Question on feeding

[xFenrir]

I had mentioned a bit ago about how someone had unplugged the mini-freezer and ruined my whole feeder supply. It's feeding time now for my boa and the expo where we usually get our feeders hasn't come around again yet (it's once a month) so we have to get something from the pet store to tide her over. We've gotten frozen feeders from them before, but they're those prepackaged ones, and more often than not they smell a little funnier than usual dead rats and often have been cut open before they were frozen. It just makes me feel uneasy, so I was thinking of getting her a live rat this time. I'm not worried about her eating (she's a boa, I'm sure whether it's dead or alive before I give it to her doesn't really matter to her) but I've never fed live before. Do you think it's a bad idea and I should just go with the frozen or give her a live one?

[Kodieh]

If it were me, I'd just get the frozen. You may or may not run into the chance of the boa wanting more live. But, like you said live or not, it should eat. So, either way isn't bad, but consistency possibly could be key.


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[xFenrir]

EDIT: I should probably mention that my girl's around 3 years old (and assumedly eaten frozen, she was a rescue so I have no idea what they fed her before I got her, but she took frozen with no hesitation) so I don't know if that would affect what she would eat. I've heard (and seen) that boas are NOT picky about what they eat, as long as it's warm and fleshy they want it. I mean, with her being the age she is, would she not go back to frozen if I gave her live just once?

[PyramidPythons]

I have fed my male BCI a few live smaller rats before and he slams them just as hard as he does his frozen. When I switched him back over to his frozen, he slammed those just as well. I dunno if yours would become a picky eater, but it has been my experience that these guys are pretty much garbage pails. Even if you chose the frozen, it would probably be ok. I feed frozen 99% of the time for the safety of it, so I think it really comes down to what you're willing to try.

[Andybill]

EDIT: I should probably mention that my girl's around 3 years old (and assumedly eaten frozen, she was a rescue so I have no idea what they fed her before I got her, but she took frozen with no hesitation) so I don't know if that would affect what she would eat. I've heard (and seen) that boas are NOT picky about what they eat, as long as it's warm and fleshy they want it. I mean, with her being the age she is, would she not go back to frozen if I gave her live just once?

If you feed her live she will most likely eat F/T the next time she is offered. If she was a Dumerils I would say that she may prefer live, as in my experience dums are the most picky eaters of all boas...

[heathers*bps]

We haven't had a probably going back and forth with our boas either. I'm sure she will be fine with live this time.

[TheWinWizard]

Why not put it in a sack and whack it?

[dart]

We haven't had a probably going back and forth with our boas either. I'm sure she will be fine with live this time.

x2. Boas don't tend to care who, what, how or why they are fed. Just make sure you're careful, when I feed live to my adults it's like a train slamming into a smart car. Not something you'll want your hands near. I just crack open the door and slide the rat down the glass in the opposite side of the cage.

[xFenrir]

Thanks everyone! I've just heard really iffy stuff about frozen feeders from petstores, so I was debating. I guess it'll just come down to which one's less expensive then.

(she knows it's feeding day, she's "begging" by the doors and tracking anything that moves, the pig. )

[MrLang]

Why not put it in a sack and whack it?

By this you mean lay it flat on its stomach, grab it behind the head, and give the base of the tail a very firm and deliberate yank to HUMANELY sever the spinal column... right?