to strike or not to strike?

lbc1127 · #1 01-28-2006, 02:43 PM

alright, so ive had my female RTB for just over a year now and for the past ten monthes she has been eating f/t rats. the switch over from live wasn't hard, she struck at the rat right away. however as time went on, she would get less and less interested in the rat. sometimes i would have to dangle the rat in front of her for 30-45 minutes until she would strike. now her food is getting bigger, she seems to be getting scared by the rat and she will back away from it. she also has no more desire to strike at the rat. after about an hour of trying to get her to strike, i just leave the rat and her alone and she eats it without striking or constricting. is this bad for my RTB's pyschological well being? shouldn't she always have that striking instinct when it comes to eating? what are your thoughts??

Death_ADDER · #2 01-28-2006, 05:48 PM

no its not bad if she doesn't strike. my male does the same thing... sometimes he will strike but if he doesn't in the first 5 minutes I leave the rat in there and he is usually eating 10 minutes later or so.

Steve

Denny_Rimes · #3 01-28-2006, 05:53 PM

You have nothing at all to worry about. If you boa is eating when you place a rat in it's enclosure all is well.

scooter11 · #4 01-28-2006, 06:02 PM

yeah u definitely have nothing to worry about, just leave the rat in front of his face and he ll eat it. when they get used to f/t, they realize eventually that they dont have to kill the prey and they just go straight to the eating part. mine never strikes anymore i just place him in the tub and then he is usually eating within ten minutes. try that, and good luck

Doug · #5 01-29-2006, 12:44 PM

HI,
When my boa's show less interest in feeding it means they are not hungry, many times we are feeding a young boa and don't increase the time between feeding as recommended. Check the feeding schedule my guess your over feeding and she really isn't hungry.
Doug
Almost adult boa can feed every 3-4 weeks and not loose weight they Will show an interest in feeding when hungry ps many time boa's eat live faster as a defensive attack and then they are stimulated to feed due to the animal in the mouth, the less you feed the longer your animal may live. My adults feed monthly and are thriving.

lethaloverride · #6 01-29-2006, 01:09 PM

I actually try to get mine not to strike over time. When they are babies I dance it around. When they start getting alittle bigger usually on pups I don't dance it and just hold or still. Then eventually I just place it in the tub and they go over and eat. I have 2 that won't constrict at all they just swallow. I believe over time some boa learn that they don't have to be aggresive to eat.

Mike

snattlerake04 · #7 01-29-2006, 01:14 PM

My boa has never struck at a rat since ive had her, she always just goes up to it and starts to eat, even when she has missed a few feedings due to me being out of town she wont strike, she will just go straight to the rat and start eating, when she is on a good schedule it takes a couple mins but she always eats, except when in shed.

But i think they always have the instint to strike, if its live, one time on feeding day i wasnt thinking right and put her and the rat in the tub and then with a stick i tried to move the rat and i went kind of fast by her face with the stick and she struck the stick, so i think if they have a strong smell on the rat and see something moving they will strike