Are Dumerils good eaters?

I have three ball pythons and would really like more variety. I am thinking of selling my two adult balls and getting a Dum. I will keep my young ball as he was my first snake and my daughter is very attatched to him.

I ask the question because I hear Balls don't like to eat in the winter months due to a semi hybernation state they go through. I wouldn't mind it but I won't house rats cause they are a pain in the butt and I have to drive 30 miles to my friends reptile store to feed them there. If they don't eat, no big deal, I'm not out any money. Right now they haven't eaten for 6 weeks, which I've heard isn't all that uncommon for adults. I know some will say the drive could be stressing out the snakes, but in the summer they eat every week when I take them to my friends store. He even said non of his Balls for sale are eating either.

My Red Tail is an eating machine! She'd eat 4 rat pups if I would let her.

Wow...I guess I got a little of track there..anyway, I love the look of the dumeril and want to know if they eat like other Boa's!

Sorry for the excesivly long post:D

Well, I have two dumerils, both I've had over a year.. I can only remember one time when the female refused food.. the male ALWAYS eats. They're eating machines. Fantastic animals too.. laid back, drop dead gorgeous, and nice sized without being huge.

Thats what I was hoping. I hope to get a beautiful sage colored dum at the local reptile store if I can find a good home for my two adult Balls.

The wait is killing me. I'm afraid he'll sell the one I want and the wife said no more snakes unless I get rid of one. I really only have room for one more anyway!:(

Why don't you offer to put a deposit on the one at the store so they hold it for you?

The important thing with dums is that they can be a pita to get eating when they are first born. I had two that had never ate before I got them, my dumb mistake, and it took me awhile to get them eating. Just make sure they are already established eaters and you will be fine. Dumerils are the MOST obese boa in captivity. They aren't the eaters that other boas can be. My 1.5 year old girls only eat every other week and are firm, strong and healthy dumerils. I love dumerils, they are very relaxed and gentle snakes. Good luck!

Ah yes.. I got both of my dums as adults, so I forgot that they can be difficult to start. I've read that they do well if they are housed with a deep layer of aspen to burrow in.. they seem to like to ambush their food that way.

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Originally Posted by Shelby

Ah yes.. I got both of my dums as adults, so I forgot that they can be difficult to start. I've read that they do well if they are housed with a deep layer of aspen to burrow in.. they seem to like to ambush their food that way.

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;) no prob.

Could you post some pics of you holding them. Are they smaller than a BCI?

They're decent sized boas. My female is 7.5' and 21lbs

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../bellatrix.jpg

Something to remember, April's are a rarity...they usually don't get that big. Hers are the only ones I've ever seen get over 6 ft.

A 4.5 foot male is normal or a (maybe) 6 ft female is normal.

My male is only about 5' and hasn't grown much. I didn't know my Bellatrix was so unusual. She is a big girl!

Oh yeah! They don't really get over six feet usually.