Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Got the kids on the 2nd and since the opening of the box both snakes were great. The female a bit more nervous than the male but neither one struck. Well on the 3rd day of having them the male has done an complete 180 on me and does not wanna be picked up. He'll strike at me of my gf for just passing the cage and when held. The female is fine tho...no signs of aggression at all. We tried feeding them since day one and just the female ate. We tried him again on the 3rd day but still nothing.

Yesterday I picked em up and he was a LIL bit better but would still strike. I know with time and more handling he'll get better but its just the 180 on temperament that got me by surprise. Hell after dealing with my carpet python who is perfectly named Hazard who turned into a hell spawn the moment she came out the bag...this should be easy. She would strike at EVERYTHING including herself. But now she can be put around our necks without us getting a kiss to the face.

Ok sorry for the long post...at work not really doing anything again.
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0.1 Jungle x Diamond Carpet Python - Hazard
1.1Ball Python - Curse & no name yet
0.0.1 Green Tree Python - No name yet
0.1 Blk & Wht Banded Cali King Snake - Beetlejuice
1.0 Yellow Anaconda - Goliath
1.1 Rainbow Boa - Chaos (M,Peruvian) Pandora (F,Brazilian)
2.1 Red tail Boa- Loki & Malakai (Central American) Nyx (Colombian)
1.1 Dumerils Boa - Poisonous (Female) Venomous (Male)
1.0 Green Iguana - Gigan
0.0.1 Emperor Scorpion - Scorponok
0.2 Ferrets - Frenzy & Virus
1.0 Burmese - Behemoth
0.1 Argentine Boa - Hexus
20 Red Eared Turtles & 2 River Cooters

How is the cage set up? Do they have adequate hides and the proper temperature? Also, how much have you been handling them? Most people recommend waiting a week after bringing a new snake home before you handle it. Although Dumerils Boas are traditionally very mellow snakes, if they're stressed by a new environment, they can be a little nippy as babies. I'd make sure the temperature and humidity are good, then leave it alone at least a few days. Also, I'm not sure if you're housing them together or separately, but be sure to separate them when you feed them. Once you do get him eating, you can gradually start handling him for short periods. The big thing is, you don't want to have him out long enough he gets stressed. Anyway, I'm about to leave for work, but I hope this helps out. Good luck, and I'm sure he'll mellow out in time.

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Paul D

www.MoonlightBoas.com

They're in a 40g breeder with 2 hiding places and big corner water bowl...the bedding is deep enough that they can completely go under. As for the temp...its pretty warm in the room they're in now. Can't give you numbers yet cause the gages got broke while setting up everything. Bought some new ones last night but haven't put em in yet.

We turned off the light for a night cause we thought it was too hot since the female was in there water for 2 days. Next day we checked on em she was in a hide buried and that's when the male had calmed down just a bit. Again...he's nothing like how the carpet python was so I'm sure he'll be a good lil boy in no time. I just wanna find out what happen to make him like he is now so I know how to fix the problem.
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0.1 Jungle x Diamond Carpet Python - Hazard
1.1Ball Python - Curse & Helios
0.0.1 Green Tree Python - No name yet
0.1 Blk & Wht Banded Cali King Snake - Beetlejuice
1.0 Yellow Anaconda - Goliath
1.1 Rainbow Boa - Chaos (M,Peruvian) Pandora (F,Brazilian)
2.1 Red tail Boa- Loki & Malakai (Central American) Nyx (Colombian)
1.1 Dumerils Boa - Poisonous (Female) Venomous (Male)
1.0 Green Iguana - Gigan
0.0.1 Emperor Scorpion - Scorponok
0.2 Ferrets - Frenzy & Virus
1.0 Burmese - Behemoth
0.1 Argentine Boa - Hexus
20 Red Eared Turtles & 2 River Cooters

This doesn't surprise me in the leas actually. Dumerils. Are one of the best boas for temperment, but the tradeoff is that they sometimes stress easily when they are young. I don't like to feed them for 2 weeks after I get a new one in for that reason. If you have difficultly getting him to eat, I'd say to put him in a dark ventilated container with his 'prey' overnight. That usually solves the food feeding issue.

Temps are best in the mid to high 70s to the low 80s on the cold side, and high 80s to low 90s on the hot side. A cold and hot hide works, but I like to have one larger hide in between, so part of it is warm and part is cooler. My guys never used their hot hide.

Also, the only time a male has been pissy with me has been a gentle reminder to feed/feed more. Combine stress and hunger, and I think that will explain everything for you.
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1.1.0 Dumerils Boas
0.1.0 Anery Cornsnake
1.1.0 Amel Hurricane Cornsnakes (66% het Snow)
0.0.1 ?Mystery? Albino Plains Garter (WC)(Ask for pic/details)
1.0.0 Apricot-phase Plains Milksnake (WC)

Well your idea worked dude...put em alone with the mouse and he ate it. So now just have to wait awhile till he digests it and see how calm he is after. Thanks for all the help everybody...ill update and post pix later
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0.1 Jungle x Diamond Carpet Python - Hazard
1.1Ball Python - Curse & Helios
0.0.1 Green Tree Python - No name yet
0.1 Blk & Wht Banded Cali King Snake - Beetlejuice
1.0 Yellow Anaconda - Goliath
1.1 Rainbow Boa - Chaos (M,Peruvian) Pandora (F,Brazilian)
2.1 Red tail Boa- Loki & Malakai (Central American) Nyx (Colombian)
1.1 Dumerils Boa - Poisonous (Female) Venomous (Male)
1.0 Green Iguana - Gigan
0.0.1 Emperor Scorpion - Scorponok
0.2 Ferrets - Frenzy & Virus
1.0 Burmese - Behemoth
0.1 Argentine Boa - Hexus
20 Red Eared Turtles & 2 River Cooters

Sounds like your Dumeril has 'milksnake syndrome'; want to be left alone and is a shy eater. My wild caught milk is the same way. The good news is that this is almost always an extremely short-term issue with boas. A day after a feed, usually all is forgiven. What is the size of the enclosure? A Dumeril in too large of a tank will sometimes stress and display this behavior as well.

Don't be afraid to handle him at this point. He should be unable to regurgitate by now. Try slow sessions of easy handling at first. The key is....if you get bit...don't stop handling. You do not jwant to reinforce the bite for flight behavior. My eastern yellow-bellied racer was a wild catch, and I had that snake velcroed to my hand for over 2 weeks before he calmed down, lol.

Just go slow and easy at first, and then pick it up week by week. Usually 4-5 good handling sessions are plenty to tone down the attitude. Keep the faith, and you will be rewarded. Give us a status update.
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1.1.0 Dumerils Boas
0.1.0 Anery Cornsnake
1.1.0 Amel Hurricane Cornsnakes (66% het Snow)
0.0.1 ?Mystery? Albino Plains Garter (WC)(Ask for pic/details)
1.0.0 Apricot-phase Plains Milksnake (WC)

They're both in a 40g breeder. We took him out today and he has calmed down some but still strikes but now its mostly fake strikes. If I move my hand from back to front on his underside he's ok but if I go topside or come at him any other way he strikes.

He doest try to get away as much now either but you can tell he doesn't wanna be held. Far as getting bit goes...I'm not worried about that. After dealing with our carpet python Hazard and getting her rapid fire strikes this lil guy is nothing to worry about lol. I just don't wanna hold em for too long and stress em out even more ya know.

We're gonna try with him what we did with Hazard later on today. When we first got her she seemed to calm down ALOT whenever she was outside. She was a totally different snake outside compared to being indoors so we're going to see if it works on him.
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0.1 Jungle x Diamond Carpet Python - Hazard
1.1Ball Python - Curse & Helios
0.0.1 Green Tree Python - No name yet
0.1 Blk & Wht Banded Cali King Snake - Beetlejuice
1.0 Yellow Anaconda - Goliath
1.1 Rainbow Boa - Chaos (M,Peruvian) Pandora (F,Brazilian)
2.1 Red tail Boa- Loki & Malakai (Central American) Nyx (Colombian)
1.1 Dumerils Boa - Poisonous (Female) Venomous (Male)
1.0 Green Iguana - Gigan
0.0.1 Emperor Scorpion - Scorponok
0.2 Ferrets - Frenzy & Virus
1.0 Burmese - Behemoth
0.1 Argentine Boa - Hexus
20 Red Eared Turtles & 2 River Cooters

Well Venomous is acting like he was the 1st day we got em. It was after my gf had em for a bit...guess he needed a woman's touch lol. We'll keep working with em tho and let ya know how it goes.

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0.1 Jungle x Diamond Carpet Python - Hazard
1.1Ball Python - Curse & Helios
0.0.1 Green Tree Python - No name yet
0.1 Blk & Wht Banded Cali King Snake - Beetlejuice
1.0 Yellow Anaconda - Goliath
1.1 Rainbow Boa - Chaos (M,Peruvian) Pandora (F,Brazilian)
2.1 Red tail Boa- Loki & Malakai (Central American) Nyx (Colombian)
1.1 Dumerils Boa - Poisonous (Female) Venomous (Male)
1.0 Green Iguana - Gigan
0.0.1 Emperor Scorpion - Scorponok
0.2 Ferrets - Frenzy & Virus
1.0 Burmese - Behemoth
0.1 Argentine Boa - Hexus
20 Red Eared Turtles & 2 River Cooters