Are red tail boa's dangerous animals?

I am getting a red tail very soon. I have experience with ball pythons as well as baby red tails, however the one I am getting is over 4 feet. I am very educated on these snakes and do not feel like they are much of a threat. What are the odds of my new red tail constricting around me and strangling me to death? From what I've seen and heard, these animals are extremely docile and aren't much of a threat. True?

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Originally Posted by EvesFriend

I am getting a red tail very soon. I have experience with ball pythons as well as baby red tails, however the one I am getting is over 4 feet. I am very educated on these snakes and do not feel like they are much of a threat. What are the odds of my new red tail constricting around me and strangling me to death? From what I've seen and heard, these animals are extremely docile and aren't much of a threat. True?

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Well, keep in mind it is a constrictor. My advice would be to not wrap it around your neck. Honestly that's how accidents happen. They wouldn't intentionally strangle you. That's a dumb myth. However, it is how they hang on, and what they do when they are frightened. Do a little more research before you buy one. Try and know as much as you can about them.

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Originally Posted by EvesFriend

I am getting a red tail very soon. I have experience with ball pythons as well as baby red tails, however the one I am getting is over 4 feet. I am very educated on these snakes and do not feel like they are much of a threat. What are the odds of my new red tail constricting around me and strangling me to death? From what I've seen and heard, these animals are extremely docile and aren't much of a threat. True?

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They are like every other reptile. Their behavior depends on the individual snake, amount of handling and feeding. If you don't think you will be comfortable with a larger snake then maybe start out with one of the smaller locality boas. I would suggest getting a snake hook though...

In my experience with red tails yes they are reasonably docile (as far as snakes go) Try not to be mellow dramatic...

"What are the odds of my new red tail constricting around me and strangling me to death?"

It does not help you are the industry. The first question is how big are you? Snakes are very powerful creatures. It will not see you as food and in defence it will try to hide or bite if it can't hide. So constricting isn't aggressive or feeding response but it is if it feels like it is going to fall. They will hold on tight uncomfortably so. It is a large animal 9 feet long and 60+ lbs. I am 6'4" and 240lbs and am in ok shape so likely I can overpower the snake, that is me if you are 5 foot and 90 pounds you likely cannot.

All animals need to be respected for what they are capable of, most medium sized dogs are capable of a great deal of damage to a human, they can and have killed people. A snake of any size needs to be respected for the power it is capable of. A big redtail is a very strong animal and one of size I would not casually drape around my neck, over one shoulder yes, They need to feel secure so move carefully, and don't allow the animal to wrap around anything too vital (neck, head, chest) if the the size of the keeper and animal are too close it needs to be treated like a much larger animal it is relative to size. If you are not so big and the snake is quite big don't handle it alone, ever. It will not stop because you feed it it will react on instinct and if you are in the way you could have more on your hands than you have bargained for. It is hard to say, perhaps you should be asking yourself are you ready?
Alex

The short answer? Not unless you're an idiot.


The chances of a boa (even a really big 12ft+ boa) strangling you is slim to none. Constrictors constrict only with the intention of eating. Constricting a "prey" item puts them in a vulnerable position, with their head occupied, therefore constriction is never defensive, and a red tail is by no means capable of eating an adult. That said, just a few months ago I was reading some articles about the first ever recorded human killing by a boa constrictor. Apparently, some guy was hanging out with friends, had his 9ft boa around his neck. The boa got a little agitated by all the commotion, and the guy got nervous, grabbing the boa abruptly and attempting to pull it off of him. It strangled him. At least this is what I've read. My take? First of all, it is my guess that they were all drunk (otherwise, the others would have been able to remove the snake from his neck long before it could kill him), the snake was startled by his abrupt movement and being dislocated from its perch and instinctively grabbed on for security, with no intent of killing him.

Moral of the story? Never handle large snakes while drinking, don't put large snakes around your neck, don't grab them, and you're set.

I will link to those articles if I can find them again.


I must say, though, I have a boa who's a bit over four foot and is really starting to fill out, and she's surprisingly strong. I am completely confident that, at this size, I could unwrap her from my neck with ease if she were to attempt to strangle me, but still, I don't take her out if I am alone in the house and I don't let her wrap around my neck. These may be "unnecessary" precautions, but, much as I adore my snakes, they are wild animals and their capabilities should be respected.

Considering that you're familiar with and educated about the species and snakes in general, go for it. Boas are the greatest pets (by far my favorites), are easy to handle, and (in my experience) extraordinarily docile (though young ones can be spunky, my 4' girl still nips me now and then, but that's not an issue). However, they should not be underestimated, and you should always keep your head while handling larger boas.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

All animals need to be respected for what they are capable of

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I love this statement!

And I knew the guy who was killed by the boa. It was just him and his girlfriend. He reached around at the boas head to remove it and the snake tensed from fear. He was just inexperienced. Stupidity turned to tragedy.

You couldn't pay me enough to put any snake around my neck without means of getting it off. The most important thing, is to prepare for the worst. Know what you are going to do if something does happen. And remember, for every 6 ft of snake there should be an extra person handy. You can never be too careful.

I've never heard of any snakes besides Reticulated, Burmese and African Rock killing a human in captivity.

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Originally Posted by NewParadigms

I've never heard of any snakes besides Reticulated, Burmese and African Rock killing a human in captivity.

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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/10...ke-police-say/''

It was all over the news, and everybody gave me the scoop within a few hours. Suddenly because I have ball pythons, and this guy was killed by a snake, I live in danger every day. Ugh. The first that I know of. Just stupidity turned tragedy. And, I'm still trying to explain it to snake haters. But, some will never feel the snake fever. :)

they're as dangerous as whoever is holding them

I generally treat a non-venomous snake to be as potentially dangerous as a dog of similar weight. It's far from a perfect analogy, but close enough to think about taking some precautions as they get larger.

You've opened quite the can of worms here, my friend.

Red-tailed boas do get rather large, especially to someone who has only had ball pythons in the past. Yes, they have the potential to be dangerous, because they're very strong snakes, especially when they're full-grown.

However, they are very docile in nature when brought up with the right husbandry and the right feeding schedule. As an owner you should do the right things to prevent an incident (feed your snake properly, a hungry boa is a more dangerous boa; don't feed the snake with your hands as it will start to associate your hands with food; don't handle the snake right after feeding it or another snake, or while you smell like rodents, etc.)

Think of it this way: Is a car dangerous? Well, it can be, if you don't know how to drive.

...From the New Article:
'The Humane Society of the United States says at least 13 people have been killed in the U.S. by pet pythons -- which are also constrictors -- since 1980.

"But as far as I know, this is the first time someone has been killed by a pet boa constrictor," said Beth Preiss, the society's captive wildlife regulation specialist.'

The stats I'd seen were from before this happened, I didn't hear about this story out here in NC. It's a shame that happened, and odd behavior for a red-tail. I suppose it had to be just a matter of time, but I wouldn't let that tarnish the red-tail's stellar track record as a rather docile snake. I guess someday people will learn not to handle snakes over 8' long alone, they are after all 'animals' and thus inherently unpredictable.

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Originally Posted by NewParadigms

...From the New Article:
'The Humane Society of the United States says at least 13 people have been killed in the U.S. by pet pythons -- which are also constrictors -- since 1980.

"But as far as I know, this is the first time someone has been killed by a pet boa constrictor," said Beth Preiss, the society's captive wildlife regulation specialist.'

The stats I'd seen were from before this happened, I didn't hear about this story out here in NC. It's a shame that happened, and odd behavior for a red-tail. I suppose it had to be just a matter of time, but I wouldn't let that tarnish the red-tail's stellar track record as a rather docile snake. I guess someday people will learn not to handle snakes over 8' long alone, they are after all 'animals' and thus inherently unpredictable.

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Yeah, was definately a shocker. What they don't tell you in the article is this:

1. He was a new owner, and had only had the boa for about 6 months.
2. It was an aggressive snake to begin with. Whoever had it before didn't handle it enough. It had bit him a few times.
3. It was his first snake.

With balls, I usually tell new owners to start small and raise it. That way they can learn the snakes behavior. And, they are their most dangerous fresh out of the egg. :) Little fiends.

All animals have defense mechanisms that they use when they are threatened, the key is knowing how not to trigger those defenses and it's a learning process. If you are uncomfortable handling a larger snake get a smaller one and learn how snakes tick first.

Also any animal is only as dangerous when in the hands of the ignorant, inexperienced, or the just plain idiotic. Mistakes happen and it’s your responsibility as the pet owner to take the precautions necessary to make sure that when they do no one gets seriously hurt. Especially when dealing with an instinctual animal with no reasoning capabilities.

My best piece of advice is to get a snake hook. It is truly an invaluable tool. I use it to wake up and lift my boa every time I get her out of her cage, and it instantly reduces her feeding response. I wish I owned a snake hook when I first started out owning snakes several years ago, because it would have saved me a lot of trouble when I was worried about being bitten.

I have a big snakehook that I use on my Bredli and the weight of her on the hook with me holding her other half makes me worry about her ribs.

I can't imagine trying to put the weight of a redtail boa on a snakehook.


...but I'm no expert /shrug

In terms of cage aggression (feeding mode), you don't have to actually lift the snake out of the cage with a hook (heavier snakes do need more support than a hook). Simply "hook train" your boa; before you lift him/her out for handling, gently pat his/her head with the end of a snake hook. This way, your snake will soon begin to associate the hook with handling, and will snap out of food mode when they notice the hook.

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Originally Posted by Crazy4Herps

In terms of cage aggression (feeding mode), you don't have to actually lift the snake out of the cage with a hook (heavier snakes do need more support than a hook). Simply "hook train" your boa; before you lift him/her out for handling, gently pat his/her head with the end of a snake hook. This way, your snake will soon begin to associate the hook with handling, and will snap out of food mode when they notice the hook.

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That's what I meant. When I open the tub, I gently rub her body with the hook and lift up her neck/head a little bit, and then pick her up with my hand.

Interesting- I do that with my hook as well, but I had no idea thats what it was meant for. I always thought the hook was for picking them up. I have to use a hook on my Bredli because at the moment I have her in a deep aquarium and she doesn't like being approached from above. Many have told me that snakes prefer to be contacted from the side as they view predators as being above them. At least in this case it seems to be true, because when she is on the top of the tank and she is at eye level she is completely timid.

I'm getting some animal plastics cages when I get my tax return.

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Originally Posted by stratus_020202

Yeah, was definately a shocker. What they don't tell you in the article is this:

1. He was a new owner, and had only had the boa for about 6 months.
2. It was an aggressive snake to begin with. Whoever had it before didn't handle it enough. It had bit him a few times.
3. It was his first snake.

With balls, I usually tell new owners to start small and raise it. That way they can learn the snakes behavior. And, they are their most dangerous fresh out of the egg. :) Little fiends.

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also He showed a friend.... Are you telling me 2 grown people (im assuming a 34 year old was showing another adult) couldn't get a 9 foot snake off him. I've pulled an 8 foot RTB off my ex before when it missed the rat she was feeding it and wrapped around her arm. their no doubt strong but this 120 pound kid was able to unwrap it. So what the heck was his friend doing while all this happened is my question.

My husbands' snake is a female RTB and is a big baby when it comes to getting her out of the cage. A snake hook would be a good idea to use to get their attention on that they're going to be handled and not dinner. It's not fun having an 8ft snake eyeing you like you're next on the menu through glass. This past year I've stopped getting her out on my own due to her growth in length and girth. I could handle her just fine from 6-7ft but 8ft is just too much snake for me, and I only hold her when husband's around just in case. He carries her on his shoulder but when she does wrap around him he keeps an arm between her and his neck. This gives her something to balance on a bit better and him from not feeling as squished.

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Originally Posted by Slyther83

Interesting- I do that with my hook as well, but I had no idea thats what it was meant for. I always thought the hook was for picking them up. I have to use a hook on my Bredli because at the moment I have her in a deep aquarium and she doesn't like being approached from above. Many have told me that snakes prefer to be contacted from the side as they view predators as being above them. At least in this case it seems to be true, because when she is on the top of the tank and she is at eye level she is completely timid.

I'm getting some animal plastics cages when I get my tax return.

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It depends on the snake. People use hooks to handle hots as well as to support the head of an aggressive snake. In your situation, it would make sense to lift your bredli with a hook, but a big boa is much too bulky to be supported entirely by a hook, and it's really unnecessary with boas, as long as you have a way of communicating that they aren't going to be fed. (I don't actually own a snake hook as of yet, I actually "hook train" my boas with an extra large clothes hanger. ;) )

AP's are the best, I'm sure you're going to love yours! :gj:

Great statements in here; respect the animal, don't be stupid, every animal is unique. Remember that snakes are wild animals who learn to tolerate humans. They're primitive. You're bigger than he/she is and they just want to make sure they aren't going to be eaten.

My Surinam boa girly who's now, what...5 years old, 7 or 8 ft and 20lb of solid muscle? She's big and yeah, if I was stupid, she could kill me. When she's being held, she always squeezes hard, regardless that I have always been very gentle with her and giving her a good amount of handling - it's just her. Squeezy. I sure as heck am not gonna put her in a position to possibly harm me or anyone else - I keep control and all things are happy and slithery - or squeezy, as the case may be. =)

Her behavior is that generally, after being all squeezy and slithery, she realizes no one is going to eat her and then she gradually relaxes and is a joy to hold.

Good advice guys! I just got my first Red Tail and am reading all I can... He's still a baby but hope that with time will get to know him so that by the time he is full grown, I know what to and not to do. :)