My Boa won't eat a small RAT!!!

[vi3tazn4lif3]

I am having a problem with my Red Tail Boa she won't eat a small rat. She is 3 feet long and 2 inches in diameter. Do you think i should feed large mice or try to feed the small rat again? I would appreciate it if you get back to me.

Thanks for the help.

[XzyluM]

Re: My Boa won't eat a small RAT!!!

Being a little more specific would help. What was your boa feeding on before you tried offering a small rat? Any information prior to offering a small rat would help. If you have been feeding mice, you should really switch to rats. No boa should be fed on mice. Again, rats are a lot better than mice. The only thing I could say now is keep offering your boa a rat; a few meals is not going to hurt a healthy snake.

[vi3tazn4lif3]

Re: My Boa won't eat a small RAT!!!

Being a little more specific would help.  What was your boa feeding on before you tried offering a small rat?  Any information prior to offering a small rat would help.  If you have been feeding mice, you should really switch to rats.  No boa should be fed on mice.  Again, rats are a lot better than mice.  The only thing I could say now is keep offering your boa a rat; a few meals is not going to hurt a healthy snake.

My boa used to be fed on large adult mice. I tried to give him a small one before, but he didn't eat it. I think that one was rottne or something. Now i tried it again and all he did was bite it and got off of it.

[vi3tazn4lif3]

Re: My Boa won't eat a small RAT!!!

While i fed the rat i hit the snake in the face by accident a few times trying to shake it so he will be more attracted to it.

[vi3tazn4lif3]

Re: My Boa won't eat a small RAT!!!

Today when i got home from school i found my snake in a awkward position. He was standing up like a cobra. Is this normal?

[Doug]

Re: My Boa won't eat a small RAT!!!

HI,
I had a young Guyana male the owner said he would only eat mices, so I bought a few and put them in the freezer.
 I then bought some small rats.
   I thawed the rat and the mouse in the same baggie in the sink being sure to rub that mouse all over the rat.
 I feed the Guyana the mouse in a feeder box that I use for difficult feeders.
 I waited a couple mins and checked the snake he was looking for more I gave him the rat on the end of a snake hook. He lunged at we did the tug a war and i finally let him have the rat which he promptly ate.
 I did this one more time and then just switched him to rats.
  I  believe the feed box triggers appetite in those boa's my male guyana to this date will only eat in a feed box he will not touch food in his cage. My female will in a heartbeat, she's moving at me  when I open the cage door sometimes. This is one sure way to get bit by a snake even a really sweet one, so I have accepted the fact my boa's are really sweet except on feeding day, then they may be less than sweet.. hehe

here's an old picture of my young skinny  male guyana waiting for lunch, the mices were not enough food fo him thats why he's so thin,,
he's showing that normal feed posture, in the feed box , but will
not eat in the cage.
I put him in the ice chest close the lid and leave him alone with the thawed warmed rat and when i return its always gone.
He likes being alone when he feeds and dosen't like me peeking either. thats why the locking lid on this ice chest is a big plus. here's a picture of Rudee after switching to Large rats and a few months to gain some weight back, he also had a vet visit for worming beings his previous owner was feeding fresh killed..

  doug
now he's alot bigger so I bought him a bigger feed box, and i needed some way to move these guyana's when we have outing for show and tell.

[LORI]

Re: My Boa won't eat a small RAT!!!

How about even more info on this ?
What were you feeidng previously exactly? live..f/k ..f/t ..what? How often offering feed ?
Like others have said here.. The snake should actually be on rats of appropriate size to it's girth for prey item also. If the snake was being fed mice like you have said.. then it could take some time and patience to switch it over to the rats also.

[vi3tazn4lif3]

Re: My Boa won't eat a small RAT!!!

How about even more info on this ?
What were you feeidng previously exactly? live..f/k ..f/t ..what? How often offering feed ?
Like others have said here.. The snake should actually be on rats of appropriate size to it's girth for prey item also. If the snake was being fed mice like you have said.. then it could take some time and patience to switch it over to the rats also.

Well, i just bought the snake from a friend and he said he tried feeding frozen rats it wouldn't eat it, but it would eat frozen mice. I tried it again, but all it did was like a short bite and let go, i usually feed the boa every week unless shedding occurs it messes up the weekly routine. So I don't know how to convert it from eating frozen mice to make it eat frozen rats. Do you have specific ways of doing this? Also what size rat do you think i should feed a 3 foot female boa with a girth of 2" in diameter?

[LORI]

Re: My Boa won't eat a small RAT!!!

Also what size rat do you think i should feed a 3 foot female boa with a girth of 2" in diameter?

HMm.. It's really going to depend on who/what your source is for them actually. I would say that it is going to be either a small or a medium rat though. If it was the rats I breed and feed.. I would call em small . I tend to call em smaller than what most others do is why though. Basically.. the prey needs to be about the same size around it's body as the snake is at it's largest girth point.

As for switching it.. there's many different techniques that people use for this. try scenting the rat with a mouse and see if the snake will take that. That might work seing that the snake will take mice np it seems.
Others will be along to offer more suggestions on switching also I am sure.

[vi3tazn4lif3]

Re: My Boa won't eat a small RAT!!!

As for switching it.. there's many different techniques that people use for this. try scenting the rat with a mouse and see if the snake will take that. That might work seing that the snake will take mice np it seems.
Others will be along to offer more suggestions on switching also I am sure.

How would you scent it? I heard there is something that you can spray on it to make the scent like a mice. Do you have any suggestions?

[LORI]

Re: My Boa won't eat a small RAT!!!

Best way we have found is to let a live mouse stay in a small box with the dethawed rat actually. the mouse will pass it's scent onto the rat np this way. OR ya could just rub a mouse all over the rat even. Either of those should work np for ya.