I have never read or heard anyone talk about rat milk being an issue, and the development of the bones makes sense from a calcium standpoint. This kind of information is invaluable, and I can't thank you enough for sharing your experience and wisdom in raising and growing these beautiful animals.
Love the size/age comparison along with the feeding guidelines. I always go back to your videos to see how big my boa's going to be cuz I can't wait lol.
Great video and some beautiful snakes. Personally when I had my boas and burms I liked varying the prey sizes and species and intervals. I used rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, quail, chicken, pheasant and varied the intervals from between 1 and 6 weeks. I feel that this more closely mimics the way they eat in the wild and stops them becoming used to a schedule.
I was feeding my three year old boa a large rat and ex large mouse every 10 days but after watching your video I'll feed it every two weeks as she looks a bit bulky , so thanks for your informative video ,also love the different morph's of boas you have All the Best From Scotland 🏴🏴🏴
Your videos are so clean. Even the video you're talking about was one of the first to convince me you were one of the few reptile channels worth a damn for information. You're one of my biggest inspirations to pursue working with these animals further. Keep it up!
Thank you Jason! I’ts been 2years and Karma is looking good, I’m never 100% sure if She is well fed or hungry.. but I can tell by her behavior. This video is reassuring.
Even though I’m not keeping boas, appreciate this kind of detailed breakdown and the honesty about some things. Hopefully boa keepers find this helpful.
The video was very helpful. I have 2 males and 2 female from 4 months to 1.5 years old. They are doing fine feeding once a week. The breeder of one of the males has had him eating small fuzzy rats so I am doing the without a problem. I want to slow grow my snakes so they become healthy adults. Thanks to you, I really love and appreciate the Boa Imperator now.
Nice job! Feeding always seems like a big controversial topic in this hobby. I hate to admit 😨 I took the word of a friend over doing research or listening to my then breeder when my dumerils was young. She's an older snake today and quite small for her age yet. Grateful to have found all you guys! You've helped me and my snakes so much over the years. Husbandry and everything improved. THANK YOU ❤🐍🐍❤
goddamn you got some gorgeous boas, sitting here with my 2 yr old sunglow whos growing nicely thanks to your old vid. cant wait till hes full grown. much nicer vid now tho.
Yay! Haven’t seen you upload in a while. My favorite video yet - so much useful info.. sizing by age (that I’ve been looking for and no one posts), feeding guide, and healthy weight examples. Suuuuper useful. Thanks!
Thank you this is very helpful. I've had a ball for years and I just got my first boa and it seems as if I've had the wrong perspective on feeding all along. Boa is a baby so I don't wanna mess it up! Very informative!
Really informative video. Im experienced in snake keeping, but ALWAYS struggle with choosing an appropriate prey size. I always underestimate what they can actually manage. Thanks for another great video 🐍
I am planning on gettinc a BCI at some point, though i am still waiting to have... More stable life conditions (I am just about to finish a degree and will probably move cities or even countries within the next year, so no getting any pets before having settled). I appreciate any piece of education I can get in advance. Thank you for making this!
@@JasonsExoticReptiles an yeah throw me back in the 1x2 TUB where if I could I'd kill myself in sighhhh... money making period... throw him in a 2x 3 cell fir his life ask him DAILY how he loves it, then when he BEGSSSSS fir it to end LAUGH and say naaaa your only 20ish 60ish more years your gonna LIVE in that 1x 2 tub looser... enjoy life...
@@yotehunter3468 snakes are not social they honestly don’t really mind being in a tub that size 🤦🏽♂️ unlike humans if you lock us up it’s not the size that would drive us crazy it’s the lack of socialization, my point is relax the animal is fine she’s not in any danger.
Thanks, very informative. I got a baby BCI in March, she was born January 20th, and you gave great info about feeding and varying sizes and growth. Much appreciated.
Great info and really entertaining, that's what we're used to, at least you're back Jason 😊. I'm an absolute fan of locality boas but still love your videos, always learn something new from you, greetings from Spain and thank you so much 🙋♂️
Jason’s exotic reptiles so for males on average if they’re 1 you feed em once a week ,if they’re 2 yrs old once every two weeks . Until they get around for where you feed em once every three weeks (roughly)
One they're adults: Feed them prey that is slightly thicker than their body, 7 days from when you stop seeing the lump from the last meal, to grow your snake. Feed them prey that is the same width or slightly smaller than their body, 10-14 days from when you stop seeing the lump from the last meal, to maintain your snake's size.
Great info Jason. Will definitely be sharing this vid with some recent snake owners I know. You make a great point about not feeding rat pups opposed to larger mice. Also loved that Sunglow! Beautiful snake.
One thing I think you're talking with feeding young boas small/more frequent meals that I've seen in my collection across species is that frequent feeding builds mental and physical momentum. In other words, the more frequent feed cycle seems to jump start their feeding mentality and also their physical robustness. With snakes that start on pinkies for example, I prefer to feed every 5 days. They just seem to look/do better than ones fed every 7 days. This video reminds me of the growth rate differences between BI's and BCC. I don't feed rats until they can take small rats. People are surprised when I tell them the my BCC don't make it onto small rats until their third year.
Man, I'm so glad you're back. Easily the best channel for boa info. I have a question for you/anyone that reads this though. I have a young boa that I bought from a breeder and he's ALWAYS buried. He just stays underground, and lately, he's been incredibly aggressive always trying to strike. What gives lol
Young snakes are always more defensive. They don't know their place in the world yet, their instincts tell them that you're a predator that may eat them. So work with them slow and confident until they start to realize that you're not all that bad. If you have to take a few bites its much better when they are younger lol. Eventually they usually tame out, but some individuals never do.
@@kaidynfoster8826 I was just going to ask. Maybe I have to take a few strikes to show I'm not food or a predator. It's weird though, because 6 months ago, he was fine. Maybe I just have to handle him more, and for longer? My work schedule has me outta town every week so I dunno lol
@@CDuff86 I would handle a couple times a week if possible. And I wouldn't let him bite you lol but if he does its not a big deal. You need to slowly gain trust. Snakes work in modes, feed mode, defensive mode, and explore mode/thinking mode. When you go to handle the snake make sure its not in food mode, either with a hook or something else. Once you get it out of food mode you can go in and grab the snake. It might gate defensive but that's normal, just stay calm maneuver the snake around to where its not gonna smoke you lol, you can spin to keep its head away, or if it starts getting too scared you can raise it above your head so that it doesn't see you for a few moments and that seems to calm them down. Kevin from NERD has great trust thread videos and can explain better than me.
@@kaidynfoster8826 thank you for the tips. This boa is a LOT different from my Ball Python 😂. Dude has a wild attitude problem, I feel like I should ground him. I'll check out Kevin's videos more. I've watched a lot, but more so just on Retics, back when that was a pipe dream lol.
I LOVE this video thank you much. This is probably more information than what I’ve found in months of trying to figure out the tips and tricks to feeding properly
I'm getting a Suriname BC in a couple weeks, about 7 weeks old and I don't know if I should feed every 7 or 14 days... I'm getting so much mixed information
Loved the video...can you do a vid on the different boa genetics (morphs) for example bloods etc etc...giving examples....The morphology of Boa constrictors on the island of Trinidad varies greatly and it would be an asset to point out or recognize individuals with those given traits... Bless bro.... totally 100% agree with the way you feed...keep up the great work
Loved the video Jason!! Glad you’re back man! Quick Question, my boa is around 23 inches I bought rat pups and he’s ate them no problem and digested within 2 days. I have at least 20 left should I bite the costs and switch to mice? I was saving the larger rat pups for last as he grows on the smaller ones they are all 20-29G supposedly.
Hey what kind of rack is that to our left of you with the window? Looks neat also the tubs look taller then most tubs I've seen .can you share this info please
Question: Subbed and watched most of your boa videos, one question still eludes me. "Power feeding" "slow growing" .. My question, does the end result change? Will slow growing a boa result in an adult that is smaller? Does power feeding result in a larger adult? Or is the snakes overall adult size purely genetic (discounting fatness)?
Mostly genetic but power feeding can potentially kill your animal just as easily as under feeding. Check out my video “stop slow growing your boas”. I speak a little on this.
I have a 4 yr old boa. He's not for breeding. Here you talk about the 3-4 range with a large or extra large rat and I'm feeding a jumbo😳 monthly. He doesn't have rolls when I lift his tail. I'm wondering if he's getting enough. Maybe drop the size of fed and bump up the frequency? Lmk what you think
Hi,im also watching your channel since i have a 1 year old bci,f,what is a win rat?im not a native speaker,i feed her once a week a an adult mouse ,the size of her its like your ms from min 5:25,on facebook i saw many keepers with 1y snakes much bigger than mine,and i was thinking that shes too small,now im not so sure..
I have a 1 month Columbian boa.. the exotic pet store I bought my snake at said to feed Pinky's. I didn't even hear you mention pinky mice. So now I'm very confused as to what I need to feed my boa. He is currently 45grams. Thanks
What a wonderful feeding guide, love how you go into detail verse the common recommendations of something that leaves a good size lump 😐 all your animals look magnificent. It is sad how many reptiles are tragically overweight, and sometimes for some species the norm. Have you ever used reptile links? Depressing your videos... never ☺️thank you ever so much for sharing and best wishes always.
They just seem to grow better with the right sized meal. It also allows them time between feedings to normalize since the metabolism slows a bit at an adult
If you have a growing boa, you have a bunch of hopper mice in the freezer, can you give them 2 hoppers per meal till you use them up? When she eats 1 hopper, she's hungry in a couple days and I have her on a 10 day feeding schedule. She's not fat, very active, and very sweet till she gets hungry. In the wild they'll eat a whole nest of small rodents so I didn't think doubling smaller stuff till I use it up will bother her.
I love your videos - such good info, and your love and respect for the animals shines through. On feeding - do you have any feeding suggestions specific for those of us who have dwarf locality Boas? I have two beautiful Tarahumara (from Michael Beach) that are almost a year old, and just bumped them up from small to medium mice. Do you think these small Boas be on mice throughout their lives?
I have one particular adult boa (about 5 1/2 years old) that, Air I don't feed her every 10-14 days, she begins whithering away. Had her checked for parasites; none, and she doesn't appear to have any digestion or nutritional uptake issues. Shes just a rare boa with a lightning fast metabolism.
I know this is an old vid, but I’m curious, does once a week count as power feeding? Everything I’ve seen has said 10-14 days when they’re young. That’s what I’ve been doing, and around day 9 my girl starts hunting around the enclosure and you can tell she’s getting hungry. I don’t want to overfeed her, but I also don’t want to underfeed either
It is highly dependent on the size of the prey you feed. Check out my video on slow growing. Just search Jason’s exotic Reptiles slow growing and it should show up. That video may clarify things. I also plan to make an updated feeding video since there are things within this video. I’d like to elaborate on or become more concise. If you are feeding some thing that barely puts a lump in the animal, it’s fine to feed every seven days. If it puts a lump, you should be pushing it to every 10 to 14 days.
Hey Jason I've got a 6 year old boa, I feed her every 3 weeks on medium rat. She was a premature baby but has done really well. I am a little worried that she has stopped wrapping her meals. Is there anything you can suggest. Thank you in advance 👍
Hey Jason love your videos dude! I recently rescued a 6 year old female BCI whom was severely neglected up to about 6 months ago. She’s currently about 5 feet and as thick as your 2 1/2 year old boa, but I’m still unsure of how often I should feed her considering her background. She’s currently on large rats once every week. Should I increase her feeding or food size? Also will she grow any bigger considering her age? I trust your advice more than any other you tuber and your videos are awesome. Thank you!
As long as rat same size as largest on ya snake you can do it . But I will go one size up in prey feed jumbo rats or xL rats on weekly feeding or 10 days watch the dramatic fashion of ya snake transformation if you do this she will add both muscle mass and length .
I was mostly watching this to see if i'd ever have to feed like guinea pigs or rabbits to an adult male because i really want a boa, but I dont want quite the size of a female or to have to feed something other than a rat because im just not comfortable with that sooo yeah this and your size comparison video have helped me come to a decision about it, so thank you!
I'm thinking about getting my second red tail boa! Is it safe in the future for me to handle a 10 foot red tail boa by myself such as handling and cleaning its cage?
What’s up Jason, I have a bci, she’s just under a year and a half old, and going into her 4th shed this year, she’s growing like a weed just under 3ft long, she looks like a good weight to me and her meals don’t leave much of a bulge, I’m concerned because of how frequently she’s shedding, is 4 times in 8 months normal or is this a sign she’s growing to fast? Cheers and keep up the good work my man,
I just got a baby Colombian BI. Seller said he was feeding him fuzzies. He’s 2 months old and about 20 inches long now. I feel like that’s too small of a meal for him. Should I bump to hoppers?
Hi Jason, I purchased a normal BCI from you (100% het albino 50% het Anery, born 8th of May 2020) and because I was in short supply of mice at the time, I begun feeding her Rat pups. She took them down without hesitation, but I noticed a more sluggish/laziness about her during her digestion period. Then I saw this video and jumped onto Rodent Pro and ordered SMALL ADULT MICE (7.00-12.99 grams). They arrived today and I question if they are large enough to satisfy her hunger; the RAT PUPS are 20.00-29.99 grams and they barely make a bulge in her! These Small Adult Mice look like popcorn compared to the Rat Pups. Do you suggest I feed her TWO small mice per feeding, and if so, should I do that back-to-back or wait an hour or so between feedings? If anyone else has an opinion on this, please share with me. She is a sweetheart, btw. Still prefers to stay in her enclosure, but once out, she is a curious, friendly little girl. No more hissing or striking, either btw! :)
hey jason i just bought a 5 yr old female thats only 5 feet . shes only been fed small rats . if i feed her appropriate size rats will she still get to like 8 feet or is she full size at 5 feet since shes already 5 years old
Hi Jason!! I have a 2/3 year old female that looks like the twin of the last snake in the video only she's a bit smaller. At that point in her growth what are you feeding her and how often? My baby came from a slow grow situation that was recommended by the reptile store she came from to her previous owner and I've taken over her care. They told him to slow grow her so she wouldn't need a giant enclosure later. :( I just want her to be healthy and am not interested in breeding her. Right now I'm giving her an adult mouse and a juvie once a week but planning to move her up to a small rat soon as she always seems to be hunting unless you think I should go a different route since I'm trying to get her where she should be as far as weight and size. Your videos taught me pretty much everything I needed to know about how to deal with my boa and I appreciate you for posting them. Watching you handle even the feistiest, nippiest snake with ease gave me the confidence to not be afraid of handling her and she's a really awesome pet now that she's gotten used to being handled and I'm not so afraid of getting bit. Thank you!
Are boa's supposed to have alot of loose skin? Atleast more then pythons do? 1.5 year hog island and I feel like she has alot of loose skin, but over all looks healthy.
Not really. That typically means they are dehydrated, but it depends on what you mean by loose skin. Could be perfectly normal. Without physically seeing the animal it would be hard for me or anyone to give a definitive answer
An awesome video really helpful. I recently rescued a 6yr bci who was really underweight and because of that was stunted to about 4ft9 at most I think he's nearly up to a healthy weight but I'm still not 100% sure
I have a question if you don't mind. My mother and I have been considering getting a BCI but the info on adult prey items is confusing. Some people say you need to feed adults stillborn pigs, rabbits, or chickens, but other people say they can stay on a strict rodent diet. Would I be able to keep an average adult BCI on rats or not? This is really the only thing I'm not sure about.
Most of my adult boas eat xl-xxxl rats. Ill occasionally throw in guinea pigs when I can get them but otherwise I have no issues with rodents only. 99% of boas will not get large enough to justify a rabbit.
Adult boas are large snakes and suppose to eat rabbits , chickens , ducks exclusively no rats . Rats are for smaller snakes species not these guys if you wanted a smaller snake not to grow very big downsize ya snake species get dumerils boa or carpet 8-9 ft range python
I have a newborn snake baby boa .. after first shedding .. I tried to feed it .. it seems he is not interested in his prey .. the snake refused .. any suggestions? because I've tried various ways, from giving a cave snake ..frozen mice and live pinkies mice ...I'm a little frustrated right now. :| ..i need help ..thank you
I also have a big 10ft boa, but she's been struggling with health issues. I only took her in about a month ago, but she's skinny and have been dealing with RI (i took her to the vet and antibiotics etc) My main question now is: What should I feed her and what schedule. The vet suspected she didn't eat for months so I started feeding smaller prey to get everything going again. She ate 2 times, each time 1 XL rat and a week apart. Any suggestions where to go from here?
Just bought a Hypo-Albino SunGlow Boa Female, estimated to be about 3 years old. She has some scarring and scale indentations, any thoughts on whether I can help her heal from this or if it's fine to remain how it is? She feels a little on the small side and this video is extremely helpful with knowing how to rectify that! Thanks!
If they are scars, only time and many sheds will heal them. Depending on how deep, some may be there forever. If you are referring to the Krinkled scales, that is completely normal from when they lay in a coil.
Hoppers here nyc tend to be like 4-8 grams , fuzzy mice 8-12 grams and I had balls python s hatchlings eat them so I'm wondering what's a good size to start a boa ?
Ive just rescued a male adult boa he's 6 foot long and just over 5 kilos in weight he has been fed every month to 6 weeks but I think he should feed more often you said once he has pooped out his last meal wait a week and feed him again is this OK please?
I dont base anything on their poop. All on weight and overall look. The only time some of my boas go over 4 weeks without food might be fore breeding. Otherwise I feel that way too long.
@@JasonsExoticReptiles yes I agree he has just had an ri he's done all his meds but he still has problems with shedding to the point ive got to do it for him so I want to get his weight back on so he finds it easier to shed on his own
Ive just started feeding him every 2 weeks now but I have to brain the rat for him to take it but he did today so hopefully as long as I do that each time he should take it every time no more wastage
This video was good timing! after 8 or so years my parents have finally let me get a snake so i got a boa constrictor! also whats the best way to keep the ambient temperature high in the enclosure without heating the room?
Its really super dependant on your specific room conditions, but an insulated/well built enclosure with an internal heat source suitable to the enclosure. This can be bulbs, heat emitters, heat pads, etc
@Jason's Exotic Reptiles It can get a little cold here because i’m in Canada but it doesn’t go below 21°c because i do have a bunch of tarantulas but its of course still too cold for a boa. I got a 20 gallon, what watt heat emitter would you recommend or does it not matter because it’s on a thermostat?
What if your not breeding your boas, both my male and female are fed about every 3 weeks, both snakes being 5 years old, my male just isn't interested if I try sooner most of the time... You said you feed your females every 2 weeks when breeding but is every 3 weeks OK when not breeding?? (I make sure the prey size is correct for her size BTW)
Hi there! For ball pythons do you feel the same way in terms of adult size feeders vs baby rats? I'm in between prey item sizes right now and trying to figure out what's best. Currently on hoppers but was considering switch to rat fuzzies. Do you recommend just continuing with larger mice? Thank you!
@@JasonsExoticReptiles It doesn't seem to be leaving a bump at all. Every time I feed her I have to thoroughly check her feeding box to make sure she ate the mouse because you cant tell she ate by looking at her.
Such a great video! The large females at the end were so beautiful. I have a small 5 month female. She just had her first shed with me. Can’t wait for her to get some size to her.
people told me to waiting my boa getting pooped before I give The next meal... have I do that? or just give the meal weekly for my 1 years old boa, even though it Haven't pooped yet?
I just picked up a red tail boa and they said it was eating rat pup frozen thawed I was wanting to get it on mice what’s the best way to do this. I only feed live. Please help!
Worried now about my son's boa. She is 3 years old now, got a mouse weekly until she was 2, dropped to a 2 week feed at 2 years, she is now eating a medium mouse. Makes a small lump when she eats. She is nowhere near the sizes of the ones you are showing. More like the 1 1/2 year size you were showing. She is a pearl island, so maybe they are smaller? Shouldn't she be much larger?
Unfortunately I avoid ball pythons completely at this point. With that said, ball pythons feeding is very similar. Most people tend to over feed them in my opinion.
Once my boa hit 4-5 feet, he would only eat monthly... he would eat three big rats at a time, digest, poop, and not eat again for about two weeks... ,maybe he was healthier not having something digesting all the time?
![The Complete Story of Destiny! From origins to Shadowkeep [Timeline and Lore explained]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9mbDXvDNqTU/mqdefault.jpg)
I have never read or heard anyone talk about rat milk being an issue, and the development of the bones makes sense from a calcium standpoint. This kind of information is invaluable, and I can't thank you enough for sharing your experience and wisdom in raising and growing these beautiful animals.
Thank you!!
I was thinking the same! Makes sense!
Same here. I just went online and bought 100 adult mice. :) Thanks Jason!
Rabbits are healthier
Milk in baby mice apparently highers the risk of regurgitation if theyre young
Love the size/age comparison along with the feeding guidelines. I always go back to your videos to see how big my boa's going to be cuz I can't wait lol.
Thank you
Great video and some beautiful snakes. Personally when I had my boas and burms I liked varying the prey sizes and species and intervals. I used rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, quail, chicken, pheasant and varied the intervals from between 1 and 6 weeks. I feel that this more closely mimics the way they eat in the wild and stops them becoming used to a schedule.
I was feeding my three year old boa a large rat and ex large mouse every 10 days but after watching your video I'll feed it every two weeks as she looks a bit bulky , so thanks for your informative video ,also love the different morph's of boas you have
All the Best From Scotland 🏴🏴🏴
Your videos are so clean. Even the video you're talking about was one of the first to convince me you were one of the few reptile channels worth a damn for information.
You're one of my biggest inspirations to pursue working with these animals further. Keep it up!
Thank you Jason! I’ts been 2years and Karma is looking good, I’m never 100% sure if She is well fed or hungry.. but I can tell by her behavior. This video is reassuring.
Everytime is see the videos you post she looks incredible and growing great!
Even though I’m not keeping boas, appreciate this kind of detailed breakdown and the honesty about some things. Hopefully boa keepers find this helpful.
Thanks man!!
Thank you for the info bro. Really helped me out always worried that I'm leaving my snakes unsatisfied.
With age and amount food was perfect n what feed u give them at that age
The video was very helpful. I have 2 males and 2 female from 4 months to 1.5 years old. They are doing fine feeding once a week. The breeder of one of the males has had him eating small fuzzy rats so I am doing the without a problem. I want to slow grow my snakes so they become healthy adults. Thanks to you, I really love and appreciate the Boa Imperator now.
Nice job! Feeding always seems like a big controversial topic in this hobby. I hate to admit 😨 I took the word of a friend over doing research or listening to my then breeder when my dumerils was young. She's an older snake today and quite small for her age yet. Grateful to have found all you guys! You've helped me and my snakes so much over the years. Husbandry and everything improved. THANK YOU ❤🐍🐍❤
Thank you!!
goddamn you got some gorgeous boas, sitting here with my 2 yr old sunglow whos growing nicely thanks to your old vid. cant wait till hes full grown. much nicer vid now tho.
Thank you!
Yay! Haven’t seen you upload in a while. My favorite video yet - so much useful info.. sizing by age (that I’ve been looking for and no one posts), feeding guide, and healthy weight examples. Suuuuper useful. Thanks!
Thank you! And yes, it has been a while. Been crazy busy with work and life. Just haven't had the energy to really focus on anything else
Thank you this is very helpful. I've had a ball for years and I just got my first boa and it seems as if I've had the wrong perspective on feeding all along. Boa is a baby so I don't wanna mess it up! Very informative!
Be careful of the misinformation in the Facebook groups
Great video thanks for sharing, I bought my first female boa constrictor last week and your video really helps 👍🏻
Congrats and good luck!
This is why I sing your praises and what convinced me to get my first baby from you. It actually may be time to bump his food size up a little
Thank you!
I‘m about to get my first Boa Imperator and I will try to follow this guide. Thank‘s a lot!
Hey, I’ve had a generic red tail for a few months now. Great eater. You make some awesome content, just wanted to say thank you!
Really informative video. Im experienced in snake keeping, but ALWAYS struggle with choosing an appropriate prey size. I always underestimate what they can actually manage. Thanks for another great video 🐍
Thank you!
I am planning on gettinc a BCI at some point, though i am still waiting to have... More stable life conditions (I am just about to finish a degree and will probably move cities or even countries within the next year, so no getting any pets before having settled). I appreciate any piece of education I can get in advance. Thank you for making this!
Damn bro I thought you quit TH-cam lol...glad your back!
Haha just been crazy busy trying to get through the things that need to be finished. Had some time last night and put this together.
@@JasonsExoticReptiles an yeah throw me back in the 1x2 TUB where if I could I'd kill myself in sighhhh... money making period... throw him in a 2x 3 cell fir his life ask him DAILY how he loves it, then when he BEGSSSSS fir it to end LAUGH and say naaaa your only 20ish 60ish more years your gonna LIVE in that 1x 2 tub looser... enjoy life...
@@yotehunter3468 yooo thats deep and messed up he's a decent pet owner at least
@@yotehunter3468 snakes are not social they honestly don’t really mind being in a tub that size 🤦🏽♂️ unlike humans if you lock us up it’s not the size that would drive us crazy it’s the lack of socialization, my point is relax the animal is fine she’s not in any danger.
Thanks, very informative. I got a baby BCI in March, she was born January 20th, and you gave great info about feeding and varying sizes and growth. Much appreciated.
Thank you!
Great info and really entertaining, that's what we're used to, at least you're back Jason 😊.
I'm an absolute fan of locality boas but still love your videos, always learn something new from you, greetings from Spain and thank you so much 🙋♂️
Thank you!!
Jason’s exotic reptiles so for males on average if they’re 1 you feed em once a week ,if they’re 2 yrs old once every two weeks . Until they get around for where you feed em once every three weeks (roughly)
One they're adults: Feed them prey that is slightly thicker than their body, 7 days from when you stop seeing the lump from the last meal, to grow your snake. Feed them prey that is the same width or slightly smaller than their body, 10-14 days from when you stop seeing the lump from the last meal, to maintain your snake's size.
Great info Jason. Will definitely be sharing this vid with some recent snake owners I know. You make a great point about not feeding rat pups opposed to larger mice. Also loved that Sunglow! Beautiful snake.
Thank you.
One thing I think you're talking with feeding young boas small/more frequent meals that I've seen in my collection across species is that frequent feeding builds mental and physical momentum. In other words, the more frequent feed cycle seems to jump start their feeding mentality and also their physical robustness. With snakes that start on pinkies for example, I prefer to feed every 5 days. They just seem to look/do better than ones fed every 7 days. This video reminds me of the growth rate differences between BI's and BCC. I don't feed rats until they can take small rats. People are surprised when I tell them the my BCC don't make it onto small rats until their third year.
Love those big ones at the end, especially the dark one
Thank you!
Man, I'm so glad you're back. Easily the best channel for boa info.
I have a question for you/anyone that reads this though.
I have a young boa that I bought from a breeder and he's ALWAYS buried. He just stays underground, and lately, he's been incredibly aggressive always trying to strike. What gives lol
Young snakes are always more defensive. They don't know their place in the world yet, their instincts tell them that you're a predator that may eat them. So work with them slow and confident until they start to realize that you're not all that bad. If you have to take a few bites its much better when they are younger lol. Eventually they usually tame out, but some individuals never do.
@@kaidynfoster8826 I was just going to ask. Maybe I have to take a few strikes to show I'm not food or a predator. It's weird though, because 6 months ago, he was fine. Maybe I just have to handle him more, and for longer? My work schedule has me outta town every week so I dunno lol
@@CDuff86 I would handle a couple times a week if possible. And I wouldn't let him bite you lol but if he does its not a big deal. You need to slowly gain trust. Snakes work in modes, feed mode, defensive mode, and explore mode/thinking mode. When you go to handle the snake make sure its not in food mode, either with a hook or something else. Once you get it out of food mode you can go in and grab the snake. It might gate defensive but that's normal, just stay calm maneuver the snake around to where its not gonna smoke you lol, you can spin to keep its head away, or if it starts getting too scared you can raise it above your head so that it doesn't see you for a few moments and that seems to calm them down. Kevin from NERD has great trust thread videos and can explain better than me.
@@kaidynfoster8826 thank you for the tips. This boa is a LOT different from my Ball Python 😂. Dude has a wild attitude problem, I feel like I should ground him.
I'll check out Kevin's videos more. I've watched a lot, but more so just on Retics, back when that was a pipe dream lol.
@@CDuff86 No problem, mate. Best of luck!
I LOVE this video thank you much. This is probably more information than what I’ve found in months of trying to figure out the tips and tricks to feeding properly
Thank you!
I'm getting a Suriname BC in a couple weeks, about 7 weeks old and I don't know if I should feed every 7 or 14 days... I'm getting so much mixed information
Small meal every 7 days is what I recommend
Loved the video...can you do a vid on the different boa genetics (morphs) for example bloods etc etc...giving examples....The morphology of Boa constrictors on the island of Trinidad varies greatly and it would be an asset to point out or recognize individuals with those given traits... Bless bro.... totally 100% agree with the way you feed...keep up the great work
Thank you. I can try for sure.
@@JasonsExoticReptiles Thank you so much brother. Much appreciated
Loved the video Jason!! Glad you’re back man! Quick Question, my boa is around 23 inches I bought rat pups and he’s ate them no problem and digested within 2 days. I have at least 20 left should I bite the costs and switch to mice? I was saving the larger rat pups for last as he grows on the smaller ones they are all 20-29G supposedly.
Thats your call. I know plenty of people who use rat pups with no issues, but i have never had luck with them.
You can try large adult mice 30 grams .
Hey what kind of rack is that to our left of you with the window? Looks neat also the tubs look taller then most tubs I've seen .can you share this info please
Freedom breeder
Very awesome thank you for the info, a lot of people I see under feed their boas but I can see that you definitely don't👍
Hey Jason you just answered my question about size . I just finished watching you about the feeding procedure. Thank you the information was great 👍
Awesome to hear!
Are you feeding them in their rack? If so how do you let them know when it's food time or holding time to avoid being nipped.
I made a video on the pros and cons, but plan to do a new one since it's fairly old at this point
Question: Subbed and watched most of your boa videos, one question still eludes me. "Power feeding" "slow growing" .. My question, does the end result change? Will slow growing a boa result in an adult that is smaller? Does power feeding result in a larger adult? Or is the snakes overall adult size purely genetic (discounting fatness)?
Mostly genetic but power feeding can potentially kill your animal just as easily as under feeding. Check out my video “stop slow growing your boas”. I speak a little on this.
I have a 4 yr old boa. He's not for breeding. Here you talk about the 3-4 range with a large or extra large rat and I'm feeding a jumbo😳 monthly. He doesn't have rolls when I lift his tail. I'm wondering if he's getting enough. Maybe drop the size of fed and bump up the frequency? Lmk what you think
Just dropped in. I find your info fantastic. Makes sence. We look forward to the next video. Ty. Wm. Cook
Thank you!
Solid update! Always enjoy your content. Informative with great snakes to show as examples.
Thank you!
Hi,im also watching your channel since i have a 1 year old bci,f,what is a win rat?im not a native speaker,i feed her once a week a an adult mouse ,the size of her its like your ms from min 5:25,on facebook i saw many keepers with 1y snakes much bigger than mine,and i was thinking that shes too small,now im not so sure..
A weaned rats. It’s basically the next size down from a small rat and is about the size of a jumbo mouse
@@JasonsExoticReptiles thank u
I have a 1 month Columbian boa.. the exotic pet store I bought my snake at said to feed Pinky's. I didn't even hear you mention pinky mice. So now I'm very confused as to what I need to feed my boa. He is currently 45grams. Thanks
Pinkies are too small unless they are talking about pinky rats.
Love your videos man help me a lot starting up
I’m most likely going to get a boa this Christmas and I’m planning on getting it from you.
Btw the videos have been so helpful for my research!
Thank you! Just let me know when you're ready
Jason's Exotic Reptiles-
Ok, will do.
What a wonderful feeding guide, love how you go into detail verse the common recommendations of something that leaves a good size lump 😐 all your animals look magnificent. It is sad how many reptiles are tragically overweight, and sometimes for some species the norm. Have you ever used reptile links? Depressing your videos... never ☺️thank you ever so much for sharing and best wishes always.
Nice! Thanks. Question though. Why 2 weeks large rat ? Why nor medium every week?
They just seem to grow better with the right sized meal. It also allows them time between feedings to normalize since the metabolism slows a bit at an adult
If you have a growing boa, you have a bunch of hopper mice in the freezer, can you give them 2 hoppers per meal till you use them up? When she eats 1 hopper, she's hungry in a couple days and I have her on a 10 day feeding schedule. She's not fat, very active, and very sweet till she gets hungry. In the wild they'll eat a whole nest of small rodents so I didn't think doubling smaller stuff till I use it up will bother her.
That’s shouldn’t bother them at all.
@@JasonsExoticReptiles thanks!
Awesome very educational feeding schedule video... as always J, great stuff 👍
Thank you
I love your videos - such good info, and your love and respect for the animals shines through. On feeding - do you have any feeding suggestions specific for those of us who have dwarf locality Boas? I have two beautiful Tarahumara (from Michael Beach) that are almost a year old, and just bumped them up from small to medium mice. Do you think these small Boas be on mice throughout their lives?
Very similar approach but the prey and prey size will change. My tarahumara adults are eating medium rats every 2/3 weeks
I have one particular adult boa (about 5 1/2 years old) that, Air I don't feed her every 10-14 days, she begins whithering away. Had her checked for parasites; none, and she doesn't appear to have any digestion or nutritional uptake issues. Shes just a rare boa with a lightning fast metabolism.
I know this is an old vid, but I’m curious, does once a week count as power feeding? Everything I’ve seen has said 10-14 days when they’re young. That’s what I’ve been doing, and around day 9 my girl starts hunting around the enclosure and you can tell she’s getting hungry. I don’t want to overfeed her, but I also don’t want to underfeed either
It is highly dependent on the size of the prey you feed. Check out my video on slow growing. Just search Jason’s exotic Reptiles slow growing and it should show up. That video may clarify things. I also plan to make an updated feeding video since there are things within this video. I’d like to elaborate on or become more concise. If you are feeding some thing that barely puts a lump in the animal, it’s fine to feed every seven days. If it puts a lump, you should be pushing it to every 10 to 14 days.
@@JasonsExoticReptiles thanks so much! I’ll check that out and be on the lookout for that future vid
Hey Jason I've got a 6 year old boa, I feed her every 3 weeks on medium rat. She was a premature baby but has done really well. I am a little worried that she has stopped wrapping her meals. Is there anything you can suggest. Thank you in advance 👍
Not wrapping is fine if frozen thawed. She probably just knows that it’s dead and doesn’t need to.
Hey Jason love your videos dude! I recently rescued a 6 year old female BCI whom was severely neglected up to about 6 months ago. She’s currently about 5 feet and as thick as your 2 1/2 year old boa, but I’m still unsure of how often I should feed her considering her background. She’s currently on large rats once every week. Should I increase her feeding or food size? Also will she grow any bigger considering her age? I trust your advice more than any other you tuber and your videos are awesome. Thank you!
I'd feed her just like I mention in the video. Background of the snake shouldn't change much
As long as rat same size as largest on ya snake you can do it . But I will go one size up in prey feed jumbo rats or xL rats on weekly feeding or 10 days watch the dramatic fashion of ya snake transformation if you do this she will add both muscle mass and length .
I was mostly watching this to see if i'd ever have to feed like guinea pigs or rabbits to an adult male because i really want a boa, but I dont want quite the size of a female or to have to feed something other than a rat because im just not comfortable with that sooo yeah this and your size comparison video have helped me come to a decision about it, so thank you!
Would this guide apply well to my 3mo old dumeril's Boa? I've been having a hard time finding a good schedule to follow.
Yes, absolutely
I'm thinking about getting my second red tail boa! Is it safe in the future for me to handle a 10 foot red tail boa by myself such as handling and cleaning its cage?
It depends on a lot of factors about you. If you’re a 5ft woman that’s 90 lbs, that’s different that a 6’5” guy that’s 250lbs
@@JasonsExoticReptiles I'm a man that is 5 foot 8 and weigh 188
Very informative video bro‼️ You just helped me a lot with my Red tail 💪🏽
What temperature do you heat a mouse for boa feeding
I just let it go to room temp
@@JasonsExoticReptiles okay thanks
What’s up Jason, I have a bci, she’s just under a year and a half old, and going into her 4th shed this year, she’s growing like a weed just under 3ft long, she looks like a good weight to me and her meals don’t leave much of a bulge, I’m concerned because of how frequently she’s shedding, is 4 times in 8 months normal or is this a sign she’s growing to fast? Cheers and keep up the good work my man,
Sounds fine to me. If it were 8 times in 4 months I'd be concerned but thats about right for a growing snake.
She needs Large adult mice 30 grams or small rats 40 grams . Even a girbil will do fine
I have a question when new babies are born, are they aggressive to each other.
Never that I have experience
I just got a baby Colombian BI. Seller said he was feeding him fuzzies. He’s 2 months old and about 20 inches long now. I feel like that’s too small of a meal for him. Should I bump to hoppers?
If its too small then bump up
Hi Jason, I purchased a normal BCI from you (100% het albino 50% het Anery, born 8th of May 2020) and because I was in short supply of mice at the time, I begun feeding her Rat pups. She took them down without hesitation, but I noticed a more sluggish/laziness about her during her digestion period. Then I saw this video and jumped onto Rodent Pro and ordered SMALL ADULT MICE (7.00-12.99 grams). They arrived today and I question if they are large enough to satisfy her hunger; the RAT PUPS are 20.00-29.99 grams and they barely make a bulge in her! These Small Adult Mice look like popcorn compared to the Rat Pups. Do you suggest I feed her TWO small mice per feeding, and if so, should I do that back-to-back or wait an hour or so between feedings? If anyone else has an opinion on this, please share with me. She is a sweetheart, btw. Still prefers to stay in her enclosure, but once out, she is a curious, friendly little girl. No more hissing or striking, either btw! :)
Depending on the size, you can try feeding two one after the other. Just make sure they are not too much if you feed two
hey jason i just bought a 5 yr old female thats only 5 feet . shes only been fed small rats . if i feed her appropriate size rats will she still get to like 8 feet or is she full size at 5 feet since shes already 5 years old
Most boas will not hit 8 ft, but yes, feeding the appropriate item will resume growth.
Hi Jason!! I have a 2/3 year old female that looks like the twin of the last snake in the video only she's a bit smaller. At that point in her growth what are you feeding her and how often? My baby came from a slow grow situation that was recommended by the reptile store she came from to her previous owner and I've taken over her care. They told him to slow grow her so she wouldn't need a giant enclosure later. :( I just want her to be healthy and am not interested in breeding her. Right now I'm giving her an adult mouse and a juvie once a week but planning to move her up to a small rat soon as she always seems to be hunting unless you think I should go a different route since I'm trying to get her where she should be as far as weight and size.
Your videos taught me pretty much everything I needed to know about how to deal with my boa and I appreciate you for posting them. Watching you handle even the feistiest, nippiest snake with ease gave me the confidence to not be afraid of handling her and she's a really awesome pet now that she's gotten used to being handled and I'm not so afraid of getting bit. Thank you!
If you don’t know how old I would start with every two weeks but something that leaves a lump that you can see for a few days
@@JasonsExoticReptiles awesome thank you for responding!
Are boa's supposed to have alot of loose skin? Atleast more then pythons do? 1.5 year hog island and I feel like she has alot of loose skin, but over all looks healthy.
Not really. That typically means they are dehydrated, but it depends on what you mean by loose skin. Could be perfectly normal. Without physically seeing the animal it would be hard for me or anyone to give a definitive answer
Your 3.5 old females on jumbo rats are what size is her length ?
An awesome video really helpful. I recently rescued a 6yr bci who was really underweight and because of that was stunted to about 4ft9 at most I think he's nearly up to a healthy weight but I'm still not 100% sure
I have a question if you don't mind. My mother and I have been considering getting a BCI but the info on adult prey items is confusing. Some people say you need to feed adults stillborn pigs, rabbits, or chickens, but other people say they can stay on a strict rodent diet. Would I be able to keep an average adult BCI on rats or not? This is really the only thing I'm not sure about.
Most of my adult boas eat xl-xxxl rats. Ill occasionally throw in guinea pigs when I can get them but otherwise I have no issues with rodents only. 99% of boas will not get large enough to justify a rabbit.
Adult boas are large snakes and suppose to eat rabbits , chickens , ducks exclusively no rats . Rats are for smaller snakes species not these guys if you wanted a smaller snake not to grow very big downsize ya snake species get dumerils boa or carpet 8-9 ft range python
its for BCC and BCI the same rules ?
I do them both the same
Great information going into boas from pytons awsome knowledge thanks! 👌
I have a newborn snake baby boa .. after first shedding .. I tried to feed it .. it seems he is not interested in his prey .. the snake refused .. any suggestions? because I've tried various ways, from giving a cave snake ..frozen mice and live pinkies mice ...I'm a little frustrated right now. :| ..i need help ..thank you
You may want to check out my latest two videos that I just put out. They kind of go into things you can try and potential reasons
I also have a big 10ft boa, but she's been struggling with health issues.
I only took her in about a month ago, but she's skinny and have been dealing with RI (i took her to the vet and antibiotics etc)
My main question now is: What should I feed her and what schedule.
The vet suspected she didn't eat for months so I started feeding smaller prey to get everything going again.
She ate 2 times, each time 1 XL rat and a week apart.
Any suggestions where to go from here?
Jason do I put the female in with the male or the author way when breeding
Usually male with female since females have the larger enclosure but it shouldn't make a difference
Just bought a Hypo-Albino SunGlow Boa Female, estimated to be about 3 years old. She has some scarring and scale indentations, any thoughts on whether I can help her heal from this or if it's fine to remain how it is? She feels a little on the small side and this video is extremely helpful with knowing how to rectify that! Thanks!
If they are scars, only time and many sheds will heal them. Depending on how deep, some may be there forever. If you are referring to the Krinkled scales, that is completely normal from when they lay in a coil.
Hoppers here nyc tend to be like 4-8 grams , fuzzy mice 8-12 grams and I had balls python s hatchlings eat them so I'm wondering what's a good size to start a boa ?
How do I tell if my baby boa is male or female?
I have a video on that
Ive just rescued a male adult boa he's 6 foot long and just over 5 kilos in weight he has been fed every month to 6 weeks but I think he should feed more often you said once he has pooped out his last meal wait a week and feed him again is this OK please?
I dont base anything on their poop. All on weight and overall look. The only time some of my boas go over 4 weeks without food might be fore breeding. Otherwise I feel that way too long.
@@JasonsExoticReptiles yes I agree he has just had an ri he's done all his meds but he still has problems with shedding to the point ive got to do it for him so I want to get his weight back on so he finds it easier to shed on his own
And i thought you said in your video you feed then wait till they poop then give it a week and feed again?
Ive just started feeding him every 2 weeks now but I have to brain the rat for him to take it but he did today so hopefully as long as I do that each time he should take it every time no more wastage
This video was good timing! after 8 or so years my parents have finally let me get a snake so i got a boa constrictor!
also whats the best way to keep the ambient temperature high in the enclosure without heating the room?
You can use a heatpad on thermostat for hot spot. And ceramic heat emitter for ambient temps. They don't put off light so they can be on 24/7.
Thanks for replying! Should the ceramic heat emitter be on a thermostat so it doesn’t make a second hot spot?
Its really super dependant on your specific room conditions, but an insulated/well built enclosure with an internal heat source suitable to the enclosure. This can be bulbs, heat emitters, heat pads, etc
@Jason's Exotic Reptiles It can get a little cold here because i’m in Canada but it doesn’t go below 21°c because i do have a bunch of tarantulas but its of course still too cold for a boa. I got a 20 gallon, what watt heat emitter would you recommend or does it not matter because it’s on a thermostat?
How do you feel about feeding chicks?
It’s fine but I don’t. Just too small for most boas and they can give diarrhea
What if your not breeding your boas, both my male and female are fed about every 3 weeks, both snakes being 5 years old, my male just isn't interested if I try sooner most of the time... You said you feed your females every 2 weeks when breeding but is every 3 weeks OK when not breeding?? (I make sure the prey size is correct for her size BTW)
I'm here cuz my 15yr old 6 an a half foot male bci just died an I just ordered a baby male guyana an I need a refresher course on meal size
Hi there! For ball pythons do you feel the same way in terms of adult size feeders vs baby rats? I'm in between prey item sizes right now and trying to figure out what's best. Currently on hoppers but was considering switch to rat fuzzies. Do you recommend just continuing with larger mice? Thank you!
I do feel the same for bps
I've been feeding my Boa Imperator fuzzy mice. She is about the same size as the first 2 you held. Is that too small of a meal or good?
Depends if its leaving a bump or not. You could always size up until you find something that leaves a bump then size down again
@@JasonsExoticReptiles It doesn't seem to be leaving a bump at all. Every time I feed her I have to thoroughly check her feeding box to make sure she ate the mouse because you cant tell she ate by looking at her.
will you do a video of your oldest boas?
Could try. I like the idea
This a good guide for bci as well?
This is technically for BCI. Boa constrictor imperator. But it applied to bcc, and honestly I feed all of my snakes except for corn snakes this way.
Such a great video! The large females at the end were so beautiful. I have a small 5 month female. She just had her first shed with me. Can’t wait for her to get some size to her.
Thank you!
When I was about 3 my family had 4 or 5 snakes and we used to feed two of them rabbits.
people told me to waiting my boa getting pooped before I give The next meal...
have I do that?
or just give the meal weekly for my 1 years old boa, even though it Haven't pooped yet?
I just picked up a red tail boa and they said it was eating rat pup frozen thawed I was wanting to get it on mice what’s the best way to do this. I only feed live. Please help!
I may have missed it 0-6 months once Ah week Orr??
How do I know when to get my boa bigger food size
Thanks For your feedback Jason ...
Love your snakes. Nice feeding video update.
Thank you!
I am having such a hard time knowing if my snake is overweight 😢, one person in chat says yes, and circles bend wrinkle and spinal cleavage?
Hey Jason how often to do you feed the 0-6 month old boa?
Every week with the occasional week skipped every 3-4 weeks or so.
@@JasonsExoticReptiles thanks Jason. I appreciate you’re videos and you advice man.
Worried now about my son's boa. She is 3 years old now, got a mouse weekly until she was 2, dropped to a 2 week feed at 2 years, she is now eating a medium mouse. Makes a small lump when she eats. She is nowhere near the sizes of the ones you are showing. More like the 1 1/2 year size you were showing. She is a pearl island, so maybe they are smaller? Shouldn't she be much larger?
Pearl islands are dwarfs so the size won't 100% apply
LOL doesnt want his snake to die from too much fucking LMAO
Lol
Can you do a video like this on ball pythons please! Great info and detailed without being boring
Unfortunately I avoid ball pythons completely at this point. With that said, ball pythons feeding is very similar. Most people tend to over feed them in my opinion.
Once my boa hit 4-5 feet, he would only eat monthly... he would eat three big rats at a time, digest, poop, and not eat again for about two weeks... ,maybe he was healthier not having something digesting all the time?
Great vid!! I do believe in small meals once a week for neonates
Thank you!
Hi Jason I am from india my boa is not taking feed
That could be a whole bunch of reasons that I cannot even begin to assess on a TH-cam comment
@@JasonsExoticReptiles can you check your Instagram please