Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I take my boa (BCI?) to classrooms for educational presentations, etc, and he's been fine with that for the past year or two. I would say he does 3-4 events per month and an occasional display event at a community function.

I've noticed that he's become increasingly clingy, almost frantic while being held. It's like he's afraid of falling or being moved and hangs on with dear life, trying to grab anything with his tail, etc. He's been like that since day one, I've just noticed the intensity of his squeeze has been strengthening while I hold him.

Last Thursday I was taking him out of his cage to go to a school, and while I was holding his neck, he reached around and tagged me on the wrist...nasty bruise! Needless to say, he didn't go, for the concern of the students.

I'd like to keep working with him and was hoping some of you with more experience could help me out. He's 7ft and 16 pounds, usually a bit shy and likes to hide in his box or peek out from behind the water bowl. He lives in a 4ft Animal Plastics cage with temps from 81-85 degrees and 50-60% humidity. I feed him F/T size M-XL rats every 3 weeks. I generally only handle him about once a week around the house, and 3-4 times for a quick classroom visit. That entails going into a Rubbermaid container, driving, waiting his turn, and coming out for 5 min for children to see and touch while I hold him. Then he goes back in and we drive home.

I've not handled him so much at home because I figured with all the all things going on in his life, he needed a break. Perhaps it's time to wield a set of gloves and handle him more often to condition him to being handled in a more non-stressful environment? This is the second time he's bitten me and he's lunged at me in the cage, but only when he's had a rat in there and I had to walk by.

I'd first suggest not grabbing him by his neck while taking him out. If he's calm enough you should have no reason to do that...and doing so also causes unneeded stress that could cause him to become upset and bite at you. If you're worried about him biting at you, with him being 7ft, I'd suggest getting a hook.
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Luke Martin
Bronze Serpent Reptiles

Yes, I do have a hook. I wasn't reaching in and grabbing him by the neck as it may have sounded. I use the hook to reach into the cage and position him so that he's facing away from me. Then I lift him around the midsection and back him out. Once I have him out of the cage, he generally goes up, which happened to be toward my face. I was lowering him into the container with one hand around his midsection, one head just holding his neck to keep him out of my face (his cage sits about chest level).

If there's a better way to be handling him, please share.

He may want to breed. That may help.
Looks like he could stand to skip a few meals.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Well, he's my only boa, so breeding isn't really an option.

Yes, he's a bit porky and I'm trying to remedy that situation. I overfed him when I got him, so I've backed him off to every 3 weeks and I vary the size of the rats. I'd rather feed smaller prey than increase the duration without food.

I'd suggest handling him 3 times a week for a while, and no shows. If he chills out, that's great. Not every boa is suited to doing shows. I'd say he's both sick of the travel etc., and afraid of falling. All boas have a natural fear of falling, but some have it more intensely. When you handle him, put him on your lap or supported by your body, don't hold him out in your hands, this makes them even more fearful. By handling him at home in a safe quiet environment, maybe you can rehabilitate him into a show man again, maybe not. Good luck.
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Caden Chapman
slithering.serpents@gmail.com
http://slitheringserpents.com

Thanks for the tips...

I'm not opposed to retiring him, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong in my handling of him. Plus, he's a nice snake and I'd like him to be handleable around my family.

I'm also curious ,7 ft long and that tail looks maybe short.This won't have any bearing on the situation or help answwer your question.Like I said I'm curious,Are you sure this is a male? Thanks Lar M

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Boas By Klevitz

I've never had him probed and he was an adult when I got him. I was beginning to wonder if it was a female, then he passed sperm plugs.

>>I'm also curious ,7 ft long and that tail looks maybe short.This won't have any bearing on the situation or help answwer your question.Like I said I'm curious,Are you sure this is a male? Thanks Lar M

>> I've never had him probed and he was an adult when I got him. I was beginning to wonder if it was a female, then he passed sperm plugs

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Boas By klevitz

Well that answers that question,thanks Lsr M

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Boas By Klevitz

Sometimes you just have to accept the fact that the animal in question may not want to be held or worked with. If it's trying to shoot out of your hands he's trying to tell you something, and forcing yourself on him only reinforces the negative behavoir.

Yes, I've considered that as well...I just want to check and see if it's handler error and if there's anything I can do to fix the situation before I retire him.

I think all boas are grumpy and territorial,but I have NEVER been bitten by a constrictor in my 15 years experience(only a garter snake once). I don't care for using hooks much because some will still jump my direction. I have always put newspaper over the head then lifted the body out while gently pressing the the head down to the cage floor.
As for the nervousness-I think it is just not being properly supported as it gets larger. When my younger counsin visits he always uses only hands to "handle" a 5 footer. It looks like he's trying to hug it and it always makes my hypo male more nervous. As boas get larger its really more about SUPPORTING,MANIPULATING and less about handling.

-Hope this isn't too much rambling and you don't have to retire your pet-

Thanks...I'd like to keep working with him. The kids like to see him and I like to get the message across concerning exotic pet care. I'm more of a lizard person, though.

I just need to work with this guy on my own. I'd like to 'handle' him less and support him more, but he's hanging on to me at the same time for dear life. Definitely a trust issue that needs to be resolved.

My imported suriname has taken several years to mellow out. Keep your handling sessions on a strict schedule(maybe 3times a week) so the snake begins to expect it.Try to keep handling session brief and under ten minutes.-best of luck-