Feeding Question about my new boa

[danktat]

So can someone tell me a bit more about this supposed hair sensitivity in BCCs?

I have not personally seen sensitivity in BCC to hair or specific animals other than to have runny stool when fed foul. I have used mice (pink, fuzzy, hopper, thru adult), rats (all the sizes from pink to xxxl), rabbits (small to about 3 lbs), hamsters (fully grown), chicks and guinnies. I have noticed that I have had a couple of regurges (and a funky shed with color loss) using xxxl rats so I haven't used them since (read that the fat content in those can cause digestion troubles not only in BCC but in other boa subspecies as well). I have found more of a sensitivity to size and frequency than any other factor. I would be interested to hear more on the hair sensitivity as well.

	Boa Constrictor Constrictor

[JuliusSqueezer]

Most regurged mice I have been accomplice to I believe are more of a fresh factor. Mice do not last in the freezer near as long as rats do regardless of how they are stored. Regurged rats almost always seem to be from pushing something a little too large...in my experience...unless it's just a sick snake that can't hold anything down.

[spix14]

Originally Posted by JuliusSqueezer

Probably not. It's all conjecture. Rats and mice are different animals. It's easy to suspect the finer fur but prove it. There could easily be other factors that make them less digestible. It's also important to consider that fur is an important digestive aid so hairless rats as a staple for large boids is a bad idea. Fur or feathers have no nutritional value but they are the salad...the roughage.

See, that's what I always thought. Seems like the hair in the rats/mice plays kind of the same role as fiber in a human diet.

[Texas Rattlesnake]

Like Squeezer says, the conclusion that the mouse caused the regurgitation would be pure speculation or conjucture on my part. Of course, trying to pin down the cause of any regurgitation always requires some degree of speculation.

However, in this instance, the mouse is the only variable that changed. As for it being a foul or spoiled mouse, it was in the freezer for less than 2 months and no other animals have given back mice from that pack. And, it was not much bigger (if at all) than the rat pups the animal has been eating. I can't say this "mouse hair" intolerance theory for young BCC holds any water. I'm only reporting to the group what happened.

	Boa Constrictor Constrictor

[JuliusSqueezer]

oh..it very well could be the finer fur causing it. Over the years I've had way more mice get puked up by various animals than I have rats. For whatever reason, they seem a little rougher on sensitive stomachs.

[danktat]

I was using the word "foul" to refer to birds.....sorry for the misspelling I meant "fowl"

[JuliusSqueezer]

You did OK...They are fowl going down and then foul coming out so it's really the same thing anyway.

[razeraze]

All right I can tell why many monitor keepers do not deal with snake keepers.

BW if you want names PM me, I doubt the herpetologist I talk to want their names splattered over a petty argument with the likes arrogant snake keepers.

The black bear and raccoon can live in the same environment, even in captivity if you set it up correctly, perhaps you have never been to a mammal rescue with out side pens. Just like a snake can live in the exact same set up as a monitor or a crocodilian if it is done correctly, how ever you seem to think this is impossible, I don't know if it is a personal mental block or you are just too unimaginative to understand this. Here let me put it in idiot terms for you. Remember the alligator cage you had you converted to a snake cage? I could house a monitor in it, or a snake with little change. I used to think 120F was too hot of a surface temp but since it has been confirmed for boa constrictors it will not hurt them in captivity if done properly.


Julius: I have only seen animal eat itself to death and that is a pac man frog. It takes prey too large and chokes to death. Many snakes will not eat prey too large, so if it gets it down and brings it back up I would put the blame elsewhere.

The bottom line is I could put any snake into my monitor cages and it will do fine, I could even put my monitors in my snake cages and they will do fine. Is it magic? No it is a properly set up cage.

[pythonguy21]

raz
"Proper temps can be found outside, proper cage set ups can be found outside, proper diet and "appearance" can be found outside."

the only thing i dont like with your set ups tom is the plain pond liner, there is no absorption to keep urine off the snakes. i dont know where they live on pond liner either. i know you said they pushed things aside to get to the bottem but isnt it better to give them that option then none at all. other than the plain pond liner you have very nice cages.

[JuliusSqueezer]

Speaking in idiot terms seems to come easy for you. Wonder why

Many snakes will not eat prey too large

This statement shoes a gross lack of experience. I won't go any further other than...wrong! A baby amazon tree boa for example will gladly swallow a pink rat even though it should be fed a pink or fuzzy mouse. It won't puke it up. It will just roll over and die.