Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am a new owner of a female baby BRB who was about 16 inches when I got her and now over 30 inches. As a newbie to BRB my female Bella has been nothing but a sweetheart and has never shown the body language or demeanor of a biter. Its even hard to get her pissed off enough to strike a thawed out fuzzy from my hand and I can only do this in the middle of the night when she is active. I am constantly reading and getting info. to better care for my BRB and can't believe the info. I read that BRB are nippy, in my case it has been completely the opposite.
I only have 3 snakes, 2 California kings (1 50/50 and a WC California king from my front yard), and even though I've only been biten once by my 50/50 California king when it was a baby, these California kings have had a much more agressive body language and demeanor than I've noticed at all than the BRB.
I am learning as Im going but my BRB is happy, well humidified, handled often, and treated as spiritually significant creature she is since Im native american.
Just wondering why Ive read so much about a nippy and biting BRB when Ive experienced completely the opposite?
Responses would be greatly appreciated.
Peace, Love, and Happy Herping
Uncloudy

I hate to generalize but animal temperaments (including humans) come in a range from totally docile to very defensive/agressive. It's the old nature versus nurture story. We try to provide the best environment possible for our animals and control the nurture end of things. What makes for an agreeable pet snake may not have worked so well in the wild where food wasn't served up frozen thawed and the animal wasn't protected from predators. Through selective breeding we can also try to change the nature of the animal by choosing to breed only docile animals. Sounds like you have a docile animal and by continuing to keep it in optimum conditions you can reinforce its nature.
Just some thoughts...
Lora

Mine's the same way. But on the other hand I have an angry bearded dragon and a hyperdefensive crested gecko, both lizards famed for their tameness. So, the temperment you hear about is the average! Always be prepared for the opposite!
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

Uncloudy,
. You mention body language in your post. I think that much of the reason your BRB has been so tame is that you display the right body language. Whoever had it before you tamed it and you are handling it correctly so that it remains tame. Any BRB can easily be tamed. When one is not tame it is the fault of the keeper rather than the snake.
Jeff

>>I am a new owner of a female baby BRB who was about 16 inches when I got her and now over 30 inches. As a newbie to BRB my female Bella has been nothing but a sweetheart and has never shown the body language or demeanor of a biter. Its even hard to get her pissed off enough to strike a thawed out fuzzy from my hand and I can only do this in the middle of the night when she is active. I am constantly reading and getting info. to better care for my BRB and can't believe the info. I read that BRB are nippy, in my case it has been completely the opposite.
>>I only have 3 snakes, 2 California kings (1 50/50 and a WC California king from my front yard), and even though I've only been biten once by my 50/50 California king when it was a baby, these California kings have had a much more agressive body language and demeanor than I've noticed at all than the BRB.
>>I am learning as Im going but my BRB is happy, well humidified, handled often, and treated as spiritually significant creature she is since Im native american.
>>Just wondering why Ive read so much about a nippy and biting BRB when Ive experienced completely the opposite?
>>Responses would be greatly appreciated.
>>Peace, Love, and Happy Herping
>>Uncloudy

Thank you for all the responses and I don't think the Creator could of made a more beautiful boa.
I believe Jeff is right that its not the snake it's the keeper of course there is always bad apples but I really believe if treated properly all BRB should be calm and docile, its their nature.
Thanks again for all the responses and I will continue to love my BRB and looking forward to having an incredicle display for it once it gets older.
I am a kingsnake lover and never thought I would own a boa or python until I fell in love with the BRB for its beauty and I think the nippy tempermant I read about on the internet about BRB is totally undeserved.
Happy Herping