What is a proper feeding schedule for boas?

Both of these females have been raised on a 1-2 week feeding schedule. (Yes, that will be changing)

07 girl



08 girl

Well I am glad that my snake isn't obese. I would hate to end up on the equivalent of a Maury show about overseeing snakes!

I was also going to ask the question of whether or not feeding younger boas more often is okay because they can use the extra food to grow rather than overall maintenance. Glad that was brought up and in assuming that it is okay along as you aren't feeding it every couple of days.

*overfeeding snakes is what i meant to say. Not overseeing them.

To the majority these boas would look in great shape ,but its pretty clear how they have been fed.
The lower third of what "appears" to be larger one depicted definitely shows established fat reserves and an overall rounded profile.

Need to cut waaaay back to trim them down,two months of fasting wouldn't phase either one much at all.(seriously)

Without extended fasting periods that will require the animal to draw from its own reserves. it must,in order to reduce body mass,reduced feedings will just be reduced feedings at this point.

Originally Posted by RachelsBoa

Both of these females have been raised on a 1-2 week feeding schedule. (Yes, that will be changing)

Why is there a need for a young boa in captivity to grow?
Really just one reason comes to my mind . . . . .
ESPECIALLY if its someone that has followed(read) this thread

Originally Posted by the gecko geek

Well I am glad that my snake isn't obese. I would hate to end up on the equivalent of a Maury show about overseeing snakes!

I was also going to ask the question of whether or not feeding younger boas more often is okay because they can use the extra food to grow rather than overall maintenance. Glad that was brought up and in assuming that it is okay along as you aren't feeding it every couple of days.

It's not about making them grow so they will breed sooner. As much as you want it to be it really isn't.
People WILL have different feeding schedules than you. Whether it is because they want to breed sooner or whatever the reason is NOT for you to decide and tell the rest of the people reading..regardless of how much knowledge you have of the subject in question.


That's cool if you think that everyone feeds their snakes too much on purpose. That is really great for you. However it has already been established that MOST people have been misinformed. But your OPINION is NOT necessarily the right one, and people will always disagree with you. You can't always be right, because by human nature we tend to be wrong at times.

I feel that any living thing, humans, animals, fish, NEED extra food when young. You NEED higher protein so you CAN grow to the BEST of your abilities. For example feeding nursing or pregnant dogs food with much higher protein levels than normal so that it passes through to the pups. Do you feed your rats high protein chow or low grade dog food? In the animal world its not how properly you grow, but how fast you can grow. It's survival of the fittest out there. And being as how captive snakes are still wild animals, it all fits together like a puzzle. The evidence to support the theory has been well provided.

It has been brought up in this thread that possibly WHAT we feed our snakes may be the problem. There's no variety for a captive snake. Maybe VARIETY is what we are lacking? Give them a different meal from something in their native setting once a week and see how that affects them? Has anyone ever tried this before or found any documentation of such a study?

I don't expect anyone to agree with me, but I'm also not gonna go around telling people they are wrong when the topic being debated is still WIDELY varied. That just makes you look arrogant and rude IMO

And I don't mean to come off harsh or rude, it is not my intention, but it seems like beating around the bush and trying to reason with you is not going to work, so I will try being blunt and see how that works.

This is a discussion thread, not an "I'm right and you're wrong" thread.

And I am not doubting your knowledge Tommy, because I know that you know your stuff. I just keep getting rubbed the wrong way I guess. And maybe I'm the only one that is. That's fine too. Hell I could be wrong about what color underwear I'm wearing today, but at the end of the day my opinion is what I go home with every day.

Instead of telling people they are wrong, why not just play a little devil's advocate and get the gears turning in their brains. That is one of the best ways to spread knowledge. Make people think.

Thanks for the advice. You think I should put all of my adults on a 2 month fast and keep feeding the younger ones, but only every 3-4 weeks?

Originally Posted by the gecko geek

I feel that any living thing, humans, animals, fish, NEED extra food when young. You NEED higher protein so you CAN grow to the BEST of your abilities. For example feeding nursing or pregnant dogs food with much higher protein levels than normal so that it passes through to the pups. Do you feed your rats high protein chow or low grade dog food? In the animal world its not how properly you grow, but how fast you can grow. It's survival of the fittest out there. And being as how captive snakes are still wild animals, it all fits together like a puzzle. The evidence to support the theory has been well provided.

Comparing Mammals, fish and reptiles hardly argues the point validly IMO. Their needs are vastly different. Their metabolisms are completely different.

If a baby mammal, rodent or fish doesn't eat within a certain time after birth, it will die. I've had new born Boas (1 actually) that went it's first 2½ months without eating, and this is without getting the benefit of yolk absorption. And I bet they can go even longer and still end up thriving.

The animal mentioned above was fed every couple weeks for 3 months after finally deciding to eat, then went to 3 week intervals just like the rest. She seems to be thriving too, even if she is smaller then most 3 yr olds I've seen, and is not any smaller then her litter mates that ate right away, and 4-5 extra meals.

Originally Posted by RachelsBoa

Thanks for the advice. You think I should put all of my adults on a 2 month fast and keep feeding the younger ones, but only every 3-4 weeks?

I wouldn't worry about a fast. IMO that Boa doesn't look that bad. It's still blocky looking instead of round. And since it looks Colombian and could be BCC, then it won't have the same body shape as a BCI anyway.