how often do you guys feed your baby BCI?

lougotzz · 07-19-13, 03:35 PM

I have a baby Costa rican boa feeding on live hoppers. Was going to do every seven days but wondering what about every five days?

How often do you all feed?

KORBIN5895 · 07-19-13, 04:32 PM

I would stick with 7 days. Snakes aren't living all that long in captivity and no one seems to know why. I personally think we over feed our snakes. Most of these guys don't eat biweekly, let alone weekly, in the wild.

Abraxxos · 07-19-13, 04:48 PM

I'd stick to the normal 7-10 day feeding. You sure Korbin? I was under the impression snakes were living longer and growing bigger in captivity.

KORBIN5895 · 07-19-13, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abraxxos

I'd stick to the normal 7-10 day feeding. You sure Korbin? I was under the impression snakes were living longer and growing bigger in captivity.

Sure they're growing bigger. From what I've seen they aren't really living longer. You definitely get a few snakes that are really getting up there but not many people have snakes over 10 years old.

Abraxxos · 07-19-13, 06:41 PM

I was figuring more of that was due to improper husbandry and care. I now feel there should be a study done on this.. I'm really curious to know the current stats we're seeing.

KORBIN5895 · 07-19-13, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abraxxos

I was figuring more of that was due to improper husbandry and care. I now feel there should be a study done on this.. I'm really curious to know the current stats we're seeing.

I think early deaths have more to do with too much food too often.

**Aaron_S** · 07-19-13, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

Sure they're growing bigger. From what I've seen they aren't really living longer. You definitely get a few snakes that are really getting up there but not many people have snakes over 10 years old.

I have 4...

One is an albino even.

KORBIN5895 · 07-19-13, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I have 4...

One is an albino even.

I knew you did. I think mykee does too. Marvelfreak.

Abraxxos · 07-19-13, 11:19 PM

Monty, one of my rescues is at least 16 years old (we've done the math of how many years he's been owned by his 2 previous owners who could tell us and estimations of how old he was when the 1st got him) but we've been through so many owner he could be older.

**EL Ziggy** · 07-20-13, 08:21 AM

I feed my kingsnakes every 5-7 days but they're just juvies. I've heard and read that I should scale that back as they get a little older to every 7-10 days once they start eating larger mice. Right now they're on fuzzys and hoppers. I'm not sure if it's different for boas.

MrCaveman · 07-22-13, 03:11 PM

I'd do every 8-10 days for baby BCI. IMO a slow fed boa who has great muscle tone is much more attractive than one thats powerfed. A good way to tell if a boa has good muscle tone is if you can see and feel the muscles flex on is back along the spine when they bend their body while lifting his body of the ground. On my baby BCC I can see 3 separate muscles when he bends when that portion of his body is in the air; I feed him every 12-14 days. However, I think BCC usualy tend to look a little more toned naturally, compared to BCI.

Mikoh4792 · 07-22-13, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrCaveman

I'd do every 8-10 days for baby BCI. IMO a slow fed boa who has great muscle tone is much more attractive than one thats powerfed. A good way to tell if a boa has good muscle tone is if you can see and feel the muscles flex on is back along the spine when they bend their body while lifting his body of the ground. On my baby BCC I can see 3 separate muscles when he bends when that portion of his body is in the air; I feed him every 12-14 days. However, I think BCC usualy tend to look a little more toned naturally, compared to BCI.

I wouldn't know but from the pictures I've seen Bcc definately do look more toned. However, some of the island boas such as cay caulker boas tend to be just as lean and muscular.

marvelfreak · 07-22-13, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

I knew you did. I think mykee does too. Marvelfreak.

Yep my big Jungle is turning 12 this year. On the whole feeding thing my Jungle is over 8 feet and weighs over 15lbs. Is she over fed hell no. She only eats 7 months out of the year. During that time she gets fed one 2XL rat ever 3 weeks. Since she was 3 years of age she has gone off of feeding every winter. Starting out it was around 3 months but over the years she has gone as long as 5.5 months with out eating.

waf · 07-25-13, 09:51 PM

5.5 months without a meal....!! I have a 4-year-old girl (BCI) and the most she was out of feeding was 4 months, and I was going crazy for that, I spected to see her die, or so, but now I understand that they just get that rest period when got adult... but 5.5 months is a lot.

To answer the question, feeding every 5 days is too much, even for a juvie. I used to feed my boas, every 8 days, providing food from 15% to 20% out of its weight. Some weeks don't eat, that`s no problem, simply they don´t need it, so I skip that week.

Robin.M · 07-30-13, 10:10 PM

I feed every 7 - 10 days for babies, skipping every fourth feeding. I've found this works great FOR ME. All my boas have phenomenal muscle tone and are extremely active.

Rob