Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 2 month old albino. I just purchased her last week. I tried feeding her f/t pinkie she definetly not interested. I put a hopper in the enclosure today and she is not comming down off her ledge she has not had anything to eat for two weeks. Does anyone know how to convert this boa to eat f/t? Thank you, Kim kimruger@yahoo.com

Hi Kim, First off, never a good idea to include your email in the post, now anyone could have it. There is a reply to option that goes through Kingsnake and the person replying will not know your email unless you respond.

Back to the boa, first off, need to concentrate on husbandry and get her eating something. Temps should be mid 80's with a hot spot of 90 - 92 ish. Do you have a temp gun to measure? DO NOT worry if she does not eat, it would take several months for her to "starve" to death, snakes have an extremely slow metabolism. Did you get from a breeder or a petstore? IMO petstore animals seem to usually come with problems. If you purchase from a breeder they are usulally helpful even after the sale. Does she have adequate hides? Should be small enough so she feels a bit crammed in there. An appropriate size plastic bowl with a hole in it works great.

Converting is usually easy. Many will simply take the f/t (at least that's what I hear, I raise my own feeders and feed all mine Fresh Killed f/k. For those that are more difficult, work them from live to f/k to f/t. sometimes you can feed one type followed by a second. For example it ill only take live, feed on live prey (smaller then full meal) while the snake is coiled and/or eating, chase the first feeder with a f/k or f/t feeder.

I've gotten reluctant feeders to eat two animals by feeding one small and while they are swallowing the hips, insert the head of the second prey item into the snakes mouth, the snake just keeps eating.

>>I have a 2 month old albino. I just purchased her last week. I tried feeding her f/t pinkie she definetly not interested. I put a hopper in the enclosure today and she is not comming down off her ledge she has not had anything to eat for two weeks. Does anyone know how to convert this boa to eat f/t? Thank you, Kim kimruger@yahoo.com
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
11.24 BRB
10.16 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Thank you for your input I will definetly try it. I did get her to eat a live hopper. I do have hides, but she seems to like this ledge. Thanks again