It has now been two months since my rosy boa has eaten and I don't know what to do!

The first 3 weeks of not eating was ( I figured) due to his next shed comming up. Now he has shed and another 3 weeks have gone by and he just wont touch his mice at all. He has looked healthy, energetic, and active this entire time but is now showing weight loss.

I have tried putting him in a dark box with his food. Night feeding, day feeding, live rat pup, and thawed mice. He doesnt seem to even reconise them as a food source. I have wasted a consider ammount trying to trigger his appetite.

The heat gradient in his cage is 78ish - 90 degrees. He is in the suggested 15 gallon long/short aquarium. Substrate was switched from sawdust to that white pet bedding. Red heat lamp has stayed on 24/7 but I have tried normal day cycles with it as well. Under tank heating pad with thermostat keeps one end of tank bottom at a constant 87-90 degree. Water given during sheds and once a weekish. Tank top screen - open ventilation.

The rosy boa itself has no visable signs of sickness. As I said before he looks great and roams his cage as if he is hungry daily. I havnt been handling him at all through all of this except I box him once a week with a mouse over night in hopes that he will eat it.

I have run out of ideas. I cant force him to eat... Any suggestions??

RaiThioS

When was his last defecation? Have you taken him to the vet to rule out impaction? Shouldnt range from 78-90..thats too big of a jump. And water should be provided everyday. Good luck with him!

Water provided daily goes against humidity and natural environ of rosy boa. Care sheets that I have read from multiple sources say this. same with the temp ranges suggested for this species. the 78 is at night.


I believe his last number 2 was this week

RaiThioS - you didn't mention the age or gender of your snake I don't think Could you advise?

Unless the snake is losing weight or has become listless and there is a noticable difference in character, activity and so on to his normal self then I wouldn't worry too much at this stage personally. We have a couple of snakes who don't eat for 6-8 months of the year because they are male and are more interested in mating frankly!

It may be that he is male, or indeed female, and as breeding season is upon us they are becoming sexually mature and showing all the symptoms of a love-sick puppy, or snake rather!

If you are still concerned, and he is showing signs of illness, then I would urge you to get him to a vet to get the all-clear.

However, the fact that he defacated just last week (?) demonstrates to me that he isn't necessarily ill.

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I agree with Bitis..if he is defecating normally and is still active he should be ohk..he could just be going on a hunger strike

Sorry about not including some more of the basic info on him (sick day for myself here and im not running at full capacity)


Rosy boa is 1.5 years old and is a male.

I having been wondering if his recent shed timed with the mating season and change of weather has all been the cause. Here in san francisco the warm weather has finally hit and there has been much more sun and fresh air in the house. If this is indeed the case how long do you think he will continue not to eat? I still feed him hoppers following the width of the snake rule for food size, so I dont think he could go 8 months like larger boas that eat rabbits n such.. or am I wrong there?

Snakes can go a long time without eating....just continue to offer him food everyweek 3 weeks isnt long at all

2 months ^

i have a rosy boa myself (male), who is about 5 years old, about 3 feet long. he's been in my care for about 2 years. the warm side of his tank is 80 during the day, dropping to lower temps at night. i have a heater under the tank on the warm side and I also have a red bulb on a timer, comes on at 9 in the morning and goes off at 9 at night. he usually eats ever 2 weeks although when october rolls around he goes off food from october until january sometimes february. he's been that way for the past two years and a friend who had him before said he was like that as well. its not uncommon for a rosy to go off food for an extended period, many snakes do it. i do not offer him water every day. a book that I have on them recommends offering water a few days a week then taking the dish out. i have been doing this for the past 2 years and he is still healthy. i feed my snakes every saturday so I will offer him water on saturday and leave it in till monday or sometimes tuesday before I take it out again. hope this helps.

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yes i am a she ^_^

~My Babies~

1 Rosy Boa (male) Chaos
1 Snow Corn (male) Blizzard
1 Anertherystic Corn (male) Bullet
1 Senegal Parrot (male) Shadow
2 dogs (male) Spot (RIP) and Bear

try holding it out in front of him and rubbing it against his nose?