Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My Dumeril's Boa, Riley, is driving me insane. Won't eat. Much, anyways. A mouse a month? He's at least 2 foot long and I have to basically piss him off totally before he takes a mouse. One. I've tried moving him up to a small rat, fresh kill, actually kicking a bit, but no go, he struck at it in defense. I'm at my wits end here. He is actively searching food during the day, but just doesn't like the mice. I think he is more afraid of them, then anything.

Should I move to live mice? Maybe I can't get the temp right, they defrost naturally, then I warm them under the light until they are warm to hold. I'm very close to giving up with him and sell him out of frustration. He is a nice snake, no issues with holding him and he has never struck/bit us. He just won't eat!

Any ideas? Anybody in WNY who wants a young PITA Dumeril's?

Thanks,
Karen

Okay, you said he is actively searching for food during the day.....how do you know this is what he's doing? We're going to need some specs on your husbandry to offer any fair advice. Plus there's no need in a bunch of people telling you how to keep them properly if your already doing so. I would venture a guess that if he is "actively searching for food during the day", but not at night....maybe he is too hot and actively searching an escape. If at night the temps. go down to a more comfortable level, then of course your not going to notice this activity. Cage size can also be of consideration with dumerils. Drop us some details, and maybe we can help you figure out what's going on. Take care

Paul

He is in a 20 gallon aquarium with a water bowl (which he likes to lay in) and cover. Mostly during the day he is under his log (on the cooler side) or under his shavings on the basing side. He usually only comes out and moves around during the day when he is hungry. The basking area is upper 80's, low 90s (90, 91) and the cool side in upper 70s with a pad. He is on 12 hours of basking/12 hours of red light.

When I say he is moving around during the day, I mean he lays on his wood checking out the situation. I know with my Ball Python, that when he comes out during the day from his hidebox, that he will slam a rat within seconds, so I was just using this knowledge with the Dumeril's.

Well, that's all I can think to describe. I'm ready to dump a live mouse in there at night and see if it's there in the morning. He was like this from the beginning. The pet store told me he was eating 2-3 mice, 2x a week. HA! I think he has eaten 6 mice total in 4 months! I'm at a loss here. I just want him to grow!

BTW... he just shed (so I guess he is growing) and looks great.

Karen

Well, I haven't kept snakes in aquariums for a long time, but as I recall 20 gallon aquariums(even 20 longs) don't supply a lot of floor space.....ie heat gradient. I would think if your low 90's on one end, then your probably mid-upper 80's at the other end. If your getting your temp. estimates from thermometers in the cage, you may see high 70's on the read out depending on where the thermometer is located, this may or may not be the accurate substrate temperature. Also, how much time is he spending laying in the water bowl? I would look for mites on the snake and in the enclosure just to be on the safe side. I would initially try to nail down the cage temps. as low 90's is too hot for dumerils, especially if their cool spot is in the mid-upper 80's. I might also move him into a smaller enclosure, depending on how big he is, they seem to do better as juveniles in smaller enclosures. It sounds like you have enough substrate for him to burrow in, so he should feel secure unless he's constantly being messed with, in which case, I'd back off the interactions a bit until you get him feeding on a regular schedule. Don't give up on him and dump him off though. It's never good to dump a problem onto someone else, and it seems evident that you care about the animals health, so I'm sure you will find what works best for your animal and in the end you'll both be happy. There's more than one way to skin a cat, you just have to find the way that works for you. Best of luck, take care!

Paul

Be sure to look here

And yes it is still alive.
Pic of damage a mouse can do overnight

-----
Jeff West

g

Karen - maybe the mice aren't hot enough. When I first got my Hog Island, I tried feeding him mice that I had heated up in a plastic bag under hot running water. Then tried to entice him w/ it- he'd sniff but not strike! Wasted one by leaving it in there thinking he was just shy- but it was still there the next morning, had to junk it because it was a little dry. Next I put a thawed mouse in the microwave (note to self - too long will make intestines pop! - good thing it was wrapped in paper towels - that did NOT smell pleasant though) and then let it sit to make sure there were no hot spots - the mouse was very warm to the touch - I dangled it and BAM. He struck and ate it, despite the... well, dangly intestines.

BTW - nice to see there are other people in WNY on kingsnake! I also live in the area and am a recent snake addict. Just got my 2nd boa (striped male bci) at the herp show. Yay!

Hope this helps - if you don't want to do the microwave method - maybe try heating up some water and letting the mouse sit in it (in a plastic bag) for awhile... under a lamp just might not be hot enough.