Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi

Our two adult female red-tails (both rescues so we don't know the ages, but both are at least 6-7') are both HUGE, even though only one just fed (RodentPro xxxl guinea pig). I believe they are both pregnant/gravid, although the one that refused food was the one I saw most recently (in the last month) copulating. We had had both females roaming freely in a walk-in closet with a male. As of 9/17 the male is again alone and the females are in individual tanks in another room.

A book I have on boas says that females may go off food for awhile before giving birth. It does not say NOT to feed them. However, one of the females was pregnant last year (gave birth 2/16) and I believe that we had advice from here or the regular boa forum to take her off food for a couple months before delivery--since that is, in fact, what we did. She gave birth sooner than we thought, and had actually only been off food briefly on her own--she's the piggy.

Both are good weight and hydration, though I may need to spray them down more often rather than try to soak them at this point.

The Q is: to feed or not to feed? They usually eat RodentPro xxxl guinea pigs once every 2 weeks. As stated, they were last offered food 9/17--one ate, one did not. How should I play this forward?

Thank you for your time.
Antigone

It seems to me that if you are having to habitually soak or spray down the boa that their conditions are not right. I would get them a high humidity area, like a rubbermaid/tupperware type tub with an entrance hole and packed full of damp/wet long fiber moss. If they have an enclosure that keeps drying them out then cut down on the air flow so that it can hold more stable high humidity. Storage tubs are great, large display cases without large areas of screening or heat loss work great too. Tanks with screen tops just have too much air taking out the humidity with all the heat.
-----
Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

Sonya:

I finally got them some moss yesterday, and stuck a plastic hidebox over it. Still need to get the correct size tupperware containers to make hideboxes out of. I'm just concerned that doing that will fully take up one end of the tank, and that it will be harder to clean out when they start passing their last meal.
Am I wrong? Any tips?

Antigone

is typically not an issue as long as you do not over do it. The prey item offered should be about a third the size you would normally feed, and the interval between feedings should be at least double that which you typically use. As an example, my gravid green anacondas will usually feed about half way through their gestation period before they go off feed. I have followed the guidelines that I mentioned above with the greens and all of the gravid boa species I have worked with, and have never had any issues.

Kelly

While I am mostly a python guy, I do have some experience with boas. My general rule of thumb with any gravid (or potentially gravid) herp is to cut back on it's feedings both in frequency and size.

Kelly's advice was almost exactly the same "formula" that I use. However, don't forget to take into account the individual habits of each animal.

If you have a female who normally eats the largest possible meal you can give her as often as you can give it you will be safer in cutting back her feedings than you would cutting back a female who only eats a small to moderate prey item once a month. For the picky feeders keep up their normal schedule... this is not a time where they will necessarily benefit from reduced caloric intake. If they don't take the prey fine no harm done. Just remember that their instincts will drive them to take or refuse the offered meal and instinct is not going to steer either you or the snake wrong (not in this instance at least).