Boa constrictor feeding schedule - Page 6

snakeman879 · 08-03-13, 04:02 AM

Hi as said above keep the feed back a week or 2 I never heat the prey for my boa just defrost fully to room temp and dangle with tongs and she always takes the rat but on the times she dont take I just wait 2 weeks and she takes it with style lol an aggresive strlke and coil holding back a week or 2 wont starve a snake and often is what they need to get them feeding again

snakeman879 · 08-03-13, 04:06 AM

Hi as said above keep the feed back a week or 2 I never heat the prey for my boa just defrost fully to room temp and dangle with tongs and she always takes the rat but on the times she dont take I just wait 2 weeks and she takes it with style lol an aggresive strlke and coil holding back a week or 2 wont starve a snake and often is what they need to get them feeding againg ;-)

snakeman879 · 08-03-13, 04:27 AM

Hi your boa looks extremly similar to my one exept mine is a femail I wouldent feed right after a a shedd ddo I wait 3 days and feed every 2 weeks all snakes diffrent tho u know your boa best. Just thot I would say how I feed my one all the best good luck

Mikoh4792 · 08-03-13, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakeman879

Hi your boa looks extremly similar to my one exept mine is a femail I wouldent feed right after a a shedd ddo I wait 3 days and feed every 2 weeks all snakes diffrent tho u know your boa best. Just thot I would say how I feed my one all the best good luck

What reason do you have for not feeding right after a shed?

bigsnakegirl785 · 08-03-13, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakeman879

Hi your boa looks extremly similar to my one exept mine is a femail I wouldent feed right after a a shedd ddo I wait 3 days and feed every 2 weeks all snakes diffrent tho u know your boa best. Just thot I would say how I feed my one all the best good luck

Well, there really isn't any reason to wait. But, I thought maybe he was stressed and that's why he wasn't taking the prey, so I thought he'd still be stressed after a shed. Apparently he wasn't, as he took it immediately, the same day I last posted, and had 5 other meals since then. He's also grown at least 3in and put on 10 more ounces. He was measured at 5ft 1in and he was weighed in at 5lbs 3oz a week ago. He's still eating on 275+ gram rat a week, and he just had his last meal last night. He used to eat even if he was in the middle of a shed, but he doesn't anymore, so sometimes he's late, but he always takes the rat the same day he sheds his skin.

Mikoh4792 · 08-03-13, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigsnakegirl785

Well, there really isn't any reason to wait. But, I thought maybe he was stressed and that's why he wasn't taking the prey, so I thought he'd still be stressed after a shed. Apparently he wasn't, as he took it immediately, the same day I last posted, and had 5 other meals since then. He's also grown at least 3in and put on 10 more ounces. He was measured at 5ft 1in and he was weighed in at 5lbs 3oz a week ago. He's still eating on 275+ gram rat a week, and he just had his last meal last night. He used to eat even if he was in the middle of a shed, but he doesn't anymore, so sometimes he's late, but he always takes the rat the same day he sheds his skin.

Same here. My snakes' feeding responses are at their highest after their sheds.

ReticMan123 · 08-23-13, 07:49 PM

He looks great. Don't prey about a thing. I have a bcc and she only 3 " and barly a pound if that. He's about 2 yers old then feed him something that weighs 1/5of his body weight every 2 weeks. So probably a really large or jumbo rat. When you do with to rabbits. Go with like 1/7 every 2 weeks. So that may be a year from now wait until he's about 6"
Or
10 pounds. Then give
Like a 3 poun rabbit a
Month or a 1.5 every 2 weeks. Your choice whichever he likes better. Then finally once he's about 4 and Fully n adult. You go to 1/10 every. 2 weka. So if you end up with a 15 pound male. Then he would still get what he would get when he started the rabbits. Maintains healthy weight and digestion. Check out my thread a little more tword the top of the forum page. Good luck

also I know how hard it can be and frustrating when they don't eat. I have recently before I got my suriname had a lavender retic. Supposed to be eating machines. He pretty much ate whenber he felt like it. Wasted a lot of rats. And now athen my suriname. She's always on te prowl and has ever turned down food there all different just don't let it
Bother you. He's getting older. Plus breeding season and all that crap mess their feeding up

bigsnakegirl785 · 08-24-13, 08:35 PM

Thanks ReticMan. Right now he just got over the 5' mark, and I measured him at 5'3" last week. I'm guessing he weighs around 6lbs now, maybe a little less. I think I was just feeding him too large of prey before, I haven't had any problems at all since (excluding shedding periods). He ate Wednesday, so he won't be as late as he usually is. lol He normally starts his shed periods on the same exact day it's time to eat, without fail, but I changed up his feeding day so he missed it this time. He's still on 275+ gram large rats a week, and will probably stay on them for awhile longer. Right now he's starting another shed, so I won't get him weighed or measured again until he's through. He's been putting on a lot of weight and muscle since I moved him to this new enclosure, and he explores it every night when not digesting or shedding. His growth spurt hasn't slowed down from what I can tell, but I'll see next time I measure him. If he keeps going at this rate he'll reach 6' before winter.

waf · 09-02-13, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigsnakegirl785

Thanks ReticMan. Right now he just got over the 5' mark, and I measured him at 5'3" last week. I'm guessing he weighs around 6lbs now, maybe a little less. I think I was just feeding him too large of prey before, I haven't had any problems at all since (excluding shedding periods). He ate Wednesday, so he won't be as late as he usually is. lol He normally starts his shed periods on the same exact day it's time to eat, without fail, but I changed up his feeding day so he missed it this time. He's still on 275+ gram large rats a week, and will probably stay on them for awhile longer. Right now he's starting another shed, so I won't get him weighed or measured again until he's through. He's been putting on a lot of weight and muscle since I moved him to this new enclosure, and he explores it every night when not digesting or shedding. His growth spurt hasn't slowed down from what I can tell, but I'll see next time I measure him. If he keeps going at this rate he'll reach 6' before winter.

I have a retic, very similar size and weight than yours, mine eats every Wednesday also... my formula is very easy: two or three preys which make 15% out of my retic´s weight every wk.. when got the adult edge, I will change to 20% every 15 days.... it was recomended to my by a professional.

Mikoh4792 · 09-02-13, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waf

I have a retic, very similar size and weight than yours, mine eats every Wednesday also... my formula is very easy: two or three preys which make 15% out of my retic´s weight every wk.. when got the adult edge, I will change to 20% every 15 days.... it was recomended to my by a professional.

who is this professional?

waf · 09-02-13, 02:57 PM

he is an herpetologist, has over 100 snakes and it is the way he used to feed boas and python. I have done this way, and worked for me. do you think is not good?

Mikoh4792 · 09-02-13, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waf

he is an herpetologist, has over 100 snakes and it is the way he used to feed boas and python. I have done this way, and worked for me. do you think is not good?

No I was just wondering, so that I can confirm the information. I do not have the experience with snakes to say whether it is good or not.

waf · 09-02-13, 03:03 PM

I see, but believe me, it have worked for me very good....

ReticMan123 · 09-03-13, 06:20 AM

20 percent of weight is way too much twice a month for an adult retic. You could have a 100 pound 14 ft snake eating a huge!!!! 20 pound rabbit twice a month! Now if your breeding and they go off feed for a while ok. But adult bpids that are pets and fed all year round are about 10 percent very 2 weeks. 20 percent would be once you hit rabbits or te snake is anoint half grown

NCHornet · 09-10-13, 04:59 PM

Sorry it has been so long since I replied to this thread. Thanks for the nice comments on the girl I posted, I agree that she is a beauty. To the OP it sounds like you are getting things worked out. I wish I had a local source for clean rats at $2 a piece. The only pet store in our small town wants $12 for a medium rat, and their medium is what Rat Deli would consider a small, another reason why weight is important to go by. My female is now on Jumbo Rats from The Rat Deli which are a little bigger than the male rat that you posted. But with this increase to a larger sized prey, I am also extending her feedings out to every 3 weeks. When the time comes to move her up to rabbits I will extend the feedings out to once a month.