First Feeding?

[Morris Reese]

I am new to boas and just purchase my first over the weekend. I have experience with bp's, but only have what knowledge I have read about these guys. I am noticing quite a bit of difference in these compared to a bp already. She seems to be settling in quite well. She is an 8 month old 150 gram Monstertail Jungle. She is due to be fed tonight. I just got her Saturday at the Atlanta Repticon show. He told me to let her settle in and wait until next week to feed her. I have noticed 2 things that lead me to believe she is looking for a meal. Last night when I got home she was buried in her substrate with only her head sticking out. Later she was sitting up on her branch with her head peeking out of the ivy looking down below! This tells me she is in hunting mode, correct? I was planning on offering a f/t fuzzy rat that is somewhere around 15-20 grams. Does this sound correct for the size? Should I offer or let her settle in a bit longer?

[Sonny1318]

Most experienced keepers would recommend waiting. But others have had luck on getting to eat first day. If you have a little experience, and really feel it's hungry. Go ahead and give it a try, just try not to stress it. Yes and that sounds about right.

[Morris Reese]

Most experienced keepers would recommend waiting. But others have had luck on getting to eat first day. If you have a little experience, and really feel it's hungry. Go ahead and give it a try, just try not to stress it. Yes and that sounds about right.

Thanks! She did take it.....and very quick! What was the funny part is that she grabbed it by the head and just SNATCHED IT! She did not really constrict it, but just put her body over it for a few minutes and then began eating! I have read that some boas do not constrict if there is not much of a fight from the prey. She may be one of those. She is only 8 months old and seems very docile! TOTALLY different than my bp's!
Thanks again!!!

[Sauzo]

Some do, some don't. My big BCI girl Rosey goes ape poop with her rat and sometimes squeezes it so hard blood comes out of the nose. Vicky is a lot more finicky of a eater and inspects her food first. But as you learned, boas aren't too picky and usually eat anytime, anywhere and pretty much anything. As for size, I would start with whatever size the breeder was feeding or a little smaller for the first couple meals, then upsize to something that leave a slight lump in them. I never used the weight method with my boas, I just fed them stuff that left a small lump as boas do better on smaller feedings than larger feedings.

[JoshSloane]

+1 To Sauzo. My lipstick albino big girl is extremely lazy, and so completely puppy dog tame that she wont even constrict at all. I lay the thawed jumbo rat in her cage and she moseys on over and just swallows it. My anery however rips the rat off the forceps and crushes it until its eyeballs literally almost pop out!

Point is, you will notice distinct personalities in different boas. Preferably keep them on frozen thawed and don't over feed. Small lump in their gut for 24-48 hours usually is about right. Weekly feedings is plenty for a baby. They will display hunting behavior, but this is millions of years of evolution urging them to feed, even if not hungry. You aren't starving the boa by withholding food until the appropriate time. Its much healthier to slow grow a boa. They will have far less health issues and will live 3x as long. Natural conditions have times of famine and feast, and their metabolic capacity actually prefers this. Sometimes I find my boas grow the most if they are off feed. Enjoy your new addition, boas are the best!

[Morris Reese]

+1 To Sauzo. My lipstick albino big girl is extremely lazy, and so completely puppy dog tame that she wont even constrict at all. I lay the thawed jumbo rat in her cage and she moseys on over and just swallows it. My anery however rips the rat off the forceps and crushes it until its eyeballs literally almost pop out!

Point is, you will notice distinct personalities in different boas. Preferably keep them on frozen thawed and don't over feed. Small lump in their gut for 24-48 hours usually is about right. Weekly feedings is plenty for a baby. They will display hunting behavior, but this is millions of years of evolution urging them to feed, even if not hungry. You aren't starving the boa by withholding food until the appropriate time. Its much healthier to slow grow a boa. They will have far less health issues and will live 3x as long. Natural conditions have times of famine and feast, and their metabolic capacity actually prefers this. Sometimes I find my boas grow the most if they are off feed. Enjoy your new addition, boas are the best!

Thanks for the input!!!
I fed her a f/t fuzzy rat that did leave a slight lump. I had planned on a 7 day feeding schedule. She is 8 months old. Should I have her on mice instead of rats at this young age or would she be ok on rats?

[Sauzo]

Rats are better if you can get them since you wont have to switch over when they get bigger but as far as nutrition, its pretty much even, just that rats get larger so at the end you wont have to feed 10 mice per feeding when your snake is big. I feed every 7 days up to 1.5 years old. Then I switch to every 2 week until about 3 years old. Then I go to every 3-4 weeks. And a slight lump is prefect.

[JoshSloane]

Yep, if she takes a rat now, I would never feed her mice again. In my experience mice have a distinct smell that drive herps insane, almost like a delicacy. You want to get them off of that asap, which it sounds like you are well on your way! So kudos to you.