My new Dumeril Boa

Maybe I can get to the upcoming reptile show this weekend. I wanted to get a hook and a longer pair of tongs. Want to be prepared before he even gets here which will be in the next couple of weeks. So excited.

I currently use Uline Indented Kraft paper in my setups - will this be okay for a dum?? I know they tend to be burrowing animal but others have said as long as they have hides (which I will put three) in his cage he should do fine.

Your thoughts about the paper substrate?

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Originally Posted by L.West

Maybe I can get to the upcoming reptile show this weekend. I wanted to get a hook and a longer pair of tongs. Want to be prepared before he even gets here which will be in the next couple of weeks. So excited.

I currently use Uline Indented Kraft paper in my setups - will this be okay for a dum?? I know they tend to be burrowing animal but others have said as long as they have hides (which I will put three) in his cage he should do fine.

Your thoughts about the paper substrate?

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It doesn't hurt to try it, but my dum doesn't work with that lol. The first couple days I had her home on paper towel substrate with 2 hides, she would try to burrow under the paper towel and just scrunched it all up in a ball. I would put in new paper towels, and it would always be scrunched up within a couple hours LOL. So I just went "screw it" and got her aspen.

Also, you can ask the breeder what they mean by "jumpy"... if your dum is actually striking defensively, or just flinching and fleeing. Most likely they are just fleeing. Mine is almost 4 years old and is always nervous and tries to get away when I reach into her cage to pick her out. But once she's out, she's as chill as a log.

I don't have a dumeril, but for what it's worth, I've always heard that they are very docile so I think taming down won't be an issue. Regarding hooks, I suppose you could use one just to manipulate a bit, but "hook training" to avoid accidental feeding response bites need not involve an actual hook. I usually use a paper towel tube to just gently tap/touch him the moment I open the viv. The idea is to condition him to associate being touched like that with the absence of food. Viv opens, snake thinks , "oh boy food?" But then, "wait, I'm getting touched with a thing, There's no food".
However, if you really want a hook, you can get a 24" mini paint roller (the kind that take the skinny little 5" roller covers) for just a few bucks at the hardware store. Probably save a bundle over snake hooks at an expo.

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Originally Posted by dkatz4

Viv opens, snake thinks , "oh boy food?" But then, "wait, I'm getting touched with a thing, There's no food".

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LOL this made me laugh for some reason

Basically most snakes learn this by being touched with a hand... You'd really only need a hook if you have a snake with such a strong feeding response that when you open the viv, they're already poised to eat their food.

Mine's on paper towels for now. She doesn't like it nearly as well as the coco fiber we offered her for a bit, but with the respiratory infection she had to be switched back. She's eating on them and doesn't really burrow under them, so take that for whatever it's worth. I do plan to switch her back to a burrowing substrate eventually because it is a natural behavior for them.

Who's the breeder you got the dum from? I'm shopping around for 1.

I am researching so I can be prepared about getting my first pet snake and I do not know if I should get a Dumeril Boa or a Grater snake
which breed is more docile and chill?

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Originally Posted by manspider11

I am researching so I can be prepared about getting my first pet snake and I do not know if I should get a Dumeril Boa or a Grater snake
which breed is more docile and chill?

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You might want to start a new thread. Do your own research and decide what you want to handle, because these are very different species you're comparing LOL.

Dumeril's boas are docile, but be prepared to care for and cage a 6~7 foot, strong snake. They're also rocks and don't do anything except lay around all day. Garter snakes are more active.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.West

Maybe I can get to the upcoming reptile show this weekend. I wanted to get a hook and a longer pair of tongs. Want to be prepared before he even gets here which will be in the next couple of weeks. So excited.

I currently use Uline Indented Kraft paper in my setups - will this be okay for a dum?? I know they tend to be burrowing animal but others have said as long as they have hides (which I will put three) in his cage he should do fine.

Your thoughts about the paper substrate?

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I use for my Dumerili Aspen snake bedding. He just loves it and burrow himself all the time letting only his head out. He has a hide box also. I feed him inside his cage. So he might swallow some of the Aspen snake bedding. No problem with that

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Originally Posted by BR8080

Who's the breeder you got the dum from? I'm shopping around for 1.

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I'm getting him from John Berry out of Atlanta. He didn't actually breed this particular snake though. He bought it for one of his projects but now has went a different route and offered him up for sale when I inquired.

I'm not aware that he has any other for sale though.