Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had the boa now since Feb. and she is prolly 10 months old. She has always gone through periods where she didnt want bothered but for the past few weeks now its constant. I always touch her slightly before getting her out of cage, to wake her so i didnt scare her or anything. now everytime i try to get her she hiss's and is ready to strike at me. This has been happening non stop for a few weeks so i know it isnt a post feedin thing. I used to handle her about 3-4 times a week but stopped for a lil cause i didnt have time with moving and all. She got mean though even before i moved so i dont think its that either. I really like her and wanna keep her so what should i do to make her sweet again? I'm grateful for any help
thanx

Camwar,
...Your Boa is not mean. It is scared and it probably sees encounters with you as attacks that have to be fended off. It has probably learned from experience in encounters with you that striking causes you to back off. Rather than letting it "win" these encounters you need to handle it without fear. If it strikes you should not flinch or back off. Let it bite you and while it is biting you go ahead and pick it up and handle it. It will soon learn that you are not going to hurt it and that striking and biting does not make you back off. Your snake does not need to be awakened. It is probably stressed enough that it wakes up every time you enter the room. Rather than touching it and backing off, which it probably sees as the beginning of an attack from you, approach it and pick it right up. All little Boas can be tamed if you are not afraid of letting them bite you a time or two. If you do not tame them when they are little it will be painful and bloody trying to tame them when they get big.
Good luck,
Jeff

>>I've had the boa now since Feb. and she is prolly 10 months old. She has always gone through periods where she didnt want bothered but for the past few weeks now its constant. I always touch her slightly before getting her out of cage, to wake her so i didnt scare her or anything. now everytime i try to get her she hiss's and is ready to strike at me. This has been happening non stop for a few weeks so i know it isnt a post feedin thing. I used to handle her about 3-4 times a week but stopped for a lil cause i didnt have time with moving and all. She got mean though even before i moved so i dont think its that either. I really like her and wanna keep her so what should i do to make her sweet again? I'm grateful for any help
>>thanx

I agree. Just reach in and pick it up. Don't give it a chance to get defensive. With my snakes I put my fingers together and go straight down at them. The sizr of my habd is larger than any prey. They are used to it now and usually have no problems.
When you do get it out, keep it out for longer periods of time. Don't pick it up and put it right back. Snakes like to be held. They like your warmth. Mine, as I'm sure many others, hate to go back in their tanks.

Thanks, Brian

1.0 Pastel
0.1 Normal
0.1 Argentine
0.1 Guyana
1.1 Het Albino, Poss Het Snow
1.1 Jungle Siblings
0.2 Anery
0.1 Het Anery
0.1 Striped
0.1 Hypo Het Ghost
1.0 Hypo Het Sunglow (non genetic reverse stripe)

1.0 Jungle Carpet
0.2 Hognose
1.0 Soloman Island Boa
1.0 Cal King
1.0 Durango Mtn King

1 Soft Shell Turtle

1.0 Cane Corso

Jeff, gave you some good advice, but I wanted to make aware one more thing for you. Some boas, can never be tamed. Most can be, even wild caught adults. Sometimes, you just have one that will be terrible the rest of its life! I had a Guyana one time, that was worst than the 9th level of hell! She was the meanest I have ever seen and have ever had.I do not mind mean boas, but she was to mean even for me. Typically, the more " holding sessions " the better. There is always that one though, that will never be docile.......Johnson Herp

thanx guys, i had her out for a couple mins today, noticed shes gettin ready to shed so didnt wanna mess with her to much. she hissed alot but grabbed her out and she was ok for the time i held her. after shed i'll keep trying to get her back to normal. havent been bitten yet, know it wont hurt to much but still wanna avoid it lol