Lilian, my new little BCI

Depends on the boa, Boa constrictor can't handle bigger prey and feeding a rat fuzzy to Suriname or other Boa constrictor of OPs size would result in a regurge. Boa imperator are a little more tolerant but even they can react badly to big prey, depending on the individual.

Maybe I'm not giving pinkies enough credit but then again I see no problem with starting on mice especially with the fat content and milk belly of pinks. Personal preference I guess.


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Well like I said in my previous post, I was referring to BCI, not BCC.

Mice are fine, I have fed them to litters I had in the past. I just noticed that over the years rats seem result in better growth.

Maybe, I'm kinda interested in testing it out myself. I've only got two imperators atm, so it's hardly anything to go off of.

I started Cloud out on rat pinks every 5 days and I'm still getting better growth and body condition out of my other BCI started on mouse hoppers eating every 7-10 days with 1-2 months where I fed her biweekly. She's getting ready to be moved up a size and she could still easily outstrip his growth from his first year with me.

I don't have the means to raise a bunch of boa babies right now, but in a few years if I'm ready to breed or simply get more boas, I'd like to further test out rat vs mouse growth rates.


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Good discussion.

I have a friend here that knows Gus Rentfro fairly well and has 2 Suriname BCC that Gus produced.

His recommendation for BCC is to stick with mice for the first year.

My BCI was already eating small rats before his first birthday in contrast to the above advice.

Less is more with boas, but BCI are rarely delicate like certain BCC and can handle more.

I don't think either of my imperators will be eating small rats by their first b-day. Cloud was only on rat pups I think after I had him a year, eating a rat pink to rat pup every 5 days. I fed them off to him as soon as their eyes were fully open at that age, since I raised my own rats (only reason I started him on rats). He was only 2'7".

Nymeria is growing a bit faster, but I'm not sure she'll be on small rats by then either. I have no doubt she'll be started on rats by then - rat pups or weaned, but I don't think small rats is a realistic goal for her. But we'll see, it's been awhile since I had a baby and she's still got 4 months and a food bump coming. She'll still be well within the average yearling size regardless.


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Heck my 3 year old girl just went to weaned rabbits and she loves them. After the first feeding, she went into shed. let the growth spurt begin :P My 2 year old sunglow is still on small rats. I have fed both my gals rats and mice and haven't really noticed a difference. I never have fed pinkie rats though. The smallest any of my gals have eaten have been hopper mice or fuzzy rats. I personally don't think it makes a difference. The amount of time they will be on something that small is going to be pretty short. I believe more in a varied diet. I sometimes still feed my sunglow gal a large mouse once a week and then vary it up to a small rat every 2 weeks. My Colombian girl is going to get rabbits for probably 3-4 feedings as they are new and she seems to really love them, so much so, she actually hissed and pulled the rabbit away when I was trying to pick aspen off it while she was swallowing lol. She never did that with rats. After that I will vary her with a few rats here and there and rabbits and if I can find a local quail guy, i'll probably try quail for her.

It depends on the snake to an extent, though I'd never push a BCC.

This is my fella 2 days before his 1st B-day. This actually may be a medium rat.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/DSC00426.jpg

He is a lean, loaf and looks like a piece of ribbon.

I have to reiterate that I feed using a feast/famine method that includes various types and sizes of prey. That is also coupled with some very long periods without food.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/DSC00428.jpg

I was going to post another picture but feel I've thrown this thread off course.



O/P, I think you have a wonderful new boa. I recommend you feed conservatively and get to know your snake.

A large meal here and there will not typically hurt a BCI, but you need to be aware they will need time to fully "clean out".


They grow fast, but there is nothing wrong with a 10-14 day schedule.

Also to note, different places size rats differently. What might be a small to one shop is a weanling to others as in some just lump weanlings and small into 1 size. So I always visually check them out but I also go into the reptile shop with my own buckets and they toss in live of what size I ask for so I can check them out before leaving. The rabbits though are F/T as I haven't gotten the nerve up yet to pre kill rabbits :P Also I did 10-14 days up to 1 year with my gal, then 14-21 days up to 2 years. Then after that, its 3-4 weeks per feeding. This is averaged though as sometimes they get smaller food more quickly and sometimes larger food on a longer schedule. Anyways, I'm perpetuating this off topic even further, sorry lol.

Well, I fed her a rat pinkie! On the first attempt she struck it but didn't get a good bite, and swung it into her water dish (she was on her vine at the time), and let go after struggling for a moment. I warmed the rat back up and let her have another go at it, and she got it better that time. Took her a bit to get it pointed down her throat properly, but she got it. Now she's spread out along the edge of the tub in her usual spot. I'll let her digest for now! :)

Grats. I figured she would eat pretty easily. About the only time a boa wont eat is if its sick. Otherwise they seem to not really care where they are as long as food is incoming ;)