Jill needs some help!

[Bogertophis]

As above...I'd wait a week, personally. Hopefully the "snack" will perk up her appetite. Hope so.

[dakski]

I picked up a pair of dwarf boas at March Tinley this year and they started off great! For the first 4 weeks I had them they both ate a f/t mouse hopper every Thursday and I had them in 6 qt tubs. After the 4 weeks I moved them into 15 qt tubs since those wouldn't need lids in the rack. That was 7 weeks ago and my male still slams his hopper every week. Jill on the other hand, she stopped eating as soon as I did that. After about 3 or 4 weeks of her not eating I moved her back into the 6qt tub and still no luck. I've tried mouse pinkies and hoppers and just recently a rat fuzzy and still nothing. She doesn't even seem interested. She's 56 grams today and like an idiot I didn't weigh her when I got her and I've barely touched her since she's not eating so im not sure if she's lost any weight but she doesn't look thin or anything. Hot spot is 90-92 and ambient side is 79-81. Im at a total loss here and im freaking out since today has been 7 weeks since she's eaten and she's only 9 months old! Thank you if you've read all this and I really appreciate any help offered.

A few things.

1. Is there a proper gradient of temps in the tub? In other words is there enough room for her to get to a 85F spot and curl up, etc.?

2. Does she use the 90-92F hot spot? Both my boas rarely will use the hot side except to digest and then prefer 87-90F. They spend most of their time in 78-80F cool side or 84F middle.

3. What's humidity? That's another important factor for Boas - some species more than others.

4. How are you defrosting and offering prey?

5. How often are you offering prey?

Any information you can give would be helpful in trying to help.

P.S. I saw she ate a live mouse - but Boas usually don't care. I am wondering on all the above still, especially how you are defrosting and offering the F/T.

[Toad37]

A few things.

1. Is there a proper gradient of temps in the tub? In other words is there enough room for her to get to a 85F spot and curl up, etc.?

2. Does she use the 90-92F hot spot? Both my boas rarely will use the hot side except to digest and then prefer 87-90F. They spend most of their time in 78-80F cool side or 84F middle.

3. What's humidity? That's another important factor for Boas - some species more than others.

4. How are you defrosting and offering prey?

5. How often are you offering prey?

Any information you can give would be helpful in trying to help.

P.S. I saw she ate a live mouse - but Boas usually don't care. I am wondering on all the above still, especially how you are defrosting and offering the F/T.

1. Yes she has a gradient of 90ish hot side and around 82 cool side.

2. Ive seen her using both sides. She hovers on the cool side more often but still uses her hide on the warm side often.

3. Humidity stays around 50-60% usually unless someone is going into shed then I bump it to 70 or 80.

4. I usually take the already thawed mouse out if the fridge and warm it up in hot water to about 100-105 degrees.

5. I offer prey once a week on the same day every week.

I thought about this recently tho. I work 2nd shift so I usually offer in the morning sometime. But when she ate the live mouse it was in the evening when my wife gave it to her. Could it be because she's nocturnal? Maybe I should start offering after work instead of before?

[dakski]

I feed all my snakes at night. All are nocturnal. Including boas.

[Toad37]

I feed all my snakes at night. All are nocturnal. Including boas.

I'm not sure why that never dawned on me lol. It could be because I've never had a problem feeding during the day that I didn't associate it with being an issue. I will definitely start trying that. Thank you so much!

[bns]

Update: I tried to feed her a f/ttoday after not offering last week and once again she adamantly refused. Butthis evening she was offered a live fuzzy and took it!! So she finally ateafter 9 weeks! Only problem is the closest place to get one is about an hour'sdrive from me. So now I have a couple questions if anyone can help.

1. What would've caused her to be turned off of f/t aftereating 4 weeks in a row for me? Was it just a fluke with the live mouse or issomething different (other than the love part of course) between the two?
2. Where do I go from here? Do I keep offering live? And forhow long? Should I try to offer a f/t next week or not? Can I choo choo trainand try to get her back on f/t? Thank you everyone for all.ur help!

It sounds like you are headed on the right track but thiscould derail and I want to clear some things up...

1. Your boa was doing fine until the move to a largertub...that was the first problem...loss of security. Hungry critters of goodhealth will eat if they feel secure.

The second problem, and you can kill a young insecure boa bydoing it, was forcing the issue. Never chase or tap the snake with itsfood...there is a reason the boa is not eating, causing fear and stress is notthe way to fix the issue. Do not put a fearful boa in a separate enclosure tofeed.

This boa is a little insecure, treat her as such (less or nohandling, don't mess with her a few days before feeding and definitely notuntil a meal is digested) -she will come around if you're patient. There is oneplace a young boa should feel secure (in her tub)...make that happen.

To keep this boa on the right track: Stick withthe proper prey size and move feedings out to two weeks (you want her to behungry with a strong feeding response). The only 'game' I would play with heris put the food near a vent on the outside of the enclosure. Come back in anhour or so and give it a go. I used to breed rats in the basement. I could goin the basement for just a minute, not touch anything, then go into the snakeroom and the boas would try to eat me without ever opening an enclosure door.Their sense of smell is incredible...use it

[Toad37]

Just wanted to update. As dakski reminded, boas are nocturnal (not sure why or how I forgot that lol). So I heated up a mouse this evening (instead of this morning) for both of them the male took no problem like always. I took Jill's mouse and just put it in her tub with her. When I opened it and put the mouse in she backed up so I didn't even attempt the "zombie dance". I just gently put in by her hide and closed her up. I told myself I would check on her in the morning but curiosity got the best of me! I went in the room a few hours later and just shined a dim flashlight in her tub and the mouse was gone! I guess she just doesn't like an audience and would prefer to eat at night; dually noted. Thank you everyone for all your help!!

[Bogertophis]

Hooray! She'll probably get braver as she grows older too, but at least you've got her number now.

[Toad37]

I sure hope she does. I'm still goin to keep handling to a minimum. Only to clean the tub or giver her a soak if she needs it. Just got her back on track I'd hate to mess that up by feeding my own desires!

[Bogertophis]

I sure hope she does. I'm still goin to keep handling to a minimum. Only to clean the tub or giver her a soak if she needs it. Just got her back on track I'd hate to mess that up by feeding my own desires!

Oh, for sure! A snake that's too shy to eat isn't ready for handling...but patience usually pays off.