Timid about picking up Boa..

So whenever I go and try and pick up my Hog he seems VERY tense about it.. He looks like he want to eat and gets all scrunched up in a "S" shape and I'm not sure whether I'm approaching him the wrong way, up the feeding size, or he's in a prissy mood. How should I try and hold him?

Babies can feel intimidated very easily. Remember how much smaller they are than you! I always try to make my babies feel secure and never startled. I try to gather them up with both hands if I can and get at least one hand underneath to support the whole body. You can also "hook" your finger around the baby's body to begin the lift, but slide the baby onto your other hand.

This process sounds like I go very slow and careful. Well, I am careful of course, but I don't move too slowly. I make sure the baby is not startled, but really I just reach in and pick them up. Be gentle and supportive and go easy, but sometimes if you move too slowly, they'll take advantage of that and strike in an attempt to bluff their way out of being picked up at all.

If your baby does strike, don't worry too much about getting bit. Right now, it's not going to hurt and you can get over your fear and he will too. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Jrl6130

So whenever I go and try and pick up my Hog he seems VERY tense about it.. He looks like he want to eat and gets all scrunched up in a "S" shape and I'm not sure whether I'm approaching him the wrong way, up the feeding size, or he's in a prissy mood. How should I try and hold him?

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An S shape isn't always an indicator of a strike. Is he hissing or making any defensive strikes? My snake used to put up a front with all the posture and hissing and even a strike or two when he was younger. I use a hook and tap him a bit and then reach in and get him. Usually once he is elevated off the floor, he mellows out completely.

How old is your snake?

Gentle handling will usually make them feel secure.

Have you called his bluff yet?

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Originally Posted by Gio

An S shape isn't always an indicator of a strike. Is he hissing or making any defensive strikes? My snake used to put up a front with all the posture and hissing and even a strike or two when he was younger. I use a hook and tap him a bit and then reach in and get him. Usually once he is elevated off the floor, he mellows out completely.

How old is your snake?

Gentle handling will usually make them feel secure.

Have you called his bluff yet?

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Good point. If he's only making that S shape and isn't hissing or striking, it probably doesn't mean much at all. Nearly all my boas have an S shape when they turn and look at me.... :D

Agree. A "s' d" up boa doesn't necessarily mean anything. Mine do this when they are looking at something or me sometimes. Once you get to know your snake more, you will know if that means business or is just a nosy, busy, boa. Just be confident in your handling. You guys will be fine. :) Wait till he becomes infatuated with your face...:p

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Originally Posted by DooLittle

Agree. A "s' d" up boa doesn't necessarily mean anything. Mine do this when they are looking at something or me sometimes. Once you get to know your snake more, you will know if that means business or is just a nosy, busy, boa. Just be confident in your handling. You guys will be fine. :) Wait till he becomes infatuated with your face...:p

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Both good points Evenstar and DooLittle.

I remember the first time handling boas. I thought the S was a sure sign of a strike. It is so different from a BP but that's just a typical boa posture.

One of my favorite pictures of him. He was in no way defensive in that picture, but entirely a nosy brat. :p

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/25/anupenej.jpg

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Originally Posted by DooLittle

Agree. A "s' d" up boa doesn't necessarily mean anything. Mine do this when they are looking at something or me sometimes. Once you get to know your snake more, you will know if that means business or is just a nosy, busy, boa. Just be confident in your handling. You guys will be fine. :) Wait till he becomes infatuated with your face...:p

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why do you think they become infatuated with peoples faces?

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Originally Posted by MonkeyShuttle

why do you think they become infatuated with peoples faces?

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Because mine are always in your face...

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Originally Posted by DooLittle

Because mine are always in your face...

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Oh, maybe a heat signature thing then... :shrug:


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I think I was just being a chicken :oops: Oops haha I got him out and sat with him for a while, he is just an inquisitive little fellow!!! No hissing or striking! He's going to be about one year old in August. Boy did time fly lol! :P

You can also start hook training. That helps communicate to them that "Hey there, I am just gonna pick you up okays? No food today!"

The tool doesn't have to be a hook, I have used a drumstick and a garden sprayer wand was a favorite. It's classical conditioning. They learn that when you open the cage and touch them with the hook, there will be no food. On the other hand, on feeding day, open the cage and feed.

I feed my adult hog island in her enclosure and she is garden sprayer wand trained. I don't get any sass when I want to take her out!

Hook training actually does show results? I was under the impression is sometimes works while other times it might not. Just persistence I guess?

Yes, hook training is wonderful. You just have to be sure to not confuse them with using the hook at feeding time. I don't mess with her the day I feed, so door opens and rat goes in. Non feeding days, she gets some love rubs and then I go in and get her. Classical conditioning is probably one of the easiest learning techniques for many different kinds of animals.
I don't want to generalize, but I think larger snake owners hook train. And it wouldn't be still in practice if it wasn't effective.

And with hook training, you don't have to pick them up with the hook, just give them some rubs to know that it isn't feeding time.

My girl is in a front open vision cage and she is over 5ft long, so hook training eased my mind when reaching in to get her out as there aren't a lot of ways to position yourself to grab them in a front opening cage vs a top opening.

This is something I just had to learn to get over. I only have the one boa so far but, unlike my BP's or even my Carpets, the Boa goes into the classic "S" with a ton of tongue flicking to figure out what is going on the moment I open the enclosure.
She looks ready to tag me. But, I give her a second to realise there is no food being offered, pick her up and she has never bitten or even struck at me yet.
It may just be my mistaken interpretation but, boa's seem to be more aware of people than many other snakes. My BP's could careless, I am a warm thing to crawl on that brings them food and cleans their homes. My Carpets do check me out but, seem much more interested in the whole room(When the 6 footer starts focusing on my face it may be time to get a bit nervous, he has just bluffed so far but if pushed the wrong way I bet he is a face biter). Then the little Boa will check out her surroundings but, spends a fair bit of time checking me out too.

Oh, once in awhile she does get flighty. On those days I just use a small snake hook to lift her enough that I can slide a hand under her as she tries to "escape" and without restricting her slide they other hand under after I set the hook down and lift her letting her go hand over hand for a few minutes. I've found she settles quite quickly this way, snakes are not marathon winners.