Dumerils Boa-Feeding Advice

[KWenger]

I received my male Dumerils yesterday and he seems very healthy. He was shipped cross country from Los Angeles to my home in North Carolina and arrived in great shape. I'm not sure of his exact age, but I think he is about a year old. Apx. 4 feet long and he weighs 564 grams. How often should I feed him? What is an appropriate size prey item? I have a quantity of frozen weaned rats (ave weight 50 grams) and also frozen med. rats (ave weight 150 grams.) What would you recommend for his feeding schedule? Should I feed him in his cage or remove him to a feeding box? I'm thinking one weaned rat might be too little for a meal, but is a 150 gram rat too big for him? I've got experience with BPs and corn snakes, but this is my first Dumerils. Advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[hypnotixdmp]

You can just feed him a prey size that would barely put a bulge in his stomach. At that age, feed every 10-14 days!

[rocknhorse76]

At 4 feet, he's between 2 and 3 years old, as Dumeril's grow quite a bit slower than other boas. He sounds a bit thin, but not terribly so.

Feed him every 2 weeks in his enclosure

A small rat would be more appropriate, but as long as the mediums aren't substantially larger than the snake's widest girth, the mediums may be ok. The rat should produce a noticeable lump in the snake, but shouldn't persist for more than about 4 days or so.

Give him a couple weeks to settle in before you handle or feed him, and don't handle him for about 48 hours after every feeding.

Oh, and post some pics of him!!!

[KWenger]

Thanks for the feeding advice. Rocknhorse, you're absolutely correct about his age. I just checked with the breeder and he told me he will be three years old in September. I didn't realize Dumerils grew quite that slowly. I understand snakes continue to grow some their entire lives, but at about what age can I expect my Dum to be more or less "full grown?"

[BFE Pets]

At 4 feet, he's between 2 and 3 years old, as Dumeril's grow quite a bit slower than other boas. He sounds a bit thin, but not terribly so.

Feed him every 2 weeks in his enclosure

A small rat would be more appropriate, but as long as the mediums aren't substantially larger than the snake's widest girth, the mediums may be ok. The rat should produce a noticeable lump in the snake, but shouldn't persist for more than about 4 days or so.

Give him a couple weeks to settle in before you handle or feed him, and don't handle him for about 48 hours after every feeding.

Oh, and post some pics of him!!!

I agree with everything except for this: "should produce a noticeable lump in the snake, but shouldn't persist for more than about 4 days or so." I believe any boa should not be fed any meal that makes a noticable lump. I tend to feed smaller meals to boas. generally a meal that isnt noticeable at all or just barely. also if it takes 4 days for the lump to disappear it was to large of a meal. imo. Boas especially dumerils have a much slower metabolism than balls or even rtb's. from what i've seen most dumerils seem to peak out around 6 or 7 years old where they just dont seem to grow much at all.

[Evenstar]

I agree with everything except for this: "should produce a noticeable lump in the snake, but shouldn't persist for more than about 4 days or so." I believe any boa should not be fed any meal that makes a noticable lump. I tend to feed smaller meals to boas. generally a meal that isnt noticeable at all or just barely. also if it takes 4 days for the lump to disappear it was to large of a meal. imo. Boas especially dumerils have a much slower metabolism than balls or even rtb's. from what i've seen most dumerils seem to peak out around 6 or 7 years old where they just dont seem to grow much at all.

I agree!! ^^^

Very good advice so far....