pet boa contrictor

Question
My sisters pet snake pastel boa constrictor was moved to my house 2weeks ago. He last fed 3weeks ago and we got a rat about 5days ago,he didnt eat him the first time we put him in.We check the meter,cleaned the cage,ect.. He wouldnt every time we tried then this morning I found a mite on him,so called a vet and got rid of it.He is now climing up the sides of the tank,tried feeding him again but he wouldnt eat then he pooped. When should i try feeding him? How do I know when hes hungry? She got him about 2months ago and ive been doing alot of research to help her care for him. I think we have fixed the problems.

Answer
Samantha,

Thanks for your question. Trouble feeding is a common problem with captive reptiles and so are mites. I want to ask, since you found the mite and got rid of it, have you changed the type of bedding you use to prevent further infestation? Its best to use either fake grass carpeting or if you would rather use a natural substance, the playground mulch, the mulch has air ventilation which helps prevent mites. Second of all, since you did find one mite inspect your snake closely to make sure it is in fact free of mites because you will rarely find just one mite at a time. The best way to do this is to look at your snakes underbelly. The mites are easily seen under the scales. Let me know if you find any because your snake will not eat while infested.

As far as the feeding problem if you find your snake is mite free, I have one rule I have found to work when it comes to my snakes, I have a red tail boa and ball python. Never feed the snake inside its enclosure. For one, it stops the snake from associating its cage and your hand with food which prevents aggression, and also, sometimes the enclosure will smell like the last meal and make it more difficult for the snake to detect food. In my opinion, for every feeding you should put your snake in a separate empty box or container and feed it there. I guarantee this will solve your feeding problem.

And as a general rule I feed my snakes everytime that they get rid of their last meal, meaning when they go to the bathroom because there really isn't a way to know for sure when they are hungry. Keep in mind a snake will also not eat arund their shedding time.

Please let m know if you have any more questions, i'd be glad to help and I hope my answers help you. Thanks.