Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 4 month old Red Tail Boa, I am feeding her every 4-5 days. How old should she be before I start to feed her every 7 days?

4-5 is generally considered too freqent to be feeding at any age. Especially if it's only 4...

Go ahead and make that switch to 7 days. It will be much better for your boa. Try to find a time during the week that you will be able to feed on a regular basis. Just make it a habit of feeding your boa every week at this same time, unless something out of the ordinary is happening like shedding or a recent regurge. Remember to let your boa chill out for a few days after you feed it before handling it again.
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David - Houston, TX
Young Red Tail Boa
Purchased 11/16/03
www.geocities.com/davidag02

Ok thanks, I'll do that!

The heartier the snake will be.
By this i do not mean only feed them once a month =)
General concensus is once a week

I agree to feed on a schedule, but with only one snake its easy to vary the time, in a good way. Snakes in the wild don't get a meal ever Monday at 7 so why should our little gems. I do my walks through my snake room and feed the ones that look hungry. It helps to have an unlimited food supply. I also agree with prekilled over live. And muiltiple small meals rather than one large meal, feeding instinct takes over after the first prey. Enjoy your new snake and spoil it with attention just not after a meal.
Lots of luck.
Jeremy

I've heard people say this before... but how can you tell if your snake "looks hungry?"
Maybe I just haven't seen that look yet, or maybe my girl is hungry all the time??
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David - Houston, TX
Young Red Tail Boa
Purchased 11/16/03
www.geocities.com/davidag02

You will get the nack of it. If the snake is moving around flicking its tongue and follows your hand good chance its hungry. If its coiled up under a hide box good chance its not. Time of day has something to do with it as well.
Jeremy

There is never any reason to feed a boa every 4-5 days. A boas feeding habit would have it expell its meal (go poop) before going to look for it's next. So every 7 days would be fine from the get go. I feed my males every 7-10 from birth and every 14 day after 2 years old. The only reason the female stay on a 7 day feeding schedule is because they go so long with out food during the breeding season.
I hope this helps
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Jim Hopkins "Hoppy"
Hopkins Holesale Herps
Hopfam1@aol.com