A friend keeps his rosy boa in my classroom and feeds it rats. In the last month it has refused 4 prey items, has not eaten and is currently shedding. I think the last time it ate was October 14th. Could the snake be sick or is this normal behavior?
2007-11-21 05:57:25 · 6 answers · asked by Anne G 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
It would be optimal for it to eat about once a week. That said, a healthy individual could go months and in some cases, approach a year without food (obviously not advised). There is no need to panic over hunger strikes (which can be part of a snake’s natural behaviour) unless/until the animal shows signs of noticeable weight loss or deterioration in health.
A snake may go off feed due to: reduced photoperiods/change in season, undergoing a shed cycle, inappropriate environmental conditions, stress (may be due to too frequent handling/disturbance, change in environment/new enclosure, etc), illness, etc. A few things that you may want to ask yourself to determine/rule out possible reasons for your snakes lack of appetite are:
Does the snake's environment/enclosure meet its needs (temp, humidity, the number and size of hides, enclosure size, etc.)?
Is the snake being disturbed consistently (located in a high traffic area or handled too frequently - possible issues in classroom)?
Does the snake show any noticeable signs of illness?
Is the snake undergoing a shed cycle?
What time of day do you feed the snake? Snakes that are nocturnal/crepuscular (like rosy boas) tend to feed best in the evening.
You said that the rosy boa is currently shedding. Snakes often refuse food while in shed. Try offering a prey item (suitable sized!) a couple days after the snake has completed its shed. If the rodent is rejected, you can try:
1. Warming the rodent before offering.
2. Leaving it in with the snake overnight.
3. Braining the rodent (squeeze skull until brain matter begins to come out of nose).
4. Offering freshly killed prey.
I would not recommend feeding live prey or force-feeding the snake unless it is absolutely necessary (and you know what you are doing!). Feeding live or improperly force-feeding a snake can lead to serious injury.
Good luck! And remember – a 1 month hunger strike is nothing to panic over!
Sean E.
2007-11-21 14:42:07 · answer #1 · answered by Sean E 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Adults should be fed every 10 days, while juveniles should eat every 5 -7 days.
My male stops eating every year at about October or November, and does not eat until April or May. That's 6 months without eating. I still offer him a mouse a couple times a month to be sure, and sometimes he will eat one mouse during his six month fasting period, to keep himself going.
It is completely normal for rosies, especially males, to stop eating during the winter. This time is called "brumation" and is similar to hibernation. Brumation can be dangerous if the snake is already underweight, and I don't recommend brumating unless your snake has chosen to on its own, or if you intend to breed. That being said, a healthy rosy should not have a problem. If your boa decides to brumate on his own, lower his temps to about 14 or 15C / 57 - 60F for approximately 12 weeks, with shorter daylight periods.
2014-05-17 05:37:24 · answer #2 · answered by Pareeeee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A healthy adult should be fed about every 10 days or so of an appropriate sized food item. Some snakes will refuse food when shedding. She could also be slowing down and attempting to hibernate with the winter months. Has she had a recent vet check from an experienced reptile vet? It's always a good idea just to be sure there isn't something else going on. Here is a caresheet that offers suggestions for rosy boas that are not feeding properly. Also, check your setup for size, humidity, and temperature requirements.
http://www.rosyboa.com/care.htm
2007-11-21 06:44:28 · answer #3 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He could be trying to hibernate but that is unlikely due to the fact that he is in a controlled environment.More than likely he is getting ready to shed or he could be sick.I would call a local Vet that specializes in Reptiles.Also as other people have stated it is not good to feed live mice/rats to snakes.As they carry disease.
2016-05-24 22:01:11 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Snakes can spend a long time without eating...
2007-11-21 06:05:02 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it should be ok. snakes don't tend to eat when they're in the process of shedding.
2007-11-21 06:04:32 · answer #6 · answered by :-) 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋