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feeding problem

Apep

Apep

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ok i have this columbian red tail and he wont eat. i have a seperate feeding cage where i put him in and i thaw out the rat and put it in with him. and he will just stay away from it. temps are 82 and the hot spot is 94. everything is like it should be. any ideas?
 
Apep said:
i'd say hes about 5ft. hes never breed before.
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sounds like he could be in the mood for love
do you have any bigger females around ,if so he could be picking up her scent
if not they do tend to eat less when the winter settles in
good luck with him
try boosting the heat in the cage a touch and give some vitamin boosted appetite enhanser in his water
Eric
 
i've had him for about 2 years now. he normally eats great but that was when he was eating live rats then he stoped liking live then i started with frozen/thawed and he was eating fine with those. but everyonce in a while he wont eat for a time. the only female snake i have is about 9 months old
 
Instead of removing him from his viv, place some newsprint IN his viv, and lay the rat on that, and just leave him be for a while. Overnight would be best when all is dark and quiet. See if that don't help.

What are you measuring your temps with? Strips and dials aren't the bestest things to use. A few degrees off, can mean appetite problems if it's off to the cool side.


Rick
 
Apep said:
i could try keeping him in but i would have to take the others out.
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That could be the problem right there. If he is housed with other snakes it may be a simple stress issue.

Edit: What is he being housed with?
 
Schlyne said:
That could be the problem right there. If he is housed with other snakes it may be a simple stress issue.

Edit: What is he being housed with?
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Yup. Not all snakes do well with others so close by. A few exceptions, but mostly they are solitary. That may have some contribution to your problem.
 
Snakes are wierd like that. you can house 2 snakes together for years and then one day, wham, they stop feeding while they are together. I would separate and see if that does the trick. You will probably get all kinds of people going off about keeping them together as it is... feeding together is a no-no... :)
 
Biscuit71 said:
You will probably get all kinds of people going off about keeping them together as it is... feeding together is a no-no... :)
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True many people will opine what they feel about the subject, but I wouldn't call it "going off". I think people take things too serious at times. It is after all just anothers opinion, now matter how they choose to express it.

Don't take things too personal. Especially online. A couple hundred MILLION different personalities out there. LOL


Rick
 
Hate to say it, but seems you didn't plan this out too well before acquiring the snakes huh. Each one should have it's own enclosure, for safety and health reasons. If one gets sick, the others are sure to follow. Aggression has been known to happen in Boas too. If one say, got impacted, but the others are pooping fine, by the time you realized it, it would be too late.

These are just reasons to seperate them, not accusing you of any of it, but facts are facts.

I see you're 16, can't your dad help you build an enclosure with partitions or something for them?

Good luck though. I predict you'll have to seperate them eventually for one problem or another. Hope it's not a bad one. As for the eating, I wouldn't worry too much yet. It may be seasonal.


Rick
 
thanks but my dad already helped me build the 900 dollar cage that their in right now. and please don't try bringing my age in as a factor for my mistakes. that not it.
 
Lighten up there sonny, I was trying to help. What I meant by it is MOST 16 year olds don't have the money to go BUY cages. It was a mere suggestion. :shrug01:

Take it as you will, means nothing to me. My snakes are eating just fine. ;)


Rick
 
thanks for the advice grandpa. sorry if i miss-interpeted what you said but i hold down 2 jobs and have more then enough money to support my animals. :thumbsup: . and only 1 of my snakes is having a problem not my other 3.
 
Apep said:
i've had him for about 2 years now. he normally eats great but that was when he was eating live rats then he stoped liking live then i started with frozen/thawed and he was eating fine with those. but everyonce in a while he wont eat for a time. the only female snake i have is about 9 months old
Click to expand...

If you've got a older male boa living with a 9 month female snake, I think you're asking for problems later on. If it's a 9 month old female boa, you could end up with unwanted babies before she's ready to have them.

I wouldn't recommend mixing species, and that could be part of your problem as well.
 
i never said i was mixing species. i'm not and the female is locked off in a part of the cage where i put a wall.
 
Apep said:
i never said i was mixing species. i'm not and the female is locked off in a part of the cage where i put a wall.
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My question then is, How large is the enclosure youre housing these snakes in? Adult Boas need quite a bit of room, and two snakes in one tank that was built for ONE will cause you problems down the road.

Please dont take offense to the things people suggest here as they are trying to help you out. Youd benefit greatly to listen to their advice and follow it as best you can!
 
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