Quick feeding question

[Satana]

I have a 1 month old BCI (83g) and he's been on a 5 day feeding schedule. He is eating f/t fuzzy mice at about 5g per mouse and I give him 2. When should I switch him to 7 day feedings? I've never had a snake this young and I don't want to over feed. Thank you so much

[Evenstar]

Boas are not balls. You can switch to a 7 day cycle now. Many boa breeders will start their babies on a 7 day cycle right from the beginning. I would also up the size of the mouse to a hopper and only feed one. The mantra I was taught when I first got into boas by a very reputable breeder who's been doing this for many years, was, "one a week!" It was the best thing I could've done for my baby!!

When your baby is about a year old, you can switch to every 10 days. Always feed one mouse/rat that is of the appropriate size - it should be about as big around as the snake but not bigger. With boas, there should not be a visible lump after the snake's meal.... Hope this helps you!

[Satana]

Thank you! I will switch him starting now! I was told when I got my BRB it was 13% of their body weight a week. But then again I did get him when he was almost a year so I'm new to feeding babies.

When I hit the next expo this month I'll grab some hoppers or rat pinks if they are the same size. I like to switch to rats as soon as I can but I also heard boas w eat anything lol I've just been used to my picky balls!

[Vypyrz]

Evenstar is correct. Boas should be fed a little more conservatively. A 7-10 day schedule works for younger boas, and once they start eating medium- large prey, you can switch to a 10-14 day schedule. RTB's tend to grow lengthwise quicker when they are younger, and their girth just kind of catches up. RTB's should have a more square shape to their bodies, not round like a BP or Dumerils Boa...

I was also told by the breeder, when I got my first boa, that overfeeding a young boa can cause regurgitations because their digestive systems develope slower, which is why they need the few extra days to completely digest...

[Satana]

Oh no! I'm glad you guys are here for me! He does have a square shape to him so that is good.

Thank you so much for the info