To feed or not to feed

[mackynz]

So I realized late last night that the person working at the reptile store gave me large (maybe jumbo) rats when I stopped in earlier Sunday. My girl is only ~1500g and the rats are around 235-250g which is I think much too large as that's over 15% body weight (I know you don't go by that with boas).

The problem is every day I have work at 8 and class after with only enough time to get from work to class and I get home at around 10pm. The shop I get rats from is closed by that point so I'm not sure what to do. The earliest I could get more would be Friday and part of me says just hold off until then, she ate one that was ~140g last Monday. But another part of me says that in the wild she would eat whatever came along and be fine overeating one week.

What do you all think I should do?

[Sita]

I personally think you'd be fine feeding the smallest one, and just waiting a longer time between feedings. At that weight, you're probably close to when it's recommended to start feeding every 2 weeks rather than weekly. The other option is to just not feed and get smaller ones when you can, and in a few months or so, use the bigger ones. Jumbo rat weight starts around 275g. by the way.

Assuming it's a BCI, their guideline is to feed something that gives them a slight bulge, so watch how it looks.

This is the feeding info I used when I first got Ryuu and it worked out very well for him. You'll have to scroll down a bit: http://www.redtailboas.com/content/1...ew-online.html

[DooLittle]

I would hold off till Friday. She will be fine. I personally would hold mine off a few days more, rather than feed too large of a meal. With boas its best if it leaves no bulge. A tiny bulge is ok, but none is better, imo.

[Evenstar]

I would hold off till Friday. She will be fine. I personally would hold mine off a few days more, rather than feed too large of a meal. With boas its best if it leaves no bulge. A tiny bulge is ok, but none is better, imo.

This.

Your boa will be perfectly fine waiting until Friday. It is better for them to wait longer for their meal than to eat something that is too big. And at 1500 grams, you could easily go every 10-14 days between feedings. In fact, I highly recommend you DO go to every 10 days.

[mackynz]

Thanks for the responses (and link) everyone. I had stopped checking the thread apparently right as you all started posting. I may have held off if I had seen the posts first, but she was giving me her best 'feed my now' face and I gave in. I gave her the smallest one which was 217g and she took it down just fine, it left a small lump, the medium rats usually didn't leave a lump. Anyway she got it down quickly and proceeded to prowl around a bit and watch me closely which is what she always does when she's hungry, I think she would eat herself dead if I let her.

I'll hold off on feeding for a longer period, get smaller rats and re-evaluate here schedule.

I swear she would try to take down a capybara if she got the chance

Thanks again!

[Evenstar]

That's a boa for you.

Sounds like you're on the right track.