i need help with feeding ASAP

[hope]

i got a red tail boa from a pet store and they were feeding him three mice should i come down gradually or should i keep feeding him three mice
thanks tiff

[faze]

how big is he roughly in length and girth?

[billycat215]

i wouldnt feed the snake 3 mice, switch to feeding 1 appropriate sized rat. the rat should be bigger then the snakes widest part.

[hope]

he is only 18 inches
he is not ready for a rat and he is not that big around
tiff

[Zoo_Dad]

Hi hope! All but the very smallest neonate boas can handle rat pinks or pups as opposed to mice. A rat pinkie or pup with a body circumference equal to your boa's widest body girth is the proper size to feed. If calcium is a concern, ( why some folks will recommend mice rather than rat pinkies ), you can take your thawed rat pink or pup, defrost in warm tap water, pat it dry with a paper towel, and roll it in some Rep-Cal Phosphorus-Free Calcium with Vit. D3 Ultrafine Powder. A rat pup of a few days old will have more sufficient bone growth, hence the addition of supplemental calcium is unnecessary. I have Colubrids that I used to feed mice, due to the recommendations of many with respect to the Calcium issue-( i.e.-feeding a rat pinkie versus a more developed mouse with more advanced bone growth ). However, I quickly learned that even the smallest of rat pinks or fuzzies are much more nutritionally proficient than any mouse. Mice are virtually "garbage in; garbage out", whereas a well nursed and fed rat pink is a much preferred choice for my crew! Not certain how small your new RTB neo or juvie is with respect to girth, but if he/she is getting 3 mice fuzzies or pinkies, I'm sure you would be much better off IMHO to feed a rat pink or pup of the above described equal body circumference as your little RTB's widest girth! If he/she is 18" in length, it's likely ready for a pup of least 3-4 days of age or thereabout. HTH! Post some pics if you can!

[trinitywolf]

Originally Posted by trinitywolf

To answer your question, I believe that I remember you haveing a new born. If this is the case, it should not be on mice, it should be fed rats. They should be frozen for at least 14 days before feeding and thawed out in a container of HOT water (as hot as the tap will get). They should also be the same size as the largest part of your snake (in girth). One prey item per 7-10 days is appropriate for a snake under 2 years of age. after that, they can go to every 10-14 days.

Your question was answered in your last post Hope. Your boa IS ready for rats. At 18 inches he should be eating no smaller than rat pups. If you want a general reference for size take a look at rodentpro.com. That should give you a good idea of what size your boa will need to eat.

[hope]

if i do rat pups do i do i pup or 2
thanks tiff

[hope]

or do i do pinkies and then how much would i feed him
thanks tiff

[kerri4776]

hope u get tis all figured out hope... i was reading in your last post u held a rattle snake when u were 5...thats amazing, how old are you now?

[Shuba]

They should be frozen for at least 14 days before feeding and thawed out in a container of HOT water (as hot as the tap will get).

If I were to freeze my mice/rats for atleast 2-3 days what difference would it make oppose to 14 days? As long as the mouse is frozen at the proper temperature it should elimnate the hantavirus and/or parasites, right? .. I also don't reccomend thawing at a HOT water temperature. The skin of your rodent will become sensative and it will burst like a bubble if constriction is to tight, leaving you with a mess to cleanup and a no good meal. I thaw my rodents at room temperature, maybe a bit warmer, but not as HOT as the tap water will get.

[kerri4776]

we have never had a problem thawing rats with hot water, wouldnt it take to long to thaw at room temp?

[hope]

thanks shuba
and thanks for helping me on my other post those guys had no right to add there comments i found it very helpful and you were not out of line you were aloud to be mad
tiff

[Shuba]

and thanks for helping me on my other post those guys had no right to add there comments i found it very helpful and you were not out of line you were aloud to be mad

Aw...Im so flattered hehe..as long as it helped you im happy =P

we have never had a problem thawing rats with hot water, wouldnt it take to long to thaw at room temp?

Takes me about 30-60 minutes. I don't think time is that much of an issue as long as I feed my snakes on the weekly schedule. You might never have any problems, but there was a thread were somebody fed a mouse thawed at HOT , when offered the snake began to constrict tightly and the rodent burst. Its not really that big of a problem, but im sure a pain to cleanup.

[kerri4776]

also i forgot to ask if u already posted sorry..but what all do u have or is this your first snake?

[hope]

thanks for the info(shuba,kerri)
i am going to start next week
dont you think that 3 mice is power feeding for a newborn
tiff

[hope]

this is my first snake and i am loving it but i hope to get another one soon any ideas
tiff