We brought home our 2 year old male rainbow boa on 24/05/2023.
Since then we have followed the same routine he was on feeding once a week, out of the fifteen feeds he’s been offered he has refused seven so essentially half the feeds, his good is also 10-15% of his bodyweight.
When he does feed it takes loads of coaxing and he doesn’t really strike, just holds open his mouth and I have to pop it in.
Husbandry is all spot on, 95/100% humidity, 28°c via a DHP, loads of hides etc, UVB light, 4ft viv, he is shedding beautifully, active and otherwise healthy.
Any ideas? He hasn’t had one normal feed and half of them have been refusals.
We don’t have this issue with any of our other snakes…
Based on 15 feeds, once a week since you got him, how long did you let him sit and leave him alone upon bringing him home?
Did he refuse the first time you tried after bringing him home?
I have no idea if it would cause a long-term refusal issue, but I know that snakes fed too soon after being moved might be stressed and more likely to regurg/refuse. This absolutely doesn’t mean its your situation, just what popped into my head initially
If so his humidity is way too high. It should only be around 75% as an adult, with a water bowl big enough for him to soak in. Baby BRBs need 95%, not adults.
Also his hot side should be 85 degrees. Also at 2 years of age he should be eating an appropriately sized rodent every 2 weeks. And excessive handling is stressful to a BRB.
I would adjust his humidity to the correct degree, give him a few weeks to adjust with no feeding attempts and no handling.
Then offer food weekly until he eats the first time and then offer food again in 2 weeks. Do not handle him until he starts eating consistently……