Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone!

I've been reading this forum for a little while as I've been fascinated with BRBs for years now and have only just recently gotten one of my own! I'll get a pic of my little girl on here as soon as I can.

Now on to my question. I've seen several conversations on here about feeding BRBs but I didn't find anything regarding how much to feed fairly young snakes. I've had my lovely little serpent for less than a week and she shed the first night I had her, so I fed her a furry the night after that. Is that enough do you think? Or should I feed her more? I think she looked like she wanted more when she was done with the first one, but some friends who have some little experience with other breeds seemed to think the small lump in her belly was sufficient. I get the impression from reading some of the threads that she'd delight in tackling a second furry.

On a similar topic, I just wanted something clarified. I should feed her about once a week, right?

One last question, and I should be good for at least a week or two before I come running to you fine people with more silly questions! I've read that a good many of you use feeding boxes. How necessary are those? I was shown at a pet store that sold BRBs that some of them will feed while hanging from your fingers. At least the little ones do sometimes. That being the case, I did not use a feeding box when I fed my BRB. Would you all mind sharing the pro and cons of using feeding boxes versus letting her feed while she hangs onto me?

Thanks so much for your time and consideration!

Erick

Hi Eric, welcome to the wonderful world of BRB's!!

Baby BRB's can take down hopper mice from birth, if I have enough food available, I offer first meal the day after birth. You should continue to feed on a once a week schedule, they are voracious eaters and easy to overfeed. You should be able to mover her up to a hopper once a week now. As she grows and the lump the hopper makes gets relatively smaller, you can move her up to larger prey. You could even start her now on pinkie rats? Don't know what you have available.

I prefer feeding boxes, helps reduce the "mistaken feeding response" where the snake bites you because it gets used to the door opening meaning food may be coming.

IMO, feeding while holding is a big NO NO!! You do NOT want your hand associated with feeding AT ALL!! I've had an adult coil on my hand one time.....VERY strong snakes!! My hand was getting crushed, dunked her in cold water and she released, I've since heard warm/hot water works better.
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12.136 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (OK, I'm only keeping a few of the 136, just tickled pink with my production this year)
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

Thanks Dave!

I recall reading your post that mentioned your experience with your BRB clamping down on your hand, it sounds like it must have been quite an experience! and I definitely don't want to have that happen to me.

I had much the same thought about holding a snake while it fed, I was definitely concerned about having the snake mistake me as more meal, but the pet store attendant assured me and held it while he fed the small BRB. To prove to me the safety of this practice he even tapped the little guy on the nose when it was done with it's meal without getting nipped at. Now this wasn't my snake, it was another that I looked at a year or more ago but despite the fact it probably wasn't a great plan on my part, my little girl did really well feeding when I had her by the tail. She looped her tail around my fingers and wouldn't let go for anything until well after she was done with her meal.

As far as what to feed her, she's about 2 to 3 months old and I think her first meal was a smallish fury rat. I may be mistaken as I didn't think to ask what kind of animal the feeder was when I went into the pet store, because I knew that small BRBs ate "pinkies" or "fuzzies". Anyway, my lack of knowledge aside (we're trying to fix that with a quickness) the fuzzie seemed to fit well in her mouth. Is it enough do you think?

Thanks again for your patience!!!

Erick

Well without seeing your BRB, I can only say the lump from eating should be very noticeable but not huge. Rule of thumb is prey should be same diameter (or less) as widest part of snake
-----
Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12.136 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (OK, I'm only keeping a few of the 136, just tickled pink with my production this year)
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

That being the case, what I fed it was perfect then!

Thanks again so very much for your rapid response and awsome info!!!

Erick