Kenyan sand boa: killing but not eating

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debsreprescue

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My sand boa has started to kill his mice but then he just leaves them. I know some of you are going to tell me to feed f/t...I do feed my other 30 snakes f/t but my sand boa, which I've had for 3 years, has always refused to eat them. So he eats live, well at least he has until now. This has only happened the last couple of feedings but after about 1/2 hour the mouse has been killed and he just leaves it laying there. I thought this was a bit strange, he is healthy enough to go for quite a while without eating but I was just wondering if anybody else has had this happen to them. I thought maybe because it's winter time he just isn't as hungry but he's killing them anyways, then realizes he didn't want it.?
Thanks in advance....Debbie
 
So... you have a 3 year old male?
I've got three adult males, and none of them are eating now. This is the time of year when they have their minds on pretty girl sand boas and not eating mice. So... it's not really a problem. He'll start eating again when the time is right.

Erin B.
 
Thanks Erin

I'll just wait it out, I just thought it was strange that he would kill the mice then leave them. But I won't worry about it for now, he is healthy so going without food for a while isn't going to hurt him. Do yours eat f/t or live? If they eat f/t, how did you get them to do it? Thanks........Debbie
 
I think they just get really excited by the live mouse, kill it, and then get around to deciding they're not hungry. Although, sometimes if you pick up the mouse they've killed and tease them with it, they'll eat it. It's always worth a try.

MOST of my older KSB's eat f/t. There are 2 methods to get them to take it.

A. Heat the head of the item under very hot water and then dangle it in front of the KSB's nose. Keep tugging on the tail after they've struck to make them think it's struggling. After they wrap around it, leave them very well alone. You may have to do this more than once.

B. Leave the prey item in the cage overnight

A. works for almost everyone if I let them get a bit hungry. Sometimes they'll flip back and forth between eating f/t and only eating live. I tease feed with 6" hemostats, it seems to work well for everyone.

Erin B.
 
eating f/t

Erin, thanks for your ideas, I'll try the "hot head" idea next time I feed him. Maybe he'll come out of his hormonal mood soon...lol

Thanks again.......Debbie
 
Everything that is eating for me takes just regulary thawed mice, with the tese method. Dangling it slightly above their heads, and moving it around.
One ball python isnt eating (surprise surprise) so that doesn't work for him.
 
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