Irregular Ribs in Boa

I have a 10 month old Hypo Blood het Kahl that I picked up about a month ago, I just noticed that some sections of his rib cage aren’t lining up. Hard to get a pic of it. She is eating fine and everything else is normal. I do plan on breeding her when she is older. Is this something I should be concerned about? Suggestions for Vet visit or contact the breeder?

1 Like

It is likely either a deformity she was born with or broken ribs. While neither can actually be treated, if you intend to breed her, you need to find out which, because if it is a deformity, she shouldn’t be bred. If it is broken ribs, it will heal on it’s own over time but may remain visible. She could be bred once the ribs have healed. Your best course of action is a vet visit and x-ray.

4 Likes

So I have the vet appt set, unfortunately soonest appt is 2 weeks out. Just thinking ahead here…if the x-ray comes back showing it is a deformity, is it standard practice for breeders to refund or exchange an animal sold with deformities? This was relatively expensive ($2k) animal from one of the largest boa breeders in the US.

1 Like

Personally, as a breeder, if a customer provided vet paperwork stating that an animal I sold was born deformed, I would offer a refund or replacement. If it turned out to be broken ribs, I would not offer a refund because it could have happened in the customer’s care.

3 Likes

I agree, however some sellers might not refund a deformed animal. That is the risk you take with working with live animals. However a honest seller should at least refund some if not most of the cost.

1 Like

Thanks for the insight.