# Boas > General Boas >  This is Grimm

## WhompingWillow

This is Grimm, my new Argentine boa pick up from Tinley.

1) Grimm is awesome.
2) Grimm does not like my blanket.
3) Grimm likes to hiss. A lot.

I'm kind of excited to have a snake that's going to keep me on my toes a bit. I'm sure we'll have some adventures together in the next few weeks as I start working with him. He was only out tonight because of needing some cage cleaning.

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_AbsoluteApril_ (03-24-2019),aurum (02-02-2020),*Bogertophis* (03-24-2019),_cletus_ (03-23-2019),_CloudtheBoa_ (03-27-2019),_Danger noodles_ (03-24-2019),_Dianne_ (03-23-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (03-23-2019),_FollowTheSun_ (03-27-2019),Jakethesnake69 (02-04-2020),_jmcrook_ (03-23-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-24-2019),_Shayne_ (03-24-2019),_Sonny1318_ (03-27-2019),_Spicey_ (02-02-2020)

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## cletus

Nice pickup!  Congrats!

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_WhompingWillow_ (03-23-2019)

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## ShawarmaPoutine

You know how most people have a negative perception of snakes? I feel like if you took all that and made it into a snake, it would look exactly like Grimm. To the average person it looks like a nightmare while to help lovers, he is something to behold.

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*Bogertophis* (03-24-2019),Fastfish (03-28-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-24-2019),_WhompingWillow_ (03-23-2019)

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## fadingdaylight

Gorgeous, congratulations!

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_WhompingWillow_ (03-23-2019)

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## EL-Ziggy

Beautiful addition Willow. It's great to see more folks keeping BCO. They're very underrated imo.

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_jmcrook_ (03-23-2019),_WhompingWillow_ (03-23-2019)

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## WhompingWillow

> You know how most people have a negative perception of snakes? I feel like if you took all that and made it into a snake, it would look exactly like Grimm. To the average person it looks like a nightmare while to help lovers, he is something to behold.


Let's just hope he mellows out before eventually becoming 6+ feet long, lol. We have family visiting next week and I dooon't think Grimm will be making an appearance.  :Smile:

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_richardhind1972_ (03-24-2019)

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## WhompingWillow

> Beautiful addition Willow. It's great to see more folks keeping BCO. They're very underrated imo.


Thanks, EL-Ziggy! He's also 66% Het T+ albino, but that doesn't mean much to me since I have no plans to breed.

I love darker snakes, and a BCO was definitely on my short-list. Only 2 boas to go  :Wink:

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## Dianne

He is a beauty, and I love the attitude and the name.  Many of the neonate boas Ive been around, all Bci, were hissy at first.  Im not familiar with Bco, but I think you can chill most snakes out with gentle handling, especially when you get to start early.

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*Bogertophis* (03-24-2019),_CloudtheBoa_ (03-27-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-24-2019),_Sonny1318_ (03-24-2019),_WhompingWillow_ (03-24-2019)

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## jmcrook

Congrats on the beautiful critter! I think baby Argentine sass is pretty adorable to be honest. So tiny and harmless but they think theyre the loudest and baddest things on planet earth 


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*Bogertophis* (03-24-2019),_Dianne_ (03-23-2019),_WhompingWillow_ (03-24-2019)

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## WhompingWillow

> Congrats on the beautiful critter! I think baby Argentine sass is pretty adorable to be honest. So tiny and harmless but they think they’re the loudest and baddest things on planet earth 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


So true! I was cracking up tonight because you could tell he was trying his best to be scary, but he's just adorable.

He's our only snake that hisses and the only one who is very defensive, so that's been a new experience. Our carpets and other boas don't make a peep, and here comes Mr. Grimm all hisshissstrikehissstrikeatyourfacehisstailrattle

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_richardhind1972_ (03-24-2019)

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## Bogertophis

He's a killer alright!   :ROFL:   Next thing you know he'll be trying to "measure" you.   :Wink: 

The best thing about feisty snakes is that it's so satisfying when we turn them into cuddle-monsters.  I like darker boas too, he's so very handsome.

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_WhompingWillow_ (03-28-2019)

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## jmcrook

> Beautiful addition Willow. It's great to see more folks keeping BCO. They're very underrated imo.


You were an inspiration in my choice to get Mirabelle, Ziggy! And I agree, very underrated and incredibly awesome snakes for sure. 


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_EL-Ziggy_ (03-24-2019)

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## richardhind1972

Great new pick there, love the  Argentine boas, nice to see a smile for the camera. 
You should hopefully win him  round in time.
You got too love a little hisser

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_WhompingWillow_ (03-28-2019)

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## Shayne

Oohhh he's beautiful!

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_WhompingWillow_ (03-28-2019)

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## AbsoluteApril

what a cute little spitfire!
congrats! I'm glad more people are keeping this awesome species!

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_jmcrook_ (03-24-2019)

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## bns

Neat boa!

As a youngster they can be defensive and will back it up with a bite but they are not quick to do so and I don't recall ever getting bit by my pair in something over 12 years (I never used a hook either). The Occidentalis in my care (as large mature adults) prefer to be interacted with on their terms. If I open one of the doors to the enclosure and just reach at them, either one will give a loud open mouth hiss to this day. If I open the door and give them a couple of minutes to see what's up they will come check me out and let me drag them out without a hint of care. -And I rarely handle them. 

When kept so they feel secure (and loose the defensive youth) both of mine are the most interactive reptiles I've kept in many decades. Either one will come to an open door (especially when hungry) and even hang way out to check things out no matter what is going on in the room. Its pretty awesome to have an eight and half foot snake cross the floor of her home and put her face about 3 inches from your hands while I'm spot cleaning. 

Another thing about them is their ability to thermoregulate. If you use undercage heat they will compress their body so more surface area is touching the floor to gain heat or the opposite to loose heat -other boas do this to some extent but Occidentalis can stay on a floor temp that is higher than desired for a much longer time than other boas. They also do well when offered seasons with a long cool period. 

Sorry...I could go on and on about these...there is nothing like an Occidentalis. Adapt yourself to this boa and enjoy the uniqueness they offer.

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_Dianne_ (03-27-2019),_EL-Ziggy_ (03-27-2019),_jmcrook_ (03-27-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-27-2019),_WhompingWillow_ (03-27-2019)

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## WhompingWillow

> Neat boa!
> 
> As a youngster they can be defensive and will back it up with a bite but they are not quick to do so and I don't recall ever getting bit by my pair in something over 12 years (I never used a hook either). The Occidentalis in my care (as large mature adults) prefer to be interacted with on their terms. If I open one of the doors to the enclosure and just reach at them, either one will give a loud open mouth hiss to this day. If I open the door and give them a couple of minutes to see what's up they will come check me out and let me drag them out without a hint of care. -And I rarely handle them. 
> 
> When kept so they feel secure (and loose the defensive youth) both of mine are the most interactive reptiles I've kept in many decades. Either one will come to an open door (especially when hungry) and even hang way out to check things out no matter what is going on in the room. Its pretty awesome to have an eight and half foot snake cross the floor of her home and put her face about 3 inches from your hands while I'm spot cleaning. 
> 
> Another thing about them is their ability to thermoregulate. If you use undercage heat they will compress their body so more surface area is touching the floor to gain heat or the opposite to loose heat -other boas do this to some extent but Occidentalis can stay on a floor temp that is higher than desired for a much longer time than other boas. They also do well when offered seasons with a long cool period. 
> 
> Sorry...I could go on and on about these...there is nothing like an Occidentalis. Adapt yourself to this boa and enjoy the uniqueness they offer.


Thank you, I love hearing more and more about them! So far he's made good use of his cage, as bare bones as it is until we are sure he didn't come in with any critters. He's pretty active and very alert - will come right up to me if I'm looking at him through the glass. We've had him out twice, once for cage cleaning (he was a VERY exuberant eater) and once to get a weight. Both times there's been a lot of posturing but no actual biting yet, although I'm expecting some tags from him. So far he has been pretty good to handle when in your hands unless anything in the environment changes - being set down on a surface, someone else walking into the room - then he goes a bit nuts lol. Handling will remain at a bare minimum until he's had at least 3 meals. I'm looking forward to gaining his trust over time.

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_Dianne_ (03-27-2019),_jmcrook_ (03-27-2019),_richardhind1972_ (03-27-2019)

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## pbenner

> So true! I was cracking up tonight because you could tell he was trying his best to be scary, but he's just adorable.
> 
> He's our only snake that hisses and the only one who is very defensive, so that's been a new experience. Our carpets and other boas don't make a peep, and here comes Mr. Grimm all hisshissstrikehissstrikeatyourfacehisstailrattle ��


One of my BPs is like this.  "YOU NO TOUCH SNEK!  YOU NO TOUCH SNEK!!"  HE's tagged my sister 3 times during water changes before the move.  Once he's out though, he's perfectly chill.

Paul

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_WhompingWillow_ (03-28-2019)

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## CloudtheBoa

Grimm is an absolute gorgeous Argentine boa!  Love the attitude! XD

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_WhompingWillow_ (03-28-2019)

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## WhompingWillow

We are making a more concentrated effort to work with Grimm because he is still very defensive, and today was the first day of having him out that he didn't hiss.  :Smile:  He got a bit squirrelly and made a few half-hearted strikes, but nothing like he usually does. Hopefully we continue to make progress.

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_dakski_ (02-02-2020),_EL-Ziggy_ (02-03-2020),_jmcrook_ (02-02-2020),_richardhind1972_ (02-02-2020)

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## richardhind1972

Looks so cool, hope you get to calm him down 

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_WhompingWillow_ (02-04-2020)

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## jmcrook

Persistence is key. My argie was a little spitfire the first few months but quickly calmed down and hasnt so much as huffed at me in probably half a year now. Will have had her for a year next week


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_richardhind1972_ (02-02-2020),_WhompingWillow_ (02-04-2020)

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## EL-Ziggy

Grimm's getting big! He looks great too! I'm surprised he's still being hissy. My BCO chilled out about two months after I got her. I hope he mellows out for you. I wouldn't want to deal with a 8-10 ft beast of a boa.  :Smile:

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_WhompingWillow_ (02-04-2020)

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## WhompingWillow

> Grimm's getting big! He looks great too! I'm surprised he's still being hissy. My BCO chilled out about two months after I got her. I hope he mellows out for you. I wouldn't want to deal with a 8-10 ft beast of a boa.


He's definitely bigger, trying to grow him slow though. Him still being hissy and bite-happy is completely our fault. Just haven't handled him consistently enough. We've gotten serious about it in the past couple of weeks because I also told my husband I have no interest in trying to handle a possibly 8'+ monster. 🙂 He's already a bit better. I think upgrading his cage in the next few weeks will help as well because we'll have more room to work with the hook training. Right now how his cage is makes it way too easy for him to square up on us, and he's not interested in snapping out of it a lot of the time, so getting him out is always an adventure.

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