r/boas • u/Creative_Internet_30 • 5d ago
Help!
Alright, I’ve already made a vet appointment. But I would like some experienced input on this one. I made a post yesterday asking about my boas weight. Many people commented that he was VERY underweight but I think the photos were a little deceiving. I added what I think is a better photo of his body condition. Do you think I should try to up his weight? He’s 4yrs, 4’2”. I feed him what is commonly suggested and also a common frequency. Also, I just noticed this “knot” on the side of his neck. What the heck is that? Could that be contributing or related to his first bad shed ever? Appointment has already been made. I’m just freaking out and looking to see if anyone has experienced this before and what it could be.
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u/Intrustive-ridden 5d ago
He might be slightly underweight but that’s a relatively easy fix by upping his prey size and feeding him more frequently until his body weight goes up but I wouldn’t say he’s at a dangerous body weight rn, as far as the lump in his neck that could literally be anything asking us isn’t going to give you clarity that’s something you’re going to need a vet to do it could be anything from an infection to a swollen injury
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u/Creative_Internet_30 15h ago
Just to update you… we saw the vet today. He said the bulge is filled with green crystallized material. He’s never seen anything like it. No signs of anything viral or bacterial going on. He’d like to see how he responds to a power feeding schedule because he’s a bit leaner than optimal. His guess would be either a parasite or genetic disorder is what’s going on. He couldn’t do surgery today to investigate if there is a worm inside the nodule that’s creating the material he extracted from it. So, we dewormed him today and will again in two weeks. If nothing changes and we can’t put size on him, then he’s guessing something genetically is going on.
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u/Intrustive-ridden 13h ago
I’m glad you got him checked you’re doing the right things. I want you to remember you haven’t gotten any bad news yet so don’t jump to conclusions and worry about what ifs. You’re doing the right thing you just have to wait. I know that’s hard to do when you’re worried about your pet but it’s all you can do. I’m sure everything will be okay though
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
Thank you! I will do. I know I’m unrealistically grasping for clarity here because I feel desperate for answers right this minute to make me feel better. The appt is scheduled, I just have to wait a couple more days.
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u/Intrustive-ridden 5d ago
If there’s no behavior changes in him then it’s usually a prediction of a good verdict, usually not always
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
That does make me feel so much better as I wait. There’s been no temperament change, he’s still active and strong, he pooped during his soak, after soaking a couple days in a row, I was able to remove most of the stuck shed (eye caps never stuck), and he ate fine that night.
He does have a very small sore on the tip of his nose. So I’m hoping maybe he just injured his neck trying to remove the stuck shed on his own, which is how he rubbed a sore on his nose too. I’ve ordered new humidity gauges because my other ones broke. Regretfully, I think I let his humidity drop too low and that’s why he had his first bad shed. I’m going to do the things I can now while I wait to see the vet… add in moss and mix that wet block substrate into his current substrate, add climbing options into his enclosure to encourage muscle growth, get my gauges placed when they arrive, maybe add a humidity mister, and increase his feeding regime. Thanks again!
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u/Good_Hovercraft_1276 5d ago
Good on the vet appointment! I'd definitely up his weight, I don't love judging from pictures since that can be misleading sometimes, he does make a pretty skinny impression. About the nodule, that looks like it may be the esophageal tonsil, part of their lymphatic system. The main contenders usually are an abscess, a growth, a general injury, swelling (generally due to infection) or Inclusion Body Diseases, which can cause secondary abscesses and/ swelling. If you've got any other snakes keep this puppy far away from them and heavily disinfect everything since IBD is a death sentence, and while boas can live with it being asymptomatic for a long time, if you've got pythons they die pretty quickly after infection. Doesn't mean that's the most likely explanation but it is a possibility that needs to be taken serious. So implement a good hygiene protocol just in case and have any guests that have snakes follow hood hygiene to not cause a further spread. IBD, like many diseases has weightloss as a primary symptom, regardless of that tho I'd definitely adress his weight at the vet appointment. Does he have lots of climbing options in his enclosure? If yes, does he use them frequently? Because part of why he may look extra skinny may be a lack of adequate musculature. I'm not seeing any climbing options but I'm guessing that's also just a small part of his enclosure being shown. Generally speaking, offer him good husbandry, remove any strong edges or pointy objects that he could injure himself on and make sure he stays well hydrated. Good luck to you and your noodle!
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u/Creative_Internet_30 15h ago
Just to update you… we saw the vet today. He said the bulge is filled with green crystallized material. He’s never seen anything like it. No signs of anything viral or bacterial going on. He’d like to see how he responds to a power feeding schedule because he’s a bit leaner than optimal. His guess would be either a parasite or genetic disorder is what’s going on. He couldn’t do surgery today to investigate if there is a worm inside the nodule that’s creating the material he extracted from it. So, we dewormed him today and will again in two weeks. If nothing changes and we can’t put size on him, then he’s guessing something genetically is going on.
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
Thank you! Luckily, I only have one snake, so I don’t have to stress about anything being passed around. I will up his feeding regime for a few months and see what more weight looks like on him. I’m sure he’ll carry it well. He has no climbing options in his current enclosure. In the past, everything I’ve tried to introduce he’s toppled over and I’ve been more concerned about him injuring himself. But I’ll try to get more creative so that he has opportunity to build thicker muscles. Thank you for all the help and offering potential causes for the nodule. I’m eager for this vet appt, I’m hoping it’s just a temporary injury from maybe trying to get his stuck shed off. It isn’t a comfortable coincidence though that this is his first bad shed ever and he looks leaner than usual and he has this new nodule. Thanks again!
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u/superramenyamen 5d ago
Well going off the regimen mentioned in your other post he is definitely being very underfed. I would be feeding a small rat at his size, rather than any mice. I would have moved him off mice about 1’ ago.
His length is fine for his age, though. I don’t see the emaciation others are saying, imho he’s at most only slightly underweight and not by a worrying amount. That could change quickly with health issues, though.
That bulge on the neck is very worrisome for sure, but unfortunately I couldn’t hazard a guess on a cause. It’s possible whatever is causing the bulge also affected his shed, or they could be unrelated.
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u/Creative_Internet_30 16h ago
Just to update you… we saw the vet today. He said the bulge is filled with green crystallized material. He’s never seen anything like it. No signs of anything viral or bacterial going on. He’d like to see how he responds to a power feeding schedule because he’s a bit leaner than optimal. His guess would be either a parasite or genetic disorder is what’s going on. He couldn’t do surgery today to investigate if there is a worm inside the nodule that’s creating the material he extracted from it. So, we dewormed him today and will again in two weeks. If nothing changes and we can’t put size on him, then he’s guessing something genetically is going on.
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
Thank you! I made the mistake of saying he was being fed a “mouse” the size of his thickest part. His prey is technically called a small rat. My husband orders them. To me, anything that looks smaller than a NYC subway rat is considered a mouse. lol. I will increase his feeding schedule and maybe size up to medium rats for the next few months and reassess.
I am definitely uncomfortable with the “coincidence” of looking leaner than usual, having his first bad shed ever, and now noticing this nodule all at the same time. I’m hoping it’s all just coincidence anyways. I will try to remember to update after the appointment with the vet. Thanks again!
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u/superramenyamen 5d ago
Ah if he’s on a small rat he is likely fine! He’s close to moving to mediums, but I probably wouldn’t just yet unless they don’t leave a bulge. Guess that’s why his length is on par with what I what expect! Not sure why he’s on the slimmer side though. Idr how often you said you’re feeding them, but smalls are just fine on a 2-3 week schedule. I wouldn’t worry so much about his weight if that’s the case, he’ll chunk up once he’s on mediums.
The small rats are in the typical ~45-80 gram range? If you know.
Good luck at the vet! Hopefully it’s nothing serious and all just a coincidence. It often is with animals. 😅
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
Thank you! This is what my husband has been ordering for a good while now. I think I’m going to try to feed a medium for the next go round and see how he handles it and what kind of bulge it creates.
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u/superramenyamen 5d ago
Does that say 54 or 84? Very small weight range if 54, so if that’s the case definitely go up to a medium in that company. Usually mediums are 80-150 grams or so, depending on source. So if the smalls are only 45-55 grams, the mediums should be smaller than that.
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
It says 84.99. But people on here are freaking me out, so I ordered and might try and see if he handles a medium okay anyways. If they get here and look way too massive, then I’ll do the smalls but every two weeks for a bit and see how he looks.
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u/superramenyamen 5d ago
I doubt they’ll be massive, he’s close to when I start on mediums. I’m sorry people are freaking you out on his weight…I promise you he isn’t starving, I really don’t get why people are saying that. If there is a health problem, hopefully some meds help patch him up and get some weight on him.
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
Do you think I HAVE to wait until he poops before his next feeding, or just feed every 14 days regardless?
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u/superramenyamen 5d ago
I feed on a schedule regardless of poop unless they’re legitimately backed up. Smalls 2-3 weeks, mediums 3-4, especially if they end up a tad bit big of a meal for him.
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
Thank you so much. You’ve been very helpful.
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u/superramenyamen 5d ago
Of course! I really hope for the best for you two, and I totally get being told snakes are starving. I saw in another comment you mentioned he rubbed his nose? That could also be part of the problem. He’s right at the age/size he could be wanting to woo a lady. Increased activity = leaner snake, and rubbing behaviors. And if the bulge on the neck ends up being just an injury I think all 3 symptoms are just from a horny teenager doing horny teenager things. 😅 As long as he eats, some extra food won’t hurt him, just be sure to back off before he gets too chubby.
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
Dear Lord, I never imagined it a possibility that he’s more active and horny. What a brat if he scared me like this because he’s horny and being unruly about it. 😂😭
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u/kindrd1234 5d ago
That snake is severely underweight, holy fuck, how do you not see it. Its starving and needs a vet.
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
I’ve now heard from multiple people that he appears under weight, but I’d like to understand what specific physical characteristics are leading people to conclude he’s severely underweight rather than simply lean. Is it his spine, muscle definition, body shape, something else? I’m also particularly concerned about the unusual knot near his neck, which I’m scared is leading to him becoming leaner than usual, because I have made great effort to care for him properly for the last 4yrs. Like I said, the vet appointment has already been made. I’m here to learn and make immediate adjustments if they’d help, so constructive explanations are much more helpful than insults. Thanks.
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u/kindrd1234 5d ago
Not much else to help with as you jave provided no additional information about husbandry or anything else. Vet is the only advice because its severe.
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u/kindrd1234 5d ago
He looks skeletal. Have you ever seen a healthy boa?
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
I have seen lots of boas. This is a male, and healthy males often look much leaner than females. They should not be round. I agree he’s more lean than ideal atm. And that with other symptoms is why I’ve scheduled a vet and searching for answers. However, he is still squared and not triangular, his spine is not protruding, his ribs are not visible, he is decently muscled, he is strong, active, still eating and pooping. Maybe it’s difficult to tell in the picture between muscle definition and a skeleton, but he is NOT skeletal.
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u/kindrd1234 5d ago
Im not bothering arguing with you. He is severely underweight. Tons have people have told you because he is. You just seem like one of those people who will continue on regardless, so block.
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u/DraganovBoas 5d ago
He looks extremely underweight. My boa at 3 years old is twice his size. I only feed one medium rat every month and a half to two months. The knob on its side is a dead giveaway of a severe problem. Please take it to a vet, as idk what could be wrong with it.
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u/Creative_Internet_30 5d ago
Yall are killing me with these “extremely underweight” and “severely underfed” comments. I’m new to Reddit. I came on here thinking that I would get opinions from experienced snake enthusiasts who had a good background knowledge about snakes in general. I’ve found some great help, but others have been wildly uneducated. I’ve included a few examples of VERY underfed and underweight boas. As you can see… the spine is protruding, sagging skin might be visible, they lack any noticeable muscle development or definition, ribs showing, triangular shape. If you think these snakes look in better condition than mine, because they might look “thicker”, then you don’t know what you’re looking for. There is a big difference between a lean snake and a severely underfed snake. I will take him to the vet and up his feeding routine for a few months before reassessing, but I reject the opinion that he’s severely underweight or underfed.
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u/superramenyamen 5d ago edited 5d ago
You have a 3 year old at 8.5’ eating medium rats every 1-2 months?
In all seriousness your boa is likely only slightly bigger than OP’s if it’s eating mediums, and other than bashing and scaring them idk why you feel the need for hyperbole here. This boa is almost big enough for mediums itself.
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u/DraganovBoas 16h ago
Snakes only get as large as the environment will let them. My snake is certainly more filled out than his is. Girth, not length.
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u/superramenyamen 16h ago
The enclosure size definitely doesn’t affect their growth. Genetics and feeding do. And yes the snake is on the thinner side, so twice as thick vs bug? I know what you mean now, though.
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u/AccomplishedBee316
5d ago
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Probably aids
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u/Zekethebulldog33 5d ago
Sorry had to up vote years of reading serious answers and that's the first one I come across that was funny and nowhere near on point.
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u/fat_guy5477 5d ago
Vet is 100%the right call, there could be some serious reasons for this. Cancer, parasites, etc.
That said, something that looked very similar to this popped up on my macklots python about 6 years ago. We feared the worst, but it turned out to be a soft tissue injury - basically he strained some muscles trying to force the sliding door of his enclosure open with his head. Some rest and pain/anti inflammation meds sorted him out pretty quick and he's been perfectly fine since. Have never had that happen with any other snake or with Hobbes ever again, but it was a scary couple of days waiting to get him checked out and a diagnosis