Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have an 04 female albino kenyan sand boa. I have had her for about for almost three weeks now. She ate with vigor for the first two weeks with no problems. Yesterday I dropped in a hopper mouse, she struck and killed as usual. However, when she struck the mouse, she got a one tiny piece of crushed walnut shells in her mouth and freaked out. She left the mouse and went off to hide. She did not eat last night. She has not eaten today. What should I do? When should I offer food again as I am out the money for two hopper mice? I have tried putting her in a ziplock container that has holes in it, that didn't work. I left the mouse out in her box all night last night. It was still there this morning. Any suggestions on how I can get her to eat? How long can a snake go without food?

I'm not schooled in Kenyans specifically, but boas and pythons generally go without for months at a time, anywhere from 2 to 6, with no ill effects, during breeding season. I have a Saharan sand bnoa that eats a fuzzy mouse a month and it seems to be all he wants. Give it a week and try again. Good luck and keep us posted.

Quig

It is by no means uncharacteristic for a Kenyan to refuse food. One of my Kenyans is a VERY healthy adult female and she'll go long periods where she accepts once a week and eats like a good girl, but twice a year she becomes significantly more active and then refuses to eat, sometimes for a month or more. I have always been told that it is a huge trait of the breed during mating season and a 1st response to changes in the environment. Also, the feeder box is a must for regular feeding. They get use to it quickly and get a great sense of safety. Will prevent future problems with your snake ingesting substrate which can rapidly become a huge problem. Give it another go after it has calmed down for a couple days, and try at night for best results.

What do you use or recommend for a feeding box? I have since switched to a substrate of shredded aspen. I also thought about Care Fresh as a substrate. Thanks for the advice.

For substrate, I have always used a mixture of calcium sand and baked earth. They LOVE to re-use burrows. The challenge there is that the humidity must be very rigorously maintained. If that is difficult, stick to the shavings. For a feeder box, anything like a large shoe box or hat box will do. Just depends on the size of your snake. It should be something you can't see through to make them feel safer, but the important thing is that you do something so it can't push up the lid. Also, put like a dish towel you don't use at the bottom. That has always helped with the shyer ones. They can grip better and have some cover.

Well, I have tried again today, 9/10/05, to feed my kenyan sand boa to no avail. She killed it, and left it. This is what she did last week, but last week she got a piece of substrate in her mouth and freaked out. This time I placed her in a separate tank with nothing but paper, her, and the mouse. It has been over a week now since she last ate. I am beginning to worry!

She finally ate last night. I placed her in a cloth snake bag and she did eat. I am glad, however, I hope that this hasn't started a trend!

Good I knew that trick worked with other snakes, but hadn't even considered it for a kenyan. I think once it gets the idea you won't have to worry about feeding it in the sack all the time.

Quig

If it eats at least once every two weeks its entire life, outside of breeding seasons, without puking often, consider it a success. Kenyans are easy to take care of, but you can't get too stressed out by the feeding schedule.