Is She Overweight?

**Minkness** · 09-14-16, 11:17 PM

This is my female rough scale sand boa. She has been a fantastic feeder, but I am a bit worried she's too fat. Of course she is a sand boa, not a normal boa, but I just don't know. =/

I know I should have grabbed a weight on her, but I forgot. Maybe I can get ine later. She's about a foot and a half long annnnd....I don't have an age but I have had her for several months and when I got her she was still pretty tiny.

She gets 1 small mouse a week.

sattva · 09-15-16, 12:19 AM

I'v never own a sand boa but I have seen a lot of them and she doesn't look overweight to me... The ones I have seen seem to have a girth twice the size of the head... Maybe someone with more experience can shed some more light on it for you...

jay's reptiles · 09-15-16, 08:12 AM

To be honest minks. She doesn't look overweight. But i do think you should start weighing her every week or so. Just to make sure she is not gaining to much weight. Females are a lot bigger than the males. Just make sure to get a weighing scale.

**Minkness** · 09-15-16, 09:08 AM

I have a scale, but I have too many repriles and work way too much to do weekly weigh ins. Besides, I think body condition is nore important than actual numbers.

bigsnakegirl785 · 09-15-16, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minkness

I have a scale, but I have too many repriles and work way too much to do weekly weigh ins. Besides, I think body condition is nore important than actual numbers.

Yup, this is true. She looks a little heavier than I normally see them, but she's also not a Kenyan. I'd say at most she's a little bit chunky, but should do fine as long as you keep an eye on her weight and potentially slightly space her feedings out/reduce the prey size by just a bit, nothing major. Although sand boas have smaller heads in proportion to their bodies than other snakes, their heads shouldn't be smaller than their neck...your boa's head is still noticeable so that's good, just her back half is just a little more extreme than her front and midbody (unless she's holding in some poo?).

**Minkness** · 09-15-16, 08:31 PM

She is definitely full of poo lol. She holds it for like 2-3 months! Not compacted though. She's very soft and supple. She just holds it forever.

I think I will spread her out to 1 small mouse every 2 weeks instead of every week. See if that slims her down a bit.

**EL Ziggy** · 09-15-16, 08:45 PM

She might be a little chunky Mink but like you said it's an easy fix.

**Minkness** · 09-15-16, 08:59 PM

Thanks Ziggy!

I think I may update her enclosure too. She's in a smallish tub right now. It's ok in size I think, but I was thinking that maybe giving her something a bit bigger to cruise and encourage more movement.

I know sand boas are more ambush oriented, so not sure if a slightly larger tub would do her much good. Maybe someone with more sand boa experience could answer that. =)