A little help needed

Call around to your local WalMarts. Ask them if they have in stock the large Iris Xmas tree boxes yet (they usually retail for $19.99). They are massive (close to 5 feet long if I remember right). Daniel if you are following this thread I think you grabbed up a couple last year if you could post a pic or dimensions please. WalMart generally gets them in around this time of year and they are perfect for larger snakes (just add vent holes of course and any extra security you can to keep them from popping the lid off....BCI's are incredibly strong).

As far as her aggressive attitude, you'd be cranky too if you'd been left unfed and thirsty for who knows how long, and then taken off to a new home. She can't understand you wish to help her...you are just likely another big warm humanoid that she can't figure out in her snakey brain. Feed her well, keep her comfortable and wear thick gauntlet gloves, get a snake hook if you want. Give her time and while being firm and slow with her, don't let her set the terms either.

For now focus on getting her happier in her environment (certainly never keep her with another snake), well fed and hydrated. Get her used to your scent and a bit of gentle stroking when she isn't hungry and hunting but don't push her to come out of her home yet. Let her get secure there first before you push her to accept handling. Remember BCI's have very long strike ranges but are generally easy natured snakes but you have to respect the power of that strike for your safety and hers.

With snakes it's not about days or even weeks, it's about months and just sticking the course with them very slowly working towards a goal, setting up routines and sticking to them exactly so the snake can feel safe enough not to have to act defensively. When we dealt with a highly aggressive adult female BP we did that. The same routines over and over again, gloves, more routine, everything the same, tiny steps forward, a few backward, then forward again inch by inch...eventually it got through her basic brain that we were not a threat to her nor could she eat us. She is now handled by 5 year old children and a lovely adult snake (still a killer eater though LOL she does NOT play on feeding day and will happily come out of her tub and help you give her a rat if you don't move it fast enough LOL).

I went out after school today and bought a large new tank for her. Came home and tried to figure out the easiest way to move her from the plastic tub to the tank. Decided I didn't feel like getting bitten and went to get a towel since I'm lacking in the gloves department, and she never really aims for my hands anyways, it's always my arms.

I wrapped the towel around my hand and arm, and sat next to the tub stroking her slowly. She didn't seem to care, only pulled back when I first stuck my hand in there. I've noticed before with moving her that she really hates being forced to move. So I waited until she started slithering around, and then worked my hand under her and picked her up. She curled up around my hand pretty tight but stayed pretty calm. I got her into her new tank, with water and all that good stuff. She spent awhile curled up in the corner, but then started exploring it. She seems pretty content with it right now. I'm going to leave her alone until Sunday, which is feeding day, and then give her a few more days to settle in.

Hopefully by then she'll be a bit calmer and a bit more relaxed. We'll see.

On a side note, compared to Puppy, she's fast. Really fast. Puppy, no matter what kind of mood he's in, unless he's hunting, is a pretty slow guy. He's just relaxed. She's like... wow. Haha. It amuses me.

Since you bothered her again today I would wait until next Wednesday. Do not disturb her at all unless for water. Then feed her in her tank on wednesday.

First off, I think it's awesome that you're giving these snakes a chance and doing research, and seperated them. Now after a good settling-in period and a few feedings under their belts, I would then begin handling.
I have a few snakes that are just jittery/nippy when first taken from their cages; namely, my two male BPs and my male boa. Weird how my females are not like this, hehe.. but once out, they seem to relax and enjoy. You did good by using a towel to remove the boa; I still do the same thing as mine sometimes gets the "S" shape when I open the cage, thinking a meal's coming in.
I'd get their setups all nice and the temperatures right, and then just give them a nice long settling-in period (a few weeks.) Then get them feeding good.. it will all pay off in te future.

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Originally Posted by joepythons

I will second majority of the advice given here.The only thing i differ on is the rubbing with a broom part.Of course its obvious this snake has never been handled.When i had boas that were nippy or worse i bought a pair of welders gloves(they can bite them till the cows come home,i feel nothing!). I realize this snake is going to be a gift,i think you should have someone with you to help out just incase she nails you and you start to bleed heavily.Even though she is only 4ft she is capable of doing some damage with her teeth.I hope you realize taming her is going to be a lenghty process IF its even possible at this point.Some snakes are just plain mean and they never change.I am not trying to hurt your feeling just pointing out a few things.Did you handle her at all before you handed him the cash? If not then please follow this golden rule that i practice.I will NEVER hand over a single penny to anyone in person unless i am able to check out and handle said snake of my interest.I even do this when buying corn snakes;) .If you stick to this rule you will save yourself alot of money and headaches by not buying a wolverine in a snakes body;) .Last its not a good idea to keep two snakes together unless they are breeding like its allready mentioned here.Somewhere on this site is a thread with a pic of a boa swallowing a ball python.They were both good sized snakes also.

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You would of had fun with my friend's BCI that I was trying to tame. I wore leather gloves and was enough because it was only about 2.5 feet and never felt a bite. But it either liked the taste of leather or really hated me. He would strike and strike and strike.

I figure it's time to give you guys an update on how things are going.

Absinthe's doing a lot better. She's still no where near Puppy's level. She's grown almost a foot since being moved into a bigger tank and kept on a regular feeding schedule.

She still has her days when she likes to strike and hiss at me. Actually, those are a majority of her days. But she lets my boyfriend handle her no problem. She'll hiss at him, but it's all show. His opinion on her preference to him is that she was owned by a male for two years and never knew anything else.

She started shedding a few days ago, but still allows my boyfriend to handle her. It's the oddest sight, to me, knowing her attitude to see my boyfriend curled up on the couch, watching TV, cuddling her as though she's as calm as can be.

She's super shy though. She never comes out of her hide box, that we've seen. But we've discovered that oh boy does she love to swim. If you put her in a bathtub, she'll go and go and go, or just submerge herself completely, head and all, and she'll put up a fit if you take her out.

Considering I bought her for my boyfriend, it doesn't bother me all too much that she has a dislike for me [and other girls]. She lets me get her out for feeding time, and that's really all I need XD

Thanks again for everyone who offered advice =]

It seems lack of attention was most likely what made her this way. I think with much handling she'll settle down eventually. Just keep your movements, in her presence, calm and deliberate. I've got one small ball python and a young African Rock python that are both a bit twitchy at first. I simply lower my open hand palm down slowly till I'm touching them on the head. If they haven't reacted by that time I rub them a bit and talk to them before picking them up. It may take some time, so just be patient ;)


Quig