Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi i have a little problem with my boa she is about 3 foot and she lives in the bottom tank which looks small in the pic but it measures 4x2x2 it is the bottom tank in the pic but every time i open the doors she thinks it is feeding time and sometimes strikes i have plants in there and if i brush against them by mistake she goes to strike and has got me once in the hand how can i get her used to when she is getting fed and when she isnt
thank you guys

Time to get a snake hook. Most my boas like to strike or get in position to strike at me when I open there cages until I grab them with a hook, then they calm down. I have tried feeding in a seperate container in the past but this had no effect on the problem, so now when I open there cages I just assume they might take a bite at me. I have been keeping boas for a few years now and I have never been bitten although an 8' Suriname grazed my finger yesterday but she hit me with her head and not the teeth like she wanted too.

If the cage is made of plywood then just cut a feeding door in the end of the cage that way she gets accustomed to being fed at that particular place so when you open the front she wont think of you as food.Snake hooks are another option as well as waiting until she comes out of the cage before you reach to get her.Thats the option i use and it seems to be working rather well with my bigger snakes(burms/retic).If they dont come out on their own then use the snake hook. Hope that helps.Regards Bill McLeod