Reptile & Amphibian Forums

As you know I have a couple young "females I think" Columbian, One is a sweetheart but the other is hell on earth. I try to hold her but have to keep one hand just behind her head to avoid getting a million little holes in me. I don’t like holding her this way and she really doesn’t seem to like it but what can you do? How long should I expect it to take for her to calm down enough not to nail me? Is it possible like Leopard Geckos there is something wrong with her and she will never tame down? I handle her 3 days a week for 30 minutes each time "Common practice Boa Handling Days" However she just doesn’t seem to be liking people at all. Every time I hold her I think keeping a firm grip behind her head will do nothing but piss her off more but again what can you do? Any help is greatly appreciated.
My Research and Collection

Some calm down as they mature...some never do. It is individual. Have you thought about wearing gloves...all my nasties get gloves. Well, actually, I take all my boas out with the gloves and remove the gloves after I see what they are going to act like. I don't much care to get bitten. But, it has helped me handle some nasty boogers, without restricting them. They will have a hard time learning to get comfortable being held if their heads are restricted. It can also lead to head-shyness and stress.
Good luck with them.
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Delusions of Grandeur feed the EGO...

I asume you are refering to leather gloves? If not what kind of gloves can withstand those teeth?
My Research and Collection

I do use leather gloves. Well, part leather anyway. The fingers, bottom, and a strip running across the top is leather and the rest of the top is a jean material. These gloves allowed for better movement than the all leather gloves. But, if the snake actually bites my knuckle area, I will probably be wishing they were all leather.

Hopefully, the nasty one will outgrow it as it matures.
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Delusions of Grandeur feed the EGO...

I sure hope so. Her and my sons Pacific Gopher Snake are the only snakes in our house that are not tame enough to just reach in and pick up. I wander if swade gloves would work. I have a set of black swade gloves I use to use for my Green Iguanas as to not let there claws tear up my hands hmmmm. Thankd for the info by the way.
My Research and Collection

If those suede gloves work for your iguanas, I imagine they would work for the snakes too.
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Delusions of Grandeur feed the EGO...

Can a full grown boa bit through thick leather gloves
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1.1 Columbian red tails (Zeus, Athena)
1.1 Corn snakes (Appolo, Boreas)
0.1 King snake tri striped cal morph (Helios)

I've never had one of my adults bite me yet. But, the damage to you would be less than without the gloves. If they do bite the glove, don't pull back, as the glove could catch a tooth...wait until they let go or spritz them with water if they don't let go right away. Most will be startled and back away from the water. I had to actually dunk one little rosy in water because it was determined to eat my daughter. Funny now, but she didn't think so then.
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Delusions of Grandeur feed the EGO...

Buy yourself a pair of welding gloves, they are a thicker leather than normal leather gloves. I had a 14.5' male burmese bite me when I was wearing that type of glove & even though it hurt like H.E.double L, he wasnt able to get thru them. Best of luck to ya

My advice:
First off, I would quit holding her behind her head. I know this stops them from biting.....But, if the animal is already afraid or upset this will not help matters in the long run.
Sometimes we get lucky and have nice "lovey" boas and other times we get those "challenges". Personally, I love both. I love the easy ones because they are easy. I love the challenging ones because they will tame down. With all the animals I have owned I have yet to have one that has not tamed down. (I've owned boas, burm, retics, bloods, kingsnakes, bullsnakes, to name a few.)
For me, conditioning, consistency, and love is the key.
Conditioning and consistency:
We as humans are very conditioned whether we like to admit it or not. (Example. Green light. Red light. If you are like most you will think of a stop light. A ringing phone. Pick it up.) Snakes can be conditioned as well. First, you need to associate handling time just as it is. A great way to do this is owning a snake hook. If you don't have one. You should. I'll open my tank/tub and rub the snake lightly with the hook. This lets my snakes know that it's handling time. Not feeding time. I think hook them and bring them out enough so I can grab hold of them. For challenging animals I also don't move as much as I do with tamed animals. Gloves can be good and I have used them on my bigger snakes from time to time. (I am personally not a big glove guy though. I want them to be able to feel my warmth and love coming through my hands. I think gloves block that connection.) This is where baby steps come into play. If I get the snake out of the tank and I hold it without it striking at all I will hold it for a couple of minutes. Then I will put it back in it's cage. This way you are strengthing it's association with being outside as a good thing that is safe. For me, if a snake does strike while out I will hold it till it "relaxes" a bit. Then I'll put it back. (I personally won't put a snake right back in it's tank after it strikes. I don't want to condition it into thinking.....If I strike, he'll leave me alone. Because, that is what it is hoping and genetically programmed to do.) I may do this a couple of times a day. At least once a day at least. (Make note. If the animal is so stressed by this that it goes off feed. Then you will have to get it feeding again. Then, repeat the process. But, slower.) Try to make it a good experience for you both. Also, do this in a non busy area. For obvious reasons.
Love:
This is where the tree hugger comes out in me. Animals feel love as much as people do. You need to be in a good "state" for bonding time. Talk to your boa. Tell him/her it's safe. Tell it you love it.
There are many other factors that could cause a boa to act this way. Is the cage located in a bad area? Is it a new acquisition? Do your hands smell like another animal? Etc. There really are a lot of variables. Too many to discuss.
Make sure the animal has a hide area. This will be "it's space". I actually don't give my animals hides anymore unless I think they are needed. Some animals do need them.
Throw an old shirt of yours in the tank. Some have had success with that. This gets the animal use to your scent. Again, monitor your snakes behavior. I believe with snakes you really can be in tune with them. You can read their body language. You can read their movements. You can read their breathing patterns. Etc.
The challenges in taming a boa can actually be more rewarding in some ways. I think you learn more from them then the tame ones.
Enough of my ranting. I hope this helps a little.
John
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"To be the best..........You must lose your mind."

I am not really sure if the cage is located in a bad area. Its in my snake room, Very quiet all day, Every so often the wife will be in and out of the room but knows enough to know not to mess with the snakes, Other than that the door stays locked. This snake is not new. I would have to say I have had it almost a year but cant remember the exact day/month I purchased it, Also my hands never smell like another animal, I wash very well and sanitize in between each animal I hold. I do have several hooks "I make snake hooks" I used a hook to take each boa out of the cage, Supporting the front half with the hook then picking up the rear with a free hand. I then set the boa on the Flore of the snake room, The nice boa I then just pick up, The mean one I must pin it with the hood and get it behind the head to avoid a bite. I agree this is no way to calm them down witch is why I asked the question. On the note of gloves. I use to be a fire fighter and have a pair of structure fire gloves that are made out of all thick leather. Around the wrist and forearm they are cotton but all the hand is leather. The only problem is there is not much feeling through them and also its hard to say how hard you are squeezing as they are very thick stiff leather.
My Research and Collection

gloves are overkill.

Definitely need to be able to feel well and bend well.

One of the mean ones I had used to hiss and strike through the cage every time he saw me. So, I put on my gloves, picked him up and wouldn't put him back until he calmed down. Sometimes I was picking him up every few minutes...but, eventually he stopped hissing and striking through the glass...he then just saved it for the camera. I was most concerned with his smacking his head on the cage trying to tag me...that's why I was so determined to stop that from happening. And no, I wasn't willing to cover the enclosure up (though I did try it a couple of times and you could still hear him hissing when he heard me) because I always look into every cage when I make my walk-throughs and didn't like not being able to see an animal. I'm just pleased my determination won out over his own.
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Delusions of Grandeur feed the EGO...

Have you been a snake keeper a long time? Snakes are very sensitive to how you handle them. I touch my snakes before I take them out so they know I am planning on taking them out. I sort of pet them a little. I send them a calm thought, and I am calm when I handle them. If I can't be calm I wait. I truly believe they sense your state of mind and your confidence.

They are conditionable, I agree with John. You need consistency, and for that particular snake, 3 days a week isn't enough in my opinion, and how your snake still acts after a year is your proof. Unless you see signs of stress, I would handle that snake twice a day, 7 days a week (unless it just ate or is shedding). You don't need to keep it out longer than it takes to calm down. You can tell when that happens because their breathing becomes calm. Twice a day sessions for a short period is better than one longer one for this snake.

Always support that snake with both hands. Remember snakes are afraid when they are in the mood to bite. Move slowly like a snake. Do everything you can to make it feel safe. I agree snakes know us by smell, I never heard about the t-shirt tip before but it sounds good if you think it's you. Let me ask one question, has any other experienced snake handlers handled your snake? This is one way to tell if it is you are the snake you know. I only had one boa in over 20 years of keeping them that wouldn't tame, and he was a rescue and horribly abused. All the rest calmed down for me. I believe this one will too, but try more often. I think the hook is a good idea to get the snake out, try that. Most snakes are much more likely to strike at you when being removed from the cage, than any other time.

Good luck,
Caden