dumerils feeding question

Redtailboa1 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 02:40 AM

i just got a baby dumerils boa on sunday but she won't eat. Most of all of my other snake(including rtb) have eaten right away. What is a safe time for her not to eat(this is not a beginner question, i know that snakes will go for long periods of time without eating) what i mean is, how long of acclimation should i expect before something is wrong? thanks temps good.
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morti · #2 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 02:44 AM

Hi there!

I generally allow any boa 2 weeks of aclimatization (if that is even a word) before I even start to get a little concerned about them not eating. Then if they have not eaten in 4 weeks, they go to the vet.

-Your Sick Uncle Morti.
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LdyDrgn · #3 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 02:48 AM

First off, does the dum have plenty of substrate to burrow in? They don't use hides so much as burrow. Aspen is wonderful for this. If you have that and the baby still refuses to eat, offer a lizard. I understand they feed on them in the wild and prefer them as babies. After you get it feeding, start switching over to rodents by scenting them with a lizard.

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] good luck
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Redtailboa1 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 02:50 AM

ive got two inches of aspen in there. So wait two weeks until i should EXPECT feeding?

_________________
Red tail boas...dumerils boas...wow what snakes

LdyDrgn · #5 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 03:01 AM

It is possible. Give her time to calm down and get used to her surroundings. Dums are a little more high strung than the bci. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
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#6 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 05:24 AM

How are you offering the prey to the snake ? Dums are ambush hunters of prey btw and sometimes when they are not eating it's just a matter of "staging" their ambush for them to hunt their prey down is all when feeding them.
Give the snake like a week and set up a feeding tote for it with a hide and place the snake in the hide..then place prey outside the hide for the snake to "ambush". That might get it to feed for ya.
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Ed_r · #7 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 05:30 AM

As ldyDrgn stated in the wild baby Dums are lizard and snake eaters. Depending how old yours is it may need to be switched over. This would require scenting a f/t mouse/rat(depending on it's size) with lizard. basically means buy an anole and rub it all over the rodent prey. This usually will intice a feeding response too.
Since you have the borrowing substrate, thats half the battle. Also Misting with a spray bottle a few minutes before feeding sometimes gets them excited a bit too.
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ChrisRezendes · #8 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 06:12 AM

Why not just feed anoles? They are only 2$ apiece around here in most places... and everything is excessively expensive here in good ol' New England. That's a bit more expensive than pinkies and full grown mice, but much cheaper than the rats you'll have to feed him one day...
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talon · #9 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 06:27 AM

my baby dumerils didn't eat for 2 months and didn't lose weight! she know eats any time i leave a rat pinkie (live at first) now pre killed near her hide spot in her tank and is growing rapidly. she won't eat out of her hide spot no matter what. also try feeding it at night after you have let it get use to its new enclosure. does it have a place to hide? ALso could it be going into a shed by a chance? try leaving it with the food overnight with prekilled prey or VERY young pinkies. Are you offering it the same type of food that was offered it to before? If you don't know try contacting who you purchased the snake from and they can probably give you some info..
Good luck! (it can be frustrating)
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talon · #10 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 06:29 AM

when feeding reptiles to reptiles you have to be especially careful with preventing the transmission of disease and parasites!

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JuliusSqueezer · #11 (**permalink**) 12-12-2002, 07:03 AM

It is almost impossible to get a baby dum to eat prekilled for the first few meals...it is also near impossible to get them to eat in a feed tote....they will burrow leaving just their nose sticking out and they wait to ambush their prey as it walks by....they are dead set to hunt this way. A pink rat won't hurt them so let them burrow and hunt and drop a pink rat in front of them and leave them be....they will eat it but you can't watch [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]....now then...swallowing substrate is bad. especially wood shavings like aspen...true they love the stuff to burrow in but you really don't want to feed them on it....the best thing I have found is bed-a-beast or what ever name it goes by in your area....it is the compressed brick of crushed coconut that when water is added turns to dirt. Of all the substrates suitable to burrow in, this is probably the safest for them to injest. After a few months, they will get over the need to burrow to hunt and will start taking F/T in a feed tote like everyone else. It's just the first few feedings you have to play their little game....then you can change the rules on them.
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Stormyva · #12 (**permalink**) 06-19-2003, 11:28 AM

Not to dig up a dead post but..... I figured that my post (question) is related so I would add it on to a related post rather than starting a new one.....

I need some more ideas....
Last night made week #4 and no eating for my 14" Dumerils... it came to me as a non-feeder but I figured that putting in the correct type of enclosure with hides, proper temps and humidity, and a good substrate that it would come around.
-Cage: Glass Aquarium w/ Screen Top (Covered on three sides) placed in a very low traffic area
-Substrate: Cypress Mulch, but has not tried to burrow
-Hides: One on hot side, one on cool side, and lots of leafy artificial plants to hide under.
-Lighting: 12-14 hour day/night cycle
-Temps: 90-92° basking spot, 88-89° ambient on the hot side, 80-82° ambient on the cool side -Humidity: 50-55% humidity (sometimes a little lower in the late afternoon)
(The snake spends most of it's time in the hide on the cool side but does cruise the cage frequently and spends some time hiding under the fake ivy vine with only the tip of his nose poking out of it.) I have not handled it at all in the 4 weeks it has been here other than about every once every ten days for about ten seconds to check for mites and general condition.

Weeks 1,2, and 3 he was offered f/t rat pups that I placed in the cage and left overnight.
Week 4 (This week) offered live rat pup in the cage. (Dropped it in near it's hide and left it, then covered the tank)

I am at a loss.... I have read.... researched.... studied... .what in the world am I missing?
Next week I think that I will try an anole and see if that works.

Any other ideas????

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kevin85193 · #13 (**permalink**) 06-19-2003, 02:30 PM

Where did you get the Boa from? I bought a Dumerils Boa from PetCo(bad idea) and it had internal parasites. After awhile of it not eating took it to the vet and he gave it medicine which ended up killing it. I went all over the place to find a vet that treated herps, but it was still the wrong vet. I now learned a lesson not to buy herps from PetCo and stick to a place a little farther away from me but is managed by a guy and his wife. I also now know of a great vet to takes my herps too.
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Stormyva · #14 (**permalink**) 06-19-2003, 02:45 PM

The snake's background is pretty much unknown. I got it from a local shop and of course they could not tell me much more than it was a non-feeder and they were having trouble with it. So the bozo that I am took it in seeing it as a challenge and an opportunity to help this animal.
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Sunn · #15 (**permalink**) 06-19-2003, 07:16 PM

Stormy,

My daughter's b/f had a non feeding baby dum. He would stuff it monthly
after having the same problems as you. I told him to stop as the snake was
too stressed from it. Didn't matter much he pretty much lost interest in it
and brought it to my house for my daughter to care for which she didn't.

I worried and kept trying and it finally started eating rat pups. It was already
set up to eating on a rotten schedule so it didn't eat often but it did eat
once a month for me. He has since taken the little snake home along with his Ball
Python and I haven't heard anymore.

I just kept trying is all and made sure it had the right temps and wasn't bothered
and NEVER stayed to watch. I plan on keeping a baby from my litter and will be darned
sure they are feeding well before selling the balance of the litter. If I have a problem
I will be trading the adult Dums for Hogs as I don't intend on reliving nightmares more than
I have to. I'm too old to live on the edge anymore.

Good luck with the babies ......just keep trying patiently.... I didn't even have to
resort to the anole scenting although that was next.

Now for the anole question as to why not continue feeding them ..... hmmmm
I would think that once they are finally growing and eating well it would be a little
unrealistic....these snakes get large ... rats are the best way to go. I can only imagine
how many mice or anoles I'd have to feed my 7 ft. female to keep her healthy!!!!
No way.....either they learn to eat or not. Sounds harsh but that is reality.

Maybe someone that owns Dums can help more than me. Good luck to you both!

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