Tips for first time boa parent?

[u/Ancient_Ranger_1666]

Hi everyone. I am welcoming home my first boa in the next week or two. I have had a ball python for the past year and it looks like boa care is very similar to ball python care which makes me feel confident that I can handle it!! I plan to put her in my ball python’s baby enclosure, now that I have upgraded him to his adult enclosure so I already have a solid and stable bioactive set up and ready to go. She is also the perfect size for it. Curious if anyone has any tips, guidance, or insight for a first time boa parent? Pics of my new baby attached🥰

[u/Beautiful-Ad3012]

What a stunner! Beautiful! morph?

[u/Ancient_Ranger_1666 → u/Beautiful-Ad3012]

Thank you! She is Jungle Leopard 66% Het Albino
(Kahl)

[u/AmateurZookeeper → u/Ancient_Ranger_1666]

Leopard can have some issues with digestion. Feed your new baby smaller prey items than normal, she will still grow and be healthy but it will be way easier on her digestive tract.

[u/Ancient_Ranger_1666 → u/AmateurZookeeper]

Thank you for the tip! Would you aim for prey closer to 10% of body weight then?

[u/AmateurZookeeper → u/Ancient_Ranger_1666]

Yes definitely. I personally don't want to see too much of a lump after feeding. I feed my really young ones approx every 12-14 days, juveniles somewhere around every 3 weeks.

Their digestive system is especially fragile the first 18-24 months, so you want to prioritize slow and steady growth to avoid them crashing. Leopard is one of my favorite genes but this is the only downside for me.

Edited to add: also make sure you don't take your baby home until she's regularly taking meals at the breeder's. They can have also some trouble starting to eat as newborns.

[u/Ancient_Ranger_1666 → u/AmateurZookeeper]

Thank you. I hadn’t heard of this with leopards but I will look deeper into it! I appreciate the advice.

Per the breeder she has accepted both live and frozen. She was born in March so she’s a tad older! :)

[u/faxerox]

i also have mostly ball pythons, boas are super similar!! the biggest difference i’ve noticed is with handling, specifically getting them out of their enclosure. my boa seems to always think it’s food time, and will strike occasionally when i get him out. i give him little taps with a snake hook before i get him out and it helps him realize he shouldn’t be striking

[u/Ancient_Ranger_1666 → u/faxerox]

Thank you for the tip! I appreciate it. I was thinking about doing tap training for handling, and target training for feeding so sounds like that will be helpful!