Hey guys--I guess I'm "new" to this, but only really to the board here. Been around a while, just never really registered... but anyway.

Here's the question I pose, which is mainly a "what would you do" thing: I recently purchased a redtail boa, she looks like she may have a tiny hint of Argentina in her as she's darker than 'normal' and has a good amount of speckling along with more saddles than normal--like 2 or 3 times what looks normal. She was advertised as being very sweet and around 8 months of age. Both are true as long as she isn't freshly put back in to her enclosure. She's fairly active, sniffs around everywhere and everything, and is great to hold as she seems rather relaxed in the hand.

But when I put her back into her enclosure she gets VERY defensive and hostile. She doesn't hiss, but she does coil up into the S-position we all know. The other night, I was sure it was after feeding that she got this way (when she attacked the glass 7 or 8 times in as many minutes when I did a walk-through searching for a few items). Touchy snake after feeding = no surprise. Now, it's been 3 full nights since she was given food, and I had her in hand for about an hour tonight, first time since she ate. I just put her back and she was instantly defensive--within 5 seconds. If I very, very slowly ease my hand in, she'll sniff it, but she won't back down any--I noticed this when I was changing out her water dish. She hit my hand twice, once sinking in her teeth to draw two small drops of blood. It would have been a third but she missed the second time.

Tank stats (bear in mind she's 8 months old): The tank is a 4 breeder (36"L x 18"W x ~16"H), I have my ambient temp at 82-83*F, and when I have the light on, it gets up to around 90-95 under the light. The thing is, she NEVER sits under the light, or even on the end of the tank with the undertank heater (which keeps it ~82). She always buries herself in the aspen substrate for hiding. Humidity stays 55-60% without the light, it slowly drops to 38 or 40% with it on so I spray when I notice it that low.

Thoughts? Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks
Nate


PS--I do have a few other snakes, this boa is not my first. But it IS my first where I believe I'm doing everything right and still have a crotchety young snake.

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