Rough Scale Sand Boa Help Needed

[Whodinidunit]

I have a Female Rough Scale Boa that I bought from a reputable pet store in my area about 2 months ago. According to the pet store she was a heavy feeder and always took meals. Since I have had her home she has not eaten. She will nip at the food and pull it from the tweezers but will not constrict or eat it. I have been trying to feed it live hoppers and still no luck. Just last week I had a live hopper that stayed alive in her tank for almost a week before it died and the sand boa did not eat it.

She is in a 20 gal breeder tank with a UTH and a ceramic heat emitter. Her temps are around 87 to 90 degress on the hot side and about 78-80 on the cool side. Bedding is aspen about 2"-3.5" deep.

Any suggestions or advice?

[JLC]

Did you ask the store what they were feeding? See if you can duplicate what they were doing.

Do you have hides? I know they like to burrow, but maybe a little cave to crawl into and hide will be appreciated.

How big is the snake?

Lastly...I would not leave a hopper alone with a snake for a week. They CAN bite and nibble and left alone that long could do some damage...especially to a small snake. Not to mention it just seems cruel to let them starve to a very slow death. Unless it's a pinky or crawler with eyes still closed...I would never leave a rodent unattended with a snake. (And even then...only for a few hours or overnight at the very most for a reluctant feeder.) And you may have to find a way to either euthanize them or keep them alive in an appropriate rodent cage if a live-fed rodent doesn't get eaten. (Some pet stores will take them back in exchange for store credit, too...never hurts to ask)

[Whodinidunit]

It was basically a crawler as the eyes were still closed. Thats why I did not feel a problem leaving it alone with the snake. the Sand Boa in length is about a foot and a half. We were told that the pet store was feeding it hoppers. but it almost looks like hoppers might have been too small for her size *shruggs*

i read some other posts with KSB regarding feeding in a brown paper bag. I might give that a shot.