Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 3 month old c.b. boa that I have had for about 2 months. It has eaten 6 times, drinks, poops, and its setup is in a sweater box with paper towels, water dish, heat tape, etc. so it seems to be healthy in that sense. My problem is that it is SUPER AGGRESIVE!!!
Everytime I open the lid it starts hissing and sometimes attempts to strike. I have heard to try and pick it up with a snake stick and then set it in your palm but it wont even let the snake stick come near it. (I am not trying to overly stress it out and try this only like once a week) They say to hold it regularly so that it will calm down but it wont even let me do that. The weird thing about this is that when I first got it, I could hold it with no problem. Then I guess when it got used to its setup it decided to get mean lol.
Any suggestions? I want to be able to hold it because my intentions of it was to have it as a pet. I mean I definitely dont want a 8 foot snake trying to take my head off later on. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Chipcount,
...Your Boa is not aggresive. It is defensive. Every time it hisses and strikes and you retreat you are reinforcing the hissing and striking behaviour. Regular handling will tame the snake. The bite of a baby Boa is about as bad as the scratch from a little kitten. Instead of retreating from the snake when it hisses and strikes pick it up and handle it. If it strikes or bites do not flinch and do not back away. With regular handling it will quickly learn that hissing and biting are not effective defensive behaviours. You can do this easily now. If you do not get the snake tamed now it will continue hissing and striking and it will be difficult to tame later when it is large. After it has become tame handle it at least a couiple times a week and it should stay tame.
Good luck,
Jeff

>>I have a 3 month old c.b. boa that I have had for about 2 months. It has eaten 6 times, drinks, poops, and its setup is in a sweater box with paper towels, water dish, heat tape, etc. so it seems to be healthy in that sense. My problem is that it is SUPER AGGRESIVE!!!
>>Everytime I open the lid it starts hissing and sometimes attempts to strike. I have heard to try and pick it up with a snake stick and then set it in your palm but it wont even let the snake stick come near it. (I am not trying to overly stress it out and try this only like once a week) They say to hold it regularly so that it will calm down but it wont even let me do that. The weird thing about this is that when I first got it, I could hold it with no problem. Then I guess when it got used to its setup it decided to get mean lol.
>>Any suggestions? I want to be able to hold it because my intentions of it was to have it as a pet. I mean I definitely dont want a 8 foot snake trying to take my head off later on. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

I have a tiny tyrant too. Just handle it anyway. Use a hook, to take it out. There's no way a snake can avoid a hook. If it strikes at the hook, so what? If you need to put gloves on, or a jacket do it. If that's what it takes to make you calm down. So far the snake is training you to stay away. The snake is not agressive. It is scared.

If you can't do it any other way (and I am sure you can) you can take a pillowcase, take the snake out, put the snake directly into it and tie a knot in it, and put it on your lap, and take your gloves off so the snake can smell your hands and feel their heat and just hold the snake thru the pillowcase. If the snake tries to bite it can't hurt you, so don't freak, just sit there with it on your lap in your hands. Start with only 30 seconds and build up slowly to five minutes. Do that each day it isn't in a shed or has NOT just eaten. It will get used to you this way. One day, when it;s used to your smell and heat, you can try holding it without the bag.

A snake bite from a baby snake is so trivial, after it happens to you a few times you'll be laughing at what you're fearing now. A shot or a bee sting are major events compared to the bite of a 3 month old boa. Most of the time that whole routine of hissing and striking stops as soon as you piick them up anyway. You snake didn't change because of your set up, your snake was able to train you to leave it alone! Well, you're only trying once a week, I'd say that's trained. : ) Your snake is all settled in now, you need to go pester it more. : )
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Caden Chapman
slithering.serpents@gmail.com
http://slitheringserpents.com

thanks for the input guys i will do my best to stop being such a chicken haha

Ha ha we're not all guys, and you're welcome! : )
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Caden Chapman
slithering.serpents@gmail.com
http://slitheringserpents.com

Is JUST like that, LOL! I handle it somewhat regularly, but it is still cage defensive and I do use a hook at times to remove it from its tub still and then usually carefully deposit it in my hand and slowly encourage it out of its protective coil and handle it for awhile during cleaning time, etc.
I believe I am somewhat lucky in regards to locality with this ones temperment and even though I named it Sassy and call it a b*tch when we don't agree, I think she is a he because since I've adopted it a few years back... it has hardly grown. So, since central americans are a bit smaller than some of their more common boa relatives and even still, males a bit smaller than females, it makes my life a little easier! Especially since CA's can have a very 'defensive' attitude, which mine does ;p
In that respect, and based on above experience, I agree with all other responses given, tackle the problem now and get it comfortable with human handling! Because if you have a common boa, even if it's a male and doesn't grow bigger than 6 ft, it will pack a bigger punch in 2 years than it ever could now if it bites you! LOL! Imagine a 10 ft cranky female boa, now that would slow me down a bit... Even my 9ft female is regarded with caution and respect, and she is tame and handled regularly... I probably wouldn't be as fond of her if I had to wear armor to move her! ;p JK!
Good luck with your baby! Follow what others have recommended so far, and you should have no problems. A couple of my boas offspring held back from a litter this year also did the same thing, were fine and a month later hissing like they ascended from hell and leaping at me like popcorn, a month or so of hooking and braving the storm later, they can be taken from their tubs by hand!
Don't fear and don't give up!
Sorry, I'm all hyped up on caffeine and wrote you a story! Can't help myself, I ramble when it gets late and I'm drinking coffee!
Steph S.