Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have read a lot about this and everyone says something different. I want to know what you all think.
My Female Surinam Ovulated a few weeks ago and she is still willing to eat. I figure I will give her a meal every fourteen days of a small rat. She is 8ft and 40lbs, so a small rat shouldn't get in the way. I have heard that recovery is easier on the female if she eats while gravid. Is there any ill effects that feeding could have on the babies. Also the food I am giving her are frozen thawed and I am just sitting them in the cage so she doesn't have to wrap them.
Thanks
Josh

That's exaclty how I do it until the last month, to which I don't offer any food. Good luck with her.
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--aka DMOG68

HI Josh,
That should work out just about perfect, I actually feed my Big Girls, Super Jumbo rats while gravid, One is 10' 60 lbs and the other really big girl is 9 feet and just over 40 lbs, most of my other female breeders are at the 6-8 foot range. The 6-8' boas get large rats at every 14 days. I think the boas really need the intake while gravid and it will make for a stronger boa once the babies are born. So much of their body weight goes toward baby production that most of them look way too thin once the babies arrive anyway. At least this way the get a head start on getting some weight back on. Once the babies are born, I toss them a rat to feed on while I am getting the babies out and cleaning up the mess, it really saves me from bites LOL.
Good Luck
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Jim Hopkins "Hoppy"
Hopkins Holesale Herps
Hopfam1@aol.com

Thanks
I will feed her offer her something a little bigger next time.
Josh

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Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin