BCC regurge

[razeraze]

I just recently came across this in one of my books and was wondering how BCC keepers felt about this knowledge.

"Usually reducing the feeding schedule will reduce the probability of regurgitation but the primary cause of regurgitation syndrome in red-tailed boas appears to be maintenance at too low temperatures. Maintaining red tailed boas at temperatures of 87F-90F will often eliminate the feeding and digestive problems encountered when rearing these animals". The boa constrictor manual Philippe de Vosjoli

	Boa Constrictor Constrictor

[danktat]

Sounds about right (My hot side is about 92°-94° and my cool side around 79°-82° depending on day/night etc...). There are many reasons that a BCC could regurgitate. They are less forgiving of husbandry errors than perhaps some other subspecies of boa. Too much food can cause it but too low temps can also be to blame. Stress can be a factor (be it from handling too often [if at all for some] or from lack of privacy or whatever). Illness can cause it as well as parasites.

The issue is that Suriname BCC and Guyana BCC tend to react more severly to things that other boas tolerate with relative ease. Did you know that too high a temp for too long can also cause regurgitation in BCC?

My point is that husbandry issues are the leading cause of regurge in BCC. However, feeding IS a part of husbandry and is a (if not the) major contributor to regurgitation in BCC. I kind of like how Gus put it in another thread about trying to find a way to feed as little as possible rather than trying to find a way to feed as much as possible [paraphrase]. I would apply this with almost all species of snake but definately with Suriname or Guyana BCC. (So what I am saying is, instead of trying to raise temps because a person would like to feed more without regurgitation, to simply feed moderately at moderate temps to accomplish the same lack of regurge.) The only reason I can see for wanting to feed a boa that isn't under weight more is for rapid growth rate (which has been proven not only to be unessessary but unhealthy as well).

	Boa Constrictor Constrictor

[razeraze]

I guess the main reason I was asking is it sounds like they need the choice of hotter basking spots if the ambient is supposed to be 87-90F then the surface temps can easily be over 100F. I disagree with feeding as little as possible especially seeing how snakes will metabolize their own organs to allow for larger prey, when denied food.

Has anyone offered a BCC a 30F temp gradient and payed attention to where they choose to lay? It would be rather interesting. I guess this closely relates to behavior and what these particular snakes choose to do.

Dank where do your BCCs spend most of their time and what temps were the surfaces they choose to be on?

	Boa Constrictor Constrictor

[danktat]

They bounce according to what they want at the time. (I use belly heat which at a 95° surface temp they air directly above it for about 4 inches is where I like to keep my ambients)...I don't wan't my animals directly touching 100°+ surface temps, as I have seen burns from a heat pad on a ball python that was tempgunning at only 106°. I have never had much luck with lights as heat sources so I can't say much about that because I don't use them.

I don't agree with little as possible either (a balance is always best) but the point was it is better to slightly underfeed than to have slight overfeeding in Suriname BCC (once again these animals are not monitors or even BCI and should not be treated the same way). The only exception I make there is when preparing for breeding season and then only in my females to prepare them for the possiblilty that they won't feed while gravid.

Suriname BCC husbandry seems to me to be more a lesson in "extreme moderation" (how is that for an oxymoron...lol )

	Boa Constrictor Imperator

	Boa Constrictor Constrictor

[ssjsmits]

Just a side not, How do you like that book Tom? Is it a pretty good read? Just curious.

[razeraze]

Thanks dank. Always good to get some real readings and not just ambients. As far as the feeding I believe balance is also necessary. In these books they say a 6 foot snake should be fed a rabbit every 10-14 days, if I did that charger would be huge. She has gone as long as 3 months with out food.

Brandon it is a great book. It still seems to be geared more towards simple keeping and not very advanced questions. If you want an interesting read pick up Red-Tailed Boas by Mark Bayless I had the pleasure of talking to Mark on several occasions before he passed away. He had research papers for all kinds of reptiles. He was most helpful with monitors but his boa book is also awesome. If you have questions about it I still talk to some of his friends (in fact one is coming over this weekend) so I might be able to get answers to what he wrote and why.

[ssjsmits]

Great thanks. Always in the marked for good boa books to read!

[Stargazer]

Mine both thermoregulate by going back and forth. The BCI tends to spend most of her time in the cool end. It's around 80 degrees there because I keep my house on that just for them. I probably keep my snake tanks a titch on the warm side, but so far they have been very healthy, and I've never had a regurge. (Neither have they--lol).

	Boa Constrictor Imperator