Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently received a Columbian Redtail from someone who was not taking care of the snake. Rumor has it that he fed it 4 times in 2 years and rarely offered water. The day I saw it the owner fed it 5 mice and it looked like it was dying trying to muster enough energy to swallow a 6th. This of course was probably too much for a snake that hasn't eaten in months. The RTB is about 4 feet long and gaunt.
How should I go about nursing this snake back to health with the understanding that it will see a vet.
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uhh... I think that is it.

Run on it to start. I would also find the right size rodent to feed it, and give it one rodent a meal and it should slowly gain weight assuming it has no underlying health issues. Dont rush it to put the weight back on, as I would imagine this would be similar to rushing a baby boa to reach breeding size. In the short term it may make the snake look better, but could kill the animal in the long run. Give it a good home, and keep a strict quarintine on the animal.

Just my opinion

Mickey

no text
Boa constrictor

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Beware of Commies and Mutts!

I would offer it a big bowl of water, this way it has as much as it needs and then some. You say you saw it eat? That is a good sign. I would feed it small rats once a week until it is eating on a regular basis (maybe a month or so), then up the size a bit. A 4 foot snake (boa) can take medium to medium/large rats. I honestly think it will be easier than you think, although it is unfortunate the boa is in this shape to begin with. Snakes do have a very slow metabolism, not to suggest 4 meals in 2 years is ok, but again, I think all will be fine.
Brian Oakley

With both of the rescues I have - one ball python and one Colombian rainbow boa - they were incredibly underweight (loose folds of skin thin) and malnourished when I got them. I gave them both smaller than normal meals but more frequently than I would a healthy animal - roughly feeding every 7 days/once a week. It is important to take it slowly rather than try to put all the weight back on them up quickly. It took a good six months to a year before the ball looked good, the Colombian rainbow recovered a bit more quickly. Once they were within a reasonable weight range, I began spacing the meals out a bit more and weaned them onto the same feeding schedule as my other adult snakes. Both of them just loved a large water dish as neither previous owner provided them with large enough dishes to soak in. And like many snakes that aren't provided with enough water, they drank and drank and drank at first. On both snakes the first couple of sheds weren't great - coming off in pieces - but came off fine after that. A vet check and quarantine are just about mandatory on rescues, especially if they're in bad shape. As suggested above, a fecal is a good idea in addition to a good going-over by a good reptile vet.

Best of luck with your new boa! I've found both of my rescues to be really sweet and they both seem to realize they have it good. lol

Raven

your suggestions are exactly what I was thinking too.
Now I feel better for my decisions.
As for a quarantine, I don't trust any snake into my home. The boa is actually with a friend. I think he may keep it.

thanks again.
-----
0.1 Rubber Boa
1.1 Eastern Hognose Snakes
1.1 Western Hognose Snakes
1.0 Durango Mountain Kingsnake
1.0 California Kingsnake
1.1 Woma's (new!)
Spadefoot
Black Knobbed Sawback
Northern Diamondback
Florida Redbellied Slider
Australian Redbellied Side Neck
Western Painted
Southern Painted
1.0 African Hedgehog
1.0 Sulcata
2.1 Leopard (Babcocki) 1.0 borrowed (thanks Bobby)
2 Plecos
2 Silver Dollars
3 Bosemian Rainbows
2 Clown Loaches
1 African Dwarf Frog
1 Khuli Loach
1 Cory Cat
1 Upside Down Catfish
2.0 Fire Guramis

uhh... I think that is it.