Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 4 year old 4.5 ft rtb that i got a week ago. the guy i got it from said that she eats a live rat every two weeks and that she'd be ready to eat as soon as i took her home. i have tried numerous times in the past week to try to get her to eat. i tried the feed box the guy gave me, i tried feeding her in her original tank, and i also tried a brand new box that had rat scent in it. no luck.

i am about to move the snake into a larger wooden enclosure. i don't really know where to go from here. should i just wait it out until she gets used to her new care or keep trying?

help!

Omer
-----
1.0.0 Ball Python
0.1.0 Red tailed Boa
0.0.1 Dumeril's Boa

For future times, you should not attempt to feed till after the snake has had time to get used to its new environment.

Right now if you are going to move the snake, move it. Then allow it a few days to get used to its new environment without disruption.

After a few days you can attempt to feed again, and should have more luck.

Additionally I would suggest after getting the snake to feed, working on switching it over to pre-killed or frozen thawed.
I personally feed in the cage as I feel this is the safest method.
-----
- Jason F.

don't you run the risk of the snake getting used to your hand as 'the hand that feeds it' and biting you if you feed it straight into the cage?
-----
1.0.0 Ball Python
0.1.0 Red tailed Boa
0.0.1 Dumeril's Boa

Here are the reasons why I feed in the cage:
- I dont hold the prey item, I just drop it in the cage so there is no 'hand that feeds it'.
- I would much rather have the snake associate the cage with a feeding response where it is confined than a feeding response associated with removal from the cage.
- Moving a snake after recently eating is stressful and can possibly cause it to regurgitate. Additionally this will require you to be in direct contact with the snake after it has finished eating and is still in 'feeding mode'.
- Lastly as a psychology major (graduating in a week) I have learned that the snake will only associate you opeing the cage and reaching in with feeding if that is the only time you enter the cage. You should be going into the cage on a regular basis to change water, check temps., clean, and for handling. These interactions will prevent the snake from associating your hand entering the cage with a feeding response.

These are just my opinions and should be taken as such. Obviously there are those who think other wise.
-----
- Jason F.

When i first started out with my snakes, I went out and bought those plastic shoe box containers to feed them in. I only had a ball, a red tail, and a corn. After a while, it just got to be a pain in the butt to take them out and feed them and put them back. (blah). there is only one snake i feed out of her cage, and thats b/c she's a moron and won't eat anything dead. it has to be 'dead' meaning i hold the 7lb bunny by its back legs (it is actually dead) and she strikes at it and wraps it up and i still jiggle the bunny and she thinks she's killing it. total nonsens but hey, i've never been bitten and shes never missed the bunny so I guess im ok for now. If she misses, it'll be my own dumbass fault for getting bit in the first place. after she's finished the first bunny, we do it again and when she's finished that one, she usually creeps over to the sidewalk or driveway in the sun. we pick her up and gently carry her the 5 feet to her cage. she's never regurged and we've never been bit. she either wants it 100 % alive or 'alive'. i have 2 snakes that are just nuts. the other one has other issues. got them both through the rescue. the one that i give 'live' prey to, has the most horrific scars from live prey, apparently she's not very good at killing for herself which is why we have to give her f/k. you can see where she was sewn up once. theres a line about 8 inches down her side. its horrible. shes got bites on her head and her tail and everywhere else.
just thought i'd share. I feed the rest in thier cages. keeps it more sanitary and its easier for me to keep quarentine (sp*).
Beth
-----
The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

To the best of my knowledge, the single most common reason that a boa constrictor won't eat is because it is too cold.

Can you give more details about the snake and how it is being kept? For example, was the previous owner a private individual or a pet store, and how long was the snake in his possession? That could have a bearing on how stressed out the snake is now. The devil's in the details, and so far the details are pretty sparse.

Paul Hollander

Right now the snake is in a 30 gallon tank with a heat lamp on one side (stays around 90f) and a small heat pad on the other side. she spends all of her time sprawled out across the tank burried under shavings.

the guy i got her from had her since she was a couple of months old (around 4 years or so). he said that she eats really well (didnt have time to actually watch, but i believe it) - a small/medium rat every two weeks.

the snake's current conditions aren't optimal (still in its old tank) but today i just got a bigger cage set up to which i'm moving her today.
-----
1.0.0 Ball Python
0.1.0 Red tailed Boa
0.0.1 Dumeril's Boa