Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, I recently was given a Solomon Island tree boa that has never eaten on it's own. Unfortunately, it's always had to be force fed. It was given to me by it's previous owners because they couldn't bear always having to force feed it. I currently have it in a shoebox enclosure, hoping that the smaller space and minimal distractions might help it overcome it's nervousness and eventually get it feeding on it's own. The originial owners had it in a 20g tank and I was thinking that it was just too big a space for it to get comfortable. I've tried lizards, frogs, scenting pinkies with these two, braining the pink without any luck. Temps on warm side around 85-88 degrees with 60% humidity. Does anyone have any experience with these snakes and might give me some pointers on getting him to eat on his own? He has decent weight (because of the force feeding) and is approximately 15" long. This has been the absolutely most stubborn snake I've ever encountered. Also does anyone know of a care sheet for these? Thanks for any help you can lend. Take care, Scott.
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Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

"In any civilized society, it is every citizen's responsibility to obey just laws.
But at the same time, it is every citizen's responsibility to disobey unjust laws."
—Martin Luther King Jr

Try this link for care sheets. I used to keep Viper boas and had some stubborn feeders. It may be stressed from the force feedings. I'd say give it some time to settle in and maybe leave a live lizard or treefrog in with it.

Jim
Link

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PYTHON PALETTE
The Living Art of Ball Pythons

The thing is that I left the boa completely alone with no interuptions except for water changing for about 6 weeks thinking that was the problem. He still refused to eat. I've done some reading on these snakes and have read of them sometimes being problem feeders. He still refused after this period. I only force feed when I see him getting a bit thin. I am going to read through the link you gave me and see if I can come up with any ideas I haven't tried yet. Thank you, Scott.
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Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

"In any civilized society, it is every citizen's responsibility to obey just laws.
But at the same time, it is every citizen's responsibility to disobey unjust laws."
—Martin Luther King Jr

I completely understand. I had one that wouldn't eat anything other than green tree frogs. Not red-eyed tree frogs...but regular green tree frogs...For some reason that is the only thing she would eat. And she wasted no time eating them.

Good luck! Keep us posted
Maggie

Don't know about that species but my neonate paulsoni went NUTS for salamanders. Obviously don't feed something toxic like newts or slimys but you never know he might go for a spotted, dusky or two lined or something. Be sure it isn't too long for him.
With my wc adult viper boa it seemed dumb but she would eat live mice or rat fuzzys in a separate container. I thought I would feed her in her own enclosure but she wouldn't take and wouldn't take and then I tried in a box and she went for it. After three meals she started taking prekilled.
Unless you have tried it already I would try a mouse fuzzy, live in a separate tub with a towel over it for privacy and leave them a couple hours or even overnight.
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Sonya

Mine would eat House Gecko's & frogs. House Gecko's don't cost alot, or if ya live in FL, ya can catch em. Wait until the snake is eating on it's own, frogs, geckos or ...? Then you can sent a dead mouse. Put a peice of dead skin of the animal it has been eating on the dead mouse & it "tricks the snake" This is called senting. It will not work over night, BUT I converted different species of the Solomon Boa family like this.
I even bought a blender @ a garage sale. I'd drop the dead frog,gecko into the blender & named it what I called "lizard butter" then I'd pour the the "butter in a plastic ice tray and put it into the freezer inside a zip lock freezer bag.
When feeding time came, I'd pop out an "ice cube",let it thaw & then rub it all over the dead mouse. After a while the snake took less & less "butter & finally began eating mice on it's own.
Some Solomon Boas may not ever convert. I know ALL mine did. Hope this helps. If ya have any questions.....just e mail me Dave @ East TN Reptiles reptiles@chartertn.net
GOOD LUCK

Well, the link to Jerry Conway is the best one...he is THE source for Candoia. It took me a year to get my WC Solomon Island ground boa to eat on his own. He now readily feeds on live fuzzies bred from wild mouse parents. I had also tried geckos, anoles, frogs, live/ft pinkies (scented and not scented). You might also try a small goldfish or rosy...I've heard that they will work. I think moving your snake to a smaller container was a wise decision as well. With these little guys, I've found that a large tank/cage will seem to intimidate them and cause them not to feed. Try getting a live pinky or fuzzy and leaving it in the container overnight with the snake. That ploy often works. Also, make sure the snake has a water bowl large enough to soak in...these little guys love water. I wouldn't rule out having the snake examined by a competent reptile vet. If it's wild caught, it could be having a difficult time adjusting to captivity or have parasites that are causing the lack of appetite.

Best of luck and keep us updated!
Raven