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Offline Southern_Boa_Gurl

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Boots not eating..
« on: April 25, 2009, 02:31:59 PM »
Well I just wanted to start a topic to see what others thought and what advice you would give as well.  I have talked with some of you about this before, but just wanted to give everyone here a background and see what comes about of it. 

Boots is my 6+ft Colombian Red Tail Boa approximately about 5-6 years old.  The story behind him is that I dated my best friend's cousin for a few months and he had him during that time.  Nick and his roommate Matt had gotten Boots and another boa, Leroy, (same species/age/etc) from one of Matt's friends that couldn't care for them any longer.  Both Boots and Leroy were on live rats every two weeks (large-jumbo rats).  I don't know the previous care of them prior to when Nick and Matt had them, but I'm working on that soon.  Nick and I dated for a few months and I fell in love with Boots.  Well Nick and I didn't work out, but I kept in contact about Boots.  Nick started working out of town and I found out through Matt that Boots' light had burnt out and Nick didn't have his UTH plugged in.  So needless to say, I went and got him back to normal and started visiting/feeding/caring for Boots at Nick's house.  After a few months of that I moved to Shelly's house and moved Boots there.  He was still eating fine and I fed him like two more live rats before I switched him to F/T.  He ate fine on those for about 4-5 feedings and then stopped.  The last time he ate was Monday Feb 16th.  I have tried to feed him the F/T rats every other week until Sunday April 12th.  I have tried wiggling it front of him and leaving it in there with him for a while undisturbed.  I have thawed it in warm water (which was how I done the ones originally when he was eating), cold water, both ways of water and sticking the head in boiling water, and also rubbing raw skinless chicken breasts on it.  I have not tried the chick down.  I don't have anymore F/T rats here either.  Last Saturday I tried feeding him a medium live rat to no avail.  He did have a small bm that night though.  So today I go and get another live medium rat and he just ignores/crawls away from it.

Okay and before you start asking questions, here is some more information.

He does not have mites, is not trying to soak in his water, shed approximately on the 31st of March with a good bm as well, is not wheezing/etc.  He is not around any females and I do not keep any feeders around him.  My house stays no lower than 75 at night here now and I have his UTH set to 92.  I know some of you might think that's high, but since it's a little cooler than most for the cool side, I bumped up his temp on hot side.  I do get him out as much as possible and he hasn't gotten into anything.  He usually just chills and doesn't move much, but last night he was moving around some so I thought maybe he was hungry.

Anyways, that's all I can think of and would appreciate any of your advice.  Thanks :)






« Last Edit: April 25, 2009, 02:39:50 PM by Southern_Boa_Gurl »
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Offline collins

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Re: Boots not eating..
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2009, 03:10:42 PM »
the first thing i always do is change the substrait that little change usually works what do you curently have him on

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Offline Southern_Boa_Gurl

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Re: Boots not eating..
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2009, 03:23:02 PM »
Quote from: collins on April 25, 2009, 03:10:42 PM
the first thing i always do is change the substrait that little change usually works what do you curently have him on


Oh forgot that part huh? lol

He's on Viva papertowels.  Has been since I've had him.  He was on reptile bark before I got him.
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Offline collins

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Re: Boots not eating..
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2009, 09:06:40 PM »
throw him on some aspen thats what i keep my boas on and maybe that will trigger a good feeding mode
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Offline Southern_Boa_Gurl

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Re: Boots not eating..
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2009, 09:23:25 PM »
Quote from: collins on April 25, 2009, 09:06:40 PM
throw him on some aspen thats what i keep my boas on and maybe that will trigger a good feeding mode
Hmm, I don't know about that.  I suppose it can't hurt but I really like him on the papertowels.
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Offline crown0826

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Re: Boots not eating..
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2009, 07:16:22 PM »
Tara what's up home girl!!! Well do i need to drive up there to give you some chick down lol on the real note if you can't get a hold of any chick down pm me your address and i will send you some at no cost I tried everything with my burm to get him to eat nothing worked. i tried different temps, humidity, lighting, rodent size and colors lol, f/t, live, nothing i mean nothing worked but i got a hold of some chick down and and i thawed a frozen med rat then before i dipped the rats head in the bag i blow dried its head to about 103 degrees (i used my heat sensor to check the rat heads temp) then i dipped its head in the bag of chick down i put the rat on the bottom on the cage wiggled it  and BAM! he was eatting again i only used it once because after that he had no eating problems! well get back at me and let me know whats new good luck homie!
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Offline Bree

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Re: Boots not eating..
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2009, 07:47:53 PM »
Have you tried opening up the feeder a bit too?  Its gory and kinda gross but I use it with the wee ones/hatchlings when I'm trying to get them on a feeding routine and it works like a charm.  That bloody scent seems to trigger a nice feeding response.  Its not failed once for me.  I literally just glove up cause I'm a wuss and hate gookies on my fingers, and after heating the feeder up will use a pair of clean sharp scissors to open up the back of the neck or abdomen.  I then give it a bit of rubbing, mushing to get the blood flowing.

Or you can use the chick down lol (I have heard that works great!)

Bree
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Offline Southern_Boa_Gurl

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Re: Boots not eating..
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2009, 08:04:28 PM »
Quote from: crown0826 on April 29, 2009, 07:16:22 PM
Tara what's up home girl!!! Well do i need to drive up there to give you some chick down lol on the real note if you can't get a hold of any chick down pm me your address and i will send you some at no cost I tried everything with my burm to get him to eat nothing worked. i tried different temps, humidity, lighting, rodent size and colors lol, f/t, live, nothing i mean nothing worked but i got a hold of some chick down and and i thawed a frozen med rat then before i dipped the rats head in the bag i blow dried its head to about 103 degrees (i used my heat sensor to check the rat heads temp) then i dipped its head in the bag of chick down i put the rat on the bottom on the cage wiggled it  and BAM! he was eatting again i only used it once because after that he had no eating problems! well get back at me and let me know whats new good luck homie!
Lol, sorry guys.  I started a new job so I'll just be on at night for a while.  I haven't tried to get any chick down.  I went to the feed store on Sunday to ask about some, but lucky me, they were closed.  I'm going to wait til not this weekend but next weekend and go get some chick down from someone and get a frozen feeder.  I'll call around (if I remember) to see who I can get some from, but if not, that would be great if you or Judd can send me some. 
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Offline Southern_Boa_Gurl

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Re: Boots not eating..
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2009, 08:06:08 PM »
Quote from: Bree on April 29, 2009, 07:47:53 PM
Have you tried opening up the feeder a bit too?  Its gory and kinda gross but I use it with the wee ones/hatchlings when I'm trying to get them on a feeding routine and it works like a charm.  That bloody scent seems to trigger a nice feeding response.  Its not failed once for me.  I literally just glove up cause I'm a wuss and hate gookies on my fingers, and after heating the feeder up will use a pair of clean sharp scissors to open up the back of the neck or abdomen.  I then give it a bit of rubbing, mushing to get the blood flowing.

Or you can use the chick down lol (I have heard that works great!)

Bree
Lol, that's a good idea Bree.  I obviously, have not tried this yet.  Although I do think I'd have to buy a new pair of scissors or do this with my mom's yard scissors when she's not here!!!!  LMAO!!!!!
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Offline Bree

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Re: Boots not eating..
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2009, 09:30:52 PM »
Quote from: Southern_Boa_Gurl on April 29, 2009, 08:06:08 PM
Lol, that's a good idea Bree.  I obviously, have not tried this yet.  Although I do think I'd have to buy a new pair of scissors or do this with my mom's yard scissors when she's not here!!!!  LMAO!!!!!


Its not the most appetizing obviously but when I first started with BP's I had a lil girl no one told me hadn't ever had a meal.  Ever.  So I tried pretty much anything that would cavort in front of her and be small.  I listened to every bit of advice that ANYONE would give me.   I tried it.  I almost tried standing on my head in the corner spitting out pinkies but figured...that might be going a bit too far.  I don't like psych units too much....at least not my idea of a vacation!  Anyways...  I finally found a site that talked about getting hatchlings to feed.  In detail.  And this one trick seemed to make alot of sense to me.  I've used it now on 5 different snakes.  That may not be alot, but it seems like it might be worth a try.  Of course we do know Boots is no Ball Python....though he was hanging with one, maybe she taught him some bad habits?

Bree      :givebeer:
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