Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Earlier this evening while I was handling my 4 foot rainbow boa, I let her crawl from my hands to my upper arm. I should have stopped it there, but I was too overconfident, and let her scoot up my shoulders and drape across my back. (I usually stick to an arms-only policy when handling my snakes.)

I got a little uncomfortable after a few minutes and attempted to move her, but before I knew it, she had completely wrapped around my neck (likely afraid of falling off). I put my hand between my neck and her body to block her from tightening around my neck, but the pressure she was putting against my hand was really hard to compete with. I could definitely feel her tightening, as she was kinda freaked out by me messing with her.

Thankfully, my husband was there, and he was able to unwrap her tail-first. It was difficult because I have very long hair, and finding her tail was a challenge. But I was definitely VERY freaked out by this point - shaking a little, and I was so relieved when he finally unwrapped her completely.

I guess I have a question, as well as my "lessons learned":

Rainbow boas seem to have a very tight grip for their size. Was there any danger in her wrapping around my neck? I'm sure it was a tension/fear response, NOT prey constriction of course, but I'm consistently amazed by the grip these guys have.

Lessons learned:

I will never, EVER let a boid get around my neck or shoulders again. I was lax about it once in awhile before, but thanks to this experience today, my snakes will, from now on, be limited stricty to lap, arms, and hands only! The experience was truly unnerving and I wasn't prepared for the fear I suddenly felt. I never thought I could feel that way towards my snakes.

ALWAYS make sure that you (and the people that you live with) know how to unwrap a snake properly. Start with the tail, not the head, and gently uncoil. I'm glad that Byron has experience handling my boa and knows how to uncoil her the right way.

Anyway, sorry for such a weird post! Just wanted to get my thoughts out, I suppose.
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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

My Growing Zoo:

1.0 Husband (Byron) ^_^
0.1 black cat (Shade)
0.1 rescued stray grey cat (Ghost)
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Zia)
1.0 Leucistic Black Ratsnake (Houdini)
1.0 White-Lipped Python (Midas)
1.2 Panduro cichlids (A. panduro)

I have quite a few BRB's, yes they are very strong constrictors. I've had them give my neck a squeeze a time or twelve. Never been a problem loosening them, actually easier Yeah can get uncomfortable when you feel the blood pounding in your ears. Bottom line, don't let them get a wrap on your neck, I carry them on my shoulders all the time with one end or the other wrapped on my arm.

If they do get a wrap on you, relax, give them a place to go, something with good support that you can get them off of later.

And by all means, DON'T handle it by yourself if you can't handle it by yourself.
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

How much of this issue is a matter of size of the person? I've never had anything bigger than a kingsnake try to wrap around my neck. My ball python tried once, but she's only 18 inches which is about the circumference of my neck. If she worked really hard, she could touch her nose with the tip of her tail. I've had a big red-tailed boa draped on my shoulders in a pet store. She was strong, but I felt that I was big enough to have uncoiled her if necessary. I wouldn't let anything bigger than about six feet go around shoulders, but for that size, would my overall bigger body size offer me some protection? I weigh 270 pounds. I'm not super strong, but I'm not just a bag of fat either. I walk and work out most of the year.

Thanks,

Bill
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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.

I would imagine that would make a difference, in your comfort level at the very least. I'm only 5'4" and small-boned, without an ounce of muscle to speak of. I think as long as you can unwrap the snake safely, it wouldn't be too much of a problem. But with my long hair getting in the way, it would have been almost impossible for me to unwrap my boa yesterday by myself.
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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

My Growing Zoo:

1.0 Husband (Byron) ^_^
0.1 black cat (Shade)
0.1 rescued stray grey cat (Ghost)
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Zia)
1.0 Leucistic Black Ratsnake (Houdini)
1.0 White-Lipped Python (Midas)
1.2 Panduro cichlids (A. panduro)