This might be a dumb question but are most snakes head shy. I have a boa that is not but my burm is. Everytime I move she jerks back, she does not bite but it makes me nervous anytime I make a move in front of her and she does this, I go to stroke her and bam head goes back, and then she chills out, does this go away as she gets older and is handled more often and sees I am not going to smack her.
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Head shy (are Most Snakes)
Rottenweiler9
Jun 10, 2003 07:39 PM
Replies (3)
bbkaren
Jun 10, 2003 08:42 PM
Yes, both my burm and my ball are the same way--yet I can bring my hand up under their chin and often they'll lay their head right in my hand and I can "pet" that way. It's just spookiness, I just avoid coming right headlong to touch them unless I have to.
meretseger
Jun 11, 2003 04:53 AM
One thing to keep in mind is that the burm has heat sensitive pits and the boa doesn't. Boas still can probably sense heat to a point, but warm objects in front of their faces really seem to freak out heat-pitted snakes.
JDP
Jun 11, 2003 07:29 AM
Its common and normal. From my experience, burms will become less and less head-shy with age (also when they are comfortable with you!). I can practically pet my female on the head like a cat without her even twitching. Just takes time. Having said that, its not really a good idea because you are possibly opening yourself up to get bitten.
