[Feeding Issue] Argentine not eating

[Eryaw66]

Ok so my bigger male argentine is driving me crazy. He has eaten once in the last 4 weeks. He was eating fine and then stopped while going into shed. I figured that was no big deal, he skipped a week and then ate the following week. The week after he wanted nothing to do with the rat and I decided to skip 2 more weeks to see if he would get hungry. He has lost about 1/2 pound but is still active, no other issues to speak of. I've checked temps and they are fine, I thought maybe his new cage was too big so I added a hide for him so maybe that will help. I'm wondering if I should give him something other than a rat? I've heard sometimes a couple mice are better, or a small rabbit, maybe even quail, what do you guys think? He is about 6.5-7ft and about 17lbs so he was eating a jumbo when I got him. We were feeding him weekly, maybe I should just due biweekly and he will eat this week. He's my only animal causing me feeding issues so I'm a little stressed.

[Zaphod42]

Re: Argentine not eating

I would suggest double-checking your temps and humidity. How long ago did you move him into his new cage? He may still be settling in. Anyone in my collection over six feet gets 1 large rat every 3 weeks. Several of them lose interest in eating for months when breeding season comes around. Going a few weeks or even months is nothing to a boa, in the wild they eat considerably less than they do in captivity.


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[Kung Fu Joe]

Re: Argentine not eating

I think he is big/old enough to go on a less frequent feeding schedule. Weekly might just be too often for him.

[Jrock23]

Re: Argentine not eating

It's nothing major to worry about, my argentine once did that and I assumed it was because I put him in a bigger cage. But that wasn't the case.. Your argentine is still eating, he just not interested in eating every week any more.. I would start feeding him every 14 days or once a month. Also we are approaching the breeding season for Argentines and they go off feeding, so don't freak out over the course of the winter.

[Primolilla]

Re: Argentine not eating

Ok so my bigger male argentine is driving me crazy. He has eaten once in the last 4 weeks. He was eating fine and then stopped while going into shed. I figured that was no big deal, he skipped a week and then ate the following week. The week after he wanted nothing to do with the rat and I decided to skip 2 more weeks to see if he would get hungry. He has lost about 1/2 pound but is still active, no other issues to speak of. I've checked temps and they are fine, I thought maybe his new cage was too big so I added a hide for him so maybe that will help. I'm wondering if I should give him something other than a rat? I've heard sometimes a couple mice are better, or a small rabbit, maybe even quail, what do you guys think? He is about 6.5-7ft and about 17lbs so he was eating a jumbo when I got him. We were feeding him weekly, maybe I should just due biweekly and he will eat this week. He's my only animal causing me feeding issues so I'm a little stressed.

It's because you are stuffing him. Once a week on jumbo (fatty) rats is way too frequent.

When I read the post, and saw you stated he's eaten once in 4 weeks, I thought that was about perfect for a feeding schedule considering the size and sex of the snake.

I would wait it out, then feed something much smaller, wait 3 weeks, feed a large quail, then maybe another 4 weeks and feed a 1 pound rabbit then let him ride out the winter.

Weekly feeding with fatty, jumbo rats, and being in a constant cycle of metabolism will lead your boa to an early death.

I have a 6 foot male boa that isn't close to the weight of your boa and I feed him every 3-4 weeks depending on the prey item.

He will eat in September, and October, and probably won't be offered prey until next April just for reference.

The half pound weight loss, which is insignificant, you see is probably waste that he is expelling. I'd be willing to bet he has not been fully cleaned out in a long time.

You'd be surprised how long they can hold onto things.

[zamora]

Re: Argentine not eating

I agree with everyone else. My adults eat every three weeks to a month, even less during breeding season. He's full.

[bcr_229]

Re: Argentine not eating

I have a female hypo BCI his size. She gets a jumbo rat or 24 oz rabbit every four weeks and may skip a meal or two over the winter.

Heck even my nine foot retic doesn't get the equivalent of a jumbo rat every week, he's on a one pound rabbit every ten days, and his metabolism is insanely fast.

[ldydrgn]

Re: Argentine not eating

Most definitely feeding too much too often.

[Eryaw66]

Re: Argentine not eating

Ok so I think I'll definitely slow the feeding down then. Maybe once a month or every 3 months. Also at what point do you start feeding every 2 weeks? Still learning the feeding thing. Another random question, what about retics?

[Primolilla]

Re: Argentine not eating

Ok so I think I'll definitely slow the feeding down then. Maybe once a month or every 3 months. Also at what point do you start feeding every 2 weeks? Still learning the feeding thing. Another random question, what about retics?

Slightly confusing post here. Did you mean once a month then mean to say "every 3 WEEKS", and not every 3 months?

If you are able to, I highly recommend buying Vincent Russo's book: THE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR It is a good read and it will help you understand how boa constrictors respond to feeding and seasonal changes.

Also, if there is anything available on the internet or in printed media that you can read written by Gus Rentfro soak it up!

The care sheets right here on this forum are another valuable resource.

Your snake seems to be an adult male, so feeding every 2 weeks, is maybe a thing of the past, at least regularly feeding every 2 weeks is.

If you were to do it back to back, I would wait 4 weeks for the next feed and feed smaller prey. Feast/Famine feeding is not a bad idea but you need to think it out and do it properly.

[bcr_229]

Re: Argentine not eating

I generally feed an appropriately-sized feeder on the following schedule:
- Up to six months old, every 5-7 days,
- Six to twelve months old, every 7-10 days,
- One to two years old, every 10-14 days,
- Two to three years old, every two to three weeks,
- Over three years old, every three to four weeks.

Males are on a less agressive schedule than females, or the schedule may be tweaked if the snake shows signs of hunting/hunger quickly after being fed, or if it loses condition, or if the snake starts getting too round I'll back off and start giving the snake more outside in the grass exercise time.

Also I can get large rats more easily than retired breeder jumbos, so a boa that can take a jumbo rat every four weeks may get a large rat every three instead. An adult would never get fed weekly though.