 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Boa ConstrictorEnclosure Selection Health Feeding BreedingGeneral Information Feeding Water Failure to Eat General Information Boa constrictors can be very fussy about eating if they are not totally comfortable in their habitat. The temperatures must be just right, and if they do not feel like eating dont force them. Wait until the next scheduled feeding time and try again. They kill their prey by suffocation, by wrapping coils around small animals a squeezing tightly until the can no longer breathe. Prey will then by devoured from the head down. After eating, they will seek a small dark place (often the burrow of the animal they just ate) and rest. It is preferable to feed one large item over a number of small items. A small or medium rabbit can be substituted for two or more large rats for example. Possible prey items include rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and rabbits, although rats are said to be the best. Feeding To feed your snakes, remove them to a separate container. This prevents them associating your hand entering the cage with feeding, which can illicit an instinctual feeding response. By feeding them in a separate box, they will not know whether they are being handled or fed so this response is less likely. Feed only frozen rodents, as there is a chance that live prey could injure your snake whilst it is being killed. The item can be dangled in front of the snake, or left on the floor of the enclosure overnight and removed in the morning if it is not eaten. If your snake is reluctant to eat, try some of the methods listed below. As a general rule, food should be no larger than the thickest part of the snakes body. No supplementation is necessary, however small amounts of calcium could be added to a gravid females diet. This table give a rough guide to feeding size and frequency. The prey referred to in the table is the rat, which is the best feeder for this snake.
Rabbits can also be substituted for the jumbo rats. If food that is too large is fed to a snake then regurgitation is likely. If this occurs, wait a few days and try again with a smaller prey item. You should avoid handling the snake for 48 hours after feeding to allow food to settle properly. Please note: It is very important to wash your hands thoroughly after feeding a snake or handling rodents before you attempt to handle a snake. They hunt more by smell than sight and are liekly to strike at your hand if it smells of rodent. Powerfeeding is the process of placing another rodent in a snakes mouth as they finish the first, thereby causing them to reflexively consume that as well. This is not a good idea, and its sole purpose is to accelerate the growth of a snake. Snakes which have been powerfed rarely live longer than 5 years. Water A large water dish is essential, and by using a dish with a lid, you can create a hide out of it as well. Simply cut a hole in the lid of the box just large enough for the snake to pass through, and half fill the dish with water. The snake will use this as both a water bowl and a wet hide. If your snake defecates in the water change it immediately. Bottled water is preferable, however if tap water must be used then you should allow it to sit out overnight to allow the chlorine to dissipate. Never use dechlorinators in water dishes. Failure to Eat This section will be added in a couple of days.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Contact us | References | Disclaimer |