Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have trouble getting my male rubber boa to eat. I have seen him eat a couple times though. However, multiple times he has started eating the thawed pinky mouse, had it in his mouth a little bit, and then stopped eating it. It wasn't like he ate it and then regurged it... He wouldn't even have half the mouse is his mouth before he would spit it back out... He has done this several times now. Any idea why?

Feeding is a stressful time for snakes. I take it that you are watching him eat (since you have seen this behavior)? Try leaving him alone for a few hours... might help?

-Chris
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Christopher E. Smith
Contact
Captive Bred Herps
Wildlife Research & Consulting Services, LLC

I like Chris comment about stress, and that could be it. I'll offer some other things to try just in case.

1. Try washing the pink first. It might be that there is something on them that the snake doesn't like. You may need to "brain" the thawed pink - cut a slit in its head to expose brain matter.

Note: If the snake does eat, thaw out a few pinks and place them in some shavings in a cardboard toilet paper roll. I did that with a rubber boa, and the snake went nuts, eating all the pinks as if he found a nest.

2. If #1 doesn't work, consider cooling the snake until Spring.

I'm sure other will offer more suggestions.
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Mark

I had the same problem with a female a few years back and tried everything. The thing that finally worked was getting a few live pinkies and keeping them in the tub they came in for a few hours so the tub picked up their scent. She went after the live one and ate all 3. For the following feedings, I thawed, and fed out of the tub and never had a problem. The only logical explination I could come up with all went back to scent. It's worth a try...