Consuela: Freshly Shed, But Dark Phase

[Roy Munson]

Unlike cornsnakes, these Isla de Maize boas don't necessarily look their best immediately after shedding. Depends what phase they're in. She was looking very dark, and not very colorful when I threw her into her feeding tub. The last pic shows her less than an hour later, and you can see that she was already coloring up. These guys can change pretty dramatically even within the course of a brief handling session.

She's finally getting some heft to her and looking like a proper boa. I thought she looked too skinny for a long time.

 

[Pasodama]

She is gorgeous either way ... Love the dark phase and the lighter phases.

 

[Tula_Montage]

Shes looking fantastic! I love dark phase corn isles...

 

[Roy Munson]

Thanks Deb and Elle.

 

[ShroomieGirl]

I still think shes gorgeous in dark phase. I love the boa look

 

[Voodoo]

Purdy snakey, Dean!

 

[Nanci]

I like the dark thundercloud phase. She's so gorgeous.

 

[starsevol]

She is just lovely!

 

[Tula_Montage]

Have you any shots of her in her lightest phase yet? When do you find she goes dark and light?

I always find when they are empty and looking for food they are in light phase, and when they are full, freshly shed, really warm or "soaking" they are in dark phase.

 

[crackerhead]

I love how you captured that iridescent sheen her skin has. The last picture makes her look all sweet and innocent. As though she's saying, "Well are you done yet?" Very nice snake.
Terri

 

[JustineNYC]

Wow...Those pics give me chills. Shes gorgeous but is it silly I own corns and am deathly afraid of boas?

 

[Roy Munson]

Thanks folks.

Have you any shots of her in her lightest phase yet? When do you find she goes dark and light?

I always find when they are empty and looking for food they are in light phase, and when they are full, freshly shed, really warm or "soaking" they are in dark phase.

The crappy shot I'm attaching is probably the lightest one I've taken, but I've seen her go much lighter. I have to say that I haven't been able to figure out a pattern to when they're light or dark. In fact, it seems that my observations are the opposite of yours in one regard-- they seem darker when they're colder. :shrugs:

Wow...Those pics give me chills. Shes gorgeous but is it silly I own corns and am deathly afraid of boas?

Thanks Justine. I don't think it's SILLY to own corns and to be afraid of boas. Boa bites are much more damaging than corn bites. But these little guys will never be 7-9 foot giants, and they're not really aggressive. There are many types of larger, more temperamental boas that I wouldn't consider owning.

 

[Tula_Montage]

Remember Beaux's super dark angsty phase? I shot him with the temp gun when I found him like that and he was only 69f (twas a cold winters eve). But when I open his box now and hes hugging the heat @ 93f+ hes always dark. Rarley in lightphase unless hes empty and looking rather hungry.

 

[Snake Dave]

In fact, it seems that my observations are the opposite of yours in one regard-- they seem darker when they're colder. :shrugs:

That would make more sense, since darker things absorb heat more efficiently since they don't reflect light, so if they were colder they'd want to warm up quickly so that they could 'get about their business'. Just a thought.

But back on topic, gorgeous boa Dean, and I love the name.

(Ha ha, my rep number is exactly half my post number, LOL)

 

[Roy Munson]

That would make more sense, since darker things absorb heat more efficiently since they don't reflect light, so if they were colder they'd want to warm up quickly so that they could 'get about their business'. Just a thought.

But back on topic, gorgeous boa Dean, and I love the name.

(Ha ha, my rep number is exactly half my post number, LOL)

Thanks Dave.

It WOULD seem to make sense, but I don't think it ever gets that cold where these guys are from, and I don't think they're baskers anyway. The color changes seem to be more complex than just a light and dark thing anyway. I've seen them dark, but with the salmony-orange very vibrant. I've seen them dark with the oranges very subdued. And I've seen the oranges change vibrancy in the lighter phases too. They're weird snakes. You never know what the snake's going to look like when you pull it out of the tub.

 

[Tula_Montage]

You never know what the snake's going to look like when you pull it out of the tub.

Thats what I love most about them

 

[JustineNYC]

Thanks folks.



Thanks Justine. I don't think it's SILLY to own corns and to be afraid of boas. Boa bites are much more damaging than corn bites. But these little guys will never be 7-9 foot giants, and they're not really aggressive. There are many types of larger, more temperamental boas that I wouldn't consider owning.

I think Im afraid of being squeezed to death cause of their size....Just out of curiousity, how much does she weigh?

 

[Roy Munson]

I think Im afraid of being squeezed to death cause of their size....Just out of curiousity, how much does she weigh?

Hah! The Isla de Maize boas won't ever be able to squeeze you to death.

This girl's just a baby '07. Isla de Maize boas grow VERY slowly. I haven't weighed her in a while, but she probably weighs somewhere between 200g and 230g (my male's even a little smaller). I have kingsnakes that could eat her without a problem! :grin01:

 

[JustineNYC]

Hah! The Isla de Maize boas won't ever be able to squeeze you to death.

This girl's just a baby '07. Isla de Maize boas grow VERY slowly. I haven't weighed her in a while, but she probably weighs somewhere between 200g and 230g (my male's even a little smaller). I have kingsnakes that could eat her without a problem! :grin01:

Oh wow, thats all?! She looks HUGE!