Feeding Question

[rlondon1231]

Is it better to feed a boa a small meal more frequently or a larger meal less frequetly

[L.West]

I would feed the smaller prey item. Frequency would depend on the age/size of your snake. Any pucs of your snake.

[dkatz4]

there are a few boa regulars who must not be checking their phones today, but you are going to get a lot of good info on this topic in this forum!
The long and short of it is, less is more, it is very hard to underfeed a boa but very easy to overfeed. as far as size of prey and schedule, variation most closely resembles their natural habits. sometimes a small item sometimes an appropriate one (same diameter as mid-body) and dont abide by a set schedule. frequency does depend on age but anything over a year should be fed twice a month at the most, but less is fine, and certainly less as they get older. that is actually a rather liberal guideline, many fast their boas over the winter, or reduce feedings to every 6 to 8 weeks with very good results; increased activity and energy and, perhaps counterintuitively, strong growth. My boa just turned 2 so this winter will be his first fast.
Like i said, this thread is very likely to yield a ton of very insightful responses, so stay tuned.

[Sauzo]

Here ya go for some reading about feeding large constrictors and how it affects them physically. I don't really have a set time for my snakes. I try and feed Dottie and Vicky every 2-3 weeks and Rosey every 3 weeks to 1 month. https://www.uta.edu/news/releases/20...-intestine.php

[Gio]

There are a lot of variables.

Less is more, but there is more to it than that. If you attempt to mimic seasonal changes, your snake may eat frequently right before the winter months, and this would be normal. When winter hits I drop temps and don't feed at all over the winter.

If I offer a larger prey item like a rabbit, I will go 1 month or longer before I feed again. When I feed next, I will offer a smaller item, one that is very small and feed sooner with a medium prey item next time.

I always wait until the snake has passed all signs of the previous meal.

Variation in meal frequency, prey type and size are all part of it. In nature, a boa will find and take in whatever food it can, when it can.

In captivity we control the feeding cycle. Feeding boa on the conservative side is best all things considered. The goal is a long lived, healthy snake. Captive prey has more fat and guess less exercise than wild prey and we need to consider that.

This subject is long and involved and there are various ages/stages in the snake's life that require different feeding intervals.

THE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR by Vincent Russo has very good information on feeding.

You will NEVER hurt a boa by feeding smaller prey and waiting 3 weeks or longer between meals.

If you feed large prey (within reason) wait much longer to feed again.

I hope that helped.

[dkatz4]

This subject is long and involved and there are various ages/stages in the snake's life that require different feeding intervals.

THE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR by Vincent Russo has very good information on feeding.

My copy arrived two days ago but i cant open it until father's day!

[Reinz]

Is it better to feed a boa a small meal more frequently or a larger meal less frequetly

I think that it depends upon the individual snake. Also are you talking about babies/yearlings, sub adults, or adults? Each one can be very different.

Then throw in the wildcard of what Gio is saying about dropping temps in the winter, that can change the snakes feeding regimen entirely.


My two adult Boas are fed differently. Elenore gets a jumbo rat instead of mediums more frequently because it eliminates cage/feeding agression with HER. If I feed her small meals she tends to slam into the glass as I walk by sometimes. And then she does the hover S and tracks me. If I feed her a jumbo rat, she is peaceful for 4-6 or 7 weeks.


Elenore, Common BI tracking me after slamming the glass.


The previous owner of Punch was feeding him 2 jumbo rats every 10-14 days. While his shape is good, I bet a dollar to the donut that he has fatty organs. I only feed him one jumbo rat every 3-4 weeks. Keep in mind his large girth, going by some guidelines of feeding prey size a bit larger than his largest girth, it would take 3-4 jumbos to make a bulge, which is way too much. So I feel that his one jumbo is a much more healthy option.


Punch, Common BI - about 2.5 - 3 times larger girth AND 1.5 -2 feet longer than Elenore.


My adult BP is more consistent and calm with large meals as well as a few of my Carpets. My male Coastal had scarey cage/food agression and I stopped it with large meals spread out further.
But his female sibling, Etta, has always been calm with small meals closer together.

I am just relating my experience which seems to indicate that it is a case by case decision.

[Sauzo]

It also depends on the food item. Rabbits are really lean so I wouldn't feed them exclusively as any animal needs some fat in their diet to help break down proteins. I switch Rosey between large rats and small rabbits. Vicky isn't large enough for rabbits yet so she gets rats only. She used to get mice and rats but she has outgrown the mice lol. And in case you don't know, guinea pigs are bad for boas as they have a lot of fat. They are fine for pythons though. You can also do quails and chicks too.

[rlondon1231]

I feed my yearling boa shes about 4 feet long every 7-10 a smaller meal and im woundering if i should feed her a bigger meal less frequntly because some times she will try and bite me through her cage

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[dkatz4]

Seems like, based on Reinz' comment (which i thought was extreamly interesting btw), a bigger meal less frequently is definitely worth a try.