Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,

I had a litter of Guyana Rainbow boas born about a month and a half ago. She had 11 live, one still born and 2 slugs. This is my first litter of Boas, I have done corn snakes in the past. As of yet most of them have shed twice but only one is eating. It seems to me that the rest of them probably should have started by now. I have tried braining the pinkies and also tried to tease feed them, but neither method is working. Any tips on getting the other 10 to eat?

Thanks,
Mike

Mike,
...Most of the other subspecies of Rainbow Boas are easy to get started. Some people have good luck with Guyanan babies but some people including me have had trouble getting them started. Look at temperature and humidity first. If kept too hot or too dry babies of all the subspecies of Rainbow Boas will refuse to eat. Baby Rainbow Boas will do fine with temperature in the mid 70s if kept in a small cage. In a cage large enough to set up a heat gradient the warm end should be in the high 70s to low 80s and the cool end in the low 70s. For most of the subspecies a live hopper mouse is the BEST first meal. They definitiely like them live better than dead and they like them with hair and grown up just big enough to run around. Having said that many baby Rainbow Boas will readily take a live pinky rat. They will eat better at night with minimal disturbance rather than during the day with lots of activity around them.
Good luck,
Jeff

Jeff,

Thanks for the info. They are in small enclosures and I had the temp at 80, so I will drop that down to mid 70's and see if I can perk up the humidity. I am reluctant to give them hopper mice because I am worried that they will be too large, but I am pretty sure that I can get away with giving them fuzzie mice, and maybe the fur on those will be enough to peak their interest.

Thanks,
Mike

Have you tried leaving them in an enclosed space (paper bag, separate, small feeding container) with the (f/t) prey item?

I have a picky BRB that will only eat in a bag.
-----
~Danielle

2.1 BRBs
1.1 BCI
1.0 Southern White-Lipped Pythons
1.1 Black Milksnakes

I currently feed them in clear deli cups, I will give the paper bag a try next time.

Thanks,
Mike

Let us know how it goes.
-----
~Danielle

2.1 BRBs
1.1 BCI
1.0 Southern White-Lipped Pythons
1.1 Black Milksnakes

I recently had success using the "close proximity" method with a baby Brazilian. I started off using a medium sized card board box, which seemed to work fine for most my baby BRB(s) but one. After trying a couple things and getting advise from this forum, I tried putting the finicky eater in a small container with a fuzzy mouse. It didn't eat right away but within an hour the mouse was gone. I did that several times, but now I just feed it in the same box as the others and it attacks and eats immediately.

... with an anole (or maybe a baby quail?) I have no idea if that will work, but I think it's worth a shot.

Good luck,
Ed