Posted by:
hyporainbowboas
at Fri Oct 9 17:29:16 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by hyporainbowboas ]
Excellent Work Dave.
I think you hit the nail on the head with this feeding protocol. Everyone who gets a rainbowboa from you seems to be very happy, so I know that your method works quite well. I just have a few minor suggestions that I think people should consider when feeding newborn rainbowboas.
Rainbowboas are very easy to get feeding under a variety of techniques.
I try to avoid feeding live hoppers until the babies have an incredible hunting and feeding response…basically after just two or three meals. This is because rodents do not have teeth until they start to open their eyes. Therefore, fuzzy rodents are harmless whereas hoppers can bite and do damage if they are not constricted right away. Feeding big fat fuzzy mice for the first few meals is much safer with virtually no downside…babies started on fuzzys will grow at almost the same rate.
I often have 100% success with frozen/thawed fuzzys left in the cages overnight…even as the very first meal….even before their first shed. I have started babies on live or F/T fuzzy mice, hopper mice, or very young rat pinkies. Typically all eat every meal with very few refusing for more than a week or two.
The only place that I will disagree with you is about force feeding. I force fed a few baby rainbowboas over the past decade (out of 1000 plus babies), but decided in 2004 to never force feed again. Although the snake will eventually start eating on its own, I do not want to propagate this reluctance to eat in the gene pool of BRB’s. After a few weeks of trying different feeding techniques, the baby either starts to eat on its own, it goes in the freezer, or I give it away to someone who really wants a rainbowboa as a pet. If they want to force feed it and provide additional care, I have them promise never to breed that animal… this is better for me, it lets someone have a great pet, and I feel that it is a better alternative than the freezer.
You know that I am not trying to find fault with your system (it obviously works very well), but rather offer a few of my observations from raising a lot of rainbowboas. I think that this type of feeding information will be incredibly helpful as more and more keepers have successful rainbowboa litters.
Thank you so much for providing such good and detailed information and I look forward to seeing it after you add photos and get this information in a format that you are happy with.
Thanks again Dave.
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Bryan Hummel
www.rainbowboas.com
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RE: New BRB litter 101 - input welcome.. - hyporainbowboas, Fri Oct 9 17:29:16 2009