Q:  What should a healthy adult snake weigh?
Does the sex of the snake have any bearing?
The reason I am interested is that I have heard that
a person can unknowingly overfeed their snake(s),
thus leading to obesity.

A:  You're right, it's a good idea to be aware of the weight of your snakes to ensure that they aren't over-fed or under-fed. Serious health consequences can result from either condition. A snake that is too heavy will sometimes have trouble making a tight "S" with its body, or the skin inbetween the scales will be constantly visible because the scales are being spread apart from each other by the excess fat stores. Think about how the skin looks around the food animal inside a snake's stomach just after a snake consumes a large meal, and you've got some idea what I mean. Very often this gives a characteristic "striping" look to the skin that can extend along most of the body length. If your snake is overweight, don't starve it, but rather taper it down by feeding smaller food items at infrequent intervals. You should use this same rule of thumb for both males and females.

Q:  Hi. I have a Brazilian Rainbow and I wanted to
know how long it should be when its about a year old and
how long does it take for it to be full-grown. Its a
female.  Another thing, should I feed it everytime
it defecats or every week? I usually feed it everytime
it "goes" and it is just fine and refuses anything
before it goes. Is this normal?

A:  Snakes generally do most of their growing in the first few years of life, and they continue to grow slowly thereafter. I have a 6 year old female Brazilian Rainbow Boa that I would consider to be at the large end of their normal range at approximately 6 1/2 feet long. (I have seen bigger, but many never reach this size.) This snake was accurately measured at one year of age and was 50 inches long. She was a great eater and grew very fast (3/4 of an inch some weeks). Based on the feeding information you stated, I would not expect yours to grow to over 4 feet at one year of age (it sounds like mine ate much more), but there is a genetic factor that is undetermined, so who knows?

As far as what is normal for a feeding routine, I would say that if your snake is healthy and it refuses food occasionally, then you are offering food to the snake often enough. Alternatively, if it ate every meal that was offered, you wouldn't really know if it wanted to eat more often. I feed my snakes continuously on a schedule appropriate for their size and weight, and the timing of their bowel movements does not greatly impact that routine.

Q:  My Central American Boa is 7ft. and 4 years
old. A week after I got him, I fed him a small dwarf
hamster and then a week or so later a large rat. He
seemed to have no trouble eating either, has no color or
food prefs that I can see. But for the last 2 months,
all I have been able to get him to eat was a small
mouse. Offered a rat and a baby rabbit, both refused,
and now shows only a passing interrest in mice. He is
extremely active. He drinks a lot and loves to be handled.
Also, on examination of his fecal material, I found evidence
that his food is not totally digested and this morning, there
was white, as bone powder, yellow clumps, and mucus strings.
I am about to call the zoo if all else fails, I am at a loss.
worried that if I can't do anything soon, I will loose him!

A:  I don't think you've got a real problem. It's not unusual for a snake to take a break from eating occassionally, especially a mature animal during the winter season. The description of the fecal material you provided actually sounds pretty normal. As long as it isn't runny or excessively foul smelling, it's probably fine. If you have doubts about the snake's past care, you could arrange to bring a fresh fecal sample to a veterinarian for a parasite check. That's never a bad idea.

A 7' boa can easily take large rats--anything much smaller (the mice you mentioned) is almost a waste of time. I don't recommend varying the type of food animals you offer. Snakes genrally don't need a variety, and sometimes it just causes problems because they may develop a preference for something you can't get regularly. When you get the snake eating rats again, you should find a reliable supply of quality rats and stay with that (buy pre-frozen food animals for the safety of the snake and your convenience). Make sure you thaw them completely before you feed them to the snake. If you have to use live rats until you locate a frozen food supplier, they should be "stunned" before placing them in the snake's cage. This is unpleasant for most people, and that's one reason why I recommend frozen/thawed food. It's not safe to leave a live rat with a snake unattended, especially a snake that hasn't been eating, but if you must do that make sure you also put some rodent chow into the cage so the rat has something to eat (other than the snake) when it gets hungry.

Please take a look at the habitat you're providing to make sure you haven't overlooked anything. The animal should have access to temperatures ranging from about 80°F at one end of the cage to 90°-95°F at the other (by use of an under-cage heating pad). Keep trying to feed the snake every week or two, and it will start eating for you within a few months. As long as the snake doesn't have symptoms of illness and isn't becoming excessively thin, you don't have anything to worry about. Just make sure you're giving it a proper cage, with everything it needs. That's the most important thing you need to do to ensure the health of the animal.

Q:  my boa constrictor is appx. 7 mo. old and is
appx. 2 1/2 ft. long. I was wondering about what
size prey i should be feeding it. i am currently
giving him feeder mice every 3-5 days and he seems to be
doing well...should i bump up food size or feed two
feeder mice at a time...or keep doing what i am doing?

A:  It is more difficult for a snake to digest one large food item than to digest a couple of small ones with the same combined weight. That being said, if you're providing the correct thermal conditions, your snake should have no trouble at all digesting a food item approximately equal in girth to the largest part of the snake's body.

You also may want to be thinking ahead because it won't be long at all when even the largest mouse won't be big enough for this snake, and you will need to move onto larger food items, preferrably rats. Usually, with a snake that easily attains rat-eating size as an adult (such as your boa), I like to start them on rats when they are young. Your snake could easily eat "crawler" (fully furred) rats right now. You can continue to feed mice for awhile, but just be aware that you'll need to make the switch soon.

As the snake grows, it will be eating larger and more dangerous food animals. Please make sure you pre-kill or at least stun food animals before they are offered. Even better in my opinion, look into using frozen/thawed food animals. The vast majority of snakes take to them with no problem. In fact, a study published in "The Vivarium" showed that snakes actually prefer frozen/thawed food over fresh-killed. If you buy frozen food (check REPTILES magazine classifieds if you can't find it locally), you can get exactly the sizes you need (no waiting for the pet store to make it available), it's safer for your snake, and it's right there in your freezer when you need it.

Q:  My Rat Snake hasn't eaten in over two months.
At first I thought it might be the cold weather,
so I bought him a heat lamp. But he still shows no
interest in the food I offer him. He burrows in the
substrate alot. Is it time to force feed him?

A:  Let's think for a moment about this question of force feeding. Forcing something down a snake's throat causes stress, and enough stress can reduce appetite and even predispose an animal to illness. If a snake is literally starving to death anyway, then force feeding should be done to save the weak snake's life. But if an animal is just fasting because it's that time of year, force feeding would be very counterproductive. In some cases it might make the owner feel better (mistakenly thinking he/she had done the right thing) when in fact it would be hastening the snake's demise. Think about how you would like to have something pushed down your throat when you weren't hungry!

The bottom line is this: only use force-feeding techniques when it's necessary to save the life of the snake. You should evaluate the snake's condition carefully in relation to its age, size, feeding history, time of year, etc. before you perform this invasive procedure.

Also, you mention that you're using a heat lamp. If it is the type that gives off light, it should be turned off at night. In cooler ambient temperatures, I've found the proper placement of a heat pad (not "heat rock") to be the best way to provide supplemental heat to a snake. If you make sure that your snake has the best cage setup you can give it now, more than likely it'll start eating again in the spring.

Q:  my corn snake hatchling won't eat. it has been about
a week and 4 days and it hasn't eaten. i just got
her a week ago

A:  You shouldn't have anything to worry about yet, so let's not get too excited. As long as the snake was reasonably well nourished when you got it, it can go weeks without eating.

You didn't provide any information on the feeding history for this animal, so let me just give you some general recommendations. Just make sure that the snake has the proper cage conditions (warm zone, hiding places, fresh water, etc.), let it settle into its new home without handling it (until it starts eating), and continue to offer whatever it was eating before you got it a couple of times a week. Don't overdo it by offering food too often because you don't want to stress the snake.

Hopefully it had been started on pink mice (that would be standard in most cases). Some corns do seem to want lizards for their first meals, but it should have been eating mice before it was sold to anyone but an experienced keeper who was aware of the situation. Why don't you question the person that sold you the snake to see what feeding has taken place up until now?

Q:  I picked up an adult gopher snake about
two weeks ago. We've handled him on a regular basis. He
was hissing softly.  when we brought him (I could
hear it if he was close to my ear) home but he has
settled down now. He comes out of his hide box
periodically too. The problem is he still has not eaten.
I've offered him thawed and live. He actually hid his
head when he was in the enclosure with the mouse.
I've put him in a paper bag, box, his enclosure but nothing works.

A:  One thing that immediately came to mind when I read your question is the fact that you are handling this snake "on a regular basis". This could be your problem. A snake in a new environment (the cage you've provided) needs a settling-in period. The more nervous the snake, the longer it will take for the animal to feel comfortable enough to want to eat. Please note, just because it doesn't hiss anymore doesn't mean it's settled in. A new home can be stressful for a snake even under the best of conditions, and this all assumes that the cage you have provided has everything the snake needs in the way of temperatures, hide boxes (yes, more than one is required in most cases, and they need to be properly placed), water, etc. My advice is to discontinue handling of the snake immediately and do a thorough review of your husbandry practices and an overall health assessment in order to solve your problem. Occasional handling can continue once the snake is feeding. Of course, it could just be that the snake isn't eating because it's winter time. You haven't given enough specific information for me to comment on that possibility.

Q:  I realize that this sometimes happens, but it
still doesn't make me feel any better. My snake
hasn't eaten for three weeks.  Previous to
that he was eating two 3-week-old mice every week.

On his last feed, he ate one and left the other
(both thawed). I breed my own mice so I don't think
there is a change in the quality of his feed. Last
week I carefully presented a live one in hopes of enticing
him. He snatched and killed it in a typical feeding
response, but then left it. He's usually a shy eater
but consistent as long as he's left alone.

Other than the lack of feeding he seems OK. His cage
is clean and the temperature is between 82 F and 73 F. He
wanders a bit in the evening as if looking for something.
I've inspected him closely and he looks healthy. Maybe I'm
worried over nothing.

A:  As you know, it is normal for many snakes to slow down or quit eating in the winter. You may want to evaluate your cage temperatures since the ambient temperature in the room has likely gone down some as the weather outside has gotten frostier. The temperatures you mention should be okay as long as you are also providing a warmer zone with a heat pad under one end of the cage.

Snakes know what time of year it is, probably from the natural light cycle coming in through the windows, and some take a break from eating regardless of the temperatures you give them. As long as it's not losing too much weight and there are no symptoms of illness, don't worry. Just continue to offer food every week or two, and the snake will start eating again when he needs to.

Q:  I've had my Ball Python for about 3 months now,
and she has shed once every month. She is about
22 inches in length and eats about two hoppers a
week. I'm worried that I'm feeding her too much,
causing her to shed too often. All of her sheds have
been great, and she seems to be happy (but who can tell).
Please let me know if what is happening is okay. Thanks!

A:  It sounds like your snake is doing well. Young snakes can and should eat fairly often. Since they are growing quickly at this stage of their lives, they can use lots of calories. In fact, it may be time to increase the size of food animal you offer. A good "rule of thumb" is to offer food that's approximately the same diameter as the snake at its thickest point. You should still feed the snake (the larger food) twice a week. And for the continued good health of the snake and for your convenience, I recommend that you seriously consider using frozen/thawed food animals (in case you haven't discovered this already).

It's fine for the snake to shed every month. You don't need to worry about when a snake is going to shed as long as when it does shed, it gets all the skin off.

Q:  i've got a kingsnake aprox. 1yr old who has
been eating 1 to 2 fuzzies a week up until
about 3-4 weeks ago and she has just stop'd
eating. someone told me that this was normal
that she is just in her winter stage, i still
am concerned though about her not eating, is this
really normal?

A:  If there are no signs of illness, it could very well be normal non-feeding behavior due to the winter season. However, you may want to take another look at your snake's cage environment. If the cooler temperatures outside have in turn caused the temperatures in your snake's cage to become inappropriately low, that could cause your pet to lose its appetite.

Q:  I bought a baby Tangerine Honduran Milksnake
three weeks ago. My problem: it has not eaten yet!

I have been keeping reptiles for 15+ years, but most of
that is lizards. I have the cage at about 91 degrees
in the hot spot, mid 80s in the cooler spot. Has places to
hide. Has fresh water at all times. Pinkies are manageable
size. Not being held or stressed much.

Is there is a humidity factor that is critical? Humidity
is low at the moment (probably something to correct given the
origin of the snake). The possibility it was chilled prior to
my acquiring it is something to consider as well.

I have tried soaking the pinkies in chicken broth. I
have soaked the snake in warm water to help if it were
constipated - it may have defecated a bit after that, but
not much. The snake has not produced much fecal matter since
I got it, so it either did not eat much prior to my acquiring it,
or it has an impaction. Any other suggestions before I do the
unpleasant force-feeding?

Interestingly, it shows no signs of illness. It appeared
in great health when I bought it. Bright vibrant colors. Clear
eyes and vent. Very active. Now, three weeks later, it is still
actively moving about, and not sluggish at all. Does not appear
to be thinning, and does not really feel thin either.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

A:  Three weeks is not a long time, even for a newborn snake, to go without food. Apparently you aren't sure if the snake had been eating regularly before you got it, but I suspect that it had not been based upon the other information you gave.

Since the snake appears healthy, I would caution against force feeding at this time. Force feeding can save the life of a failing animal that badly needs a boost of energy, but it can also be very stressful to a healthy animal that hasn't been given a proper chance to eat on its own, or one that has gone into a non-feeding, winter period (although your temperatures don't indicate that, and baby milksnakes will often feed through their first winter if temperatures are adequate). It's sometimes difficult to evaluate a snake's status, and you haven't provided all the information I would need to do so. Maybe you should be questioning the person that sold you the snake about its feeding history, but remember that you may not get a completely honest answer at this point, and you may have to go with your own "gut feeling".

You mention that the snake has places to hide but don't say if "hide boxes" are available in both warm and cool zones as they should be. In terms of feeding, humidity should not be an issue for this species as long as it's within a normal household range. The snake is probably not impacted unless there are reasons to think otherwise that you haven't stated. I recommend giving the snake a fair chance to take food voluntarily and trying all the well-known methods used to get baby snakes feeding.

Q:  Here's my problem. I've wanted a snake FOREVER!
I'm wavering between a ball python and a king snake;
however, I just can't feed them live or frozen mice, etc.
Please let me know if you can just feed your snakes
chicken breasts, or veggies.

A:  Ball pythons and kingsnakes are both mainly rodent eaters in captivity. Snakes need to eat the whole food animal, so chicken parts are not a viable long-term food source, and veggies are just out of the question. Frozen/thawed food animals really are the best way to go, and reputable dealers sacrifice them as quickly and humanely as possible. Maybe if you learned more about using frozen/thawed food, you would feel better about the process. Otherwise, you will be severely limited in the types of snakes that you could keep. I don't doubt that you want a snake as badly as you say, so I know that you will either be able to get past this feeding issue or research the various snake species that eat worms, fish, etc.

Q:  I recently puchased a boa. She is a yearling
that has not had any sort of regular handling (besides
cleaning and feeding). Whenever I walk into the room
she begins to coil and hiss (rarely striking). This behavior
continues until a few minutes after I get her out of her cage.
She becomes very placid with time and is very predictable. She
ate the first night I brought her home and is very healthy and
perfect otherwise. I have had her for less than a week but I am
beginning to wonder if this is ever going to stop. Do I continue
to gently handle her daily or do I leave her alone for a while?
She is about 2.5 feet now and not very imposing (yet). Please
tell me how to get her calmed down.

A:  It sounds like your snake is just nervous because it hasn't gotten accustomed to people yet. As long as your snake continues to eat regularly, you should handle it several times a week. Through that handling, you should be able to get the snake to calm down around people, and I see no reason why you can't end up with an adult boa that is relatively trustworthy. (I say "relatively trustworthy" because you never want to totally let your guard down with any snake that has the ability to do you harm.) If the snake becomes stressed and quits eating regular meals, stop the handling until it starts eating again, and then handle it less frequently than before. Be gentle when you handle the snake and move very slowly. Try to judge how well the snake is tolerating the handling to determine how long you should keep it out of its cage. With regular, proper handling your boa will likely lose some of the behaviors that you don't like.

You could also cover the front of the snake's cage with something opaque so the snake isn't startled by movements of people or pets in the room. Even if the snake doesn't change much, you can still consider yourself the owner of a nice animal. After all, the hissing is mostly bluff, right? And the snake is not leaving broken teeth in your arm, so it doesn't sound like you have a big problem. An alert, healthy snake is better than a placid, sick one any day.

One small warning, though, before I go. Most of the stupid, snake-related mistakes that keepers make (the ones that cause keepers physical pain) are made when they are feeding their snake. Condition your snake to know the difference between feeding time and play time while it is still young. If the snake's temperament gets worse for some reason (like you can't spend enough time working with it) or if the time ever comes that you are not taking the snake out of the cage because you are afraid of getting bitten, then that's the time to transfer ownership of the animal to someone who is aware of the situation and is prepared to deal with it. The point you alluded to in your question is true; you shouldn't own an adult boa (or any animal for that matter) that you can't confidently handle.