Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Reptiles > Baby Hog Island

Baby Hog Island

22 14:02:04

Question
QUESTION: Hi, my Hog Island Boa is a month old and has what appears to be loose/extra skin. I was wondering if this is a sign of malnutrition or dehydration and if I should take her to a vet. She is active, flicks her tongue a lot and, from what I can tell, she is mite and disease free.

Thank you for any advice!

ANSWER: Hello Elise,

Well, just "how" loose is the skin?  How often are you feeding her?  Are you feeding pinkie mice or baby rats?
What is the setup in the tank like?  What are the temperatures in the tank?

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

Kasa
Kasa  
QUESTION: I just purchased her a week ago. The breeder said she had eaten about a week before I bought her. I was going to feed her a thawed pinky rat this weekend after she settled into her cage a bit and see how she does. The 10gal cage temperature ranges from 80F-92F. I have a water dish set halfway under her 40Watt ceramic heater for humidity and two hides, one on each side of the cage.

She has only had 1 shed and I was wondering if that could be a cause for looser skin, her eyes still seem clear though. The loose skin is more noticeable as you get closer to her tail. I'm sorry the picture does not give a great reference..

Answer
Hello Elise,

Oh that looks normal to me.  They shed roughly once every 6-8 weeks usually.  If her eyes are clear then she is not quite ready to shed but the skin looks normal to have a little bit of indention there.  No problem.  She is very pretty.  :-))

Tracie