when to feed a newborn?

[reidness]

just had some babies on wed, when should i offer food? thanx

[oOSpOOkYOo]

sometime after shedding. -sTEVE

[Jon-e-Boy]

Babies can be offered food the day after they shed. This is the most beneficial time you want to do this. If they are offered food within only a few days after being born, their stomaches are still very delicate and it can be hazardous to do so. I figure, if you offer food the day after their first sheds, you have ample time to get those who refuse to eat at first, to eat. Also, if you are worried about the fact that it might me some time before they eat their first meal, don't. I was like that during my first clutch. But babies can last weeks without eating their first meal. I wait until about 12-15 days after birth to feed them, which is usually a day or two after they've shed their first skin. Hope this helps.

Jon  ;D

[oOSpOOkYOo]

This makes me think. I moved to columbus ohio the begining of last november, naturally the first thing I looked for was a place for food for my boa, I found a lil mom n pop shop and they had a cluth of (all female supposedly) agentinian (they think they all columbian though) baby boas. Now these thing were newborn size back then, I went in their yesterday and their still all the same size and in a big pile in a 10 gallon tank, and there are still 2 in a not eaten yet tank!!! The 2 look like earth worms with heads!!! I was contimplating reaching in and taken a pocket full with the owner distrancted, but I dont have a place for em. -sTEVE

[Jon-e-Boy]

Yeah stuff like that is sad. But I've known people who feed their boas as babies pinkie rats every two weeks for a year, and the snakes only put on about 3 or 4 inches by the end of the year. Boas have the potential to grow very, very slow :-/, or very, very fast :P.

Jon

[oOSpOOkYOo]

I don't see how the 2 in the non eating tank could still be alive after being there about 6-7 months and never once eating!? -sTEVE

[Jon-e-Boy]

I can't believe that either. Maybe they ate once or twice and now refuse to eat; did you ask them that? If not, that is really rare. They must have had a hell of alot of yoke in their stomaches after birth and they also must be very slugish. Tell them to send them my way, I'll get them to feed! :P

[oOSpOOkYOo]

I always see them cruisin around the cage and yeah they said they have never eaten a meal before. -sTEVE

[Jon-e-Boy]

::) ::) ::) WEIRD ::) ::) ::)

[oOSpOOkYOo]

hrmmm I should liberate them, lol, as well as every other animal in that place, every animal is sitting in it's poop, their cages are tiny, and the building is packed with cages, not to mention they have about a 8 foot female boa who obviousley had nose rub problems in a 30 long!!!... -sTEVE

[Jon-e-Boy]

The moral of the story is don't abuse your boas or the "think-tankers" are going to have to kick some :-X!

Jon