I need advice with feeding my boa

[redtailsforlife]

I have a hypo salmon boa constrictor that is about a year and a half old. When I first got her she ate like a champ for about 6 months then started skipping feedings and now only eats every couple months unless I put and ASF in front of her. She snatches the ASF right up with no hesitation. I've tried rats and mice and she shows no interest in either. Should I just start feeding only African soft furs?

[sharthun]

Hey and Welcome!

[formica]

what kind of setup is she in, what are temps, got any pics of the enclosure?

[aaron_cg]

Post information about the husbandry.

If she is dead set on the asf, then what I would do is feed the smallest one you can get. That way she gets in a feed mode. Then, offer an appropriate sized rat. Also, you could house a normal rat in with an asf, to get the scent on them.

[jpsteele80]

Have you changes anything in the husbandry, I.e. different wattage bulb, different substrate, more or less humidity ect. Just curious

[redtailsforlife]

I haven't changed anything in her cage. I've got her taking jumbo mice right now but she only takes them when she wants like maybe every 2 or 3 weeks. I've tried scenting a normal rat with an asf but she still wants nothing to do with it.

[formica]

I haven't changed anything in her cage. I've got her taking jumbo mice right now but she only takes them when she wants like maybe every 2 or 3 weeks. I've tried scenting a normal rat with an asf but she still wants nothing to do with it.

2-3 week feeds is fine for an 18 month old snake

[redtailsforlife]

But it's not fine she won't eat more than one jumbo mouse at a time and before she stopped eating she was taking a medium rat once a week

[formica]

But it's not fine she won't eat more than one jumbo mouse at a time and before she stopped eating she was taking a medium rat once a week

she was being over-fed, and now she is telling you that she doesnt need to eat that much...its fine! stop worrying, an 18month old boa does not need to be fed once a week, and you will only stress her out by over-caring for her, and you will make her fat and unhealthy by over feeding

[jpsteele80]

But it is normal, I had a burm that used to do something similar, sometimes he would slow down and stop eating for a month or 2 and sometimes he would just stop eating all together, you have to remember that snakes are not people and have different habits than we do

[Mikoh4792]

Vin Russo, the author of The Complete Boa Constrictor only feeds his boas once every two weeks, and has said that feeding them too much is unhealthy.

If you are worried that something is wrong with your snake, you'll only know if you take it to the vet or if it dies. Other than that, let it tell you how it wants to eat.