Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 05 female Honduran boa hasn't been eating well lately. She ate on 7-17, shed on 8-1, and ate on 8-30. She wasn't interested in feeding the last few days. I'm kind of worried since she has only eaten twice in two months now. Her male sibling is chowing down just fine, but she has been pretty reluctant. What can I do to help entice her to eat?

-----
1.1 Cal Kings
1.1 Northern Pines
1.2 Honduran Boas
0.1 Tangerine Honduran Milks
1.2 Pueblan Milks
1.2 Blue Beauties
1.1 Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons

What type of food are you offering her? Meaning p/k, or f/t, and mice, or rats. I have a female Corn Island that I havent been able to switch to rats yet and a male that will only eat them p/k and wont touch them f/t. Every induvidual is different and sometimes you just have to try different things to get them feeding well.

She has been taking live fuzzies. She has eaten pinks before, I tried using a pink to get her started but that didnt work. When offered rat pups in May, neither ate them. They were sold as eating f/t, but he said get them hissing and defensive and they will take them. She is really calm though, and wont get defensive at me. Ive left her alone in a bucket for long periods to attempt to feed her. She was taking them like this, usually requiring 10 minutes or so to feel comfortable enough to eat, but that isnt working any more. I would hate to have to kill one and then she still doesn't eat it.
-----
1.1 Cal Kings
1.1 Northern Pines
1.2 Honduran Boas
0.1 Tangerine Honduran Milks
1.2 Pueblan Milks
1.2 Blue Beauties
1.1 Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons

One thing you could try is F/K but feed her first, then if she doesn't eat it, give it to the male. I've been feeding F/K for about a year and learned early on to "save" the best eaters for last....kind of the cleanup crew!! I feed about half my animals first starting with the babies. wen I get one that won't eat, I transfer the food to another. When the babies are all done, move up to larger. Easier to get a yearling to take a small mouse than to get a baby to take a weanling rat

Also, not familiar with the size of baby Hondurans, I feed my newborn Brazilian Rainbow Boa's mouse hoppers (about 2 - 3 week old) I've noticed when I only have smaller fuzzies or pinkies, sometimes they refuse. Maybe not big enough to be worth the effort? Maybe try larger? Use your male as a gauge, when he eats something, does it make a good sized lunp? If not, may need to go larger. If you're feeding hime more than one prey item, also could go larger. Worth a try.

IMO, force feeding is a LAST resort and usually not affective, didn't know if your were thinking of trying it.
-----
Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12.100 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I would really rather not force. The male has taken her food item before, and they have both eaten pinks when I had no fuzzies. The one I tried to give her was about twice the size of her head (hondurans are dwarfs and therefore a little smaller), then I tried a smaller one, then a pink to try to get her started. Nothing. Sometimes the male skips too, but not as much as she has lately. They are really shy about feeding. I would like to figure out how to increase their feed response. I just picked up another female who just ate today, and she pulled the mouse out of my hands. Great feed response for her. The babies wont eat unless left alone though.
-----
1.1 Cal Kings
1.1 Northern Pines
1.2 Honduran Boas
0.1 Tangerine Honduran Milks
1.2 Pueblan Milks
1.2 Blue Beauties
1.1 Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons

did you get them from Primeval Beauty, I ask cause I got a trio from them and I have not had much problems with mine. One did not eat the first 2 times I tried but besides that they have all ben a pleasure to keep they all went from live hopper mice to f/t and then to live rat pinks to f/t all on the first try. I think only one of them has skipped a meal in the last few months. So maybe think about you're set up do they have hides, temp's, are they in a high traffic area, try to think of things that could be stressing them. I feed mine at night I think that helps. Hope something here helps

Yes, from Primevil Beauty. Mine didnt eat for a few weeks after I got them, then things got better. Now she just isnt eating well. I havent given them hoppers though, Ive been offering fuzzies. They have hides and a heat lamp, and I mist them daily. Are yours shy when eating? Mine wont eat if I watch. The only time they have was after feeding a pink, and then giving second and third pinks. Once on feed mode, they didnt care anymore.

They really are a pleasure to own, I love them!
-----
1.1 Cal Kings
1.1 Northern Pines
1.2 Honduran Boas
0.1 Tangerine Honduran Milks
1.2 Pueblan Milks
1.2 Blue Beauties
1.1 Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons