best meal for a 8ft bci

[venom_king]

hi everyone my little bci is a long way of pounding rabbits for a meal but i was just wondering what is more nutritious for him 2 large rats every 2 weeks or a ?? what ever size rabbit a month??

[TheZoo]

when I had my big girl she was 6 ish ft (she ended up passing from age) I was told xl rats for 3 feedings then a large rabit etc...ive herd you can also do chickens every so ofter (there fatty) and I think piglets... Im not positive though so hopfully a better member will come along

[Sublimeballs]

From what I've read rabbits are healthier then rats. But it's best to feed a varied diet: rats, rabbits as the main diet, with quails and chickens as an occasional meal. If you can get ahold of other things aswell try them out. I currently feed my jampea retic rabbits, rats, and chickens. Quails are next on my list to aquire.

[venom_king]

thats what i was going to do rats 1 month than a rabbit next how many qualis would you feed a 6-8ft boa and the chickens what are the chances if you have had any problems with it salmonella??...and you would just chuck the bird(s) straight at them with feathers and all??

[kelzerman]

A lot of reptiles harbor some salmonella naturally.

[Sublimeballs]

Originally Posted by venom_king

thats what i was going to do rats 1 month than a rabbit next how many qualis would you feed a 6-8ft boa and the chickens what are the chances if you have had any problems with it salmonella??...and you would just chuck the bird(s) straight at them with feathers and all??

I wouldn't be so set on alternating months, just switch it up every couple meals(except for the chickens fatty as others said). I wouldn't be able to comment on the quail question without seeing the boa and the size of the quails you can get ahold of. Get the chickens from a reliable feeder source and there should be no worries about salmonella. Yep just feed them the birds as is, no one plucks the birds for them in the wild. Lol.

[venom_king]

cheers i'll stick with rats and rabbits for him now that nasty disease that affected rabbits has died down myxomatosis..and thinking about it a 8ft bci feeding on quails..thats a LOT of birds to prepare for 1 snake!!

[lewis13]

Not to jump in the middle of a good ol fashion online disagreement, but is there a down side to a varied diet? It seems to me that in the wild a snakes diet is varied and they seem to be doing fine last I checked. My only reason for sticking to a rat only diet would be because the convenience of getting them locally and the relative low cost. Just my humble opinion.

[venom_king]

to save a lot of hassle and time defrosting 20 odd quails i'll just stick with rats when he's big enough i'll chuck him a rabbit....what size is a bci capable of taking a rabbit??

[KORBIN5895]

Originally Posted by lewis13

Not to jump in the middle of a good ol fashion online disagreement, but is there a down side to a varied diet? It seems to me that in the wild a snakes diet is varied and they seem to be doing fine last I checked. My only reason for sticking to a rat only diet would be because the convenience of getting them locally and the relative low cost. Just my humble opinion.

Well one downside I have found is that sometimes my boa doesn't particularly want what I'm offering. I have one girl that if she smells guinea pig she will not eat a rat. My big girl will also do something similar. Sometimes she won't eat the rabbit but will nail a rat and she is the only one that can eat prey that size so it's a bit annoying

[Terranaut]

My 7' male eats 3lb bunnies.
The varied diet bit... a moot argument. No facts to suggest it is better. One thing feeding quail will do is make smelly runny crap from your snake and that is fact. This is enough for me to avoid quail.

[venom_king]

Originally Posted by Terranaut

My 7' male eats 3lb bunnies.
The varied diet bit... a moot argument. No facts to suggest it is better. One thing feeding quail will do is make smelly runny crap from your snake and that is fact. This is enough for me to avoid quail.

same with royals!! cheers for that do when he hits 7ft chuck him a rabbit!!

[Mark Taylor]

I have tried a piglet with my boa and found that she took it fine but the next time I offered a rat she refused. I managed to get her back on rats, after 5 wasted giant rats. So because I could not get piglets easily she missed several meals which I am sure was unnecessary unless it was simply because she just wasn't hungry either way I am sticking to rats for the convenience.

[Sublimeballs]

Oops, didnt realize my wording. That "it's best to feed a varied diet" statement should have been followed by "in my opinion". I was wondering where korbins comments were coming from, now I understand.

Korbin I didn't say you have to prove me wrong, just wanted to know if you had anything constructive to add to the conversation.

The fact of the matter is that there isn't evidence to suggest varied or all rat diets are better for captive snakes as I said. Just personal preference, until a study is done proving otherwise.

As others have said food imprinting is the downside to a varied diet. That and if youre opposed to the difference in feces are the only know downsides.

[venom_king]

so feeding both rats and rabbits is no problem or is there a chance he will imprint on one ie rats no problem if there is a chance my local reptile shop sell's both so either way he'll be fed!!