How to Feed a Rosy Boa

Feeding a rosy boa involves finding rodents of the appropriate size and enticing the boa to strike at the food. Once a snake has started to nuzzle a meal, it will soon unhinge its jaw and consume the animal. Most snakes can eat food items that are surprisingly large because of this unique ability; however the jaws of rosy boas do not stretch as far as many other species of snakes, so they must eat slightly smaller rodents.

Things You'll Need

  • Frozen mice
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine the age of your rosy boa to help you choose what size mouse to feed it. Hatchlings thrive on newborn mice, called "pinkies" at pet stores because they have yet to grow fur. Juvenile mice are good for young rosy boas, and adult mice will satisfy these snakes once they reach adulthood.

    • 2

      Remove a frozen mouse from the freezer and heat it in the microwave for several seconds until the body feels warm. Snakes respond to body heat of prey and are not scavengers. They will not eat animals if they perceive them to have been dead for a long time.

    • 3

      Place the mouse in the cage with the boa. A hungry snake will begin prodding the meal with its nose. This is a sign that it is ready to eat. If your boa does not show interest in the prey after about 15 minutes, you can poke the mouse with the tip of a pencil to make it wiggle gently and attract the snake.

    • 4

      Leave the meal in the terrarium overnight if your snake continues to resist feeding. Often a snake will eat when it is no longer being observed. If the snake has not eaten the mouse by morning, remove it and throw it away.