| Boa constrictors, and other commonly kept boa | | | | slightly higher. This can be done by leaving it under a |
| species are normally fed on frozen and defrosted | | | | spotlight, or on top of the warm end of your boa's |
| rats and rabbits. Like other snakes, boas have slow | | | | vivarium. |
| metabolisms and eat their prey whole so meals are | | | | Using a pair of forceps, hold the item by the tail and |
| infrequent. Typically an adult boa would be fed a | | | | offer it to your snake. While some will prefer you to |
| single suitably sized rodent every 10 - 14 days, or | | | | dangle the prey in front of them, others will happily |
| even less frequently for very large specimens, or | | | | take prey left on the vivarium floor. The latter option |
| inactive species such as Emerald Tree Boas. | | | | is recommended for large boas over 6 foot in length |
| Boas are quite capable of swallowing prey items of | | | | for safety reasons. |
| considerable size. However, smaller offerings will | | | | If your vivarium has a loose substrate, such as wood |
| cause less stress, and less chance of digestive | | | | chip or bark, you will need to remove your snake for |
| problems. An ideally sized prey item will be no larger | | | | feeding and place it in a suitable plastic container. |
| than the girth of the snake, just enough to show as | | | | Feeding in the vivarium poses a risk that substrate |
| a bump in the abdomen after eating. A meal which is | | | | will be ingested along with the rodent which can |
| too large may take so long to digest, especially in | | | | cause digestive problems such as an impacted gut. |
| less than optimal temperatures, that it turns rancid in | | | | Snakes have an incredible sense of smell, so never |
| the stomach and is regurgitated. | | | | put your hand in the vivarium or handle your snake if |
| Neonates (newborn) can be started on day old 'pinky' | | | | you have been handling prey items. Even a rodent |
| mice, and then fuzzy mice, small through large mice, | | | | defrosting on the other side of the room may be |
| and then onto rats and possibly rabbits as their | | | | smelt by your snake, so any vivarium cleaning and/or |
| growth dictates. | | | | handling should be done before bringing prey items |
| Since prey are eaten whole they contain all the | | | | into the room. Similarly you should avoid handling your |
| nutrients a boa requires and so no vitamin or mineral | | | | boa for 48 hours after feeding. If a snake mistakes |
| supplement is required. | | | | your hand for prey and strikes it will be a more |
| Frozen rodents must be thoroughly defrosted before | | | | serious bite than a defensive bite since it intends to |
| being fed to your boa. The safest way is to place | | | | hold on! For your own safety, and to avoid undue |
| them in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator | | | | stress to your snake, follow these guidelines when |
| overnight. On feeding day, take the container out | | | | feeding your boa. |
| and warm it up to at least room temperature, or | | | | |