Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello again! My daughter's new boa has not eaten for us yet. He's about 4 1/2 feet long and the pet store guy says because of his length and calmness he thought the snake was around 4 years old (can you estimate a boa's age like this?). They fed him every 8 days in a dark tub, frozen/thawed. It's now been almost 4 weeks since he last ate (at the pet store). I've tried him in a tub, dark tub, and tonight even in his tank. His temp is 30C ambient on the warm side, so I'm thinking around 90F basking. He has a large water bowl, and two log hides. He's been sprawling out in the tank and soaking in the water bowl this past week, so I think he's more comfortable with his new home now. He actually struck at the tank when I went in the room to check, so he must smell the rat in his tank and be hungry, but he hasn't eaten it. I'll leave it in overnight and hope, but if he doesn't eat, do you experienced boa folks have any suggestions? My daughter has already become extremely attached, and handles him often. Should we not handle him untill he eats? That's what I'd do with my kings or ball pythons, but we were told boas aren't stressed by handling. Is that true? Thanks so much for reading thru this, and any and all replies and help.
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1.0.0 277 Graybanded Kingsnake, Boris Karloff
1.0.0 Crockett Graybanded Kingsnake, Julien Sands
1.0.0 Ball Pythons, Frank Langella
1.0.0 Pastel Ball Python, Claude Raines
1.0.0 Sweet Rosy Bourke Parakeet, Didgeridoo
0.1.0 Smart & Loving Teenager

My boa's stop eating this time of year and don't start back up until February. It's possible your boa is going thru seasonal changes.

Just to be on the safe side, check the water bowl for any signs of mites. Looks like small pepper flakes.

Could be just a mature boa during breeding season. Notice any whitish deposits left behind? About an inch or so in length - hemipenal sheds.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

The others gave you very good advice. Just wanted to add that since he is soaking, he might be going into shed and may not eat. Or he needs more time to settle in. Do feed him inside his cage as feeding outside does nothing but stress the snake and risk a bite to you. Take a thawed small food item and warm it up real well. Present it to the boa in his cage. Give it some movement and even gently bump it on his nose. He should take it. Bill.
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...three years ago it was just another snake cult...
The Retic is King.
Anacondas-the other Dark Side.
Afrocks-the dark side of the Dark Side.

Let him settle in. Boas can go for quite a while without eating and seem to do so easily. And I mean a long time.

I have a few boas that rarely go into the warm area of the cage and prefer where temps are 78 - 80 degrees. Consider checking temps: if he always stays on the warm side your cage is too cold; if he always stays on the cool side your cage is too hot.

Feeding out of cage is always a bad and un-herp-educated idea; unfortunately that bad advice has spread all over the Internet like weeds. Try doing that out-of-cage act with an adult retic and you might very well die.

Hook training solves feeding/handling issues for boas and pythons.

B.

I checked the temp on the cold side (where he's hanging out today) and it's 22.4C, so about 72-73F. So I don't think he can be overheated. I've not seen any mites, or whitish deposits in his tank. I'm unthawing a rat to try putting right in with him, and hope he strikes if I'm moving it. If he does eat this way, do I have to worry about him striking when my daughter reaches in to handle him? I feed my kingsnakes and ball pythons in their tanks with no problem, but have been told boas are different about feeding. Thanks so much for all you folks taking the time to give me such great advice!
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1.0.0 277 Graybanded Kingsnake, Boris Karloff
1.0.0 Crockett Graybanded Kingsnake, Julien Sands
1.0.0 Ball Pythons, Frank Langella
1.0.0 Pastel Ball Python, Claude Raines
1.0.0 Sweet Rosy Bourke Parakeet, Didgeridoo
0.1.0 Smart & Loving Teenager

I tried feeding him in the cage, and as soon as i stuck the front part of the rat in the opening of the glass (front-open tank) he took it immediately right off my tongs. Quickly, but surprisingly gently. He's eaten it and has moved to the warm side of the tank. So happy he ate! I think I'll feed him in his cage from now on, and get a hook. I just read up on hook training, and it really makes sense. Thanks, everyone!
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1.0.0 277 Graybanded Kingsnake, Boris Karloff
1.0.0 Crockett Graybanded Kingsnake, Julien Sands
1.0.0 Ball Pythons, Frank Langella
1.0.0 Pastel Ball Python, Claude Raines
1.0.0 Sweet Rosy Bourke Parakeet, Didgeridoo
0.1.0 Smart & Loving Teenager

So glad to hear it.

Yeah, your boa will soon get used to the new feeding regimen and you won't have to relocate back and forth.

Congrats!