# Taming a Boa



## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

ok so i think i might own the worlds deadliest 30 inch boa.... (or at least thats what he thinks) anyone but me he is almost always in strike mode around them, me he usually is really nice and fun, but today when i took him out well that was a different story i took him out re arrange his cage cause he hates when i mess with stuff while he is in there, so i put him on the couch and well that is all she wrote, he was like a cobra striking at anything that moved i couldn't get near him. i ended up having to throw a towel over him cause frankly i don't feel like getting bit right now. I did notice his tail is a lot darker than normal, could he be going into shed and thats why he's so aggressive? and at the show he was so nice but since i've brought him home he has been nasty...am i a bad parent and doing something wrong? do you know of anything i can do to make him more docile?


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## Omnius (Mar 20, 2006)

Persistance persistance and persistance.

Also if you get nailed REALLY hard do NOT put her back right away, wait for 10 minutes so she does not get the idea that biting will get her what she wants, also babies of any snake are naturally nippy, with gentle persistant handling they grow out of it, after six months to a year. Also the throwing of the towel was like a major predatory move, avoid this, other wise the snake is going to associate you with somewthing rapidly approaching his head. They really dont like that.


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

Omnius said:


> Persistance persistance and persistance.
> 
> Also if you get nailed REALLY hard do NOT put her back right away, wait for 10 minutes so she does not get the idea that biting will get her what she wants, also babies of any snake are naturally nippy, with gentle persistant handling they grow out of it, after six months to a year. Also the throwing of the towel was like a major predatory move, avoid this, other wise the snake is going to associate you with somewthing rapidly approaching his head. They really dont like that.


Yeah i knew the towel wasn't a good idea but, he nearly struck my friends face and i wasn't wanting to deal with it, i realize i made of made a mistake. So your saying if he bites me, dont do anything but let him sit there? i almost wanted him to bit me tonight just so i could get the first bite out of the way and wont be scared, im sure it really dont hurt that bad but i guess its the anticipation that scares me

and he is a June 07, and ive herd of them going through a "puppy" phase where they are nippy


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## Omnius (Mar 20, 2006)

I would not go so far ans to encorage a bite, but if you get tagged the best course is to simply act like it never happened, and this is easier said than done. I am assuming you got her today, that is never a good time to show a snake off as they are stressed at this time. When I got my JCP he also nearly nailed my friend, we were at the petstore at the time. Once I got her home I left him alone for four days, to allow him to settle.



> So your saying if he bites me, dont do anything but let him sit there?


Correct. If you put him/her away soon after they learn that this is what to do when something happens that they dont want, like being handled. Also if you pull away while she/he is still biting not only will you make your wound _worse_ you risk damaging the snakes mouth or pulling its teeth out, a serious matter.

Also I bet you will experience a feeding induced bite, and let me tell you those are infinetly worse than a defensive bite LOL. Same rules apply do nothing until the snake releases and is calm. Which with the scent of food in the air will take a lot longer.


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

no ive had him for almost 3 weeks now. i did the whole let him settle, and he ate on Monday. let him rest for 2 days before i handled him, and the first feeds i almost got nailed, and this last feed i feed inside the enclosure to make him feel more secure.


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## Omnius (Mar 20, 2006)

Sounds like he is just being a baby then, just keep up the handling for 30 minutes twice a week.


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

i kinda did the let him sit there, when he got in the striking postition and was striking at anything at moved even if it was across the room (which i found odd) and i told him if he isnt going to calm down then he will sit there all night. lol


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## Omnius (Mar 20, 2006)

LOL verbal reprimends dont work as you know. This is normal baby behavior, he WILL grow out of it.


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

just give it time and this phase should pass... but like was said if you do get nail dont pull away keep still, and wait for it to let go


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## Bawb2u (May 27, 2004)

Don't be afraid to get a pair of leather gloves to wear while working with him at first. After he calms down and gets more used to being handled you can go bare handed. It's not a macho contest, getting bit over and over sucks and may make you not want to handle him and end up leaving him in his cage, which will only make him harder to work with and more trouble when doing cage cleaning, which will lead to you either neglecting him or passing the problem on to somebody else.

As far as shedding goes, the main sign to look for is the eyes starting to go milky colored. They will then turn blue and 2-3 days later your snake should shed.


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

great advice i got some leather work gloves i use


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

A snake hook might be good to grab as well. Makes it easier to get the snake out of the cage into 'neutral' territory.


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

so i think i made an first time owner mistake...and i think the increase of his aggression could be caused by that i just realized that he is "in Blue" i think they call it. But he is going into to shed and i think he was starting to get cloudy eyes and thats why he was striking at things across the room. so i making sure the humidity is up in his preparation for shed.

also how often should a snake poop? its been 3 weeks, and hes eaten twice, and he has not pooped nor urated i guess you call it. should i be worried


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

the mistake was not noticing the cloudyness


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## ICEE (Feb 3, 2007)

ur snake hasnt pooped yet???????????????

wtf mine shits evrywhere..... dont feed until he poops is what i was told


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

What are your temps like?


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

currently:
on the warm side 90 (thats on the glass and then there is an inch of substrate
Ambient it 80
Humidity is 55%


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## KINGofKINGS (Jul 24, 2006)

give him another couple weeks to sh*t... ive seen snakes go on avg 3-5 weeks...


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

If you think it's been a while you can always give him a lukewarm bath to help the bowls along. I used to have to do this frequently with my beardie when he was little due to the impaction issues I inherited along with him when I rescued him. Though your temps seem fine so I wouldn't worry too much... And giving him a bath may be hard if he's still being a prick, haha.


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

so i cant even get him out of his cage...he seems fine at first when i started to pick him up and then he just started striking like crazy..missed me every time. but i got the message lol


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Yeah, get yourself a snake hook. That'll make life easier.

It's odd that he took such a 180 on you.


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

yeah...but i think i figured it all out....here we go

Ive only had him for 3 weeks going on 4th, and I just think everything has been adding up..

The 1.5 hour Car Drive
A new enclousre
Me rearranging his cage a couple of times
Then 8 of my friends stayed the other weekend and i caught some of them tapping on the glass over and over when i was out the room
Then him going through a Shed (he shedded last night in one peice and left me a nice long poop are urate in the shed )

All of that for a young snake is alot of stress in 3 weeks of time...And i've known all along he wasnt striking cause hes mean but because he was stressed.

So im starting all over. Im going to let him settle for a week with out holding. then im going to hold him 2-3 times a week inside of his cage for like 2 mins then put him back in..just to let him get used to being picked up and put back down and that im not there to harm him...i know snakes are wild animals and you cant fully "tame" them but to let him get acclimated to me so that he feels secure with me. I know hes a great snake inside, i just put alot of stress on him lately

P.S. he looks amazing after his shed


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Dude, you're awesome.

A lot of people would be freaked out, pissed off and just pass the snake along and get a new one. But you're willing to work with him and get things done. That's pretty admirable. Gold fuckin' star right there, haha.


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

Mettle said:


> Dude, you're awesome.
> 
> A lot of people would be freaked out, pissed off and just pass the snake along and get a new one. But you're willing to work with him and get things done. That's pretty admirable. Gold fuckin' star right there, haha.


Thank You!!!


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

sounds like you are doing a great job. keep it up and dont give up cause with time your boa should come around.


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