Pacific Boa Constrictor Snakes (Candoia bibroni bibroni)

Fiji Boas are famous for changing colour, but it's hard to catch them at it. Today I went to clean out their tank and found Constantine under the newspaper at her palest pink, and Magenta under a piece of bamboo in his most brooding dark... and yet some days they are identical.

Here is a tangle for you! All seven of our adult Fiji boas are in the holding tub while we clean out their tank. These snakes live together in large display tank, and seem to be quite companionable (for snakes....).

Our two newest, Naboo and Hecate.  Can anyone name the name references...?

The smallest of the batch of babies born on 31 May is, of course, the one we will keep. Born at 7gms, now a hefty 12 gms, she is pounding gecko tails once a week (offered from chopsticks). And now she has shed her skin for the first time. Here are photos of her pre-shed and feeding, and 48 hours later in her new technicolour skin, glowing and fabulous. The name Corrigan comes from Celtic folk-lore: Corrigan, according to the folklore of Brittany is a female færy "Little Queen". She is said to have been one of the ancient druidesses, and therefore malicious towards Christian priests. Corrigan is fond of pretty human children, and is usually blamed for all changeling substitutions.

Most Fijians are afraid of snakes, so it has been quite an adventure for our housekeeper to get used to the snakes living with us. However here she is with one of the new babies, looking happy to be handling it. I'm hoping she's a new ambassador for protecting Fiji's own boa constrictors!

Alfie's snake named Samael... Samael ( Hebrew : סמאל ‎) (also Sammael ) is an important archangel in Talmudic and post-Talmudic lore, a figure who is accuser, seducer and destroyer, and has been regarded as both good and evil . It is said that he was the guardian angel of Esau and a patron of the empire of Rome. Also called Sammael and Samil, he is considered in legend both a member of the heavenly host (with often grim and destructive duties) and a fallen angel , equatable with Satan and the chief of the evil spirits. One of Samael's greatest roles in Jewish lore is that of the angel of death. In this capacity he is a fallen angel but nevertheless remains one of the Lord's servants. As a good angel, Samael supposedly resides in the seventh heaven, although he is declared to be the chief angel of the fifth heaven.

Fiji Snake's Smorgasboard Fiji Boas in the wild feed on geckos and other small reptiles when young, and move on to rodents, birds and fruit bats when older. We don't have a reliable source of rodents, so we looked for other ways to supplement their diets now that they are outgrowing the geckos we catch around the house. They start feeding by taking a gecko or two, and then we follow up as they are just finishing the gecko with a chicken heart or pieces of chicken breast. Since we have started doing this they are putting on weight much more quickly than on geckos alone. Gecko's (MOKO), chicken hearts and chicken breast!

It was cage cleaning day, but Rifraf did not want to be disturbed, so it was just easier to lift his whole branch out while I did his cage. he is determinedly NOT waking up.

He was asleep at first but then did at least pop his head up for a look to see what was going on.

All snakes get this cloudy look (called "Blue) a few days before they shed their skin. This is Magenta in blue, about 4 days before shedding

Magenta with clear eyes, after shedding skin. He's very pale in this pic: he can change to a very dark brown at will. It seems to depend what colour of branch or hide I put in their tank. Often he's dark brown when I get him out and over half an hour of handling will pale down to this almost pink colour.

Rifraf and Magenta on a piece of mangrove root. They like this as it has a lot of nooks and crannies for wedging themselves into, and they sleep on this a lot. Aplogies for the few droppings you can see: it was just being taken out for cleaning.

Rifraf's noble profile....

Very nice boa head pic! riesenschlangen.ch Fotogalerie Kopfaufnahmen Boas

From Kula Eco PArk on Flickr... Fiji boa [Candoia bibroni bibroni] on Flickr - Photo Sharing!