How often should a one year old 4 foot long retic eat

[eminart]

Originally Posted by KyleKennedy

So a boa that eats just once a month is healthy? My boa eats 6 jumbos a month and she is healthy and thick as around as lightpost.

There was a time when I assumed the more you could feed a snake, the better. But, that's just not true. A LOT of snakes in captivity are OBESE. Most snakes evolved in situations where they often go very long periods of time with no food at all. Their metabolisms are designed to operate that way. They expend very little energy, and eat when the opportunity arises. In captivity, that opportunity arises frequently, in many cases. Their incredibly efficient bodies store all the excess.

A young, quickly growing snake can eat more often than adult with no ill effects. But, a boa isn't supposed to be as thick as a light post. Boas seem to be particularly prone to this. If I were you, I'd cut back on how much you're feeding her if you want her to have a long lifespan.

[KyleKennedy]

Originally Posted by eminart

There was a time when I assumed the more you could feed a snake, the better. But, that's just not true. A LOT of snakes in captivity are OBESE. Most snakes evolved in situations where they often go very long periods of time with no food at all. Their metabolisms are designed to operate that way. They expend very little energy, and eat when the opportunity arises. In captivity, that opportunity arises frequently, in many cases. Their incredibly efficient bodies store all the excess.

A young, quickly growing snake can eat more often than adult with no ill effects. But, a boa isn't supposed to be as thick as a light post. Boas seem to be particularly prone to this. If I were you, I'd cut back on how much you're feeding her if you want her to have a long lifespan.

The boa is 14 years old. She doesn't have much years left in her anyway. In the meantime, she is going to get well fed and treated good for the remainder of her life.

[eminart]

Originally Posted by KyleKennedy

The boa is 14 years old. She doesn't have much years left in her anyway. In the meantime, she is going to get well fed and treated good for the remainder of her life.

The average lifespan of a BC is 20-30 years with documented cases of them living for more than 40 years. But, you're right, if she's overfed and obese, 14 years might very well be getting near the end.