Rough Scaled Sand Boa feeding hints

[andybe18]

Hi
I have had my pair of rough scaleds for nearly 3 years now - for the past 6-7 months they have both become eratic feeders to say the least - the female who is hovering around the 200g mark no longer strike feeds and when she does feed she usually only takes a pinky or two. The male will still take fuzzies/fluffs but he too is eratic - he will still only strike feed.

So anybody with regularly eating rough scaleds could you share your tips, hints and let me know your husbandry.

With thanks
Andy

[Shmoges]

get a deli cup or a sour cream container thats bigger than the snake but still small enough that they have to coil up in it a bit and place a live or f/t food item in it with them and make sure there are air holes lol and leave them with it for a few hours or over night. Don't put it directly on a heat source or you could steam cook them lol.

[andybe18]

yeah done that. no joy

[mykee]

"the female who is hovering around the 200g mark no longer strike feeds and when she does feed she usually only takes a pinky or two"

You just answered your own question without even knowing it. Why would you be feeding your 200g snake a pinky anything?

[andybe18]

sorry? I really don't understand what you mean.

She will not eat anything larger than a pinky anymore. I offer her that cos she eats nothing else - why would offering a small food item stop it from eating???

[mykee]

Because the process of killing it is not worth the effort of such a tiny meal.
Try an appropriately sized food item.
Snake might surprise you.

[Aaron_S]

My four eat appropriate sized meals weekly with vigor.

I would go with what Mykee said. Sometimes the additional size of prey will entice them to really eat.

[KORBIN5895]

How many different freaking snakes do you two own???? Aren't you only supposed to own royals!?!?!

[Aaron_S]

How many different freaking snakes do you two own???? Aren't you only supposed to own royals!?!?!

You're funny Kevin.

I currently own only two species. Todd (CDN Blood) has my last non-ball python. I have owned a number of different species over the past 13 years and probably will again in the future. I will always generally speak from experience with any species I give information about.

[andybe18]

Because the process of killing it is not worth the effort of such a tiny meal.
Try an appropriately sized food item.
Snake might surprise you.
As already said she will ONLY eat pinkies - she did eat larger but has now stopped. If I did not offer her pinkies she would eat nothing!
She does not have to kill it - it is dead already - frozen. Before you say to feed it live, this isn't something I am going to do as she has eaten fine for 2 1/2 years.
I am guessing that people who are answering have direct experience with rough scaleds? If so then can you answer about your husbandry of them?

[Gungirl]

Just a guess here but if you let her go without food for a few weeks then offer a larger Item she might take it due to be hungry. I don't know how long you have let her go in between feedings or what you have tried though. I can only assume she is taking these and when you did offer something larger she was just not hungry enough.

[mykee]

"How many different freaking snakes do you two own???? Aren't you only supposed to own royals!?!?! "

Lol. I own 125 breeding ball pythons and 30 or so KSB. Just got into KSB to mix it up bit. Only owned them for three months now, but I find my knowledge and experience from the balls transfers perfectly into the KSB.

[KORBIN5895]

No wonder you guys act like you know what you are talking about.

[Aaron_S]

No wonder you guys act like you know what you are talking about.

Because we do ;)

[Aaron_S]

As already said she will ONLY eat pinkies - she did eat larger but has now stopped. If I did not offer her pinkies she would eat nothing!
She does not have to kill it - it is dead already - frozen. Before you say to feed it live, this isn't something I am going to do as she has eaten fine for 2 1/2 years.
I am guessing that people who are answering have direct experience with rough scaleds? If so then can you answer about your husbandry of them?

Answer what about their husbandry? I keep mine like I keep a kenyan sand boa. Essentially like a ball python with less humidity and an actual substrate so they can borrow. That's all they need. I keep mine on a rack system.

[andybe18]

Answer what about their husbandry? I keep mine like I keep a kenyan sand boa. Essentially like a ball python with less humidity and an actual substrate so they can borrow. That's all they need. I keep mine on a rack system.
Husbandry - rub size - how heated - hot/low temps, day/night temps, length of each, substrate - feed in/out of enclosure, food size?etc etc etc - You know, husbandry!
I don't know how you keep ksbs or ball pythons.

[Caylan]

80 cool side, 90 hotside, heated by undertank heater(flexwatt heat tape etc.), Low humidity(10-30% worked for me) and aspen beta chip for substrate. Feed in enclosure, at night, a rat with the same girth as the snake, weekly or bi monthly. Tub size varies on snake size, but 2'x1.5'x0.5' works well for adult females. We also only offered water weekly, to keep humidity down.

[andybe18]

thanks for that info.

[mykee]

"No wonder you guys act like you know what you are talking about. "
Aaron knows what he's talking about, I wing it most of the time.