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Originally posted by Snakesitter

Usually, mold will have a distinctly different look than the moss it grows on. On the few occasions I see it, it is usually white cottony stuff. However, I see it more often on newspaper than on moss. Moss should be checked for "freshness" every month, and entirely changed out at least every quarter -- more often if needed.

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Originally posted by jeff7377

shedding will be determined primarily by growth rate. Sometimes I think that if a snake is trying to fix something such as a retained shed or other skin issue it may shed more often. This is just an opinion, I could be wrong but snakes are a wonder of mother nature. If there habitat is maintained correctly they take care of themselves.
This is just my thought though and I am new to being a BRB parent. As far as signs of being hungry, I think that keeping a journal on your reptiles is the best thing you can do. Record everything such as daily behavior, feeding schedules, when she feeds or refuses food, when color changes and dates of when she sheds. Keeping track of weight is a good thing to do also.

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Originally posted by IncurableFlirt

A baby RB will shed a lot more often than a juvenile or even an adult. When Marius was little, it seemed like he was shedding every couple of months at the latest. As he grew bigger, it began to space itself out more. As Jeff said, snakes do also shed in an effort to fix any problems they are having with their skin health. You could possibly try to soak your RB for about 10 minutes (I'd use a small plastic tub with a lid so that your boa couldn't get out, but watch it very closely for safety!) and then when you take her out, let her glide through a moistened, soft wash cloth to try and rub the shed off. If this doesn't work, then I'd suggest leaving it alone and waiting for her next shed cycle, as she will more than likely shed it off with her newer shed, providing that her humidity and setup are like they should be. :) I wouldn't ever advise trying to remove the shed yourself, as you could potentially damage your snake. This should only ever be done by a reptile trained vet (which is where you should take her if she doesn't get rid of the stuck shed with her next shed cycle).

Now then, as to feeding, young boas should be fed an appropriately sized meal once every week. You can't ever gauge when your boa is hungry, because it is geared to be a food machine in the wild. It eats as often as it can find food, stopping only to digest and rest during the daylight hours. This is fine for a boa in the wild because they are getting tons of exercise while hunting. In captivity, it is extremely easy to overfeed your boa, causing them to become overweight and unhealthy. If you are feeding your boa pinkies/fuzzies/fluffs/hoppers, then I would say definitely feed them once a week. When you reach the hopper stage, you can maybe start spacing your feedings out to every 8 or 9 days, maybe even 10. Most people end up trying to switch their boas over to rat pinks by the hopper stage. I've kept Marius on adult mice for the calcium, but will probably regret it later when he gets too big for them, lol.

Anyway, I hope that some of this info has helped. I am sure that some of the more knowledgeable keepers will be putting their input in as well, it just takes longer on this forum. We're a slow bunch. :D I also wanted to say that Jeff is definitely right about keeping track of everything. It really does help you to keep a sort of journal on how things are going with your RB. There are online sites (such as iHerp) that will help you keep track, but I have found that it is easier to keep a written journal and just put stuff in there as you go along. btw....love the name you chose for your RB. Niiji is a great name!

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Originally posted by IncurableFlirt

BC...as sad as it is to say, most people do this. They think: Oh what a beautiful snake, I'm going to take it home right now! They go off of what the pet stores tell them to do (which is 99.99% WRONG) and then when their snake isn't doing so well, they become one of two different types of people: Those who don't care and allow the animal to go on suffering until it either dies or they get rid of it.....or those who care enough to find a good, reputable place to find out the information they need to better take care of their pet. While it would have been optimal for Hidenshi to do the research...he has proven himself a wonderful keeper, just by coming here and asking all the necessary questions to help take care of his wonderful little lady. :)

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Originally posted by MrBD1980

As Cliff said, well done! I reckon it's vital that this forum remains accessible and friendly...although promoting research prior to buying is Important, it's equally important that keepers who need help are made to feel welcomed and supported, not accused and chastised!

It's the friendly atmosphere and supportive attitude which engaged me and keeps me coming backs...no doubt to the extreme benefit of my BRB! As I said elsewhere recently, there is always new things to learn!

Brian

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Originally posted by IncurableFlirt

With your next feed, try something a little different. Warm the fuzzy up in a cup of hot, hot water (not boiling), then using a sharp pointed object (like a pen or knife point), poke the prey item's head and squeeze a little of the inner brain juice out enough for the snake to scent it.

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