New RTB Stopped Eating

Hi everyone, I recently had an intro post with my new baby. We've had this problem for ~2 weeks now, where she won't eat. I had her eat her first meal a day after coming home ~2 weeks ago. Now she's being weird.

I tried to feed her last weekend, made sure the fuzzy was nice and warm and had plenty of scent, which she noticed. She followed the mouse around her enclosure and seemed extremely interested, but refused to strike. She would follow the fuzzy right up to the tip of her nose, stay for a few seconds, and then completely turn away.

This week is the same scenario. I'm going to try offering it warmed up again in a few minutes, but I'm worried she won't take it. She seems extremely interested, explores her enclosure quite often, and seems quite content with things. Some environmental settings are as follows:

Hot side: ~90 Degrees F
Cold Side: ~82 Degrees F
Hide on each side
Water dish with plenty of water
Humidity: ~50-60%
No signs of shedding

Boas don't need 90 degrees. I keep mine around 86 warm side and cool at 78-75. Might be tad too hot, I would reduce your warm side to 88 and cool to 80/78.

What was this boa feeding on before?
What was the first meal with you? how did she take it?
Is there a lot of activity around the tub/tank?
Are you offering at night? Have you tried leaving the feeder in overnight? (assuming f/t)

Have you been handling her at all? And yes, I think she's a little too warm also...boas aren't the same as BPs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

Boas don't need 90 degrees. I keep mine around 86 warm side and cool at 78-75. Might be tad too hot, I would reduce your warm side to 88 and cool to 80/78.

What was this boa feeding on before?
What was the first meal with you? how did she take it?
Is there a lot of activity around the tub/tank?
Are you offering at night? Have you tried leaving the feeder in overnight? (assuming f/t)

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Thanks for the info on the temps.
The first meal was a fuzzy, the day after I got her, just over two weeks ago.
There's not much activity as it's in the kitchen
I'm offering in the evening hours yes. I have not left the feeder in overnight, is this a thing?

Thanks

- - - Updated - - -

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Have you been handling her at all? And yes, I think she's a little too warm also...boas aren't the same as BPs.

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Thanks for the info, I'll turn it down a little bit!

It sounds to me as if she wants to eat but because she's in the "open" (in her cage, yes, but not in a hide waiting to ambush prey outside the door) that
she feels too exposed & that's why she hesitates to eat. So yes, leave the f/t prey in her cage overnight, hopefully it will be gone by morning. Also, for
some snakes, the motion may be too much: some snakes love to grab prey that wiggles, but others back away, especially if they've only been fed f/t.

What I'd do is offer later evening, preferably when she is in her hide, either one. (does she hang out in her hides?) When you see she's in a hide, slightly
jiggle the prey outside the doorway of the hide...you may get her attention but if you don't, just leave it there. Many shy snakes LOVE to be in their hides
and grab prey that saunters past their doorway. What substrate are you using? you might put down a small paper plate or plastic food container lid to
leave the prey on, so she can pick it up easily without eating loose substrate.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

It sounds to me as if she wants to eat but because she's in the "open" (in her cage, yes, but not in a hide waiting to ambush prey outside the door) that
she feels too exposed & that's why she hesitates to eat. So yes, leave the f/t prey in her cage overnight, hopefully it will be gone by morning. Also, for
some snakes, the motion may be too much: some snakes love to grab prey that wiggles, but others back away, especially if they've only been fed f/t.

What I'd do is offer later evening, preferably when she is in her hide, either one. (does she hang out in her hides?) When you see she's in a hide, slightly
jiggle the prey outside the doorway of the hide...you may get her attention but if you don't, just leave it there. Many shy snakes LOVE to be in their hides
and grab prey that saunters past their doorway. What substrate are you using? you might put down a small paper plate or plastic food container lid to
leave the prey on, so she can pick it up easily without eating loose substrate.

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I'll definitely give it a shot. We have the cyprus mulch, so I would definitely need something to set the prey on so she doesn't get much of it. She's definitely "shy" from what I noticed on the last successful feeding. She actually prefers to "hang out" on top of her hides rather than inside of them.

Once you offer & leave her food in her cage, turn out the lights & don't peek until morning..."do not disturb". That might help (I hope!). So like, do it
right before you go to bed...some snakes hate to be watched while they're eating, & that makes sense. In the wild, they are vulnerable to predators when
they stop for lunch.

If all else fails ...

Feed in the evening , wait until the Boa is settled UNDER its hide , give the mouse a good 15 second blast with a hairdryer ( have it plugged in close to the viv ) then INSTANTLY dangle the mouse in front of the hide entrance!!

Don't blink !

If it doesn't grab it first time simply repeat the process exactly until it takes it .


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IT WORKED!!! So I tried feeding her a little bit bigger of a mouse last night, "small mouse" from Petsmart actually. She wouldn't take it as usual, so I decided to just leave it in there overnight. Came out this morning and she was all wrapped up in her hot hide with a nice fat belly.

Thank you for the suggestion!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tpot

IT WORKED!!! So I tried feeding her a little bit bigger of a mouse last night, "small mouse" from Petsmart actually. She wouldn't take it as usual, so I decided to just leave it in there overnight. Came out this morning and she was all wrapped up in her hot hide with a nice fat belly.

Thank you for the suggestion!

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Well whatever works is GOOD :)


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