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Dameon, The Boa Constrictor |
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Dameon is the first snake I purchased, and he holds a special place in this cold-blooded heart. He is known to the pet trade as a common "Red Tailed Boa", but to this day I have not encountered another constrictor with his striking appearance. His true country origin and subspecies remain a mystery; pet stores are notorious for not keeping records or asking questions regarding reptilitan genealogy. He is a deeply colored, full bodied constrictor with impressive saddles that transverse his back, black and orange dots of color that highlight his abdominal scutes, and an iridescent sheen that gives an oil on water effect when bathed with sunlight.
I encountered him at a local pet store. His previous owner had commited several injustices while the snake was in his possession, the least annoying of which was naming the snake Ned. He had been neglected--underfed, underheld, and undernutured. Highly aggressive at first, it didn't take him long to respond to my rehabilitation efforts. Now, he feasts on hand-breed and raised, grain-fed, vitamin supplemented, prekilled rats. He is a docile "mama's boy". An impressive snake, he measures 9 feet 3 inches in length, weighs around 28 pounds, and his girth measures 15+ inches. |
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1997. A very curious snake, Dameon loves to explore...even if it is just a gift bag. |
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1999. Just take a look at that adorable face. Hollywood actors don't hold a candle. |
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1999. Dameon especially enjoys stretching his scales during his outdoor adventures. |
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1999. This photo showcases a bit of that iridescent sheen (note the purple pigment on the body). |
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2002. Dameon decides to check-out the artificial fern in his enclosure...moments later, he uprooted it. |
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2002. Here you can see that Dameon has just shed. Note the bright, richly colored new scales. |
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2002. Dameon is in the beginning phase of the shedding process--you can clearly see the milky appearance of his eyes. |
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2003. It's not exactly the Amazon, but Dameon still enjoys soaking in the bath tub. |
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