Need help...Feeding problems

Zelph · #1 (**permalink**) 04-21-2002, 01:39 AM

Hello all and thank you in advance. I just bought my First Red Tailed boa 10 days ago..she(50/50 chance she is a she so well call her a she) She is a yearling. I bought her on feeding day. that was 10 days ago. Ive tried feeding her alive and dead fuzzys.She has seemed interested in them for the last couple of days but does not eat them. I've even tried dipping them in Chicken broath...brought her to a vet(frist check-up) and she was a tad concerned about it as well.. nothing phyically wrong with her thou...any suggestions.The fuzzy's are smaller then her biggest girth....Ive heard you can also Force feed the snake..not somthing I'd like to do but if I must/ Or have somone do it for me... but if I can id like to figure out how to fix the problem instead of shoving a fuzzy down her throught
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Shadrach · #2 (**permalink**) 04-21-2002, 03:05 AM

Ok first off Welcome to the site! Second there's nothing to be worried about yet! It could be anything! Maybe just a pending shed! Also are you trying mice or rat's? You don't want to force feed unless a last resort and I mean like several month's of not eating and losing weight!!!
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Reticu-Lady · #3 (**permalink**) 04-21-2002, 06:26 AM

Something else I I have learned with my baby boas, when you first get them, try not to handle them much if at all the first week or so, let them settle in to their new home. You may also wish to put baby in with a large pinkie over night in a deli cup inside her cage. Punch some small air holes in the cup. You may also have to cover her with a towel or pillowcase to cut out scary distractions.
Don't offer food daily or even ever other day, it stresses the poor things. Wait maybe 5 days and very quietly place her in her cup with the pinkie, place the cup in her cage, cover cage and DON'T peek until the next morning. Feed at night, that is when boas are acive, it's their normal feeding time.
Best wishes to you!
and Welcome to RTB!
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wino · #4 (**permalink**) 04-21-2002, 06:36 AM

10 days is nothing to worry about and WAY too soon to think about force feeding.

A skipped meal could be caused by ALOT of things, including moving into a new home.

One thing I learned from my baby boa was that he didnt like to eat in a see through feeding tub. Is yours clear or opaque??

Wait a few more days -- DONT HANDLE HIM AT ALL DURING THIS TIME -- and then leave the food for him where he will be comfortable, even in his cage for now, near his hide. Start with a pinkie.
Once he eats that, you should be able to get him to eat in a seperate enclosure or tub.

My baby BP was very reluctant to feed when I got him, and it took maybe a month to get him into a pattern of regular and predictable feeding, and now at a big and healthy 8 months he is an eating machine.

GOOD LUCK AND STAY PATIENT!!

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Bleu24 · #5 (**permalink**) 04-21-2002, 07:17 AM

I have been dealing with the same problem with my second redtail (but first yearling). I first got Rasputen in December. A local herp guy told me about the paper bag, leaving over night, and other such "remidies". I did have to resort to force feeding after 5 weeks and there after every 3 weeks. But I kept with it, kept trying to leave the pinky over night. And finally horray the happiest moment to look in that bag and find the pinky gone. Moral... everyone so far seems right don't force feed unless you have to, don't loose hope. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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Zelph · #6 (**permalink**) 04-21-2002, 07:29 AM

Thank you...also hit the chat room..Im gona let her sit in ther for about a week alone with one of my used shirts.. covered and wont touch/see her apart from when changinh water/cleaning/checking temps.. then im going to try and feed her again and its a great site TY for all the help
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Constrictor_BO · #7 (**permalink**) 04-22-2002, 05:23 AM

Welcome to the site zelph and Blue...

Yeah, dont worry about the lil girl. I have had a few that I had to feed in a smaller tote because they stayed on the oposite side from the food. The smalle feed tote keeps the snake closer to the food and makes it that much more tempting to the snake. I think after the snake has time to settle in it will eat. Just dont go off and get all worried about it just yet.

Force feeding is definatly a last resort thing. A snake can go several months before you have to worry. 5 weeks was not long enough to consider force feeding. Not unless it had gone a long period without eating before you got it. Most of the time a snake will eat on it's own if given the chance.
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