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Seeking advice for new Dum

Clonez051134 Jan 07, 2011 09:14 PM

I bought a one month old dum in early October. The breeder told me she was feeding on hopper mice. Three months after getting her home she still hasn't eaten once for me. I have never tried more than a week apart, and I have tried everything from hoppers, to f/t mice and pup rats. Have tried to leave prey in the snake's enclosure overnight with no luck. I even threw a live mouse in a couple times and stayed to monitor the situation and the snake will get face to face with it and just turn away and ignore it.

I have read numerous posts about dum's and their eating issues, so I'm not sure if I need to worry about it or just be patient. I have seen people who said they had a dum who didn't eat for 6-8 months or longer. Any suggestions?

Replies (5)

PBM Jan 08, 2011 09:14 AM

First place I start is set up and potential stress. That's not to say it is the problem, it's just the easiest to address and then go from there. I like live pinky rats for baby dumerils. They can't hurt the snake and I can set them in at night and just walk away leaving the baby undisturbed, left alone in the dark. Just being "there" can be enough of a disturbance for any shy feeders. I picked up a couple yearlings not long ago and they've been the most inconsistent feeders I've ever had to deal with. Sometimes it's just the animal and trying to figure out what their preferences are from prey item, time of day, and frequency. It can be a complete pain and honestly, sorry that you're having to deal with it.

Clonez051134 Jan 08, 2011 04:53 PM

Thanks for the reply. I will keep plugging away and hope for the best!

MoonlightBoas Jan 08, 2011 12:55 PM

Here are 3 common reasons Dumerils Boas won't eat:

The cage temperature isn't set properly.
The snake feels stressed.
The Boa is getting ready to shed.

Ideally, you want a Dumerils Boas to have a temperature range of 75-85 degrees. If the temperatures are too cold, the snake won't be interested in eating. If the warm side is too hot, the snake may not use it and still wind up being too cool.

If the Dumerils Boa feels stressed, it won't eat. If you have a snake that won't eat, avoid handling it unnecessarily. Ensure your boa has a hide it feels comfortable in. For a Dumerils Boa to feel comfortable in a hide, the hide has to be small enough that the snake can feel it's body against the inside walls. This will give the snake a sense of security. Lighting can also be a factor that effects your Dumerils stress level. Dumerils Boas are most active at nighttime. Because of this, I feed most of my snakes at night. For finicky eaters, it can be helpful to keep the room dimly lit while feeding your snake. Also, avoid unnecessary movement. If the snake sees you moving around in the background, they may not feel safe enough to eat.

In my experience, Dumerils Boas rarely eat when they're getting ready to shed. If your snake is in shed, it's probably best to simply wait until after it has shed before offering food.

As for your situation in particular, make sure the cage is set up at the proper temperature range of 75-85 degrees, the snake has a suitable hide and a water bowl. Typically, once a baby snake has eaten for the first time, it recognizes that mice are food and feeding will be much easier in the future. I've seen baby Dumerils Boas eat their first meal the same day they were born. I've also had others that took 1-2 months to eat for the first time.

If all other factors are correct, it could be that your Dumerils Boa has never eaten before. Some unscrupulous breeders and pet stores will sell a snake that isn't eating without disclosing this fact. In the time you've had your Baby Dumerils, have you ever found defecation in the cage, or just urine and pasty white urates? If you have never found poop in the cage, either the boa defecated it's last meal before you brought it home, or it hasn't taken a meal yet.

I would start off by leaving a small live fuzzy mouse in with your Baby Dumerils overnight in a dark room. You want one that's small enough it hasn't developed its teeth and claws yet so your snake isn't at risk. I've found that by starting off my new babies with a few meals of live fuzzies, it's much easier to convert them to fresh killed and frozen thawed rodents.

I hope this helps. Try not to worry too much. Even newborn Dumerils Boas can go many months without eating. Just keep offering food each week, and eventually your snake will figure out the rest. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

-----
Paul D


www.MoonlightBoas.com

Clonez051134 Jan 08, 2011 04:51 PM

Thanks for the info! A smaller hide spot is something I will change for her. I am also going to try raising the temperature a few degrees. Hopefully she is a couple attempts away from taking her first one.

pathigdon Jan 10, 2011 10:55 AM

I would add to this but, PBM & Paul have already said what needs to be said.

I have had a Dum go a full year without eating and several that have gone up to 6 months.
-----
Pat Higdon - Higdons Herps, Tuttle, Oklahoma USA
Oklahoma City Herpetological Society Member
4 dumerils boas, 1 bci boa, 2 rosy boas, 3 burmese pythons, 1 reticulated python, 2 ball pythons, 1 borneo python, 10 bearded dragons, 4 leopard geckos, 2 african fat-tail geckos & 1 sulcata tortoise

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