Winter fast/feed question

[dkatz4]

I've been looking at the calendar trying to plan a feeding strategy for the changing seasons. Although I completely get that winter fasting is consistent with his natural physiology, I have some concerns pertaining to his "domestic" lifestyle. In the wild, the season changes, the temp goes down and he settles into a warm enough spot to sit it out. In my house (which can get wild, but not quite like a Central American jungle), I can drop the temp somewhat, but will still handle him on close to a daily basis. It seems like he would burn many more calories through handling than he would in the wild.
Thoughts???

[Reinz]

If he burns more calories his body will tell him when to feed again, he won't starve himself. He will go into feed mode. Thus, he may cut his fast a little shorter than would be otherwise.

[dkatz4]

If he burns more calories his body will tell him when to feed again, he won't starve himself. He will go into feed mode. Thus, he may cut his fast a little shorter than would be otherwise.

I can appreciate that, but ultimately I am the one who decides whether or not he eats. I have read, among these threads, suggestions that one should ignore a boa's persistent "nagging" for food in order to maintain proper healthy eating habits, but where do I draw the line between nagging and a genuine need for nutrition?
I should also mention that he was two years old last month, not terribly sure if that age plays a factor in winter feeding strategies since he's not a baby but not an adult either.

[Gio]

At some point you need to limit your handling. Seasonal changes take place without you dropping your temps, but as a keeper you can enhance the change by dropping the temps. Light, heat, humidity and the slightest pressure changes are noticed by your boa, however in conditions where AC is used in the summer and heat is used in the winter you'll have more success by assisting with the changes. In Jersey you will have AC and heat used in your home based on the seasons.

If you choose to handle your snake constantly and decide to feed year round that is a personal choice. Your snake should not constantly be bothering you for food once it hits the subadult/adult ages if you are dropping temps, decreasing humidity and shortening the light cycle in the winter.

The need for nutrition is minimal with a healthy boa. That is not an invented statement by me, it is a fact that has been researched and proven by experts in the field.

This all comes down to knowing your own snake and the biology of boa constrictors in general.

Daily handling or close to it, is way too much in my opinion and isn't really fair to the animal. If you have that desire, you may want to acquire a few more animals and spread out the handling amongst them.

By letting the snake be, you will observe more natural behavior in the enclosure, and during the winter months, you may see little to no activity which is healthy and normal.

We have a royal python we feed 3 times a year depending on the year. The snake self regulates its metabolism and I believe this particular snake of ours will live 30+ years because of that.

The domestic/captive life of your animal should still somewhat mimic their wild habitat. You may decide on feeding in captivity, but nature decides in the wild. The seasons play a HUGE role in their biology. In nature, the rainy season brings migrations of various animals. A wild snake may take several prey items during that time and go 6 months with nothing when the season shifts even if only slightly.

I will say this isn't rocket science, and there are options, but most experienced folks try to pick the best option for their animals. Some people think a 15 year old boa is old. I think a 30 year old boa is old and want to raise mine to be the 30 year old snake.

If you do feed year round, keep the prey items in the winter very small and spread them out.
Unless you see signs of illness or dramatic weight loss you will never starve your boa by fasting in the winter, it will probably grow more.

Just be smart about things and you'll get it dialed in.

[dkatz4]

"Acquire a few more animals..." If you can convince my wife, I will be eternally grateful!!

i'll try, I will, but this snake is addictive, he's like leathery Valium. Actually we have a new baby expected in a few weeks (actual human baby) so I have a feeling that giving the snake some time off between sessions will not be a problem.
As far as the feeding is concerned, I know they fast and are built for famine, rationally I know that. But this being my first time, I just can't help but feel pensive about the prospect of not feeding him for a few months. That being said, when do you think a good time to stop feeding (or slow down as the case may be)? I was figuring around mid November when it starts to get frosty overnight and then get back to food in March. What do y'all do? And keep in mind I'm basing on weather not calendar.

[Gio]

"Acquire a few more animals..." If you can convince my wife, I will be eternally grateful!!

i'll try, I will, but this snake is addictive, he's like leathery Valium. Actually we have a new baby expected in a few weeks (actual human baby) so I have a feeling that giving the snake some time off between sessions will not be a problem.
As far as the feeding is concerned, I know they fast and are built for famine, rationally I know that. But this being my first time, I just can't help but feel pensive about the prospect of not feeding him for a few months. That being said, when do you think a good time to stop feeding (or slow down as the case may be)? I was figuring around mid November when it starts to get frosty overnight and then get back to food in March. What do y'all do? And keep in mind I'm basing on weather not calendar.

Yes, I hear you there. Started with one and now have 3. I'm limited by my wife as well. I've been trying to get another but the battle is not going well.

Your human baby will be a nice addition but they eat and sleep a lot so you are home doing nothing but waiting on feeding and diaper changes. Being home and having another snake or two is a great idea. It is a wonderful excuse to stay home and watch the baby!

What other hobby keeps you at home and entertained in a quiet kind of way?

I'm obviously trying to give you a springboard here LOL! Maybe another snake would be perfect in a month or two.

I typically have started my cool down around November and started the warmup in mid to late March. Although my guy was not ready to feed in March so we took it until April.

I'd say a 3-6 month break is plenty fine if you are just raising a shoulder pet.

That timetable is not set in stone either. Everything can vary to some degree.

[Sauzo]

I agree with most of what Gio says other than the handling part. That really depends on the snake. My BP likes to be left alone for the most part. Once she is out, she is content being on me for about 15-20 mins, then she wants to explore or go hide under a pillow or blankets. My boas are a different story. Rosey loves to come out. She will windshield wipe the cage front until I open the door and then she comes out, flicks the tongue at me and climbs onto my arm and up to my shoulders and sits there. Vicky is the same but not as often as Rosey. Rosey is a very social snake and loves to be out and sit on me. You have to just learn how to read your snake and each one will have their own personality. I usually handle Rosey every other day. Vicky usually every 2-3 days and Dottie one to two times a week or whenever she comes out at night and starts exploring all over.

As for feeding during winter, I have always just fed them normally through winter. Dottie gets a rat every 2 weeks, Vicky gets one every 2-3 weeks and Rosey gets a rabbit every 3 weeks to 1 month. Anything over a month and Rosey tears down her rhp wire, the light wire, pushes aspen into piles, shoves her water bowl and hide around and pushes on the corner of the cages and overall gets agitated lol. Hopefully this changes in about a month and a half when all my AP cages get here. Went with the built in LED lights and heat tape so I don't have to deal with any wiring inside the cage at all.