Switching boa from live to F/T. Easy?

[Alexandra V]

I know boas are a lot less picky with their food than bps, and the boa I'm picking up only eats live. I'd like to switch her to F/T and I'm wondering... is it really as easy as everyone says?

Also, would I be fine with offering her F/T on her first feeding with me? I don't have a problem with feeding live a couple times, but just thinking it might be nicer to just get her on F/T as soon as possible (my mom feels bad about her eating live).

[dryates]

Let me be completely honest in sayin I bought my first ball, a norm, at the beginning of September, my first boa, hypo pastel rtb, the beginning of November, and my first burm, albino green, less then a month ago, very minimal experience but all of them have perfect husbandry by caresheets, I am getting my burm better, and I am probably biased, because to switch mine All I did was feed a ft rat rather then a live they took the first time, and have never skipped a meal! Very easy 1st time all three of them. People say switching is hard but I think If they don't go the first time persistence is key. What I do
And this may not work for you but all I do is take them out of the freezer put them in hot water some say not to but I've never had a problem, and idk y they say this, I let them sit till they are completely thawed and warm whe. I squeeze the belly you must not feel any cold, a small rat takes about 10-20 minutes, a rat pup about 5-10 min and a medium about 30 minutes, then I ring them out, give em a little squeeze, wipe off with paper towl, then dry them with a hair dryer for a few minutes making sure to spend a little extra and the last bit on the head so the can strike the head, I have never had a single problem with this method, and it doesn't take hrs, some people just let them thaw out under lights or just on the cabinet, I am not gonna do that! This is a combination of two methods I found and works perfect for me, but this should work for you just don't get them too hot, they should be warm to touch not hot!

[Alexandra V]

Let me be completely honest in sayin I bought my first ball, a norm, at the beginning of September, my first boa, hypo pastel rtb, the beginning of November, and my first burm, albino green, less then a month ago, very minimal experience but all of them have perfect husbandry by caresheets, I am getting my burm better, and I am probably biased, because to switch mine All I did was feed a ft rat rather then a live they took the first time, and have never skipped a meal! Very easy 1st time all three of them. People say switching is hard but I think If they don't go the first time persistence is key. What I do
And this may not work for you but all I do is take them out of the freezer put them in hot water some say not to but I've never had a problem, and idk y they say this, I let them sit till they are completely thawed and warm whe. I squeeze the belly you must not feel any cold, a small rat takes about 10-20 minutes, a rat pup about 5-10 min and a medium about 30 minutes, then I ring them out, give em a little squeeze, wipe off with paper towl, then dry them with a hair dryer for a few minutes making sure to spend a little extra and the last bit on the head so the can strike the head, I have never had a single problem with this method, and it doesn't take hrs, some people just let them thaw out under lights or just on the cabinet, I am not gonna do that! This is a combination of two methods I found and works perfect for me, but this should work for you just don't get them too hot, they should be warm to touch not hot!

Thanks. I know how to do F/T (my ball is on it, I have it down to an artform lol). I just couldn't believe it was that easy with boas lol Thanks again.

[Vypyrz]

I only had to switch 2 of mine and they both took F/T the first time. Something that I noticed, and maybe it's just my boas, but one is real picky about the temperature of the rat. My Dumerils, he doesn't care. As long as it is thawed, he will take it without me heating it up any. The Caulker Cay will constrict and eat with only a 20-30 second blast of the hair dryer on the prey. The Costa Rican, on the other hand, prefers it alot hotter. If it isn't hot enough, he will constrict it but not eat, in which case, I just wait about 2-3 hours and re-heat the rat and try to get it in the enclosure quicker. Usually it takes about 60-90 seconds with the blow dryer to get it warm enough. I can only guess that because their room temp is about 80F, I am basically just heating the rat up to somewhere above room temp. So, if you notice your boa constricting and then not eating, that's something to consider...

[DemmBalls]

My Boa was extremely easy to switch. After dealing with finicky ball pythons for years, working with my Boa has been a walk in the park! Never misses a meal! Good luck!

[Crazy4Herps]

Both of my boas took f/t for their first feedings with me. Picky boas are not unheard of, but unlike bp's, the VAST majority are wonderful feeders. Both of mine are. I keep telling the balls they should be more like the boas, but they don't listen to me.