Boa feeding.

[bigsnakegirl785]

Recently, when I've been feeding my red-tailed boa, it eats the pinky from the side. It looks really funny, but should I be worried? Sometimes it just crawls around with it hanging out, but it gets it down fairly easily.

[SnakeyJay]

Wouldnt worry... quite a few snakes try this. Itll find the head eventually. Try just heating the head, gives the snake a good target to aim at. My corn likes going feet first sometimes :)

[SSSSnakes]

A baby Red Tail should be eating at least a fuzzie if not a hopper. A pinkie is to small.

[UwabamiReptiles]

My big carpet female use to eat mice from the side when that was all I had. I think it was because it was too small. Is it a rat pinkie or a mouse pinkie?

[N1T24M]

i agree, pinks are way small for boas. even smaller island boas like corn island or hog island boas start off on fuzzies. usually my insular colombian boas start on hopper mice.
nothing wrong with snakes eating sideways.

[sassy_snake_lady]

Some of my boas eat their rats sideways and literally fold the rat in half!

[bigsnakegirl785]

Yes, the first batch I gave it was pinkie mice. But after one of my rats gave birth, it got rat pinkies. The pinkies the female had were bigger around than my thumb and was bigger around than she was. (So she got the larger ones the second time around, first one only to hold her off.)

[SSSSnakes]

Yes, the first batch I gave it was pinkie mice. But after one of my rats gave birth, it got rat pinkies. The pinkies the female had were bigger around than my thumb and was bigger around than she was. (So she got the larger ones the second time around, first one only to hold her off.)

I do not mean to offend you, but mice new borns are called pinkies. Rat new borns are called pups. It lessens the confusion when you talk about what you are feeding your snake.

[millertime89]

I do not mean to offend you, but mice new borns are called pinkies. Rat new borns are called pups. It lessens the confusion when you talk about what you are feeding your snake.
although I agree with the naming differences I have seen numerous places call them rat pinkies. PetCo does this as well.

[Gungirl]

although I agree with the naming differences I have seen numerous places call them rat pinkies. PetCo does this as well.

Common sense isn't that common... :no:

[millertime89]

per facebook...
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:-Knowing when to come in out of the rain; - Why the early bird gets the worm;- Life isn't always fair; - And maybe it was my fault. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies, don't spend more than you can earn and adults, not children, are in charge. His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife Discretion, his daughter Responsibility, and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights,I Want It Now,Someone Else Is To Blame,I'm A Victim.Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, do nothing.

[lady_bug87]

My husband brought home the rat pups instead of fuzzies to feed my colombian, so I feed her 2 she eats them all funny ways she swallowed it sideways yesterday, it happens I would have bought fuzzies instead but nothing else in my house can eat the rat pups,

mistakes happen

[bigsnakegirl785]

lol millertime. But yes, I know the difference between rat pups and mice pinkies. I was just in a hurry and wasn't thinking. I figured you'd know what I was talking about anyways.

[exwizard]

Ok I know Im new to this forum but we've been breeding both rats and mice for a while now.

While poeople are free to call rats and mice anything they want at various stages of development, I will tell you what I understand is meant by the terms. Btw, when we started this we got these terms from the rodentpro website and our size chart reflects that as well.

Both rats and mice are called pinkies when they are newborn. After a few days when they start to develop a little fuzz theyre called fuzzies. The difference in terms happens when they develop full fur but before they are weaned. Mice are hoppers and rats are pups. After that they are both weaners. After that as they get bigger, the rats are classified as smalls, mediums, large, X large XX, and XXX depending on their size while I consider mice to just be adults once theyve gotten past the weaner stage. This how we've classified them when we sell them.