hog island boa feed size

[cereal]

what does a hatchling hog island generally eat?
I know it's going to vary because not all hatchlings are the same weight but I need to buy my frozen feeders before buying the actual snake

rat hoppers? too big?

[Sauzo]

Rat hoppers are WAY too big. I would start on fuzzy mice and upgrade if you need to. Think most normal boas babies start on hopper mice.

[KevinK]

Completely depends on the size of the snake , like most species you want a prey item that leaves a slight bulge. For new babies, mouse hoppers are usually more appropriate....I would wait until you can actually see what you're dealing with. Rat hoppers I would think are going to be too big to start.

Edit: Sauzo nailed it lol. Lightning fast like Caesar at feed time XD

[Sauzo]

Completely depends on the size of the snake , like most species you want a prey item that leaves a slight bulge. For new babies, mouse hoppers are usually more appropriate....I would wait until you can actually see what you're dealing with. Rat hoppers I would think are going to be too big to start.

Edit: Sauzo nailed it lol. Lightning fast like Caesar at feed time XD

Ugh, feeding Caesar is not one of the fun things of owning a retic. Every time i feed him, my heart pace rises as i pray he doesnt miss the prey and latch onto me. Even though i use a door as a shield, that guy can cover some serious ground fast and has a strike distance even farther lol.

[KevinK]

Ugh, feeding Caesar is not one of the fun things of owning a retic. Every time i feed him, my heart pace rises as i pray he doesnt miss the prey and latch onto me. Even though i use a door as a shield, that guy can cover some serious ground fast and has a strike distance even farther lol.

I feel like you need a Youtube channel strictly for Caesar alone. I think he could pay the bills with good footage !

[Sauzo]

...I should!!

[bcr229]

If you are buying it ask the seller what it is eating now and how often.

If you have a gravid female then get mouse fuzzies and hoppers in case some babies come out underdeveloped, which happens if they don't absorb all their yolk.

[CloudtheBoa]

I'd say either mouse hoppers or mouse fuzzies, some boas are born very small and hoppers may be too big. I start all my boas on mice until they can take weaned rats, the mice are more fully formed and a boa can take a non-nursing rodent much quicker on mice vs rats. My boas are normally taking hoppers up until they're 9-11 months old, and then are on weaned rats by about 1.5-2 years old. From there, I might see one prey size increase per year, and then I stop at large rats. No jumbo mice, jumbo rats, pinky mice/rats, Guinea pigs, pigs, or hamsters, due to fat content. If my boas outgrow large rats, I either jump to 1 lb rabbits, or feed a jumbo every third feeding (so large-large then jumbo). My biggest is 7', so none of my boas are eating anything bigger than regular larges (150-275 grams) yet.

I also start my boas on 10-14 days from birth. The first 1-3 meals can be spaced out by 7 days, but I prefer to feed my boas a little less often. I have noticed similar growth in my boas fed half as often as other keeper's boas fed every 7 days (when fed similar-sized meals as I do).