to almost always kill a meal in the wild, it is not because they will not consume dead prey...it is because somethjing is always beating the snakes to dead prey, birds, mamals, etc...snakes are slow...but i have come across snakes eating dead K-rats in the wild while road cruising the deserts...anyway back to the point, the recomendation of pre-killed and or frozen assures you of two things, one, the snake does not het injured, and two the mouse does not suffer....I know who cares many of you think...but it is after all a sentient creature also. freshly killed mouse will be taken readily, and often not being wiggled. Remember the incorrectness of the set up...then think about the incorrectness of their probable advice....









Edited to add the following:
The Boa constrictors gang as currently standing Taxonomically

_Boa constrictor constrictor_ Linnaeus, 1758; Red-Tailed Boa Constrictor
_B. c. orophias_ Linnaeus, 1758; St. Lucia Boa Constrictor
_B. c. imperator_ Daudin, 1803; Common Boa Constrictor
_B. c. occidentalis_ Philippi, 1873; Argentine Boa Constrictor
_B. c. ortonii _ Cope, 1878; Peruvian Boa Constrictor
_B. c. saboae_ (Barbour, 1906); Pearl Island Boa Constrictor
_B. c. amarili_ (Stull, 1932); Short-tailed Boa Constrictor
_B. c. nebulosa_ (Lazell, 1964); Clouded Boa Constrictor
_B. c. melanogaster_ Langhammer, 1983; Black Bellied Boa Constrictor
_B. c. longicauda_ Price and Russo, 1991; Long-tailed Boa Constrictor

In 1991 Kluge published work that suggested that the boids of Madagascar (_Acraontophis dumerili, Acrantophis madagascariensis, and Sanzinia madagascariensis_) be placed into the genus Boa. This created quite a stir, and subsequent works done by Vences, Glaw, Kosuch, Bohme, and Vieth in 2001 contraindicate that position.


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## MONGO  (Feb 7, 2006)

been feeding my ball python live mice/rats for 12 years..not because I chose to but because im a moron who didnt learn about it..but in the 12 years ive never had a problem just a period of about 6 months where he didnt want to eat


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## jan (Apr 24, 2004)

CrocKeeper said:


> OK show of hands...how man of you knew I would be all over this?


Hahaa, I knew that you would be all over this one :laugh:

Most is said already. However you've noticed yourself that the set up of the enclousure is pretty bad. Especially the heat light can causesome serious injuries. Do you have plans for the enclosure or are you keeping it this way? When my Boa was young she accepted only live food as well. The 'trick' that I did was not feeding her for a week and thaw a frozen mouse/pinky in warm water. This way the boa will pick up the heat of it's prey and is most likely to accept it sooner. An other trick is to move it in front of your Boa with a pair of tongs like the game said. If you prefer live feedings then off course that is your right and choice to make, but personally I wouldn't take the risk.

Btw: how is it's behaviour? Mine was very snappy at this age, but after that she calmed down and became very placid.

Good luck with your Boa


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## "qickshot" (Apr 19, 2005)

jan said:


> OK show of hands...how man of you knew I would be all over this?


Hahaa, I knew that you would be all over this one :laugh:

Most is said already. However you've noticed yourself that the set up of the enclousure is pretty bad. Especially the heat light can causesome serious injuries. Do you have plans for the enclosure or are you keeping it this way? When my Boa was young she accepted only live food as well. The 'trick' that I did was not feeding her for a week and thaw a frozen mouse/pinky in warm water. This way the boa will pick up the heat of it's prey and is most likely to accept it sooner. An other trick is to move it in front of your Boa with a pair of tongs like the game said. If you prefer live feedings then off course that is your right and choice to make, but personally I wouldn't take the risk.

Btw: how is it's behaviour? Mine was very snappy at this age, but after that she calmed down and became very placid.

Good luck with your Boa








[/quote]
im goin to screen in the tops soon. i found him outside the tank once already. he snapped at my dog the other day but other then that he isnt snappy. he isnt to active doesnt sit under the light doesnts go in the water bowl. he is cooltho


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

Snakes are unequalled in the animal world as escape artists.....
At least you found yours once it was out....


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## "qickshot" (Apr 19, 2005)

CrocKeeper said:


> Snakes are unequalled in the animal world as escape artists.....
> At least you found yours once it was out....


he didnt want to get off the hood lol


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