Ruppert the red tail boa (4 months old on Jan 6) ate 1 pinkie rat on Sunday the 19th. Then ate another 2 pinkie rats on Thursday the 23rd, four days later. He ate 2 rat pinkies again on Sunday the 26th. I was out of town Monday (the 27th) and my friend that takes care of the animals while I'm gone went and fed Ruppert another rat pinkie that one of the other snakes refused. These are just born new baby pinkie rats, only a few days old, so they're not really big. What is TOO much for Ruppert to be eating? Is this ok or do I slow this eating machine down some? He's forever cruising for food (when he thinks I'm not watching ).....
Yes, he had a vet check up and a fecal done, he was in great health at that time.
Thanks!
Jem

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Jem You may need to up the size you are feeding him. I don't remember how big Ruppert is but my Maggie Mae is just under 30 inches and feeds on rat pups. The constantly cruising for food suggests that the food item isn't large enough. It is better to give them a weekly feeding. Feeding too often keeps their digestive tract in constant high gear and is a source of physical stress. Not to mention it cuts down on the time available to handle. If you are just using up pinks that you have in stock go ahead and give more than one and then wait a week.

I would also not cross feed a pink that another snake has refused. Too much chance of carrying some nasties from one snake to another.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Well I picked him up and he crawled a bit along my arms then I put him back right away. I measured my arms and guessed at this mesurement. He's about 25-27 inches long.
What size is considered a rat pup? How old of a baby rat is that? Do you have a link for me to compare sizes of rats maybe?
He downs the pinkies like they are nothing with an awesome feeding response! lol
I'm still shocked that I even OWN this little guy!

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Some think they can. Some wish they could. Some do.

Oh yeah...I forgot to say that my friend gave him the pinkie that the other snake refused.
Of course he got another lecture on how to take care of my animals. He's still learning about caring for snakes and is willing to learn at least!

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Some think they can. Some wish they could. Some do.

I agree with Merlin on the maybe upping to pups but I have no experience with baby boas just big obnoxious ones I figure a snake has had too much to eat if he or she looks like a sausage, amistake I have only made once with a certain greedy python when he was just begininng to eat adult rats. Feeding too much once is not going to make your snake obese. Lyn gave me some rat "pups" that she bred, that were two weeks old for one of my fussy feeders once. They were nice and fat so if you think Rupert might have trouble putting them down try a ten day old rat baby.

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Jem, you want to be looking at a food item that is the same size or up to one and a half times the size as the thickest part of the snake's girth. As Merlin says it sounds like the snake isn't getting enough food if it is still searching, and you want to keep the snake feeding every 4-7 days rather than so spontaneously. Boas have slower digestive systems than colubrids like corn snakes, so as it grows older slow down feeding to once a week, and once the little guy is a huge fat monster like my Charley and Heather's Boyd you will only be feeding every couple of weeks.

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"If you know everything you may as well blow your brains out because the reason for existence is to learn more everyday." - Mark O'Shea, 2004

Jem, This will give you an idea of the sizes of rats. This is the supplier I use.
www.rodentpro.com/catalog.asp?prod=2

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Thanks a bunch Merlin! My rats must be spoiled rotten because their "colossal" ones look like my large/medium ones!
If everyone else uses this 'scale' then that's what I'll refer to them as too.
But my rats sure are alot bigger for some reason!

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Some think they can. Some wish they could. Some do.

LOL! Most likely the "colossal" are retired breeders. They don't get near the coddling and spoiling your "pet" rats do!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I'm talking about my feeder rats Merlin! They're HUGE! And yes, they get pet and spoiled when we clean cages just like the pet rat, Captain Mac! lol
Maybe I'm doing this feeder rat thing the wrong way? Too spoiled ya think?

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Some think they can. Some wish they could. Some do.