Colombian Boa Feeding Regimen

[Flint]

Hi, everyone! I was given a pair of Columbian Boas for Christmas by a friend. They will be coming home on Tuesday and I have been given conflicting information regarding a feeding regimen. I was told that if I stick to my planned regimen I will be powerfeeding and I do not wish to do this what-so-ever. I am going to feed rats from the start. From the research I've done, it is clearly the better, healthier option especially on a moderate-sized baby. They are supposed to be on hopper mice so rat fuzzies should be about of size, if not just a tad too large. I was told on a couple of forums that my plans for feeding one prey item every 7 days was too often and I would be power-feeding, but in all the care information I read, it said 5-10 days for young snakes. I thought 7 was a good medium and will be easy to keep on a regular schedule until the snakes are large/old enough to move to biweekly feedings. Is that too often, though? My understanding was that powerfeeding is multiple feedings a week of appropriate sized prey, even doubled up prey multiple times a week. I don't want to have these snakes for 5 years, I want them to be happy and healthy for the 15-25 that they deserve. If I am mistaken, PLEASE correct me. I want to do what is best for these animals to the utmost of my ability.

Thank you in advance for all of your help and advice, I really do appreciate it and take it to heart.
Flint

[Marrissa]

Glad you asked this. What I've read is seven days for babies and adults every other week. Also that they should look more square shaped and not nice and round like ball pythons. I just got my first boa yesterday so I'm glad you asked the question for extra assurance.

[nick654377]

i have a baby/yearling boa that is 150ish grams. i feed rat fuzzies (15-20g) every week. my dumerils once she hit 600 grams i went to 10 day feeds then i just switched her to medium rats so i feed her every 2 weeks now. that is the plan i usally follow. some people are different and feed every week for 3 feedings then skip a week. i still offer every week until they reach 600g then go to a 10 day.

[DooLittle]

Babies will do fine on a 7-10 feeding schedule. You do not want the prey to leave a visible lump. From what I've been told, many breeders start their babies out on 10 day schedules. Every 5 days is way to much for a boa. They have slower metabolism. You could do every 7. But again, 10 would be just fine. When they get older like year, year and half go to 2 weeks. It's very easy to get an obese boa. They should have a nice lean muscular boxy shape to them.

[Daybreaker]

I do mice up to the boa's first birthday at 7-10 day feedings, switch to rats after the 1st birthday and do every 10-14 days for sub-adults, then feed every 2 weeks for adults.

[Evenstar]

Babies will do fine on a 7-10 feeding schedule. You do not want the prey to leave a visible lump. From what I've been told, many breeders start their babies out on 10 day schedules. Every 5 days is way to much for a boa. They have slower metabolism. You could do every 7. But again, 10 would be just fine. When they get older like year, year and half go to 2 weeks. It's very easy to get an obese boa. They should have a nice lean muscular boxy shape to them.

^^^ This.

So long as the prey size is on the small side, feeding every 7 days is perfectly fine. I start my babies on mice so I feed every 7 days. They go to every 10 when they are about 8-12 months old. Then to every 2 weeks at about 2 years of age.

[Flint]

Thank you, everyone! I was a bit shocked when I was accused of power-feeding because everything seems to say 7 days is fine, if not, 10 days. I'm glad I got that cleared up. I just want what is best for my babies!