Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Cleaning cages as always, and Im not sure I have posted pics of my big girls so I figured Ild snap a few ...

7 1/2' female bolivian

8 1/2' common female ...

Love the pics! I have an 05 female and your pics make me excited for the future.

Can you help me w/ a question? I see a lot of folks with snake hooks in their pics. Can you tell me what you use it for with your boas and how helpful/necesarry you think having a good hook is?

Thanks (and sorry for hijacking your thread).
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2.1.0 Kidletts
0.0.1 Ball Pyhton (Rex)
0.0.1 Okeetee Corn (Maizey)
0.1.0 BCI (Ruby)
0.1.0 Cat (Ginger)
1.0.0 Pughuahua (Ranger)

hooks are used to pick the snake up..or at least let the animal know it is you coming in and not a meal.

many python owners "hook train" their pythons...to condition them so they know when they are getting ready to be picked up. most bites, imho, are from picking up a snake. this is usually because a) the snake senses heat from your hand and thinks it is a meal or b) doesn't want to be handled at the moment.

you can tell a lot about a snake's mood by their reaction from the hook touching them. you do need to be careful, though, on using hooks on large animals if all the weight of the snake is on the hook...it can break ribs i guess...so many people use the hook on the top part near the head and use their hands to support the bottom part.
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www.theboahouse.com
www.myinfoservice.com

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signature file edited; contact an admin. phw 7/19/05

a 4' hook is a good tool if you have a Boa. I don't use mine very often, but it's nice to have in certain scenarios, like if you want to take the snake out to clean the cage, and the snake is in an aggressive posture. Just use the hook to turn the snake around so you can grab the tail, and everything is beautiful. Just my experience.

Rhanks. I guess I always thought of hooks as being for hots or arboreals that don't do well with handling, etc.

I don't really want to get tagged by a 7 or 8 footer. No, a nice hook sounds good to me.
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2.1.0 Kidletts
0.0.1 Ball Pyhton (Rex)
0.0.1 Okeetee Corn (Maizey)
0.1.0 BCI (Ruby)
0.1.0 Cat (Ginger)
1.0.0 Pughuahua (Ranger)

That was thanks, ot rhanks. I shouldn't try to type in the dark.
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2.1.0 Kidletts
0.0.1 Ball Pyhton (Rex)
0.0.1 Okeetee Corn (Maizey)
0.1.0 BCI (Ruby)
0.1.0 Cat (Ginger)
1.0.0 Pughuahua (Ranger)

everything they said is right. i have a 5'6" female and i get her out with a hook ner her head as i pick her up around her middle. here's some pics! she didnt want to come off the hook once i got her out

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1.3 leopard geckos1.0 jungle carpet python
1.1 columbian BCI