NewSnake! Dumeril's owners your input is requested.

SlimeyLimey805 · 02-09-10, 12:28 PM

finally got my hands on a second serpant!

just got a baby Dumeril's Boa from some guy in LA who had gotten it at NARBC. she's a female (obviously haha) and about 22"-24" long and about as thick as my thumb, so i'm assuming she's pretty young. she is slimmer than i expected but she doesnt seem under fed as i cant see any ribs, or anything of that sort. i've read that they're are actually a lighter build than most people think they are, is this true? i tried offering her a very small adult mouse (honestly looked only a few days away from being a hopper) about a week after i got her and she ignored it. so i assumed she may still be adjusting so i tried a few days later, and still nothing. i dont know exactly when she was last fed, but she doesn't have any bulges, and the guy apparently fed her fuzzy rats, but i cant get baby rats with ease where i live so i really need to try and get her on mice until she can take small adult rats. any advice? wisdom? help? etc;? i have her in a fifty gallon tank with a UTH heater in one end and two good secure hides (one in each end) and a sizeable water dish for her. she seems to like lying under the aspen bedding i have down so i was thinking she might like to ambush the prey? i have a pregnant mouse atm so i may try leaving her be with a fuzzy/hopper or two and see if maybe she's just gun shy around people.

BUT anyway, sorry about the long post to all who read it. to sum up i need advice on how to get this little girl to start eating asap so i know everything is good. and any other and ALL advice from experienced Dumeril's owners would be greatly appreciated. so uh yea.. advice please?

marvelfreak · 02-09-10, 03:34 PM

I had a bredli carpet i got 5 month ago and it took 6 weeks to get it to eat. Now it doesn't turn nothing down. Try waiting a week, and leave it completely alone then try again. It might take a couple weeks, but when it gets hungry enough it'll eat. Really like to see some pics and best of luck.

SlimeyLimey805 · 02-09-10, 05:32 PM

haha yea i was thinking it may have just been the move. i'm gonna try and get my girlfriend to bring up her camera and take some pics of her. but i keep reading that they are "strictly ambush hunters" and they have to be allowed to like bury themselves and then strike when the food gets close enough, but i am worried that she could accidently get some of the wood shavings in her mouth so im hesitant to try something like that..

Will0W783 · 02-09-10, 08:51 PM

My fiance has a Dumeril's boa and he's a total pain in the keester to feed. He usually only takes like one live mouse, even though he is 3 feet long and that isn't an adequate meal, but he won't take a second one, and he rarely takes f/t. Maybe it's a Dumeril's thing..lol.

citysnakes · 02-10-10, 08:55 AM

the hides and aspen substrate are great because the snake will use both for security but i would put her in a smaller enclosure and raise the temps. i think that only a UTH on a 50 gallon wouldnt be raising the temperatures to where they need to be. this may be obvious but one thing i noticed with dumerils is that if its too cold then they become inconsistent/non feeders. what are your warm/cool end temperatures?

totheend · 02-10-10, 10:02 AM

Citysnakes is absolutely right. I think that the tank is too big and that the temps may be too low. I too have found that dumerils need the right temp to want to eat and went through the same thing with mine.

SlimeyLimey805 · 02-10-10, 11:54 AM

citysnakes: the UTH claimed to be for a 50-60 gallon so i thought it would be adequate. uhh the hot end is about 84-86 and cool is around 75 ish. i was thinking that might be a little cold...

SlimeyLimey805 · 02-10-10, 01:17 PM

willow: i sure hope that she doesn't choose to live on one lil mouse a week

haha oh well, i'll just have to give her some time to adjust and try later.

Will0W783 · 02-10-10, 04:52 PM

I work very hard with Magellan, but he's ridiculous with feeding. He's slowly getting better- we have gotten him to take f/t a few times now.

SlimeyLimey805 · 02-10-10, 05:30 PM

haha progress is progress though!
oh and citysnakes: i recently gave my 30 gallon tank to a friend so i may not be able to relocate her for a few days, and helpful hints on raising the temp where so is now for the time being?

SlimeyLimey805 · 02-16-10, 05:09 PM

good news everyone!

i got my Dum to eat a couple of days ago, she ate a small (very) adult mouse. it went very smoothly, she didnt bury herself but she did sit in the low point of the substrate and when the mouse came walking over the little "hill" in front of her and was practically on top of her and i was beginning to get worried that she was gonna turn it down again i looked away for a split second, and of course in that split second she struck and wrapped around the mouse. she seemed to constrict it for longer than was actually needed (no complaints though at least she ate haha) but i think she was just being safe. she did eat it with no problem and seemed very happy with it too. so yea just an update in case anyone still cared haha

marvelfreak · 02-16-10, 07:17 PM

Good to hear. It can be nerve racking waiting for them to take that first meal. Still like to see some pictures.

Hillsberry · 02-16-10, 08:44 PM

I would love to see pictures!! Thats great to hear!!! :P