Food aggressive

Brently · 03-14-12, 11:18 PM

Okay so I fed Athena yesterday and today while doing some maintenance I noticed that she was being very food aggressive. She struck at the spray bottle. She ate a large meal yesterday. So my question, is there any reason to feed her? And what would you attribute this aggression towards. There is no smell of her prey. Could she still be hungry. I feed her meals every 5-7 days that are approximately the size of her circumference. Maybe a little less.

BarelyBreathing · 03-14-12, 11:27 PM

What makes you think that she's acting this way because of food? In fact, if she ate yesterday, I don't think this has much to do with food at all.

Brently · 03-14-12, 11:28 PM

Well the only time that she comes out of her hide like she did tonight is when it is feeding time and she smells the mice.

**millertime89** · 03-15-12, 12:53 AM

I would say it sounds like she's still in feed mode. My little retic girl is like that for 2-4 days after feeding.

Lankyrob · 03-15-12, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millertime89

I would say it sounds like she's still in feed mode. My little retic girl is like that for 2-4 days after feeding.

My SD Retic is the same we leave him for a good 72 hours before messing with anything in his viv.

CDN_Blood · 03-15-12, 06:42 AM

Could you elaborate on the 'large' part of large meal? We'll need to know what size the snake is, also

Brently · 03-15-12, 07:40 AM

Okay she is about a year I think. When I got her the paper work said she was about 6 months. That was about 5 months. I feed her a medium sized mouse every then 5 days later I feed a medium and a small then 7 days later I feed a medium and the cycle repeats.

UwabamiReptiles · 03-15-12, 09:16 AM

I agree with millertime, it sounds like she's just still in feeding mode.

Lankyrob · 03-15-12, 10:19 AM

Dont keep boas myself but shouldnt a year old boa be on rats?

KORBIN5895 · 03-15-12, 10:38 AM

My ten month old boa ate four rat pups last night. I feed two large mice a week or a small rat every two weeks.

Norm66 · 03-15-12, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

My ten month old boa ate four rat pups last night. I feed two large mice a week or a small rat every two weeks.

Yea, mine is 5-6 months and has been eating two weaned rats and whatever leftover fuzzies there are from the Royals that aren't currently eating. He'll get moved up to small rats next time we get to an expo for food. I would have had them ready but we underestimated his growth.

I'd take food aggressive over failure to feed any day.

Brently, after seeing your feeding schedule I wonder if she's not just staying in feed mode because you're feeding her small meals so often. I think I would double up the two large prey items and stretch it out to 7 days. That way she has some time to be out of feed mode and not always digesting something. Anyone else think that makes sense?

KORBIN5895 · 03-15-12, 11:54 AM

I second the motion!

Terranaut · 03-15-12, 12:07 PM

My boas are adults and eat less often but stay in feed mode for at least 48 hrs after eating. My female will get the "big eyes" and wind up to strike at anything moving within 2 ft of her viv for the first 24 hrs. IMHO you need to feed a bigger prey item less often. Rat/mouse size can vary from vendor to vendor so try to judge based on your boa. A boa will eat prey 1.5 times its own girth no prob. When you compare a prey item to your boa remember rodents have hair and appear larger than they are. Try this. Buy 1 rat that is bigger than anything you have fed them so far. Nothing crazy just go up one size. If they take it (and they will) wait 7 full days and feed another the same size. I think you need more food less often. A full snake will lose the aggression after a couple days and should be fine until they smell rat again. I also agree with above that you should move to rats from mice. Good luck. Hope this helps.

Will0W783 · 03-15-12, 12:24 PM

I have noticed that some snakes will show a lot of "aggression" 48-72 hours after eating a meal large enough to leave a sizable bulge in them. I have come to think that it is actually defensiveness, as the snake knows that it is handicapped by the large meal in its stomach and cannot flee quickly or fit into the tight spaces it would normally be able to access. Thus, instinct tells it to try to scare away anything that could be a threat.

I have several snakes that are like this- my hognose snakes Arnold and Porky are both little jerks for several days after eating, and they start up hissing as soon as I enter the room. My cobra is also INSANE for about 2 days after feeding- he will hood, hiss, strike and mouth gape at me. Once he has digested his meal and pooped (48-72 hours) he calms down again, so I think it has to do with digestion and protecting themselves while vulnerable.

KORBIN5895 · 03-15-12, 12:56 PM

Kim, that makes an awful lot of sense to me.