my boa wont eat

Question
l have a red tail boa. he is about 4 years old and about 6 foot long. i've had him about 7 months. he used to eat well but he hasn't ate for about 8 weeks. i've recently put him in a 6foot6 viv by 2 by 2. i had a few problems with heating but soon got that sorted and he still won't eat. the pet shop i got him from said he did it last year but didn't do it for so long. he is ready to shed( he hasnt had problems with this). will he get his appitite back after this or what should i do i don't like the idea of giving him live rats. what should i do thank you for any help.

Answer
Hi Ruth,

in the UK its illegal to feed live rodents to snakes and i strongly agree with that. thawed frozen rodents are just as nutritious, and far safer. try find some frozen rats from a pet store. make sure they are thoroughly thawed before feeding though.

his innapetance may well be due to breeding season, so dont worry too much. 8 weeks without food is not too big a deal. if he starts to lose weight then it becomes an issue. he may well feed after he has finished his shed cycle. try giving him a thawed rat afterwards. if he doesnt take it immediately, leave the dead rat in the tank overnight and fingers crossed he will eat by the morning.

i hope this helps,

Andy