Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So we had our first litter of boa babies yesterday. 17 perfectly healthy babies and no slugs. Do I need to wait until the first shed before feeding them. Also should I feed them baby mice or very small pinky rats? Thanks!

Feeding size would depend on what type of boas you bred. My baby Hogg boas were 16" at birth and I started them on rats. A couple more aggressive babies ate just prior to their first shed (I would wait at least 10 days until they had time to digest their yokes, but most ate between 2-3 weeks of age, w/ a couple waiting up to 4 weeks, and that was on f/t. I did heat my f/t up in hot water, dry them on a paper towel, and had to wiggle them on tongs...the babies struck at them when they got hissing mad and most ended up eating what they struck at.
Standard though, is first shed then fed. Some believe in waiting a week after shed to feed.
Good luck with your babies!
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Signature file edited; [phw 9/26/04]

I bought a pastel female at a reptile show, and she ate two days before she had her first shed. She only ate a live mouse hopper. But once I got her and she shed out, she ate Rat pinkies with out a problem.
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1.2 Normal BCI
0.1 66% poss DH snow BCI
0.2 Pastel BCI
0.1 Pastel Het Albino BCI
1.0 Anery BCI
1.0 Striped Albino BCI
0.1 Salmon 66% poss DH snow BCI
1.0 Salmon Hog Cross BCI ssp.
0.1 Hog Island Boa BCI ssp.
1.0 Poss. Super Salmon BCI

3.4 Ball Pythons

The snakes are columbian red tails. I guess I will go ahead and try to feed them mouse hoppers in a few days. Thanks for the help.