Some years ago I read on one keeper's site that boas prefer the "feel" of substrate, like cypress mulch or aspen, as opposed to a paper substrate. If using paper, they said to use dimpled kraft paper vs newspaper.

In any case, I have a baby CA boa that I had on unprinted newspaper. The snake would hiss at me and strike like crazy, even with a nice dark hide in there. This went on for weeks. Remembering what I read before, I removed the paper and put in cypress mulch. That was the only change. No more hissing or striking. Like an On/Off switch. It has been a few weeks, no hissing still.

Have you folks noticed anything like that with baby boas, that they are calmer with substrate?