The Great Debate: Feeding Schedule

[TrpnBils]

Edit: Yes, I know there's a similar thread to this posted recently, but it only got 1 response, and I have a few more specific questions.

Okay, every time I read something on this topic I get more confused. My biggest boa is a Colombian (~6'6", weight unknown, but I'm getting her weighed tonight) and I give her 1 large rat every 7-10 days. This seems to be in line with some of the feeding schedules I've seen other people use. When I got her 4 months ago, the guy (and he knows his stuff... he has several thousand snakes of varying sizes. No kidding.) said she was getting 2 large rats every 10 days or so.

Obviously she could be done growing (a lot anyway, I know she'll always grow), but I don't really know that. I'd like her to reach her full potential, so I'm wondering if I'm not feeding her enough.

I've read some stuff where people (on this forum) feed every 7 - 10 days for snakes up to yearlings, and then back it off to every 2 - 3 weeks depending on prey size and their snakes still grow fine. In comparison, our 9' MALE colombian at the zoo gets fed 1 large rat every 7 days. He's right around 36 pounds as of when I weighed him last week, so he's obviously doing alright.

So here's what I'm wondering:

1) How big is your boa (just pick one if you have multiple snakes, for the sake of making this easier)?
2) What do you feed it (i.e. large rat, jumbo rat, rabbit, mouse, etc)?
3) Frequency of feedings?
4) Special circumstances? (getting ready to breed, trying to slim a snake down, getting a baby ready to breed ASAP?)

I know there are no concrete rules for this, and as long as the snake is healthy that's all that matters. I'm just curious to see where all of the variation comes from and what factors play into feeding schedules.

Again, mine is:
1) 6'6" (~20 pounds or so I think, I'll know better by tonight)
2) 1 large rat
3) 7 - 10 days
4) No special circumstances

Thanks!

[unluckyseventeen]

The easy thing to remember is a couple of rules:

1 - always feed prey that is of equal girth (or a tad bigger) than the fattest part of the snake.

2 - If your snake is under 1 year, feed it every 7 days. If your snake is over 1 year, feed it every 10-14 days.

If you feed too much it could become what's called "powerfed", which means it's feed either too much food, or too frequently. This will result in a shorter life-span by matters of years, not months.

I'd adjust your feeding regiments based upon these couple rules.

[buck2003]

Trinity was 6ft-ish and was fed 1 large rat = to her widest part (girth) or as best as I could guess it every two weeks.

[TrpnBils]

Originally Posted by lethargiic

the ball pythons.. i cant even put on a feeding schedule because they cant make up their minds as to when they want to eat...grrr. well except the little one.. jack can eat like there' no tomorrow...LOL

Great, isn't it? lol

Neither of ours at the zoo have eaten for me in almost 3 months, but I was taking a look at their charts and they've eaten for the other guy twice in that amount of time. I couldn't ever bring myself to own one as a pet.

Even our retic is crazy like that. When he came to us, he wasn't in the best condition. Although he's pretty much straightened out, he's smaller than he should be (he's still 16', but he should be heavier, as he only weighs about 32kg). I can't remember offhand how many months it had been since he ate, but about 2 weeks ago I saw a note when I got to work: "Alfie decided to eat again, use caution if going in his exhibit. He's got a very strong feeding response". Later on, I went over to his exhibit and glanced in the window of the keeper door. He was coiled up underneath it, and he struck the glass right where my face was at. I'd never go in there myself, and that's a perfect example why. I took a look later on to see what he had eaten because he had definately put on some girth....21 large rats!

[Dbutton]

Hmmm, ok here ya go.

This is a breeding female:

1) 7ft.
2) Depending on availability :2 jumbo rats every 14 days or 1 2lb. rabbit every 21 days
3) Uh, I already did that. LOL!
4) There is not any special circumstances that would require more food since there is no substitute for proper feeding to maintain the required breeding weight.

Now for a male:
1) 7.5ft.
2) 2 jumbo rats
3) every 3 weeks
4) This is too keep him from getting too fat. Males don't need the reserves that females do so it is to your best interest to keep an eye on your males diet and not let him get over weight.

These schedules are for adult snakes that have slowed their growth rate to a crawl. For younger snakes that are still in their growth spurt stages I would drop both sexes down to every 10 days on rats.
And this "getting a baby ready to breed ASAP" stuff is BS. Size and weight do play a role in being ready to breed, but it is not now or ever will be a substitute for maturity. I don't care if your boa weighs 30 lbs but is only 2.5 years old, it is still too young to breed. 3 years is the bare minimum for breeding boas and although it CAN be done, it will only serve to give you small unhealthy litters(usually) and put undue stress on the snake that will shorten it's life, breeding career and can also cause health problems since it has not had time to build up the proper reserves to carry it through the gestation period.

Ok, that should do it.

[TrpnBils]

Originally Posted by Dbutton

And this "getting a baby ready to breed ASAP" stuff is BS.

oh, I know...I'd never do that because it's just plain not right to do. I know that some people do it though, and I didn't figure anyone who knows any better would admit to anything specifically labeled "powerfeeding".

Thanks for the detailed reply too. This is an interesting thread so far.

[Ratsicles]

7 ft female
x-large rat or 1.5 lb rabbit
every 10 days
no special circumstance

Bryan

[jojo6199]

6' 4" male columbian
just over 2 years old (approx)
xlarge rat or 1.5 lb 4 week old meat rabbit twice monthly
no special requirements or circumstances

This seems to keep this male happy and in nice shape, girthy but not fat. He's a very active snake went he wants to be and gets lots of time out of his enclosure each week to slither around and use those big muscles of his and get some exercise.

[gemisnake]

6 1/2 foot female (nonbreeding)
2 Jumbo Rats every 14 days
Skips meals if she is shedding
(in the winter she is fed less because she naturally just wantes less)
We are hoping to get her on rabbits this summer)

[Miket20]

i agree with 10-14 days as it encourages them to be active, near to feeding day my female bci becomes very active and sometimes even makes an appearence during the day. she's 6 foot in great shape and around 2 1/2 years old and still growing fast. if you fed boas every week they would never move and that can be detremental to health. i feed the large rats slightly wider than mid-body girth every 10-14 days.

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[munkyboy]

I generally feed My Boas under a year old every 7 days, an appropriately sized rat. The ones older than one year, and up to 3 years, I'll generally feed an appropriately sized rat every 10 to 14 days. After My Boas reach the 3 year mark, I'll generally feed one or sometimes two jumbo Rats, every 14 to 21 days, depending on how they are progressing along. Once a Boa reaches maturity, I believe that there is no concrete feeding scedule to follow. Rather, I believe it best to observe and make changes, as necessary, to develop a good feeding schedule that best maintains them at a healthy weight. It's just something You have to play around with, in order to customize an ideal schedule for each particular adult, with respect to their individual metabolism, and activity level. Well that's My 2 cents anyway.