Feeding question

Good morning. I just have a quick question. I have had my young boa since February. I have no idea how old he is but assuming around 7 months or so. He currently weighs around 220 grams or so.
I have been feeding him medium to large mice every 7-10 days. At this point the mice I feed him are not large enough to even show a bulge in his belly. I dont believe the large mice purchased from petsmart are really large mice. They differ in size.
So my question is, I just placed an order on perfect prey for 10 jumbo size breeder mice. I dont want to give him something that is too big. Has anyone seen the size of a jumbo mouse? Are they appropriate size for a 220 gram or so boa? I can always just keep in freezer for a few months if I have to. I have read jumbo mice are comparable to a weaned rat.
Thanks for any info.

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Jumbo mice are typically retired breeders, have a high fat content, and for that reason are not recommended for boas. Boas should also not have a sizeable lump, if any lump, after consuming prey.

In regards to them being a comparable size to a weaned rat, both of my boas at two years old are eating weaned rats and weigh over 500grams. You 200 gram boa has no business eating something that big


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Read this for a good idea:

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...=feeding+guide

It's the best guide I have found an used. Might not be for everybody but it's close.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 303_enfield

Read this for a good idea:

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...=feeding+guide

It's the best guide I have found an used. Might not be for everybody but it's close.

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Do not use this guide for a boa.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by jmcrook

Do not use this guide for a boa.


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Works fine till they get 600g or so. I use it on a 10 day feeding for the first year because slow is better.

The size prey to weight of snake works for a bunch of snake breeds.

Do you know of one BOA specific?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 303_enfield

Works fine till they get 600g or so. I use it on a 10 day feeding for the first year because slow is better.

The size prey to weight of snake works for a bunch of snake breeds.

Do you know of one BOA specific?

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Yes, I do. Prey item no bigger than the boa’s girth (smaller than girth if adult), gradually more time between feedings as the animal matures, less if any feeding through the winter, and honestly the best schedule is no schedule.

Sometimes my boas eat after 9 days, sometimes 14, sometimes even three weeks.

Every animal is an individual with individual calorie intake requirements that can’t necessarily be addressed with a “prey size (blank) every (x) days”.

Feast and famine according to the behavior and growth of YOUR animals in YOUR care under YOUR conditions is what works best. What works for me in Mississippi very likely will not work for a friend in Minnesota. In other words, be a student of the serpent. Your snake’s behaviors and body conditions will tell you more about what it needs than anyone else can.

Any other boa keepers reading this with questions about feeding, keeping, and natural history of the Boa genus would be well advised to invest in a copy of “The MORE Complete Boa Constrictor” by Vin Russo.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by jmcrook

Yes, I do. Prey item no bigger than the boa’s girth (smaller than girth if adult), gradually more time between feedings as the animal matures, less if any feeding through the winter, and honestly the best schedule is no schedule.

Sometimes my boas eat after 9 days, sometimes 14, sometimes even three weeks.

Every animal is an individual with individual calorie intake requirements that can’t necessarily be addressed with a “prey size (blank) every (x) days”.

Feast and famine according to the behavior and growth of YOUR animals in YOUR care under YOUR conditions is what works best. What works for me in Mississippi very likely will not work for a friend in Minnesota. In other words, be a student of the serpent. Your snake’s behaviors and body conditions will tell you more about what it needs than anyone else can.

Any other boa keepers reading this with questions about feeding, keeping, and natural history of the Boa genus would be well advised to invest in a copy of “The MORE Complete Boa Constrictor” by Vin Russo.


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HMMMMM,,,

Sounds like a Vincent Russo and Gus Rentfro follower.

They are two world authorities on boa constrictors.

This is the advice boa keepers should follow.

If your boa is 220g a jumbo mouse will be a fairly large meal but your boa can get it down. I'd probably feed an adult mouse or rat pup. I feed more by prey size than body weight but they match up fairly evenly anyway.

Thanks everyone for the answers. I actually had perfect prey change the order to large mice. Hopefully they are a tad bigger then the artic mice from petsmart

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by yankeeslover

Thanks everyone for the answers. I actually had perfect prey change the order to large mice. Hopefully they are a tad bigger then the artic mice from petsmart

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You made the right choice, in my experience Large mice weigh around 20grams, the perfect size for your snake.