control of growth?

i read on some site that there is a healthy way to control the growth of the boa meaning that it wont get to be 7-8 foot. it said that when the boa is young, feed him weekly and when he gets to be about 5 ft, feed less. is there any truth to this? wouldnt that be like starving the snake?

The method reduces food intake in order to reduce growth. It would work with any creature even humans. Enough food is supplied to provide energy for body functions but no excess food is supplied to fuel growth...so it would not starve to death.

Personally, I would never even consider this method of feeding, and I have a general dislike of people that do. If you keep an animal, it should be fed properly. Trying to slow or limit growth is selfish on the keepers part....they need to consider the size that their snake can get before they even consider buying it instead of trying to force the snake to suit their wants. People that limit feeding in order to 'keep their snakes small' should not own that snake in the first place. If you get a reptile, you should plan on it reaching its maximum size....anything less is bad reptile keeping.

thats what i thought. i knew that there was something wrong with that article.

Very well said Daniel!

I completely agree with this. You always need to plan for the maximum size of any species of snake you choose. To control it's growth, either by denying food or "power feeding" for me personally is just wrong in so many ways.

Feed the snake appropriately as you would any pet in your home. It will grow to it's adult length as it's genetics programmed it to do and you'll have a happy, healthy snake whatever size it eventually attains.


~~Jo~~

I don't know why people would want to limit a snake's size in the first place. Big snakes rule! Also, power feeding only screws them up worse than starving them. Regurg!

I wish someone had controlled my feeding. Damn size 14 shoes are hard to find!!

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Originally Posted by jglass38

I wish someone had controlled my feeding. Damn size 14 shoes are hard to find!!

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LOLOL! Yeah, definately need to start controlling my feeding and lose a few pounds!

Hi everybody, I love red tail's but I was not interested in the potential size so I bought my dumeril instead big size difference. Smaller sometimes is better for some people.

i cant wait for my girl to get her full length...