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Boa Missing an Eye (Advice Wanted)

S

Sharkception

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Thinking about picking up a sunglow boa that was born missing an eye to keep strictly as a pet. Im wondering if she will need any kind of special care to keep her missing eye healthy or if sheds might be effected. She is otherwise doing fantastic and feeding perfectly. I've seen some one eyed snakes before but their missing eye is usually healed over whereas with this girl its as if the socket is just empty. Here is a picture:
9SAJQXV


Any advice is appreciated.
 
Here it is: You have to use the "Manage Attachments" button below the Post message, and then, once your image is selected, you have to make sure you click "Upload"
 

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Well, I've never seen anything like that before.
I did have a snake with a missing eye, but, as you said, his eye was healed shut, and he just shed the skin over it as normal (it left a scale-less skin patch in his shed).

How old is this snake? Was it born like this or is it a recent injury or disease loss? I'm assuming that if it is more than a few months old it has already shed successfully, (and it's not like retained eye-caps would be a problem)
 
Shes about 2 feet long so just a few months old. The owner said he has had no issues with her but I want to make sure he's not just trying to offload a burden onto someone else. Owner says she was born like this and some research told me kahl albinos are prone to eye deformities. Im assuming the eye is just under developed and not missing entirely hence why there's still a socket.
 
Typically a snake like this would be given away as a pet to a good home, with a first right-of-refusal agreement in place so you couldn't simply flip it (yes, unethical people will do that). If you are worried about the snake having issues with eating then ask for a video of it's next feeding. Usually one-eyed snakes or even blind snakes don't have any other problems though.
 
Well, I'm no expert on genetic deformities, but that sounds right to me, and the socket looks clean and has no scars, so I'd bet she's shed successfully at least once.

One-eyed snakes are fine for pets, best not to pass genetic problems on by breeding from them of course. Only problem I ever had with my cyclops was that he was a bit jumpy if approached on his blind slide, so I'd always make sure I put my hand, or food, where he could see it.

So, I'd say go for it - give a disadvantaged animal a good home! :)
 
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there's a chance the eye tissue may go bad and need to be removed later but it might stay like that, hard to say, you might want to check with a vet.
I have a one eyed sunglow pet only boa, however the spot where her eye should be is just scales. She doesn't have any issues but does lean her head to the side (good eye up) sometimes and has missed quite a few strikes (f/t food) but otherwise, normal boa stuff.
It's not uncommon for eye issues in kahl line but it was mostly in the earlier breeding years (possibly from all the inbreeding being done).
 
Thanks for the input. I definitely would not be breeding her so no worries there. The owner said she had issues feeding when she was a baby but has since adapted and is eating just fine now. From the other pictures he's sent me, she looks very healthy so I don't expect any problems feeding. I want to take her in since I know I can properly and responsibly care for her but just want to make sure it won't end up being massive vet bills down the road. Im assuming you can consult with a vet without actually having the animal yet?
 
If you can find a vet and send the picture it might be worth asking about the point April raised on possibly needing to remove the undeveloped eye at some time. Otherwise I don't see much of a potential problem.

You could try an on-line vet service such as this: https://www.petcoach.co/ask-a-vet/ but I did try once and didn't find anyone who really knew much about reptiles.
 
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