Anyone have any experience with Solomon Island Ground Boas???

[samanthajane13]

Yeah...I've been bitten by the "BOA BUG" again...   But I don't want a MASSIVE snake again...and I don't want to go into this blindly.

There's a really SWEET little juvi-grey and black so far-about 7 or 8 inches long.

I'm thinking about training to eat pinkies by scenting them with anoles.  Do you think it would be all that difficult???  I've been reading that it CAN be done.  Been to Kingsnake.com and a slew of other sites, and they pretty much say the same thing.

"FEEDING
I have noticed over the many years I have worked with Candoia, that they seem to have a slower metabolism than most boids. I feed my adults only 1 rodent every 3-4 weeks. Neonates & juveniles are fed every 10 days. During their winter cooldown, some specimens will go off feed. Some of my male ground boas may not eat for 6 months with no ill effects. All adult Candoia readily accept mice & rats. The feeding of neonates is not as hard as you've all probably heard. Most baby candoia will not eat pinkie mice on the first attempt. There is a very simple reason for this. They're not supposed to! Neonates react wildly when a small treefrog or lizard is placed in their cage. It is instinctive for them to grab swift moving prey items. So I will let them eat 5 or 6 lizards or frogs. This will get them going and put on weight. The next step is the secret to feeding baby Candoia. No food for 3 solid weeks! After several frogs or lizards, leave the neonate alone. Just make sure it has a fresh water bowl. When approximately 3 weeks pass, offer the baby snake a pinkie that is heavily scented with its favorite food item. This usually works all the time. If it doesn't you will have to give it some more frogs or lizards and try again at a later time. Some neonates will switch over to pinkies on their own at 6-9 months of age. Baby australis & baby carinata will usually neever start on pinkies. Ground and viper boas are the best pinkie starters. "

http://www.kingsnake.com/candoia/review.html

What's the life-span like??

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!!

[firecrested]

I had a pair a few yeas ago.  They were already eating rodents when I got them.  i kept them like any other boa, warm spot, a few hides and misting a couple times a week and they did fine.

[samanthajane13]

Yeah-this one looks to be just about a hatchling.  I hope the feeding transition won't be too difficult...

Thanks, firecrested!!!