Lots of Snakes around here!

Some updates and some new guys! I just took the Chinese beauty’s out of cooling and they are going into shed, so should be pairing them up soon. Hopefully I’ll be able to start a new thread on eggs again.

River - Suriname Boa




Inara - Suriname Boa



Hypo Jungle Boa


Motley Boa



RC Pastel Boa

Isis - Tarahumara Boa


Motley Jungle Boa


Brazilian Rainbow Boa


Cleo - Purple Sunfire Retic




Albino Female Chinese Beauty - She is turning out to be a little weird in coloration.


Athena - Albino Grey Rat. I actually sold her once but the guy couldn’t keep her and she was returned.


Butter Genetic Stripe Ball Python - Picked her up about 2 weeks ago.

The Butter Genetic Stripe Ball Python is just striking. Is it true that if a python is full (recently fed) and not in pain or being threatened, that it won't bite? I'm wondering if any of them sometimes just bite out of apparent pettiness/jealousy/boredom/anger/etc., as parrots do? Actually, let me not disrespect other birds... AS the RICKEYBiRD DOES.

Quite a collection Riddick! I used to be into snakes a LONG tme ago. I think our most prized one was a Cooks Tree Boa. Wont say how we got him. We had more poisonous ones than anthing, lots of rattlers, cotton mouth, and even a coral snake. ALl were lost when the boiler in my Gramps house ( where we kept the colection) blew up and the all died from the heat. You have some really striking examples!

They are all so beautiful! My favorite is the Purle Sunfire Rectic. Such gorgeous patterns!

Beautiful snakes! The rainbow boa especially. How often and what do they eat? Are you breeding their live food yourself or buy it? My largest reptile was a bearded dragon and the biggest thing she ate was baby mice. My little guys just eat worms and insects. Never got into raising bugs or breeding mice for any of them, but a lot of enthusiasts with big reptile collections like yours apparently raise their own feeder insects/rodents, which is why I ask. I bet some of those big guys/girls could eat a big rat (or bigger?). Are any of your big snakes full size yet? That's the big reason I never got a snake- the eventuality of an enclosure big enough to house a snake that size!

GaleriaGila said:

The Butter Genetic Stripe Ball Python is just striking. Is it true that if a python is full (recently fed) and not in pain or being threatened, that it won't bite? I'm wondering if any of them sometimes just bite out of apparent pettiness/jealousy/boredom/anger/etc., as parrots do? Actually, let me not disrespect other birds... AS the RICKEYBiRD DOES.

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Okay so I lost my last two responses....let’s try this again...

Snakes tend to bite/strike as a defensive maneuver or a feeding response. Most outgrow this as they get used to people but some don’t ever learn to tolerate people. Sometimes they are grumpy and don’t want to deal and are stressed so they strike out. I have one carpet python that I swear is just a moody little jerk but the others are pretty easy going. The Retics have a high feed response so when you go to get them out you have to snap them out of it before trying to mess with them. But I have animals I haven’t fed for 4-5 weeks and they are still fine for handling.

wrench13 said:

Quite a collection Riddick! I used to be into snakes a LONG tme ago. I think our most prized one was a Cooks Tree Boa. Wont say how we got him. We had more poisonous ones than anthing, lots of rattlers, cotton mouth, and even a coral snake. ALl were lost when the boiler in my Gramps house ( where we kept the colection) blew up and the all died from the heat. You have some really striking examples!

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I love the bci and bcc haha. There are a couple safer rear fanged I wouldn’t mind owning one day but I don’t think I’m careful enough for most venomous animals.

FlyBirdiesFly said:

They are all so beautiful! My favorite is the Purle Sunfire Rectic. Such gorgeous patterns!

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Thanks! Cleo is actually the favorite for me out of all my snakes

Kiwibird said:

Beautiful snakes! The rainbow boa especially. How often and what do they eat? Are you breeding their live food yourself or buy it? My largest reptile was a bearded dragon and the biggest thing she ate was baby mice. My little guys just eat worms and insects. Never got into raising bugs or breeding mice for any of them, but a lot of enthusiasts with big reptile collections like yours apparently raise their own feeder insects/rodents, which is why I ask. I bet some of those big guys/girls could eat a big rat (or bigger?). Are any of your big snakes full size yet? That's the big reason I never got a snake- the eventuality of an enclosure big enough to house a snake that size!

Click to expand...

How often depends on the snake/species/age. Most eat frozen mice or rats but I have one live rat eater, one lizard eater and some of the Retics are pigs/rabbits. I actually don’t breed my own for now. I order bulk frozen for almost everyone. I spent $190 for the last order of about 200 adult mice and 24 large rats. That will last me probably 3-4 months for those sizes. Maybe longer on the mice. I have a separate chest freezer just for the snake food.

My bci/bcc (boa constrictors most of what I have listed on this thread) eat mice every 2 weeks until they about 2 years old. Then small rats every 3-4 weeks, then medium rats every 4-5 weeks, then large rats every 6-8 weeks. As they get older I reduce the food more. For example my oldest lucky at 14 years gets a medium-large rat every 8-10 weeks sometimes longer. I fast 2+ years old every year for 3 -4 months during the winter. If breeding I plan for more food for the females because they need the extra stores/energy.

Most of the adult colubrids get fed every 2 weeks. My breeding females get a little more food except for when they are so grumpy/hissey and would rather bite me as I’m learning lol. Apparently PMS is real in snakes

The Retics every 1-2 weeks for the young ones but large meals. And every 3-4 weeks for the older ones also large meals.

My biggest 3 so far are Cleo the Retic @ 9ft, Lily the Retic @ 12-13ft, Lucky a boa constrictor @ 8ft. Cleo & Lily eats 4lb pigs. Lucky eats those medium rats. I might give her a 1-2lb rabbit once a year if she’s lucky. Boa constrictors don’t need much food and eat much leaner items in the wild so I try to spread out the feedings more than most keepers I see because of the fat levels.

Cleo is still growing she’s only 2 years old. Lily is slowing down a lot since she’s about 3 years old now. Lucky is full grown technically at 14 years old. Snakes are supposed to grow their lives but it slows down to a barely noticeable level. Unless someone surprises me they should stay my biggest 3.

Thank you!
I am boa-educated!