Very Aggressive Eater

DCsharkz · #1 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 07:57 PM

I bring the mice into the same house and the snake starts striking at me, I have to try for like 20 minutes to get her out of her cage, then into the box, and in like .1 second the mouse is done for. lol. I don't want to be this scared to feed her every time now, especially when she gets bigger. Any suggestions?

JuliusSqueezer · #2 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 08:07 PM

Suggestions:

1-When you have a question about a "snake"'s behaviour, species and size would be a nice thing for us to know.

2-Stop feeding live prey

3-If all you have are the snakes in your sig, there's likely no reason for you to be feeding anything you have mice. Rats are much better for them.

4-Snake hook?

5-Please refrain from using profanityhowever mild it may be on the forums here

DCsharkz · #3 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 08:15 PM

1. Thanks for all the suggestions other than the one i asked for

2. It's about 8 months old and about 2 feet long, still kinda small, I guess because I don't feed it rats(I know they're great to feed snakes i'm not being sarcastic).

3. I'm not shoving dead mice in my freezer(actually it's my dads girlfriends since I live with her now)

4. I guess I could kill them from now on.

5. There isn't actually a place in the area, that sells rats small enough at the moment. Well actually there is, but my dad thinks petco is enough of a drive already.So I figured mice would do for the time being.

6. Sorry I didn't realize I had cussed, must have slipped in there with all this frusteration.

dhonaker · #4 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 08:17 PM

he told you snake hook

DCsharkz · #5 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 08:19 PM

Thought he was asking me snake hook with the question mark. Either that or he's trying to be sarcastic..

MTB Mamba · #6 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 08:27 PM

If you're getting your mice at petco all ready then just buy a frozen rat there each time, you don't have to stock up on them. Plus the frozen ones are less expensive than the live ones at petco.

Judging from the picture your boa could handle a small frozen rat (thawed out of course).

unluckyseventeen · #7 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 08:31 PM

Quote:

I'm not shoving dead mice in my freezer(actually it's my dads girlfriends since I live with her now)

Then buy a small refridgerator that can freeze them. You can also kill them before you offer them. You probably should have researched or had the money for additional equipment if you have a snake... they're not cheap, nor particularly easy to care for. Feed frozen/thawed prey if you want to minimize risk of your snake dying.

You can do either of those, unless you want to have a snake die from an infection from a rat bite, or a parasite that you were neglegent to rid before you fed. You can do the research for yourself, but this isn't the forum for defending feeding live prey. We've seen and heard dozens of rescues of Boas from rat bites and other issues that come from feeding live. It's not a joke, nor is it a matter to be taken lightly. Nobody will be laughing when any snake dies from a rat bite infections or parasite because the owner was too careless.

There's no question feeding live is an endangerment to your Boa.

Feeding a bigger fuzzie rat or pup would be the best idea. A small is way too big for something that is only 8 months.

As far as the aggressiveness goes, don't you think the snake can smell the scent on your hands? Unless they think you are food or a predator, they won't attack. Use a snake hook to get the Boa out of the tank, and go from there. Either way, you're probably going to get bitten at least once while having a snake, and it's not a terrible pain. If you can't handle something and give the impression of "I'm the boss", then how are you going to handle that situation when it presents itself when the Boa is bigger? Just food for thought...

Lastly, your attitude comes off as a bit smug. Remember, you're the one that needs the help, and we're the ones giving it. Respect will make you popular on the forums... witty and unneccessary, begrudging remarks won't. If you want to help your snake, humble yourself first. A lot of the options we suggest, you may not like, but they are always for the best for your snake.

DCsharkz · #8 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 08:32 PM

I don't want to get frozen, I guess if you say that though, I could get a small rat, then PK it. Thanks for that info, I feel my snake is kind of thin and I think it's partially because of the small mice. I don't think it's enough, but I didn't think it was big enough for small rats. Then again I don't want left over mice. One small rat though, will get one next time.

amercnwmn · #9 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 08:32 PM

Nope, we are just tryin help

Are you washing your hands after you handle the mice? Sometimes they smell them and will strike mistaking you for food..

Also, the snake could be stressed if she is striking at you all the time..You might try using a small towel, pillow case or something to cover her face so you can safely reach in and remove her to place her in her feeding tub..
Where in the house is her cage located? She may be stressed from seeing a lot of people or whatever, so you may try to move her into a more quiet and isolated area..

The advice to switch to F/t is best, live or even freshly killed prey can carry parasites and be transmitted to your snake, live food is just not recommended in general due to the injuries a snake can receive from a rat or mouse intent on survival.

I would also recommend the rats as they are more nutritious, she is growing and most likely ready for larger prey..

How often do you feed her?
I realize you may not want to keep frozen rats in your fridge, but maybe if you ziplocked them and then placed them in a Tupperware bowl..? Just a suggestion.

Also with the snake hooks, those are great for aggressive snakes

I hope some of that helps, shes a really beautiful boa! How long have you had her?

EDIT I hate when I take forever to type and end up repeating whats been said..Sorry

unluckyseventeen · #10 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 08:41 PM

Hahaha... made you waste your fingers' energy.

Anyway, shoot for a fuzzie rat for a snake about that size. A small is for a Boa that is about 1-1.5 years old.

DCsharkz · #11 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 08:48 PM

I've had her since February, She was born in July, not that I remember so she's actually 11 months old. I feed her weekly, I fed her 1 mouse a week, then I moved and though hey she's getting big so I'll feed her 2, since I've moved she's been aggressive, me and my dad moved in with his girlfriend into her condo. There are also 2 cats here, is that a possible problem? (btw I keep my doors shut so the cats can't come in i'm allergic AAAAAA!!!) She's just in my room on top of the dresser in a 4x18x18 cage. I don't move around too much I just sit on my computer, in one spot, and if I do move or walk by it's in the opposite direction to my bathroom, and I have a door from the bathroom to the living room I hardly every walk by her cage. I do pick her up and hold her every so often( usually twice a week). I don't touch the mice I usually just carry the box in and put them on the kitchen table then go into my room to get my RTB. I am aware FT is the best, and I like the idea of a small freezer or something like that. The sent of mice is probably on the box I carried in so it probably does smell them. I never really thought of that, however my snake was never like this befre, it's been since I moved(i've been here for 4 months).

unluckyseventeen · #12 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 08:50 PM

Yeah, I'd try out a snake hook or something to that nature.

Sounds like your caging is OK... you do have hide boxes and stuff, right?

DCsharkz · #13 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 09:07 PM

Yeah I have 1 on the cool side and 2 on the warm side. The one I have on the cool side, I have the front covered by peice of wood, it can still get in and out easily. Just figured more people walk by that front part I didn't want it getting stressed. The back part isn't covvered though because that's my bed >_> not too much movement going on there except when I get in bed and go to sleep. My dad said he doesn't want me to get Frozen, I have no idea why. he actually gets irritated, says "THE LIKE KILLING THE MICE" I was like dad, no they can't really tell the difference if I was dangling the dead mouse like it was alive. Then he was just like naaaah. Anyways, I can get a small mouse however and PK it. I am scared it might get a parasite though you guys got me all paranoid now. I bought it CB from a herp store. I know it's CB for a fact, because gave me the precise date and i've known these guys for a long time. They don't have snakes all the time. The owner I believe breeds them and sells what he has, other than that they're a fish store too. ANYWAYS, besides the point they guy said that since it's CB it hasn't built up immunities to stuff as well as a WC would have. So now that he paranoid me when I bought it and now you guys did. I'm pretty paranoid about it's health.

dhonaker · #14 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 09:15 PM

at petco you can bee just one frozen mouse it sounds like your dad just likes to watch it kill it is not good for snake period

JuliusSqueezer · #15 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 09:39 PM

She's aggressive because she's badly underfed/undernourished. Hence the feed her rats suggestion.

Since you don't want to feed f/t...p/k will do as far as avoiding your snake being chewed in half or having it's skull chomped through...but it won't stop worms from transfering from rat to snake. So make sure and get fecals done at least a couple times a year or it's all for nothing because the chances you bring home a parasite free rat or mouse every week is pretty much nill.

The reason I put the question mark by snakehook...I was asking if you had considered using one. Sorry that wasn't more clear...it just seems a pretty basic tool and I forget sometimes everyone doesn't have one. If you notice my sig, it's something I'm kinda in to.

It was a subtle suggestion trying not to self promote.

I can also see where you might think I was offering up advice on things you didn't ask about...but they are all relevant. An underfed boa or python can be quite snappy when it senses live prey in the room.

Brandon28 · #16 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 09:53 PM

I think upping the size of the meal to a small f/t rat would settle your little guy down. And handle him more. You want it to get used to being handled without feeling threatened. Good luck.

Brandon28 · #17 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 09:55 PM

js...you posted while I was typing....sorry to repeat you.

DCsharkz · #18 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 10:07 PM

My dad doesn't ever watch it eat.

THanks for the help actually, I appreciate suggesting things i didn't ask for, you guys are actually helping for the best and not attacking me like I originally was getting the sense of. Anyways, I had no idea i was under feeding her. Maybe the coincence of her getting aggressive now is because she's bigger and I'm starting to under feed her now that she's bigger. Great points guys thanks for the help. I'll try to get my dad to let me get F/T but until then i'll have to PK.

unluckyseventeen · #19 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 10:08 PM

Quote:

...it just seems a pretty basic tool and I forget sometimes everyone doesn't have one. If you notice my sig, it's something I'm kinda in to. It was a subtle suggestion trying not to self promote.

Bahaha... suuuuure you weren't...

Anyway, you shouldn't be paranoid about it's health, you should just take the neccessary steps to keeping it healthy and assuring it's health as much as you can. I'm not saying it's going to be perfect, but F/T is 1000 times better for your snake than live prey.

You can buy a little mini-fridge for like 50 bucks, new. They have a portion where you could store up to at least 1 medium or large rat, depending on what size you got. That would work nicely if you don't want to have them know there are rats in the freezer... although if they are in a bag it doesn't even make a difference.

VenomMike · #20 (**permalink**) 06-13-2006, 10:10 PM

I have seen and heard this problem over and over again with boa owners. From what I can guess your boa is underfed (your probably not seeing a bulge after a feeding) and live prey aggressive.

Snakes don't "enjoy" killing their prey its usually the owners who enjoy it more. Unfortunately the owners get tired of it pretty fast and find themselves unable to rehome an aggressive live fed 6' boa. EDIT: (This was not directed at your just a personal peeve after trying to rehome aggressive boas) This is a problem your going to have to solve now before it becomes unmanagable.

My suggestions:

1. Feed dead.
2. Feed larger prey. Pick prey 1.25 times larger then the girth of the snake.

Now for my own opinion: Stop trying to feed the boa in a seperate container. We don't feed the giants in seperate containers and small snakes are fed in their tanks all the time. Why do we continue to fumble with the boas during feeding time? I have seen no difference in the temperments of cage fed and tub fed boas which have been fed dead prey. If the feeding cues arn't there (ie. scent) why would a strike occur?

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