Good growth rates for Epicrates, specifically BRBs?

Charis · 03-07-14, 02:35 PM

We bought our first BRB as a 2, almost 3 month old in 2012. Then we got two adults at the end of last year and another that was a few months old. These are our first large boas and I just want to make sure that the young ones are growing at good rates. Our 2012 seems like she might be a good bit smaller than others her age but she has been growing steadily since we got her. I'm more interested in what the best rate of growth is for healthy snakes, not how fast they can be gotten up to breeding weight. And I'm aware that snakes grow at differing speeds but can you all share what growth records you have on your BRBs that started out as babies so I can get a better idea? I'll post the 2012's, Zoë's, weight records here in a minute too. Unfortunately my record keeping is a bit hit and miss.

Thanks!

Snakesitter · 03-07-14, 02:56 PM

In what month were they born? That will allow me to give you a better answer.

Charis · 03-07-14, 02:56 PM

Well, I'm sure I took weights on her between the time we got her in Sept '12 and 8/5/13 but I must not have logged them into my permanent records, since I can't find them. I'd guess her to have been around 40 grams, give or take a bit, when we got her though.
These are the weights I can find.
8/5/13 - 117 grams
10/7/13 - 161 grams
11/18/13 - 170 grams
12/24/13 -198 grams
2/22/14 - 265 grams

Does that look like a reasonable progression?

Charis · 03-07-14, 03:01 PM

Records say she was born July 19th 2012. I'd have guessed in August but then again my memory is non-existent!

The other baby is the one we got from you, Cliff and not too worried about him, since he seems to be right up there with all of his siblings in growth.

Snakesitter · 03-08-14, 01:57 PM

For a 19-month old Brazilian (what she would be in Feb. 2014), my long-term averages show an average weight of 425 grams. However, the standard deviation is large at 157 grams, so she falls just outside one standard deviation. She'll be fine, just a slow grower -- and she may yet catch up. :-)

Charis · 03-08-14, 03:36 PM

Thanks Cliff!

Snakesitter · 03-10-14, 01:56 PM

Any time!!

Charis · 03-28-14, 01:44 PM

Just thought I'd continue to update this thread with Zoe's weight.
3/18/14 - 303 grams.
3/25/14 - 312 grams.

Snakesitter · 03-28-14, 06:59 PM

Good progress!

Charis · 04-27-14, 09:40 PM

4/27/17 - 365 grams and she shed tonight.

Snakesitter · 04-29-14, 01:35 PM

Good progress!

So, based on your data, since Feb 22, or 64 days, she has increased 100 grams, or 37.7% of her body weight. Having some fun...if she keeps up this same growth rate, in approximately three years she will weigh 84,351.3 grams...or over 175 pounds.

Three years past that, she will weigh 19,493,532.3 grams.

I think you're gonna need a bigger viv.

;-)

(Good thing they don't keep up this growth rate, huh?!)

And again -- well done, I wish more keepers weighed regularly.