Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a beautiful, healthy female Hog. She's great. I have had since she was a hatchling (cbb 2000). Well over the past 5 months I haven't had a lot of time lately to spend quality time handling her. She eats great. Her feeding response is excellent. When I drop a mouse in..she's on it in seconds. So, after she eats as in days later, I will open her enclosure, and reach in from the top. Well in the "old" days it was easy to reach in and pick her up, she was still timid then and when I handled her very often. Now that she's increased in size, she's about 3 ft, and my lack of handling, when I reach in there, well she's more likely to want to take a quick nip at my hand. As a hatchling she never did, perhaps too scared. However, if I use something to take her out, she's fine, ONCE she's outside her enclosure. That is she won't bite, she's great. And climbs all over me just as she used to do when she was young.

So..w/all that said, does anyone have some suggestions that MAY help tame her down just a bit. I realize that may not be possible..and that's OK. But if there are some things I could do better..I would like to know.

Thanks.

What you have is a text book case of learned behavior. Your girl has learned that when the cage is opened, food is coming. Same principle as Pavlov's dogs. She realizes once you get her out that she is not being fed, which is good, and calms down to her normal self. My recommendation is to remove her from her cage when you feed her. Place her in a large, solid colored plastic container (i.e. large plastic stoarge container) with a lid where she can feel safe. Then place the feeder in with her. Be sure to monitor the activity. Boas will not kill a feeder unless they are hungry. They will allow a rodent to bite them and not bother to kill it. She may also be a little wary in her new place. Just try to get her in there quickly without much stress. Should work out well for you. May take a while for her to lose the feeding response she has when her cage opens, but is worth a try. Best of luck!!!

Phil Goss

>>I have a beautiful, healthy female Hog. She's great. I have had since she was a hatchling (cbb 2000). Well over the past 5 months I haven't had a lot of time lately to spend quality time handling her. She eats great. Her feeding response is excellent. When I drop a mouse in..she's on it in seconds. So, after she eats as in days later, I will open her enclosure, and reach in from the top. Well in the "old" days it was easy to reach in and pick her up, she was still timid then and when I handled her very often. Now that she's increased in size, she's about 3 ft, and my lack of handling, when I reach in there, well she's more likely to want to take a quick nip at my hand.
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You have inadvertantly conditioned her to look for food everytime the lid/top of the enclosure is opened. Since you are not handling her regularly, she is only doing something natural....looking for a yummy to drop in.....time to eat.

I would suggest that you start handling her more. Use a hook to get her out or if you don't have one, drop a towel over her first, before you reach in. This should work to get her out of "food mode" since you say she is fine once you have her in your hands.

>>As a hatchling she never did, perhaps too scared. However, if I use something to take her out, she's fine, ONCE she's outside her enclosure. That is she won't bite, she's great. And climbs all over me just as she used to do when she was young.
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As long as you drop food in from the top, she may often mistake your hand for food at first. It's an honest mistake on her part. Perhaps if you start handling her more this could change, but I would think a hook or the towel thing would work. I feed some of my young ones in plastic containers with lids. When I take the lid off after they have eaten, they are in "food mode" and will strike at anything. I just lower the end of a hand towel onto their face and body, and wave it back and forth a little. They will immediately draw back. I reach in with the other hand and pick them up. It works very well for me.

Good luck with your girl. Hogs are great!!

I also use a towel draped over the head to break the line of sight when I've got snakes in food mode. Usually once they're in hand they settle down. Using a hook consistantly lets the snake know they're coming out of the cage and prevents that occasional surprised defensive strike from making contact with me. I always use tongs to offer prey items to avoid some of the association of prey with my hand.
Lora

Thanks guys..I suspected as much. I do have a few questions. I will change her feeding place to plastic container. My question is, what size should it be?

Second, the towel was a great idea. I wouldn't have thought of thta one..I always put it over the tank...but never thought of putting it on her.

Third question(s), recommend a good place to get a hook? and in using the snake hook..am I better off trying to just lift her out w/it?? OR attempting to pin her head down just behind her jaws..which to me is obviously more stresful. Just wanted people's opinions. I like the hook idea as my substrate is aspen. And the wood would get everywhere upon removal of the towel.

But she just ate, and she looks great. I love her.