Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am really interested in getting a Rosy Boa.
I've been doing lots of research.
But there's only one problem... I'm afraid of getting bit.
If I do decide on getting one, it's going to be very very young. I want to raise it from when its a baby, so its very tame.

***Has anyone that has owned a Rosy Boa gone through the experience of getting bit? Is it very painful? And how do you prevent such a thing? Is there any way of telling when it's about to bite you, or does it just happen for no reason??

Please help....I really want to get a Rosy Boa, but I really don't want to get bit.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,
Jessica

It will only bite as a feeding response. If you get a rosy with a strong feeding response it may bite. If that's the case, just pick it up using some device ( a coat hanger works great ) untill it's out of it's enclosure. It will figure out that it's not going to be fed and become non-aggressive. Get a rosy, they rule.

Ok, well I've read that to prevent that you just take the Rosy out of its cage and put it in something like a brown paper bag to feed it. So that when you put your hand in the cage, it doesnt associate that with food going in the cage. Have you ever tried this? Well what about once you have the snake out of the cage....have you ever gotten bit that way? Does it hurt really bad?

*Jessica

Hi. Is this your first snake? They're great beginner snakes. Actually I've never owned one, but my friends bit me on the lip and I didn't even realize it. Funny story: I was trying to kiss it's head (I don't recomend you doing this b/c snakes w/heat pits have are very sensitive to things touching their heads...I was a kid though, go figure), felt a little sting (less painful than a papercut), didn't even have a clue it bit me, and played with it some more till I realized I was bleeding and that it probably bit me...Not painful in the least, even for a sensative part of my body.

Now as to take even greater procautions as to avoid being bitten you can put the snake in a different enclosure and leave it with a DEAD mouse when feeding. If it usually eats right away you could just put it on a table or bed or something. But anyway I'm just rambling on...

Hope this helped

Yes this will be my first snake. Thats good that you didn't feel it bite you. But someone told me online today that they got bit on the hand and the teeth felt like needles and the pain lasted for a week!!! That scared me. He said he was showing of his RB to his friends and it bit his hand. Pain lasting for a week!?
Anyways, thanks so much for the help. I dont mind you rambling, I could use all the help I can get.
Since they have "heat spots" on their head, does that mean you cant pet/touch their head or there's a good chance they may bite?

Thank You so much for your time.

*Jessica

I have kept snakes for well over a decade and have found them to be very gentle animals. That being said, if you have this much anxiety about it, perhaps you are not a good candidate to be a snake owner.

I have been bit and scratched several times by cats and dogs. A common housecat or dog can, and often does, far more damage than a pet snake can. If you are not comfortable with an animal the best advice I can give you is not to get one. There is nothing wrong with just not being comfortable handling a snake. I don’t like spiders. I think its cool some people have them, and handle them, but not me.

To be a good pet owner you have to be comfortable with the animal. If you’re not, then do yourself and the animal a favor, and do not get one. Just my .02

By the way, I just got a Mexican Rosy Boa today, so this is my first post on this forum.
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