Dumeril's boas refusing food

I've been force-feeding two Dumeril's boas at work since several weeks after their birth, and they have yet (three months later) to eat on their own. I've tried all the tricks I know.

Anyone have any suggestions?

What are all the tricks you know?
Under proper conditions, baby dumerils are rarely problematic feeders (though they can sometimes be slow to switch to f/t)...if you could describe how they are housed (including day/night temperatures, substrate, enclosure size, etc), it would be easier to help

Originally Posted by hhmoore

What are all the tricks you know?
Under proper conditions, baby dumerils are rarely problematic feeders (though they can sometimes be slow to switch to f/t)...if you could describe how they are housed (including day/night temperatures, substrate, enclosure size, etc), it would be easier to help

Currently they're being housed in a 20 gallon tank. We're using some kind of snake-safe Aspen, I think. Large water dish, hiding cave, things to climb on.

We're keeping the temperature lower because we were told that they're temperature sensitive. I believe we have it at about 84 in their tank at the moment.

I've tried live mice pinkies and fuzzies, live rat pinkies, f/t of all three of those things. I've tried feeding them in their tank, outside their tank, in the evening, after they've started hunting, if they look like they're waiting for food, by holding it right in front of their face for ten minutes or so, wiggling it, leaving it with them over night, tapping them with it... As far as forcing, I've tried just opening their mouth and putting the prey item just inside to see if they'd wrap around it...

Currently what I have to do - every week - is put the f/t fuzzy in their mouth and push it to the jawline. From there on they'll finish the work, but this is after much coaxing. They still have NEVER struck at anything, and they're not acting like it's going to happen anytime soon.

Originally Posted by Trefenwyd

Currently they're being housed in a 20 gallon tank. We're using some kind of snake-safe Aspen, I think. Large water dish, hiding cave, things to climb on.

So, they are being housed together? Not the best way to get them started, but not impossible, either. More on this at the end.
Some kind of snake-safe aspen, you think. Accepting that there could be a variety of reasons that you might not know what you are using for substrate, I will reserve comment until you can be certain...aspen is a perfectly acceptable option, however.

We're keeping the temperature lower because we were told that they're temperature sensitive. I believe we have it at about 84 in their tank at the moment.

hmmm...ok, we'll guess that it is about 84 in their tank. A good temp for dums, in fact, but is that a consistent and/or constant temp? Is one side warmer than the other? If you are using a light or CHE for heat, is it turned off at night (if so, what are the night time temps). If you are using any type of "spot heating" (light, CHE, UTH, etc), what are the temps at the warmest and coolest spots?

I've tried live mice pinkies and fuzzies, live rat pinkies, f/t of all three of those things. I've tried feeding them in their tank, outside their tank, in the evening, after they've started hunting, if they look like they're waiting for food, by holding it right in front of their face for ten minutes or so, wiggling it, leaving it with them over night, tapping them with it... As far as forcing, I've tried just opening their mouth and putting the prey item just inside to see if they'd wrap around it...

Scrap the mouse pinkies and fuzzies...live rat pinks sometimes work, but are not your best option. Offer a small live mouse (anything from a medium sized hopper to a small adult will work, just don't go with a real big one). This was one of the major obstacles I have faced with breeding dums - I don't like feeding live, and don't breed my own rodents. Get them started first, once they are feeding regularly, it isn't that big a deal to switch them...the key is to get them feeding regularly.

Currently what I have to do - every week - is put the f/t fuzzy in their mouth and push it to the jawline. From there on they'll finish the work, but this is after much coaxing. They still have NEVER struck at anything, and they're not acting like it's going to happen anytime soon.

You don't need to assist feed every week - in fact, it is stressful to the snake...let that wait until it is necessary.

SO. Check your temps & make sure everything is as it should be (don't think, be sure). Leave them alone for a week - don't mess with them, unless it is absolutely necessary...and in a 20 long, that shouldn't happen in a week. Spot clean the tank, as needed, but leave them alone. make a divider (cardboard will do) to split the tank in half - use it when you offer the live mice after a week, with one snake on either side. Do not leave the mice unattended with your snakes (they like to bite/chew on dum tail tips)

Yes, it is aspen. I can't remember what it's called, but I just checked on it. I couldn't remember if it was some other sort of shavings, but yes. Aspen. Sorry.

We checked the temperature a few days ago. That was what it was reading. At night, the temperature drops down to about 72 in the store. There's nothing I can do to prevent that, and I'm not there over night, so I can't give you a for sure reading on what it is inside their enclosure. :\

The only reason I'm assist feeding is because I don't want them underweight. How can I not do it and expect them to keep their weight where it should be?

I never leave live fuzzies with them unattended. The only thing they're left with is pinkies, which just squirm around blindly.

Also, I have tried separating them, to no avail. Unfortunately, our store is small. Keeping them apart for any real length of time isn't really possible. Honestly, we've never had trouble with any of our snakes like this. The Dumeril's are our own captive bred babies, to top it off. They were bred and born here!

This is so frustrating.

Well, part of the problem is the temps. 72 at night is a bit cool for babies. You didn't say how they were heated, if it is with a light bulb, you might want to consider leaving it on overnight or switching to another method.

I understand why you think you need to assist feed them every week, I'm just telling you that you shouldn't. They aren't going to drop significant amounts of weight if you give them a little time...and bottom line is, they aren't fit for sale until they are feeding on their own anyway. Warm them up a bit, and throw them a live mouse (none of that pinky, fuzzy, crawler stuff, lol)

They're way too small for a full blown mouse. The larger one out of the two could probably handle a hopper, but that's it. Maybe I'll give that a try.

The temp of the store itself drops down that low, but their light stays on all night. So they probably go from 84 to about 76-78, would be my guess.

So if I stop feeding them every week... how long is too long to wait?

hmmm - I don't know what I did, but my second post originally contained a size recommendation for the mice...I must have removed it when I rethought another statement.

I found it - buried inside a quoted passage...I forgot the / when I ended the passage. just corrected it a few minutes ago

Okay. I'll try the larger mouse size, and see if that does anything. Curious that they would go for prey that big at that age!

Hrm. I'll let you know what happens. Thanks!

so how did you make out??