Viperboa feeding.

[Lisa]

Here is Nikita chomping on a rodent.

[Clownfishie]

Cool!

[LdyDrgn]

WOW, you're lucky!! They usually only want frogs and lizards....

[Tim_Cranwill]

Very cool. I'd love to see more pics of this girl.

[snakemann87]

awesome pic, aren't you kinda worried hes eating on that mulch though?

[Lisa]

After talking with people who have been herping (finding, keeping, breeding and hatching reptiles) longer then I've been alive, I figured they might know something when they say not to worry about ingestion. Sure it's a possibility but it's not likely. This way I don't disturb the snake to feed it, just drop in the rodent and wait.

[stormyva]

Hmmm....
Do you wear a seat belt when you drive your car?
Do you stand in the middle of a field holding a 10' long metal pole during a thunder storm?
There are a lot of things that are unlikely to happen but we still take precautions to prevent them from happening.

[djnzlab]

HI,
I have seen somepost on other forums that have concerned a snake accidentally injesting some wood bark while eating.
This can lead to a fecal impaction that will require surgery to remove. Wood bark can also lodge in the GI tract and become stuck.
So maybe feeding in some type of feed box may be the best thing with newspaper in the bottom of the feed box to catch any
moisture from that fresh killed or better yet thawed rodent.
this box cost about four bucks at walmart, and has a locking lid that i added a few holes to to allow breathing, I put the whole thing in his cage incase he breaks out. I hate hunting for boa's

You may be fine for a while but your luck could change.
doug

[Pythonian]

for the record .. i don't wear a seatbelt driving... and if i had a 10 foot metal pole, and was given enough pressure.. i'd hold it up in the middle of an empty field... does that mean my snakes are gonna eat mulch? ... thats just silly...


Mike

Lisa is right... look at the terrain the animals live on .. if ingestion was such a huge killer.. every snake would be endangered...

[djnzlab]

HI,
I see I haven't quite convinced you about the dangers of wood bark.
So here's a little experiment
DO search on Google or ask Jeeves with this as the topic

PHP Code:

wood bark ingestion boa 


see how many web sites post pop up many are reptile care sheets and vet info.
I had hundreds'
See ya doug

[zouleous]

I gotta agree with these guys. I believe you're being ignorant to say there is no reason to take precaution against your snake ingesting any bedding during feeding. Mike: obviously the analogies presented in this thread have nothing to do with snakes. That wasn't the intent. People here are just trying to say there IS a chance of harmful ingestion that CAN be prevented...so why not do it?

I can't fathom how the same people can find it so important to feed pre-killed and f/t in order prevent injury, but then think this matter means nothing. In my opinion it's the same thing. Both can be harmful and can be prevented...period

Z

[dlucka]

You have a real nice snake, i like those viper boa.
Just a thing on nature way, do snake live on wood bark
in nature? There is a lot of thing on the floor they live
and some time they eat it, small thing that can be digest
or just pass it's way, some time not and they die. That's
nature way, do you realy want to play nature way with the
snake you take care every day?

That's just my words, i take the time to feed all my snake in feeding box, yes it take more time, nice time to spend with my herps.

[Lisa]

I have tried feeding them in a different container, they wouldn't eat, they do eat in their enclosure where it smells right for them and they feel secure. Whats the point of removing them from their enclosure if they get stressed, won't eat and die because they starve them self to death. Wheres your perspective? And no they aren't on f/t either, and I'm not worried about a live pinky injuring them. Right now I'm just happy that they are eating. As time goes by I will switch them to f/t but first I want them eating regularly.

[dlucka]

It's a routine, i think they kind of know when i put them in it's food time, i do this with new arival too and for now all it's find,
exeption of a ball that will eat only in my hand, that's a other story. For sure viper boa are tricky eater to start, you can try just put the pinky on some thing that the snake can't (scott towell).

Have good luck, he look to be a nice baby

[stormyva]

There are some some circumstances such as feeding a shy or hard to feed snake such as the viper boa that would require you to feed in the enclosure. But why not at least try to take some precautions like feed in the enclosure on a tray or box top?

My bp wont eat anywhere except in his cage but I put a plastic shoe box size lid in there to eat on. He constricts the mouse and swallows the mouse on the lid.... much less of a chance of him ingesting mulch that way.

Better safe than sorry!

Pythonian.....

For the record .. i don't wear a seatbelt driving... and if i had a 10 foot metal pole, and was given enough pressure.. i'd hold it up in the middle of an empty field... does that mean my snakes are gonna eat mulch? ... thats just silly...

Florida has a seat belt law:
Florida law is very specific about how passengers in Florida should be belted. All front seat occupants must be buckled up, regardless of age. Children ages 6-15 must be belted in either the front or back seat of the vehicle. The driver is responsible for passengers under 16 years who are not buckled up. Passengers 16 years of age or older may be individually fined if they are not buckled up. (Taken from: http://www.floridadrivers.com/traffi..._questions.php)
So I guess you not only dont mind taking chances with your life you also dont mind taking chances with your wallet.
The point to that we all take precautionary measure every day to make sure we dont injure or kill ourselves. Why not do the same for our snakes?