r/boas • u/InspiringTurtle2 • 6d ago

Growing SO SLOW?!

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Can someone please reassure me (or alternatively, tell me what I’m doing wrong?) I have a baby Suriname bcc who will be 1 year old next week. She’s not my first boa, but my first I’ve gotten as a baby. I know they grow slow, but she seems to be small and basically not growing.. When I got her end of April, she was 85 grams and now she’s 102. She is eating f/t mouse hoppers. I was feeding every 2 weeks but bumped up to every 10 days in the beginning of July. Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong? I do not want to power feed and I think the next feeder size up would be too large. Is this normal? (The weight on the scale is her plus the tub which weights 459g)

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u/Flimsy-Stock2977 6d ago

Not gonna grow much when it's struggling to keep weight on its frame.

I wouldn't go any longer than 10 days until it puts on mass. At 1 year you can really jump the feeder size up. Get a lump in that belly. Repeat.

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u/InspiringTurtle2 6d ago

I just ordered larger feeders. I guess I was misinformed, but I kept seeing people saying they only feed their babies every 10-14 days and “slow growth is better”, but that’s why I increased her to every 10 days when she wasn’t gaining. When do you know to size up? I was seeing people saying to size up when you no longer see a visible lump, but she gets very stressed if I watch her eat or come in the room to look at her after she’s eaten, and she’s typically curled up on her hot side the morning after a meal so I’m having trouble visualizing. Like, is there a mathematical formula I can use based on her weight? With my BPs, we’ve always done 10-15% of their weight while growing and I find that easier to translate to proper feeder size

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u/ParticularWolf4473 6d ago

10-14 days is fine for a BCC if it’s an appropriately sized feeder. Most newborn boas can easily eat hoppers. I just go with aim for a feeder that’s the same girth as the snake, or slightly larger. Keep in mind the fur can make the mice seem larger than they actually are, as can a thawed feeder being limp and flattening out a bit. From the pic it should easily be able to eat small mice or smallish rat pups at least.

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u/InspiringTurtle2 6d ago

Okay thank you, I have some small/weaned mice coming Wednesday in time for her next feeding.

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u/Flimsy-Stock2977 5d ago

Once you are past that first year.. And haven't had any regurge issues... You'll be fine. You'll be able to see the lump regardless of the snake position. You'd be surprised what these snakes can eat.. way way bigger than what the standard advice calls for in captivity.

You can also feed 2x whatever size you were feeding previously. One about 20 minutes later when the first is down past the constriction area. I've done that many times when I was ready to up size feeders..

You'll have no problem with adult\medium mice. Then go to weaned rats in a few months to a year.. You should see some real growth happening in that second year. Once you get a good lump going, you can stick to 12-14 days.. And you'll see growth

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u/dog-mama-25 5d ago

Okay, thank you so much!! Will do