Fiesty snakes

[surfimp]

Professor Ronne has given me the heads up that my new pet boa, en route from Minnesota to California as we speak, comes from a bloodline that, while not being mean-tempered, has a tendency to be a bit "fiesty".

That being the case, and considering myself forewarned, here are the steps I'm going to take in order to try to tame my little beast:

1) Always feed her outside of her enclosure, so as to avoid making her perform Stupid Feeding Tricks™, one of the leading sources of snakes biting the hand that feeds, as it were.

2) Always feed prekilled or frozen/thawed prey animals. Many believe this helps to subdue aggressive tendencies in pet boas (and surely other snakes as well).

3) Always wash my hands before handling her, so that the scent of anything that she might think to be a prey animal is hopefully gone. Remember that the motto for snakes is: "Smells like food, must be food".

4) Always pick her up from the side, not from above (especially while she's still little), so as to reduce her feeling that she's under attack by "Death From Above".

5) Always make sure to handle her at least once a day for 15 minutes or more.

I would LOVE any additional suggestions! This is my second boa, and my first was extremely docile and almost "loving", so I haven't experienced "fiesty" before, at least in a snake.

But I am not afraid. She bites me, I bite her back! LOL just kidding!!!

[boagurl13]

First congratulations on your new baby.I was told to maybe put in a piece of an old t-shirt tha has your scent on it so the snake can get used to your scent and also to put the snake i a pillowcase and hold it for a little while so it will be used to being held.These were only suggestions that someone gave me.Good luck! :)

[Siri_Lin]

Another little rule I know of.

If the snake's in it's "feed zone" (box) and hungry (or the food's in there (f/t) and the snake isn't going for it....DON'T stick your hand in without warning the snake first (with a few gentle taps from tonges or a stick or something not alive) "If it smells like food, it is food.....if I smell food and it's warm and moving, that must be the food.)

Nothing like prying a snake in a death hold off ya. Thankfully my Hezphestus is tickle-ish (touch sensative) on his lower third.) But boy did it hurt!!! (not to mention bleed real well, he nailed me right in a finger joint)

Hmmm....the only other thing I can think of though, is to give the little critter a week or two to adjust to his new home before ya start handlening.

Oh, and treat her just like you did the other. It's a known fact that if you treat an animal (or a person) as if you expect them to do something bad at any moment...they will. Keep the "fiesty" thing in the back of your head but try not to treat her like it.

Siri
(ps...no spell check, sorry for any errors)

[John_Hedger]

I would agree Siri those "hand mistaken for mouse" feed bites are the worst to endure...Pure Pain!!LoL
John Hedger

[KirosReptiles]

Hi

I keep boas and also have a retic (ooo!  cwm2.gif ) so I'm pretty used to havin' to tame things down.

My male boa was a little, er *thinks polite* rascal for the first year - ended up trying the T-shirt trick. Worked a charm! Couldn't get him to leave the thing, he loved the cosy snuggly hide spot and when I came to pick him up he was happy to follow that "secure" scent.

As for feeding outside the viv... hm..  :-/
In my experience (certainly with the retic, but also my boas) that can be counter productive. In theory it sounds great, but in practice you're taking this "fiesty" snake out of his enclosure, and then taking him by hand to a place he KNOWS will have food (after the first couple of feeds).

Think about it - you're stood with this hunk of teeth and muscle on your arm, and suddenly he spots the feeding box.... I've been there!!  Now I feed inside the enclosure.

For handling, simply tap the snake a couple of times GENTLY on the head with the hook beforehand, to let him know you're there and break any feeding/aggressive response. He'll soon learn the tap means "wake up, time to play" - feeding time should have a different routine (some people flash the light, whatever works for you and lets the snake know that this event means food).

Sounds a myther, but pretty soon your snake will (rather, should) know what routine means it's time to eat and what means "chill out, it's just play time".  

Ah well, works for me - no bites since I started doing this, either from retics, carpets, or boa constrictors, adult or young  8) Sorry to ramble, just offering my experience.

Lee
PS: Forgot to mention - I've fed live for 11 years, and can't say I've found it increases aggression. Sure it'll make them great feeders (they know they have to stay sharp to catch live). But so long as YOU don't smell of rat then you've nothing to worry about ;)

[Scootter]

I think you are right about feeding Prekille dor Frozen thawed food helping to tame them down. My Little guy Jack has three different feeding responses.

1. Stunned or freshly killed, He hits it and coils hard.
2. Dead a little while, He'll take them and lay on them.
3 F/T, He will take them gently from my hand pull them across the cage and eat them at his leasure.

I like to feed F/T the most If he's not hungry and doesn't want to eat it I just reach in and take it away. I could never do that with Coke. I have to use a barier with her for anything when feeding time comes around.

Scootter b18.gif

[Red]

I don't think that the main reason people feed f/t is to tame them down... It help's.. My snakes never even strick there prey, what are the chance's that it will bite me... if it does it will just start to swallowing no coiling or any of that nasty stuff...
But the main reason people feed f/t is it is dangerous for the snake too eat live prey.. and live prey have a much higher chance of having some sort of problem that could make your snake sick or worse...
Well I don't have any thing else to say
Eric aka...red