Hate it when they do this... I know I'm not the only one

The strength of a boa is one of their traits that had me so interested in them at first. But it seems the older (and stronger) this little guy gets the more common it is for him the pop his rats open when he constricts them. I don't defrost my rats in water or heat them up with a blow dryer. I guess I'm just venting not really looking for answers but I'll gladly listen to your ideas lol. He is the only snake we have that has to make absolutely sure his dead rat is actually dead. Although his feeding response is very entertaining, the smell of a popped open rat lingering around isn't too pleasant. This is the first time he let the rat go though. When I went to pick it up because I didn't want clumps of eco earth stuck in/on the rat he struck at it and that was it.

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Assuming you are feeding f/t, how are you heating the rats? Normally when they explode like that it's because they've gotten too hot.

I'll have a snake pop a feeder once or twice a year and yes it's disgusting to clean up - and it's a PITA because the rodent smell stays in the enclosure so you have to move a foody snake to clean up the mess.

I don't heat them at all. I put them in the fridge the day before feeding then leave them on the counter for a couple hours to get them up to room temp before feeding

Who's the supplier?

I've had one bust open on me before. Vicky loves to squeeze the holy heck out of her food and she also somehow pulls the head of the rats while holding the read hips in her coil. Well it finally happened and she broke one open. Luckily the intestines stayed in place more or less and she swallowed it all without too much of a mess. And double lucky it was on top of her hide so I only had to scrub that thing as well as her later. But yeah, that smell sticks around for awhile.

Rick krumrine and squeals on wheels are the two sources I buy my rats from. But I've never had issues with my other snakes. He just constricts for a lot longer than any of the others

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

she also somehow pulls the head of the rats

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That's pretty gnarly although would probably be a PITA as well

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Originally Posted by ShaneSilva

Rick krumrine and squeals on wheels are the two sources I buy my rats from. But I've never had issues with my other snakes. He just constricts for a lot longer than any of the others

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Ok people have had issues with some vendors where their stock ended up thawing and re-freezing in transit, which made for some real gnarly feeders later, but I know both of those sellers and that wouldn't be a problem.

Maybe try transitioning to rabbits, if you can get them in the correct weight for your boa. They're tougher, I've never had one destroyed and that's even with my retics hitting them like the fist of an angry god.

Will definitely try him on rabbits once he's big enough

another reason why i dont like f/t. Im a live guy all the way, just gotta watch them and be at the ready.

I once fed my 6 year old ball python this one rat who after he was wrapped up he had his teeth sunken deep into his neck, i tried to get him off by he had him wrapped so tight i couldt, i thought for sure there was gonna be serious damage, but after he let him go, that rats teeth never even got to pierce the skin.

You gotta remember that snakes skin are very resilient and can take a beating. They dont eat frozen thawed or "knocked out" mice in the wild....

honestly my only concern with feeding life is if they catch an eye, but thats a risk im willing to take because another thing is, kinda disgusting have a freezer full of dead mice, just the thought of that makes me irk

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Originally Posted by FrankieCarbone

another reason why i dont like f/t. Im a live guy all the way, just gotta watch them and be at the ready.

I once fed my 6 year old ball python this one rat who after he was wrapped up he had his teeth sunken deep into his neck, i tried to get him off by he had him wrapped so tight i couldt, i thought for sure there was gonna be serious damage, but after he let him go, that rats teeth never even got to pierce the skin.

You gotta remember that snakes skin are very resilient and can take a beating. They dont eat frozen thawed or "knocked out" mice in the wild....

honestly my only concern with feeding life is if they catch an eye, but thats a risk im willing to take because another thing is, kinda disgusting have a freezer full of dead mice, just the thought of that makes me irk

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If you keep frozen mice in a freezer , they're always kept apart from normal food stuff and either kept in sealed plastic boxes or vacuum packed plastic bags .
Some will have a separate little fridge .

I don't have an issue feeding live but it is a lot cheaper and convenient for me. I don't really care to breed my own rats and I have a f/t supplier with great prices. Live feeders from a pet store are ridiculously expensive IMO. Also I don't keep any frozen rats with my own food. I have a deep freezer in the garage just for snake and dog food(my dog is on a raw diet). I appreciate the input but this is just the easiest way for me.

Luckily he hasn't popped a lot of rats lately but he has ripped the tail off a couple when he striked and coiled so fast half of the tail was stuck in the hemostats

It happens sometimes, and yes it truly stinks. I've run into the situation unfortunately a couple times myself. Long as it isn't a regular occurrence, I rack it up to part of the "game".

That's very weird. I have some hard strikers/wrappers and the only time one 'popped' was because I had warmed it in too hot of water.
I was thinking leaving it sitting on the counter too long might make it start to go bad/get weak? I don't know, that's very strange though.

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Originally Posted by FrankieCarbone

They dont eat frozen thawed or "knocked out" mice in the wild....

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Snakes have been known to eat carrion in the wild.

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Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

I was thinking leaving it sitting on the counter too long might make it start to go bad/get weak? I don't know, that's very strange though

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I leave them in the fridge for a day or two depending on the size of the rat to defrost then just leave them sitting out to bring them to room temp.