Brazilian Rainbow Boa Feeding inst

Adoratheboa0711 · 08-23-11, 08:46 PM

I am about to finalize my search tomorrow by purchasing a baby female Brazilian Rainbow Boa. She is really friendly for 6 weeks. I heard as babies they can be very nippy. She never bit when she was sexed either.

I have read that to prevent biting you are supposed to feed your snake in a different terrarium than the one she lives in. How early do you start this practice? My last snake was a beautiful Albino Corn Snake, so biting was not an issue.

Any information will help, thank you
Rob

Valvaren · 08-24-11, 08:21 AM

This is just my opinion as I was also told feeding outside the enclosure was good for preventing bites, I don't do it though. Feeding in the enclosure is fine and as long as you are careful shouldn't lead to bites. I've read a lot of members here talk about how moving causes extra stress on the animals and can actually lead to more bites. My ball knows when feeding time is and as long as I don't smell like food he doesn't fuss with me. Just be careful about it, don't handle her for the appropriate time after feeding and you should be more then fine. I've heard BRB can just be nippy like you said so you probably have more to worry about then at feeding time

Congratulations though i've been really wanting to get a BRB since joining this forum!

shaunyboy · 08-24-11, 08:44 AM

imo feeding out the tank makes no difference to them biting or not

imo the only way to calm a snake down is to get it used to being handled or hook training in more extreme cases

some snakes never calm down,i've found its all down to the individual snakes temprement

cheers shaun

SnakeyJay · 08-24-11, 08:47 AM

My female gets fed in her viv as shes a shy eater. She knows the difference between my smell and rats so she's never bit. However she has a strong feeding response,

natsamjosh · 08-24-11, 09:26 AM

The best way to prevent most snakes from biting you is to let them bite you... when they are young. If your baby is nippy, let it bite you as much as it wants. If you don't react in a fearful way, it probably will soon stop biting you. Obviously individual snakes vary, and some may always have a bad attitude, but I think this is a good general rule.

I never really understood the logic behind feeding a snake in a different enclosure.

stephanbakir · 08-24-11, 12:35 PM

I work with some small snakes, like BPs and Taiwans, up to retics and I've never fed snakes in a separate enclosure. All I do with the defensive snakes is hook train.

marvelfreak · 08-24-11, 01:43 PM

I feed all my snakes in their cages. My BRB is the mellowest snake i have. He never hissed, struck or bitten me. But when food around he a monster. As soon as i dangle the rat in front of his hide Bam he nails it.

natsamjosh · 08-24-11, 02:06 PM

I actually feed my indigo in a separate enclosure now, because if I don't, he will completely wreck his cage! He likes to thrash around violently with the prey after he grabs it, and it can get pretty ugly.

Nismo89 · 08-24-11, 03:04 PM

I just got a baby brazilian a little over a week ago. She was really nippy at first and has got me a couple times but like stated above if you don't let it bother you it will stop. She is still a little nippy but she understands that my hand going in to the cage is not food but as soon as she sees the tongs she knows its feeding time.

Adoratheboa0711 · 08-25-11, 12:00 AM

So most everyone is against seperate cage feeding? Well I'm very excited to bring her home, I already have her terrarium set up. I'll post pics when she's settled in.

Adoratheboa0711 · 08-25-11, 12:01 AM

Btw, she seems very friendly, very happy about this purchase, her name is Adora.

natsamjosh · 08-25-11, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adoratheboa0711

So most everyone is against seperate cage feeding? Well I'm very excited to bring her home, I already have her terrarium set up. I'll post pics when she's settled in.

Great news, post some pics asap.

I don't think feeding in a separate enclosure is harmful to the snake (if done gently), I just don't see any benefit to either you or the snake. Seems like a lot of trouble to go through for something that has no benefit. But different things work for different folks, so sometimes you have to experiment a little to see what works best for you.

Thanks,
Ed

Lankyrob · 08-25-11, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adoratheboa0711

So most everyone is against seperate cage feeding? Well I'm very excited to bring her home, I already have her terrarium set up. I'll post pics when she's settled in.

I wouldnt say people are against it per se but it does seem that more feed in cage than out. End of hte day whatever suits you and your animals best is what will work best for you!

DeesBalls · 08-25-11, 08:26 AM

what has been said, its just a matter of preference... i have 7 snakes, corns BP, king, and BRB... i never feed in separate tank... i feed in cage all the time, my adult BP shows no sign of being aggressive.

its just a matter of preference there is not real benefit or not to feeding in separate tank.

WE WANT PICS!!!!!!

kreaturekeeper · 08-25-11, 02:20 PM

In my opinion it depends on the snake. I feed my bp in a separate tub. I was told to do this when I first got her and I found it worked well for her. I don't have to worry about substrate getting ingested and it causes no extra stress to her (all snakes are different though) when she went off food ( which I believe was due to the season) I started feeding her in her tank to get her started again. And I found going in her tank to just handle her she was way more assertive waiting for a mouse. Normally very docile but almost coiling as soon as the top came off. Since I have been feeding her in her tub again and she is her old docile self to take out of her tank now. But she knows as soon as she is in her tub it's chow time!
Everyone has their own experiences and opinions but I noticed a large change in behavior in my snake due to where I fed her.