Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What does everyone start their neonate boas on for food. From the litter born Feb. 11 I have a little over half on frozen thawed rat pinks, but the other half has not eaten and refuses to eat-- for those that did not eat frozen thawed rat pinks I tried the following:
1. put boas in paper sack with frozen thawed rat pinky-worked for a couple.
2. live rat pinkies got one or two to eat the rest ignored
3. tried frozen thawed mouse hoppers worked for a couple more the other night.

Does anyone else do anything different, also how long have you guys had the babies go before they finally ate or died.

So basically I am just wondering what has worked for you!!

Thanks again
Bob

I am a little backwards on this issue, I feed dead mice first, I have found rat pinks can give loose stool. After about a week I will try live hoppers on those that have not eaten, about the same time I try live and dead rat pinks. I have never resorted to paperbag with boas, but I also do not mind feeding live for the first couple of feedings. They usually switch to dead pretty quick. Craig

I just always like feeding rats. To me the sooner ther are eating rats the better. But I understand that can of worms, lol.

Thanks again
Bob

The fuzy mice vs. rat pinks is something that a very successful breeder told me will help babies who are having trouble with regurgitation. Something about the hair being good for the microflora/microfauna of the gut. Also, get some Nutri-Bac, it is a miracle!
I also noticed the firming up of the stool when feeding fuzzy mice to neonates.
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Jeremy J. Anderson
snakepimp.com
gemstatereptiles.com
Of course it's my opinion, I said it, didn't I?
Breeding season is always just around the corner....JOY!!!

I had a female go about a month without eating then she took a live fuzzy mouse. Then she went another month and ate a live pinky rat. Then she went another couple of weeks and took a mouse with gusto. From that point she started taking mice live or dead, and a few times I got a rat in as a follow up. She is doing fine now.

It can just take a lot of time and waiting to get them going.
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Bryan Brown
The Reptile Keeper, Reptile and Inventory tracking software.

1st feeding is live hopper mice ... after that switch to defrost after approx. 8-10 times switch to defrost ratpups ... not often happens that this is not working.

1st feeding I always wait until after the first shed, if not taking the hopper mouse ... take it out and try again in a week time .... etc.etc.
good luck !
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Eric Tersteeg
http://www.boaconstrictor.nl

My second to last resort is similar to the paperbag technique ...
I didn't have them so I used deli cups..

I would put them in small delicups, I think about 16oz or so, the one that is about 3-4" high, with the live rat pink or mouse fuzz.
Being so close doesn't let him avoid the prey and they usually eat.
I've also found it helps big time to cover these cups or put them in a dark room where there is no distractions, like a 'huge giant' glaring into the cup or walking past.. lol.. they are easily distracted and scared.

So i'll put them in the cups, seal them, and stack them 3 high in rows in my warm, dark boiler room. This way, 8 0r 9 of 10 picky feeders have eaten.

last attempt is almost the same (deli cup, snake, live pink) but I no longer leave it in the dark boiler room for several hours, this time I just put the cups in a sweater/blanket box rack and leave it there, sometimes up to 2 days, until it's gone.

I peer in often and check.. sometimes I shake up the cup a bit to move things around in there... including attitute, smell, thoughts.. lol sometimes, after the shake, he'll just turn around and attack the prey as if I just dropped it in...

Maybe after a few hours the mouse would've pee'd in the cup, so i'll take them out, wash the cup, and put them back in again in the drawer. It has never failed.

The longest it took was about 2 1/2 weeks for a neo one time.
When he wouldn't eat being in the cup for two days straight, I would take him out for a few days entirely, then try again. Maybe then he really became hungry, but it just seems to work.

Take care, Joe
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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

Just a little punctuation/word play....couldn't help myself, sorry! Take care

Paul

Paul, what kind of boa is that it your pic you posted?? It is gorgious!
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Alone, alone, all, all alone. Alone on a wide, wide sea.
-Rime of the ancient Mariner

Thanks for the compliment! Take care

Paul

I usually start their 1st two meals on mouse fuzzys (I know that its a small meal, but the goal is to get them to eat at this time). If they don't readily take it live within the 1st week after shedding, then I'll put the mouse under an upside-down margarine-type container with a hole cut on top (about the size of a quarter). Then I'll cover the window to make the room fairly dark. I'll check in an hour and I'll find that many will be inside the cup with a full belly. I think this "hunting" technique is what initially spurs them into feeding mode.
I've had very good sucess using this method on those who would otherwise shy away. They switch to rat pups fairly easily around there 3rd or 4th meal.

Oh, by the way, this is all being done in a shoe-box type sterlite container. Good luck.
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--aka DMOG68

I have been breeding boas for about 10 years now and I can only remember a couple of babies that didnt feed on frozen thawed pink rats. Some take longer than others to feed depending on how much yolk they had to absorb or how large their bellies were at birth. Not all will feed after the 10 day shed right away. Some may take a month or two but I cant remember but one time ever having a real problem with any of my baby boas. I usually just wait them out and it usually pays off. Just give them a hide spot make them feel comfortable they ALWAYS come around. Now ball pythons on the other hand. Thats another story all together lol. The only thing that makes me upset is when you have tons of babies and about 20 or so dont eat right away so every week you waste 20 pink rats until they feed. But eventually they will.
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