Starved Baby Boa

[Guest]

I got a new baby Red Tail last week. I was told it was 8 months old and had never been fed. It was very skinny and had hunger folds. It is 23 inches long. I have got it to eat 3 small meals in the last week and it seems to be doing much better. It is alot more active now and its color is improving. It is still showing signs of hunger and has a crusty deposit on its anus.

Any suggestions for my problem would be appreciated.

[LORI]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

I have got it to eat 3 small meals in the last week

Ok.. First off..Please do NOT feed the snake multiple times within such a short time frame like this. It will only cause helath problems further for the snake is all. The snake needs to eat on a shedule and not like this at all. NOT even if it is underweight etc either like you have said it is . The gut flora needs to have time to replenish itself after each feeding. if this is not happening..the snake will eventually go into other health problems associated with that is all.
The snake has gone for a looong time, if it has been that long even, without eating at all. What you need to do is to get it onto a regular feeding schedule atm though. One that is helathy for the snake also. NM the actual age of the snake as it has not eaten since being born from what you have said even. Just treat it like it is a newborn is all for now. Feed the snake every 7 days. Give it 1 prey item of right size by girth and then 7 days later give it two prey of the same size if it will take it, then 7 days later give it only 1 prey item....Just keep doing that for awhile till the snake gets more weight onto it is all. This is a healthy way to add weight to a snake btw. This is how we deal with snakes that are in rehab and need weight placed onto them here. Have for a loong time even with success for such.
You do not want to go and put tons of weight onto the snake by powerfeeding it like you basically stated that you have been.

[Guest]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

Thanks for your reply. Most of the information I have read said that baby boas should be fed every 4 to 7 days. Its meals were 3 days then 4 days apart. I thought that if I fed it smaller meals ( about half the size of its girth ) that it would be better.
Is there some health problems that I should watch for?
I also thought powerfeeding was forcing them to eat. This snake seems to be an agressive feeder. Will they eat if they are not hungry? Could it be that its eating because it doesnt know if it will be feed again?

[LORI]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

Some say 5 days for babies .. and some 7. I am one of the 7 day ones hehe. If a snake is fed by the girth and given plenty to eat, then there is no reason to feed more often than 7 days. Feeding every 3 or 4 days is not good for the snake. it needs to replenish the gut floras between feeding and also digest it's meal that was eaten.

I thought that if I fed it smaller meals ( about half the size of its girth ) that it would be better.

That's something we do to make sure that the snake will eat when it's been off feed and also will keep the prey down as well. Once that has been established, there is no need to do that at all. From your posting , I determined that it wasn't regurging at al as you didn't state that it had after a meal.

I also thought powerfeeding was forcing them to eat.

Actually there are different forms of power feeding existing. Feeding too often is one of them.
Feeding too many prey at a feeding is another.
forcing a snake to eat more than it should be is yet another.
Feeding TOO lARGE of prey is another.
etc...

This snake seems to be an agressive feeder. Will they eat if they are not hungry?

Good then, you prolly won't have many problems in the future in the area of non feeding then due to the aggressive feeding mode.
Boas usually will not eat if not hungry. Gotta remember that this boa is prolly looking for more food now that it will eat due to the smaller prey that you have been feeding it is all. Feeding on that regime I gave you should take care of the wanting to feed thing too often also. It will also reduce the snake's "hunger" it seems to be exhibiting atm by feeding the multiple prey and the correct girth as well. BTW.. If it refuses to take a second prey.. don't worry about that either. This way will get the snake back on track and healthy in it's feeding criteria and weight.,

Is there some health problems that I should watch for?

YUP, Regurge cuz it was not eating might be an issue. Hopefully it won't though.

[SLAponte]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

What Lori said! (Hi Lori!)

From my experience, I move them to a 7 day schedule as soon as possible, and given he/she is 8 months old, consider rat pinkies/fuzzies/pups (depending on girth) instead of mice.

I would also mention soaking her a bit, just to make sure she is well hydrated...

[LORI]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

What Lori said! (Hi Lori!)

Hehe.. Hi ya Slap !
How's it going down in Miami ? NOTE : Send some of this "cold snow" his way...lol

[SLAponte]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

Hey, stop that!!

It got cold here last night, like below 70 or something... :

It is supposed to go below 50 tonite... brrrr.....

[LORI]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

70 ?? 50?? I'll take any of those over this 20 odd degree weather anyday ;D It is NOT cold where you are at all...LOL

[Doug]

Starved Baby Boa

Hi,
I agree with Lori on this one, what I do know is when an animal has been starved feeding can actually cause more problems. so take it real slow and let the animal adjust to the stress of feeding digestion and such. Dont think about the age instead treat the size of the snake if its only so large only feed that size food item don't try and increase the feeding cycle to catch up. His organs may fail just from the stress ..
    Good luck You have a lucky snake.
 Psps I had a really skinny  1y/oGuyana Male who is doing great after a few months of adequate feeding and temps and humidy you would never know he was under weight..
   Doug
Here's when I bought him at one year eating only mice DUH

some three months later after  feeding on med rats.
pre shed so he's a bit blue

 

[kathtus]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

has a crusty deposit on its anus.

.....yikes...about that.....try and soak him in lukewarm water for awhile. let him swim around in it a little bit. put a rock or an obsticle for something to crawl on... just make sure the water isn't too deep!

next....apply some Bacitracin or Neosporin to the area every day.....that should help your little critter!

[PythonTamer]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

Hey Doug,
I am going through the same thing as you.  I just received a Columbian BCI that is 2 1/2 years old and was only being fed live mice! ??? ??? ??? double ugh!!  She is a bit underweight.  They said she wouldn't eat anything else.
However, I let her settle in, then offered her a f/t medium rat, and in 20 minutes it was gone.  She is now on a regular feeding schedule similar to the one you and Lori mentioned.  People need to get informed BEFORE they buy an animal cwm15.gif.  But anyway, things are going well now.  She doesn't have any other health problems (miracle) b30.gif, and is quite lovable.  
Just thought I'd share that.
PT

[LORI]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

Thanx for catching that one kath..Must have missed it with all the other stuff I addressed for the snake ??? I also would definately do as she said though for that crusty area np.

How's the snake doing now ?
Also I always throw this page link of mine out there when the topic of live feeding comes about... ;D

http://www.koalaskritters.net/livefeeding.html

[Guest]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

We took her to the vet. Vet says she is doing very well. She is still thin but almost double her girth. Feeding her rat pups now, on the 7 day schedule and that has made a big difference. She is alot more active now. The crusty deposit is gettin better but the Vet is concerned about parasites. We will take a fecal sample in to make sure. Thanks for all your help!

Here is a pic of our little Ruby.

[kathtus]

Re: Starved Baby Boa

SHE'S SOOOOOOOOO CUTE! SO HAPPY SHE'S DOING BETTER! YAYYYYY