Feeding Debate

You all have been so helpful so heres another question. I'm feeding my red tail boa once a week and she seems to be doing fine with it but my bf is feeding our ball python twice a week I thought I had read somewhere that it wasnt good to over feed them but he seems to think that if the snake didnt want it it would'nt take it. Should I be offering the boa more food or is just one of those things you have to play by ear?? i

Granted, my expertise tends to lie more with ball pythons rather than boas, so hopefully someone with more boa experience will chime in here.

However, as a general rule, younger snakes can be fed more often than older animals since the young'uns are still growing. Most recommend feeding a baby ball python once every 5-7 days, and older adult ball pythons once every 7-10 days. My guess with a boa would be similar. If your boa isn't acting aggressive, I would say your feeding schedule is spot on.

Overfeeding can cause obesity, and can be very harmful to snakes, as it can lead to other health complications. Boas and pythons can be especially prone to obesity since they are lazier, heavier-bodied, more "sit and wait" type predators than are colubrids, so you should definitely keep an eye on any you're feeding more often than once very 5-7 days. If you begin to see the scales stretch enough to see skin between them, chances are, you're over-feeding them, and they should be cut back on frequency of meals in order to maintain a healthy weight. Ball pythons can have odd feeding habits: while some are known to be"finicky" feeders, others will take anything and everything you throw at them, whether they are really "hungry" or not; those that feed when they aren't hungry are more prone to obesity and resulting health problems.

Of course, feeder type also plays a role in their weight as well. If you're using mice rather than rats, mice have smaller bones and internal organs than do rats. Mice provide more fat and less protein, and the snake may well feel hungry if feeding on mice because the feeder is providing less nutrition. That's not to say mice are bad, just that rats are typically better if you can get ahold of them.

^ What she said.

Do keep in mind that snakes do the brunt of their growing in the first year or so of life and if you maintenance feed (offering only minimal feedings and minimally sized feeder animals) then it's bound to affect their overall size/health as they mature into adults. Snakes are opportunistic feeders and feed more frequently during their first year. If your boa is still a juvenile, you might consider feeding more frequently but if she's growing at a good pace and appears content with the weekly schedule then there's really no reason to change anything.

Thanks! So far even though he's being fed twice every week the ball python seems great no stretching of the scales or anything but I think he's gonna be cut back to once a week, time to put my foot down lol! They're both eating small rats and the boa seems like she's doing fine on that, however I may offer her an extra once or twice a month and see how that goes I hate to think that she's going hungry so I'll play with it a little. I actually talked to a man that had an older ball python the other day and he said he only fed it like every six weeks or so that seemed excessive to me, I know ours has refused food for up to a month during the winter but it wasn't for lack of trying on our part lol!

kimmie79 wrote:

Thanks! So far even though he's being fed twice every week the ball python seems great no stretching of the scales or anything but I think he's gonna be cut back to once a week, time to put my foot down lol! They're both eating small rats and the boa seems like she's doing fine on that, however I may offer her an extra once or twice a month and see how that goes I hate to think that she's going hungry so I'll play with it a little. I actually talked to a man that had an older ball python the other day and he said he only fed it like every six weeks or so that seemed excessive to me, I know ours has refused food for up to a month during the winter but it wasn't for lack of trying on our part lol!

If the snake refuses food for 6 weeks or more that's fine but if that guy is only offering food every 6 weeks, I'd have a problem with that. Male balls do tend to go through long fasts from time to time, especially during the breeding season, but food should always be offered on a regular basis. I offer food to my older snakes on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

I also offer a med. to lrg. once a week to a week and a half and his is growing just fine, never aggressive and only doesn't eat during shedding and from early Jan. through Feb.

WEll it also depends on what size rat\mouse you are feeding your animals. I have people come into work ALL THE TIME who are feeding their six foot boa small rats because. "I don't want to bloat him." Yes that is what he told me.....I feed my ball pythons usually once ever other week because they get huge meals. My babies first meal was a rat crawler. I think that is what it is called, step above fuzzy but not weaned. My brazilian rainbow has to be watched or he will eat himself to obesity. very quickly. I would simply pay attention to your animal. Just like humans you can tell when a snake is obese or anorexic.

Thanks everyone!! Very helpful!!!