Boa' mass feeding program?

uma_and_bill · 04-27-12, 06:17 PM

Hi everyone' does anyone know of a feeding program for Anglica the boa
That will help her gain mass and move up from her current Weener rat
Onto larger pray' as always her health is paramount' :-)

Terranaut · 04-27-12, 07:07 PM

If you care about her health do not power feed her. End of story. She will grow when she grows.

Strutter769 · 04-27-12, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terranaut

If you care about her health do not power feed her. End of story. She will grow when she grows.

^^^^^Yep!^^^^^

uma_and_bill · 04-28-12, 01:30 AM

Ok, I'm getting your drift, I just want to give her what she needs to grow up healthy, how will I know when to setp up the size of her prey and how do I do it without overloading her x

jaleely · 04-28-12, 01:52 AM

Usually twice the width of the snake is what they can handle (at their widest point) I don't usually try to do that big, but sometimes they want it! Depending on her current size, you may be able to go weeks between feedings. Unless your feeling ribs, she's probably fine. If you see scales kind of stretched, it's too much and she's overweight or being overfed. If you have pics we can probably help you determine more : )

uma_and_bill · 04-28-12, 02:46 AM

Thanks, I've always been told 1 times their width at the widest point so I think I'll stick with that,what I'm trying to do is get her onto larger prey because the Weener rat she's on at the moment she's wolfing down but I don't want to go straight up to the bigger one right away in case it overloads her and stretches her, I wouldn't give a kid a turkey dinner when it's only ever had baby food, d u see what I
Getting at x

Caylan · 04-28-12, 02:51 AM

I'd go for 1.5 if you want to go smaller, no reason to go equal the girth with most boids, especially boa constrictors. One of those a week to ten days would be perfect. I don;t think I'd ever feed a kid 20% it's own body weight in one meal, pretty sure I'd kill it... Snakes aren't human :P

uma_and_bill · 04-28-12, 03:04 AM

I reckon I've ate that much of my own body weight at times lolz' I think be t time I go to rep store I'll ask to see a range of rat sizes and make my decisiOn that way' I'll bear you advice in mind when I do' peace x

Lankyrob · 04-28-12, 06:22 AM

I dont have boas but even my corns take prey twice their girth, if you are unsure try slightly bigger than the snakes girth for a couple of feeds and then try a little bigger again for a couple and see how it goes

Terranaut · 04-28-12, 01:00 PM

You can go 1.5 times the snakes girth no problem. Bigger more mature prey has more calcium do to better bone developement. Snakes grow in spurts. Sometimes they seem bigger everyday and then go weeks with no change. Have no worries. Boas grow. My 08 female is almost 7'!! And still growing

lumpbump · 05-02-12, 06:04 PM

I read somewhere that sometimes your snake will grow when its off feeding. Like its full of nutrition and always in digestion mode so it cant really use all the nutrients before pooping them out.

I like to look at my snakes and make sure they kinda are taller then wide and more like a loaf of bread than round. I've got one girl thats really small for a yearling yet she eats like a cow. Her total weight is something like 400 grams but will eat upto 80g rats. She has huge bowel movements compaired to my other yearlings. I think she is not using all the nutrients. I've reduced her food to 50g rats every 10 to 14 days now. Im interested to see how she does with the change in diet.