Getting Sand Boa to eat

[MindUtopia]

Just a question with regards to my new sand boa. I've been lucky to never have feeding problems, even regurgitation, with my two corns, so I'm new at having to deal with them. I got her three weeks ago and she was fed the day before I brought her home. The breeder said she had fed twice previously on f/t after being started on live pinkies. She refused food when I tried to feed her a week later and looked like she was obviously in pre-shed. I gave her another week to give her time to shed, but she still hadn't, so I offered food again which she refused. She started to shed later that day, which was like Monday of this week. I offered food again several days later, which she continued to refuse. So now I'm pretty sure that it's more a feeding issue as opposed to a waiting to shed thing. She's probably about 8 inches or a little longer and I'm feeding the smallest pinkies I can find which she should be able to take no problem. Temps are good. I tried dragging the pinkie around her feeding container to simulate live prey, but no luck. Then I placed her and the pinkie in a deli cup back in her tank in the warm side for an hour or so. Still no luck. Short of scenting it, what else can I try to get her to feed?

 

[OldHag]

Try placing her in the deli cup with the mouse over night. She will most likely eat it ok. If not try braining the mouse and do another overnight er. They are most active in the wee hours of the night, so she may feel more comfortable eating that way.
You could also feed her IN a snake bag. She might feel too open to comfortably feed in a deli cup. I had one picky snake that would only eat in a snake bag for the first few feedings. The closeness makes them feel like theyre not seen I guess.

Good luck!! Once she gets going she will be a champion feeder!!

 

[Midnightrdr456]

was she definately on f/t or he just said that. I would try a live pinkie, and if it takes it, then its a matter on working on switching it over to f/t. If not then try the other ideas.

 

[AviculariaLover]

Mine was also a bit finicky in the beginning. What I do is put the pinky on a piece of cardboard to keep it above the substrate, dig out the snake, and place its nose right in front of the mouse. I do this right before bed, turning off all the lights, and by morning, the mouse is gone. Sometimes I sit to watch and it takes the snake quite a while of sniffing to finally decide to take the mouse, and will get skittish and refuse if people are moving around outside the tank. However, other times, it has started snapping at me as soon as it could smell the mouse, and would take it right away, or even out of my hand as I'm putting the mouse in! Now I dont have to dig the snake out, I just leave the pinky in the same place and by the morning it's gone.

It may still be stressed, and perhaps used to being fed a certain way. I agree with the previous suggestions of putting it in a separate container so it's sure to find the mouse, or braining, to get the smell really strong. If wiggling and such doesn't get the snake to snap at it, you may need to just leave it alone, just make sure the snake notices the mouse is there. Mine will sometimes sit and stare at the pinky for up to an hour before eating it. No clue why. Otherwise it's perfectly normal, I assure you

Good luck with your lil guy, they're really great snakes, I'm sure it'll get hungry soon enough!

 

[annelies]

I got mine to eat by placing an pinkie mouse (dead) in a cup of boiled water.(1min)
The mouse will turn white ( realy stinks).
Let it cool for a while en make a little cut in it's skul.
I know it sounds strange but ik woorks.

ps please use a dead pinkie for this !!

 

[Hedorah99]

Just warm water will do, you don't need to place in boiling water.

 

[Crotalus]

Just warm water will do, you don't need to place in boiling water.

Or even better cold water, but it takes a little longer to thaw. But no nutrients are lost.

 

[AviculariaLover]

The way I warm up my mice is by putting them in a thin ziplock baggie (with all the air pushed out, along with a rock so it will sink), which is then placed in a cup of hot (but not boiling) water. For a few mice, the water may need to be replaced to get them thawed all the way through. This way they dont get so nasty in the water.

 

[Midnightrdr456]

yea boiling water is bad, you are just cooking the mouse, hence the smell

 

[Dragoon]

Hello
I'm currently taking care of a pair of gorgeous black and white sand boas. The female of the pair has always been a big eater and has taken F/T from the start. The male STILL refuses it, and must have live. The girl is now twice his size and thick. She's eating adult mice now, he's still on hoppers.
I use really warm water for all snake food...its so much more appealing to them, and helps digestion along.

I've noticed these guys really appreciate a bit more bedding than the colubrids and stuff. They like to stay buried at all times. Shredded aspen works great by giving good cover and being less dusty. I was told they don't drink much, so I don't stress that their water dishes always get stuffed with bedding.
Cheers
D.

 

[secular]

have you tried "braining" the pinkie? not pleasant i guess but it's worked for me in some cases when a snake went off food for seemingly no reason. i also thaw mine using the plastic bag/small cup of hot water so they thaw and become warm but not wet. using shredded aspen for substrate as well. i usually place my snakes into a feed tank that only has reptile carpet inside. the sand boa didn't seem to mind but i read some interesting things about some sand boas actually preferring to be able to feed "naturally" like by coming up out of some substrate. and in the dark. just made me think, that was all.

btw i recently picked up a baby anery kenyan myself. great snake! i couldn't resist the coloration and expressive face, plus the feeding habits reminds me of "tremors".. hehe.

 

[MindUtopia]

Thanks for the replies guys. As far as I know she was in fact feeding on f/t with the breeder. He had some marked as live only and some as f/t, so I would assume that he would have no reason to be deceptive about this particular one if he was selling others that are only feeding on live. I'm going to try leaving her overnight tonight with it and see what happens. Unfortunately, feeding live is not an option as there is no where near me that sells live pinkies. I suppose having them shipped is an option, but really I'd rather deal with the hassle of acclimating her to the f/t now as my other snakes all do f/t and it's just easier. Do you think scenting it with that lizard spray stuff would work? I know people do that for corns, but I'm not sure lizards would even be in the natural diet of these guys and/or be attractive to them. Also, braining it is my next step if this doesn't work tonight, but I've been putting that off as a last resort because it's kinda gross and I'm not entirely sure the right way to do it. Any suggestions?

 

[secular]

Also, braining it is my next step if this doesn't work tonight, but I've been putting that off as a last resort because it's kinda gross and I'm not entirely sure the right way to do it. Any suggestions?

well after i thaw the pinkie i just take a very sharp knife and make a vertical incision right down the center of the head. don't press too hard because it's not that tough, but hard enough to cut "through". some juice should come out.. this is the scent that will make the snake's mouth water so to speak.. or at least this is my understanding. then i will usually attempt to coax the snake to strike at this pinkie while holding it from some tongs. if that fails and it just seems annoyed i leave them alone in the dark in the feed box for a few hours. it's worked for me with a few individuals..

hope that helps.

 

[OldHag]

I would just warm the pinkie and put her and the pinkie into a snake bag. Tie it up, and put it in her cage. I bet it will be gone in the morning with no scenting. Shes probably just being shy about eating.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Hello
The girl is now twice his size and thick. She's eating adult mice now, he's still on hoppers.

Females are SUPPOSED to be much bigger.

 

[tjhammerhead]

http://www.kingsnake.com/sandboa/feeding.html

 

[Caleb~]

A Simple Question.

Yo, I was wondering how big and long this particular snake gets when it is an adult. And how long they live.

 

[Midnightrdr456]

Im pretty sure they top out around 3' in size. As for age, 20+ years if i remember correctly.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Im pretty sure they top out around 3' in size.

Note that this is ONLY the females! Females average 26-32 inches and weigh up to two pounds. The record is something like 40 inches. Males will only get to about 15 inches.

 

[MindUtopia]

Alright, guys, I finally got her to eat! The best Christmas present a Jewish snake-loving girl could ask for! What finally worked was leaving her in a deli cup with the pinkie overnight but also stuffing the deli cup with crumpled up paper towels to simulate the weight of being in a burrow. Pretty simple to do and I'm thankful that I didn't end up having to brain the mouse (that would have been my next try tonight). If that's all I have to do to keep her on f/t with the rest of them, I can certainly stuff a deli cup with paper towels once a week!