Cage Aggression?

Kinra, I don't think you have anything to worry about. I feed my snakes in their enclosures, both live and f/t and have never had a problem with cage aggression. Of course, it can happen, but if your baby is good-natured now, as long as you continue with regular and gentle handling, there is no reason she'll change. You could try hook training if you feel more comfortable with that. Boas are large snakes and the females in particular are impressive and it is easier to start that training now while she's small. But I doubt you'll ever really need it. I'm willing to bet that the reason she struck at you with the "zombie dance" was simply that she missed her prey and almost hit you instead - not because she was upset. And I can't blame any snake for striking right out of the shipping box, lol... :gj:

I feed all 19 of my boas in their cages and don't have any problems with cage aggression. As far as mood swings haven't really encountered that but I do have a couple that are complete :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r:s (strike, hiss no matter what) and have been that way since I can remember, what kind of boa is yours? Most boas (especially females) have a crazy feeding response that many people confuse as aggression or "moodyness" lol, many of my females get "moody" around feeding time but are fine once their tummies are full lmao. I also highly recommend hook training, reaching into a cage with a 6'+ 15+ pound boa and startling her isn't my idea of a fun time! :cool:

My boa is a little RTB. She's only about 175g right now and she's doesn't have the amazing feeding response everyone talks about. I get a better feeding response out of some of my BPs than I do with her. She likes it when I just leave it in her cage. I feed f/t so I don't usually stick around to see if she tries to suffocate the f/t rat pup but I honestly don't think she does. She's really super sweet but she thinks she's a KSB and likes to burrow into her substrate. I'm going to start hook training her. Thanks everyone.

Here's a picture of her:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/...y/IMG_0369.jpg

IMO cage aggression is crap. Unless you're reaching in after rubbing a dead rat all over you, you most likely will not get a food induced strike. They are more scent oriented than sight (not saying they can't see...because they can) but I know mine can smell the rat from inside their hides and poke their heads out...they don't have the see it to know it's time to eat. I feed all of mine inside their enclosures, including my boa, and have never ever been struck and coiled as if to mistake for food. The difference in strikes makes a huge difference. The defensive strikes have nothing to do with food, and if your snake defensively strikes at you from inside it's enclosure...it's not because you feed in their enclosure. I don't think I've ever come across someone that had a boa or any other snake that struck and coiled like food consistently. It's more of a freak happening...and usually the keepers fault.

I've been told that boas go through stages. As they get older they can go from being a defensive little (big) :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r: to being calm as a kitten. They are so different from ball pythons in the aspect that balls generally keep their temperament through their life (from what I've heard....all of mine are 2010's so I don't have that experience). Boas have ups and downs, as long as you are consistent and careful it shouldn't become a life long problem. As for hook training, I've heard it's always a good idea, and really doesn't have any cons.

For the record...she is SOOOOO cute!! :love:

Do any of you have problems with "Reverse Cage Aggression" as I call it? LOL

My male doesn't really show any aggression as long as I pull his hide up and give him a few seconds to realize it's just me. Of course I'm also very calm when pulling him out.

However.....Getting him back into the cage is a whole other story. He's so strong and it's easy to forget how well they can do their "Periscope" thing. I actually have a lot more trouble getting him back in then getting him out.

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Originally Posted by The Hedgehog

Do any of you have problems with "Reverse Cage Aggression" as I call it? LOL

My male doesn't really show any aggression as long as I pull his hide up and give him a few seconds to realize it's just me. Of course I'm also very calm when pulling him out.

However.....Getting him back into the cage is a whole other story. He's so strong and it's easy to forget how well they can do their "Periscope" thing. I actually have a lot more trouble getting him back in then getting him out.

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LOL that's too funny. My guy is still small...only about 500 grams but he LOVES his hides.....like desperately loves his hides. He knows I'm going to handle him when I remove the hide and give him a few seconds like you said. But when I put the hide back in to let him back he just goes right for the hole and curls up. He's super friendly now with handling and I haven't gotten tagged in a while (he's still a baby so he was bitey when I first got him) but I can imagine trying to put back in a larger one that doesn't want to leave! :rofl:

She is a looker for sure. I use the hook on mine, seems to work well.

Re: kenra-Wow u have alot of snakes, ur not 2 far from me, do u do any breeding?

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Originally Posted by Kinra

My boa is a little RTB. She's only about 175g right now and she's doesn't have the amazing feeding response everyone talks about. I get a better feeding response out of some of my BPs than I do with her. She likes it when I just leave it in her cage. I feed f/t so I don't usually stick around to see if she tries to suffocate the f/t rat pup but I honestly don't think she does. She's really super sweet but she thinks she's a KSB and likes to burrow into her substrate. I'm going to start hook training her. Thanks everyone.

Here's a picture of her:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/...y/IMG_0369.jpg

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Her makings r beautiful. Love her color

It was stated before that cage agression is "crap", it's not; and it has nothing to do with feeder scent either, it's agression period, it can & does happen. Hook training is a good idea, for when they are in this state.

In all fairness to the boas, I'm speaking from my own experience with boas, they are puppy dog tame once out of their enclosure.

My male rtb gets such bad agression at times that I have to put a towel over his enclosure, to stop him from striking at any movement.