Re: Rescued Boa "Columbian I Think"

[ClayEnglish]

Well it could be a number of things.. Please try to describe the current environment, temperatures, humidity levels, presence or absence of mites or ticks, etc etc..

This will help us tremendously in helping you.

[LORI]

Re: Rescued Boa "Columbian I Think"

OK.. Like Clay said.. Some more info would help us to help you our with what's going on with the snake atm. Also.. Tell us the age/size etc of the snake too. How much burning/scaring is on the snake and what is the local of it all ?
Was the snake eating live or f/t, f/k for you and what was previous prey type that the previous owner had offered to it ?
Have there been any changes recently just before the snake stopped eating for you ? Caging etc ?

[MichDrDoLittle]

Re: Rescued Boa "Columbian I Think"

As far as age go's i have no clue He is about 5'7" and most of the scares are down his back closer to the tail area.. Cage is a 55 gal fish tank its about 80 degrees during the day and drops to around 75 at night. Humidty is up and down between 45 to 60 I fill his big water bowl every other day. As far as i can see there are no pest problims. He was eating Live hamsters when we picked him up. I was told it was because it was winter out But if that was the case would he not stay sleeping or very little activity? He is very active I have read everything i can get on snakes trying to figure it out... The closest Herp Vet to me is about 5 or 6 hours away. my local vet couldent evan guess at what type he was.... well thanks again

Jim

[LORI]

Re: Rescued Boa "Columbian I Think"

HMM.. Just gonna go with this for now..
You said was being fed live hamsters right? IS that what you also were feeding the snake ? FYI>> When a snake is fed hamsters.. They sometimes will not go and feed on anything else like a rat..UGH. It will take some time to switch them over and tons of patience too.
That size snake should feed on rats np also. What exactly was it the snake was feeding on for prey for you ? Try rats... basically like a medium sized one [ go by the girth ruling though for exact sizing prey to feed the snake]. Offer them dead also.. You might have to start with f/k and move to f/t possibly also.
that actually sounds more like scaring from live feeding bites with the local of the scars being on the back side. IF it is.. that could be another reason that the snake is refusing to eat possibly. Many snakes when attacked by their food..will refuse to feed.
Do you have a gradient for the temps or just across the cage ?

[MichDrDoLittle]

Re: Rescued Boa "Columbian I Think"


I Have tried Hamsters,Mice,Degu's,And Rats Dead and alive he just coils up in a corner, And I have never done a force feeding before "that's what the pet store owner told me to do" The people that I got him from told me that it was a rescue from some lady who was burning him but I thought it might be bite marks...When we first got him About 6 month ago he ate very good for about two months then it just stopped! The only change I made was the bedding he went from none to " for lake of better words" Crushed walnut shell's that's what the local pet store sell's.."it's the only one for 2hrs in any dir." thanks
patiently waiting for advice

Jim


P.S. the temp is about 84 at one end to around 76 at the other

[lukeUK]

Re: Rescued Boa "Columbian I Think"

Those temps are a little cool, I have 82 on the cool side and 90/92 on the warm side, my boas usually stay in the middle, unless thay have just eaten, then thay go to the warm side. I generaly dont bother with the humidity until I see signs of a shed comeing on then I up it a little, I think the evaporation from the water bowl gives enough humidity. As for your feeding problem I havent ot a clue, but I wish you the best of luck.

[LORI]

Re: Rescued Boa "Columbian I Think"

HMm What happened to the first post on this thread here ? Or is it just me that's not seeing it at all ?

Not sure if ya said at all..BUT is the snake losing any weight at all with it being off of feed like it is ? If it is, then it needs to get nutrition into it like asap.
By force feeding. what exactly are you refering to that they have told you to do ? [ I have heard force feeding term used for different methods is all and wonder which one you are talking about here for this snake]

What you might want to do with this snake is to try and offer a ..UGH..live feeding from like tongs possibly to the snake. Offer it outside of it's home cage also. Seeing as it seemed to have been taking hamsters.. might want to try those then for this. BUT ..I would only do this lie thing if the snake is lost weight from the non feeding.. just to get it feeding again.. OR try a feeding with stunned prey even. There's a few different ways you could go with this one I think. Have you tried leaving a dead prey item overnite with the snake in like a feeding tote at all yet ?
I really hate to say try live feeding..but in some cases that is what is needed to get the snake to feed..and then work on switching to dead prey after the snake is feeding np.
As for the temps.. yup they sound a bit low to me also.. Might try and raise them some like mentioned and the snake could start eating np for you. Sometimes the lowered temps wil cause a snake to go off of feeds at times. They sense the lowered temps and relaize that they need the higher temps for digestion and will refuse to eat until temps are where they need to be for this.

Try the temps thing fist.. Give the snake a few days to adjust to the new temps and then try a feeding with it. [dead prey btw for this.. as if it is the temps.. the snake shoiuld take the dead prey np I would think]

[Shy4574]

Re: Rescued Boa "Columbian I Think"

Hey There, Where are you in Michigan? I am in Grand Rapids and I know of a few vets..Let me know