Carrying Around the Neck

I've seen so many people do this, even when they get bigger. But I've noticed that while Cookie is comfortable around my neck at times, randomly she will tense up (shown here)

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Or coil completely around my neck.

I'm honestly not sure why she randomly tenses up. Perhaps she takes a moment to observe around her and realizes she's high up? There isn't any other external triggers. I'm not moving.

When I am moving around, I place a hand over her body (not her head) so I know she won't fall, and I guess that's enough to make her feel secure as she clings but doesn't squeeze.

She's never done this before, but since this is a behavior that's indicative of insecurity, it's clear to me that this isn't going to be something "ok" with her anymore.

Has anyone owned a BP that would sit on your shoulders and chill?


Herp Derp

My BP is a spaz and doesn't sit still. Both my boas and my JCP will sit on my neck/shoulders and ride around. When I took Rosey my 6.5' boa to the vet, she wouldn't sit still unless she was on me. The vet ended up just letting her sit on me while she examined her as her sitting on me kept her quiet lol. The vet and the nurse both were very amused how my big boa kept trying to get back to me whenever they removed her from me. It was proof, snakes do know their owners lol.

If your snake is tensing up on you, it means they feel insecure like they are going to fall or are startled. I personally wouldn't carry such a small snake around my neck like that. She can easily slip off you.

Me personally, I have never really viewed BPs as a social snake. They usually easily startled and very timid and shy. My boas, retic and dumerils are all way more outgoing. They constantly check stuff out and are always reaching out to get on to something. Rosey even had everyone at the vet office loving her lol. All the staff, doc and even the other patients parents all wanted to look at her lol. Most have never seen a 6'+ boa lol. And Rosey was mellow to all of them. She never even so much as pulled away or hissed.

Anyways, sorry for rambling but I wouldn't carry your snake around like that until she is big enough to completely hold onto you and even then, not so much with a BP.

Not having hands the snake has to hold on with something and that is done with a squeeze. All of my snakes will give me a squeeze when on my shoulders. Ive had to peel a few off before as they were getting a little tight.

My GTP would climb around on my and then randomly would be bothered by my arm hair and bite me. With a more handling he learned the hairs were not harming him and he stopped the random bites.

Id give you snake more time to adjust and get used to it before you stop it all together.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

My BP is a spaz and doesn't sit still. Both my boas and my JCP will sit on my neck/shoulders and ride around. When I took Rosey my 6.5' boa to the vet, she wouldn't sit still unless she was on me. The vet ended up just letting her sit on me while she examined her as her sitting on me kept her quiet lol. The vet and the nurse both were very amused how my big boa kept trying to get back to me whenever they removed her from me. It was proof, snakes do know their owners lol.

If your snake is tensing up on you, it means they feel insecure like they are going to fall or are startled. I personally wouldn't carry such a small snake around my neck like that. She can easily slip off you.

Me personally, I have never really viewed BPs as a social snake. They usually easily startled and very timid and shy. My boas, retic and dumerils are all way more outgoing. They constantly check stuff out and are always reaching out to get on to something. Rosey even had everyone at the vet office loving her lol. All the staff, doc and even the other patients parents all wanted to look at her lol. Most have never seen a 6'+ boa lol. And Rosey was mellow to all of them. She never even so much as pulled away or hissed.

Anyways, sorry for rambling but I wouldn't carry your snake around like that until she is big enough to completely hold onto you and even then, not so much with a BP.

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I'd love to get a big boa, but my roommate doesn't want me having more than one snake.

I know BPs are timid and shy by nature, but I figured with regular handling/conditioning (whatever it's called) eventually she'd grow to be ok with me over other people, if that makes any sense? It's worked for some, but obviously is failing with me.


Herp Derp

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KingWheatley

I'd love to get a big boa, but my roommate doesn't want me having more than one snake.


Herp Derp

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Sounds like you need a new roommate.

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Originally Posted by KMG

Sounds like you need a new roommate.

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Cheap rent though. In a house. With no additional charges.


Herp Derp

Cleo and Wadjet both like to hang out around my neck...I've even done housework like that...as long as I am moving they are content to just hang out...but if I get quiet, then they get curious...Ahnk-Meri-Ra prefers to be a bracelet but then she is my smallest girl.

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Each snake is different so you can try it. Thing is you don't want to stress them out too much. I mean if they are tensing up and overall looking uncomfortable, I would quit. Some snakes are just more outgoing than others. Just try slowly in quiet rooms and move from there. Like I said, my big boa is fine being outside, at the vets, heck I bet she would be even happy in the mall or pet shop but I wont take her there as I don't want her getting mites from a pet store. My other boa is fine too. And the retic is fairly new so I'm not sure how he is yet being outside. Inside he is happy to ride around on me. The boas are really happy outside but you have to watch them. If I get near anything they can grab on to like rain gutters, the roof , tree branches, they try and get on them when I'm not paying attention and doing yard work lol. Had Rosey try and climb on the roof when I was out on the deck once.

Bottom line is watch for signs of stress. Remember, snakes aren't your dogs who love to go out, play with other dogs and go to park. They are snakes who for the most part care less about that stuff. Some though do seem to enjoy the extra stimulation. Like I said earlier, lots of people think snakes don't know their owners or don't care. I can prove you wrong with Rosey. If anyone else besides me holds her, she will do nothing but focus on getting back to me. Then once she is back on me, she will start to stretch out and check out the surrounding area. Now with that said, if I put her down on the bed or couch or floor of the house, she is happy to just wander around and cares less about being on me for the most part lol.

Years ago I had a ball python that was totally happy to hang out around my neck for hours at a time. Maybe it helped that I had long hair, and some of the time he'd just wrap around with his head in back and snooze to the point where I could completely forget he was even there.
But I got him as a baby when I was 14 or so, and I don't really remember him hanging out comfortably like that until later in high school and college (It's also possible I just don't remember; 14 was a long time ago). My current BP is young and isn't especially comfortable around my neck, but it does seem to get a little easier as he gets bigger.
So it might partly just be a size thing. For a snake that's still young and small, your neck is sort of hard to really get a stable grip on and isn't going to be a very secure-feeling perch no matter how outgoing it is. By the time the snake is long enough to wrap all the way around twice or more, it can get itself into a position that feels much more stable without having to work so hard at holding on.