Adair Female #12
Life History

The following is a reproduction of the records kept by Richard F. Hoyer over the lifetime of this snake up until she was transferred to me in the Spring of 2001.  Only minor edits have been added and in most cases are noted with [ ] .  My comments have been added in Italics.  

 

08/26/84

Born on August 26, 1984.  Larson Site Female #51 baby #3.  Length at birth: 10 5/8 inches.

 

Adair Female #12 was released shortly after birth at Camp Adair near Corvallis, OR as part of a study.  She was not seen again for almost 7 years.

06/22/91

Found under tin #31 at C site.  Length: 24 7/8 (632mm), Weight: 136.0 grams.

 

Gravid when found.  This was likely her first brood, although possibly the second.

06/28/91

Shed skin

08/08/91

Shed skin

09/02/91

Produced brood, ending weight 72.1grams.

 

Note that her weight was 136.0 grams in mid June, and dropped by 63.9grams, or 47% from her recorded weight.  Far more likely than not, she weighed even more prior to June, as she began fasting at the beginning of ovulation like as gestating Rubber Boas normally do.  Therefore, it is not unreasonable to conclude that she expended greater than 50% of her original body weight to produce a brood.  This is an amazing amount of weight loss, but is typical as recorded for other females.

09/04/91

Released where found.

04/08/93

Under tin #C41 with other female.  136.7grams, 25 ½ inches.  Tip [of tail] now scarred, body covered with numerous, recent, dirt-encrusted large rodent bite marks, rest of description the same. Palps 4-5 very small ova.

 

Tin C41 is one row over (about 30 feet) from C31 where she was last found, and released 19 months earlier.

04/12/93

Released where found.

05/06/93

Tin #C41, 128.7grams, not measured, put with three females in basement – ate one baby vole at 5grams.

05/09/93

Released where found.

07/15/94

3rd row, tin #1 (C31), 102.3grams, 26inches, mottling medium, has 3 huge recent wounds on dorsal surface approx 7,10, and 14 inches from nose. First wound is 35mmX14mm with 10-11 vertebrae exposed – some flesh missing [some internal organs slightly visible].  Second wound is 45mmX4mm with 13-15 vertebrae showing.  Third is 20mmX10mm with about 7 vertebrae showing.  Tail tip crushed-badly chewed up.  Large wounds and bite marks suggestive of weasel, possum, skunk, but rodent type marks also seem to be present, esp. at the tip suggestive of ground squirrel or gopher???  Slight healing seems to have taken place.  Wounds probably 2-4 weeks old, but look fresh. See here for photo of one of her scars.

07/25/94

Had pictures taken of wounds at O.S.U.

 

After being so severely wounded, she likely would not have survived much longer on her own.  This subsequently became evident through the fact she would refuse most offerings of food, and despite force-feeding, continued to loose weight.  For most cases in the following entries, Fed means mouth opened and item inserted, and where necessary gently pushed down.  This is differentiated from Ate, which is where food was placed in the cage and taken of own free will.

08/11/94

100.2grams – fed 3 lab mice at 2.3grams, 2.3 grams, and 4.4 grams.

08/12/94

Shed Skin.  Needed considerable assistance.  Soaked again before assisting in removal of skin.  Some healing evident but wounds still open.

08/23/94

100.9grams.  Fed 2 lab mice, weight after [feeding was] 109.2grams.

08/28/94

101.9grams.  Passed scat earlier in week

09/08/94

Shed Skin (assisted again).

09/09/94

93.7grams. Fed 3 young lab mice, weight after = 104.1grams

09/13/94

Fed 2 baby Deer mice at 2.2grams each and one 4.1gram young lab mouse.

11/02/94

93.6grams.  Soaked in H2O. 93.9 grams after.

02/23/95

92.5grams, 25 5/8.  Pictures of healed injuries taken by Dr. mason.

03/19/95

Shed Skin

05/02/95

Fed 2 baby Grey-tailed voles, 2.5grams each and 1 baby creeping vole, 2.2grams.

05/22/95

Shed Skin.

06/19/95

Fed 2 baby shrews at 1.3grams each (76.3grams before meal.)

07/04/95

74.9grams.

07/08/95

73.5grams – fed 8grams of grey squirrel tail.

 

Lowest weight since being injured.  In April of ’95 (pre-injury), she weighed 136.7 grams.  In three months she lost 63.2 grams – almost half her weight.  This is the second know MAJOR weight loss known of, the first being the birth of a brood in ’91.

07/18/95

Shed skin.

07/21/95

Fed 3.6grams pinkie lab mouse and 5.6gramss of squirrel tail.

07/24/95

78.6grams.  Fed squirrel tail 85.7grams after.

07/31/95

Fed one nestling lab mouse – 3.4grams and two squirrel tails of 11.5grams total.

08/15/95

Fed .6gram embryonic N. Alligator lizard.

08/23/95

76.5grams, fed 3 lab mice 2.8grams each and Southern Alligator Lizard tail at 4.4grams

08/24/95

ATE FIRST voluntarily meal – 3 nestling Deer mice at 3.7grams each.

 

Huge improvement.  For the previous 1 year, one month and 9 days, she had to be Fed all her meals.  She finally decided to eat one on her own.  Note: the many times food was offered but refused has not been included.

09/09/95

Shed skin.

09/11/95

Fed two baby Deer mice, 2.2grams each.

09/20/95

Fed 2 Deer mice at 4.8grams each.

10/03/95

Fed one 1.9gram baby creeping vole.

10/10/95

Fed one baby Deer mouse and one baby creeping vole (2.2grams and 2.8grams).

03/17/96

79.4grams.

04/11/96

Fed and ate 4.0gram Deer mouse.

04/25/96

Shed skin.

05/08/96

Fed tail of Southern Alligator lizard.

05/20/96

Fed dead Side Blotched lizard.

05/25/96

Fed baby (1 day old) Deer mouse.

06/06/96

Shed skin.

06/12/96

Fed 5 fence lizard eggs.

06/16/96

Ate 3 Grey-tailed voles (2.5grams each) and 2 Creeping voles (2.2grams each).

06/26/96

Ate 2 nestling Deer mice at 5.8grams each.

07/05/96

Ate 4 nestling Deer mice at 5.3grams each.

07/16/96

Ate 4 nestling Deer mice at t 5.1grams each.

07/24/96

Ate 3 young Deer mice at 5.2grams each.

07/27/96

Ate 2 young Deer mice at 5.2grams each.

07/30/96

Ate 4 nestling Deer mice (6.4grams each).

08/13/96

98.1 grams.

08/20/96

Shed skin.

08/20/96

Ate 4 Deer mice young at 4.4 grams each.

09/03/96

Ate 11.9 grams pre-killed Long-tailed vole and one nestling Deer mouse at 6.6grams.

09/08/96

111.2grams, 25 7/8inches

04/15/97

Ate one nestling Deer mouse, 8.4grams.

05/01/97

Shed skin.

06/14/97

Fed 2 Grey-tailed voles 2.5grams e{grams] and one baby Deer mouse 2.4grams.

06/22/97

Ate 2 nestling Deer mice at 3.0grams and 8.8grams.

06/27/97

Fed adult Northern Alligator lizard (she ate it after placing the head of the lizard into her mouth).

07/11/97

Shed skin.

07/15/97

Ate 4.4gram nestling Deer mouse.

07/17/97

Fed 2.4gram baby Grey-tailed vole and 2 Deer mice at 5.9grams each.

07/21/97

Ate 4 Deer mice at 7.9, 7.4, 9.8, and 9.8 grams.

08/04/97

Ate 4 Deer mice at 6.7, 6.7, 8.0, 8.0 grams.

08/10/97

Ate 4 Deer mice at 6.8grams each.

08/23/97

Ate 2 nestling Deer mice at 3.9grams each and adult Red-backed vole (approx 20 grams). Introduced little Brown bat after nestling Deer mice, but had trouble with wings, so cut off part of wings.

 

This is not the first time a Rubber Boa offered a bat has eaten it, and has been previously documented in a published paper.

09/03/97

Shed skin.

10/07/97

Shed skin.

03/19/98

Ate 4 nestling Townsend voles at 5.7grams each with temperatures at 54 degrees Fahrenheit.

04/06/98

Ate 4 nestling Townsend voles at 6.8 grams each.

04/08/98

Ate 4 nestling Townsend voles at 7.1grams each.

04/14/98

Ate 4 nestling Townsend voles at 6.7grams each.

05/16/98

Shed skin.

05/18/98

Ate 6 nestling California voles at 3.2gramss each.

06/04/98

Shed skin.

06/30/98

Shed skin.

07/14/98

169.2grams.

07/21/98

Ate 3 nestling Deer mice at 4.1grams each

08/27/98

150.0 grams

08/31/98

Shed Skin

09/01/98

Produced litter.  Weight [after birth] = 101.2grams.

09/02/98

Fed 5 Deer mice at 5.2grams each.

09/09/98

Fed 2.8gram shrew, 2 California voles at 4.8grams each and 1 Deer mouse of 10grams.

09/28/98

Shed skin.

03/13/99

94.1grams.

05/15/99

Ate 3 nestling Deer mice at 2.3grams each.

05/30/99

Shed skin.

06/05/99

Ate 3 nestling Deer mice at 3.7grams each.

07/08/99

Ate 3.7gram nestling Deer mouse.

07/19/99

Ate 6.6gram nestling California vole (thawed)

07/28/99

Shed skin.

08/02/99

Ate 5 nestling Deer mice at 5.6grams each.

08/10/99

Ate 4 nestling Deer mice at 4.5grams each.

08/16/99

Ate 3 nestling Deer mice – 7.0, 7.0, and 8.0grams.

08/27/99

121.4grams.

09/07/99

Ate 7.0gram nestling Deer mouse.

09/17/99

Shed skin.

09/29/99

Ate 4 nestling Deer mice at 5.8grams each.

11/08/99

126.6grams.

03/20/00

Ate 6 nestling Deer mice at 3.1 grams each.

04/03/00

Ate 2 nestling Deer mice at 7.2grams each.

04/22/00

Shed skin.

07/07/00

Shed skin.

07/18/00

Ate 4 nestling Deer mice at 5.3grams each.

07/28/00

Ate 13.7gram Deer mouse.

08/30/00

Shed skin.

03/18/01

159.0grams.

05/12/01

Transferred to Ryan Hoyer.

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