Thanks for all the comments. The care sheet was useful. I have not handled him since this morning and given the multiple recommendations to leave him be....I won't handle him again until next weekend or so. Anyone see any issues with trying to feed him next weekend? Also, after he eats in his eating container how do I get him back to his enclosure? How long do you wait after he has finished his meal? Any risk of irritating him by moving him after his meal?

I'm sure these questions have been answered and I'll continue to do some research but if you get a chance to answer them it would be much appreciated.

Thanks again,
Brian

With my boa, after I feed her in the locking rubbermaid container I use I give her a bit of time to settle down, then move her back by hand, carefully, to not stress her out.
I have made a viewing area in the container I feed her in, and can check on her without disturbing her. I usualy give her as much time as it takes to settle down from feeding mode before moving her.
The limited time it takes to pick the boa up out of its feeding container, and place it in its cage, should not be enough to cause it to regurgitate so long as it has fully consumed its meal.
My boa has not regurged from the limited contact involved,
Nor has it happened with any of the boas or ball pythons I feed at work.

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"Nobody can do Everything, but Everybody can do Something."

I feed all of my snakes and as soon as they have completely swallowed they are gently placed back in the enclosure. The act of simply picking them up and replacing them in their homes is not enough to cause a regurge.
Its excessive handling after the feed that is the danger.

__________________
Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I have found that if I leave Mustache in her feeding enclosure for about 1/2 hour after she eats, I can turn the tub on its side and let her crawl out. She is perfectly willing for me to pick her up put her back in her enclosure. She is not happy with me if I stick my hand down in her tub.

You can try feeding him next weekend, but don't be too surprised if he doesn't eat. It's probably the stress of the move. Just wait till the following weekend and try again.

As soon as the snake has completely finished swallowing and has worked the rat down to the middle, you can put him back. Some stay in "feeding mode" for a while after swallowing, so either leave him in the feeding box for a half hour or so, or use the towel over the head trick to gently lift him out and back into his enclosure.
After that, do not handle him again for 3 days or so. Just make sure his temperatures are right and that he has plenty of clean fresh water. My snakes drink more in the day or two after eating. But fresh clean water should be available all the time.

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Andrea

FLASH NEWS UPDATE---------------------

wife arrived home and I broke the news that we were now the caretakers for a juvenile boa constrictor. This particular boa was a rescue in that we were preventing the snake from the life of a breeder. Not completely terrible but certainly not the life of a pet. Also told her how 7 year old daughter got teary eyed when I told her we might need to find another home for 'Sampson'. She said "Well, then we should keep it." That my friends is a cool wife. Any wife that allows reptiles, hairy tarantulas and a colony of feeder blaberus for said hairy overgrown spider is a for-sure keeper!

I haven't broken the part about the frozen bunnies arriving in the mail to be thawed in the driveway to be used as food for our 8 foot long pet snake. But that's just how it goes...one day it's feeder cockroaches and the next frozen bunnies in the mail.

Sometimes it strikes me as a peculiar hobby when you think about it.

Thats for sure! At least her arrival home was not heralded with a scream of "GET IT OUT OF HERE!!"
But it sounds like the boa has a home!

You think?

__________________
Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Congrats, keep us posted on the bunnies

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

Luckily the whole bunny thing is a few years away!

So every morning/evening I have been talking to Sampson and I make the same clicking sound with my mouth. The idea is that I want him to recognize me when I come to his cage. Most times when I do this it will get a small rise out of his head and some tongue flicks to see what's going on.

Tonight he was out and about as it was dark when I arrived. He slowly worked his head up to the screen top just inches away from my face (screen between us). I wasn't really worried he was going to try and strike since his neck was fully extended....and you could tell he was just being inquisitive.

Anyhow....very cool experience. He seems to be acclimating very well to his new home and I'm just beginning to see some behavioral traits. I know I was on the fence about him but so far I'm thinking I made the right decision. I'm not exactly sure what a stressed snake looks like but this guy doesn't appear to be stressed. And so far his demeanor has been nothing but sweet and inquisitive.

I look forward to a bit more time passing so I can take him out and begin getting him used to regular handling.

An extended neck is not a strike pose. A drawed back "S" is.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!