Is it safe to handle a 8 foot boa alone?

Hi everyone,

I heard male boas get from 6 to 8 feet. Would it be reasonable to handle them alone in case they reach 8 feet?

Many thanks

That's "pushing it" & the answer "depends" on other factors:

-Your experience with snakes (constrictors) & the precautions you take (like never allowing them to loop completely around your neck, safe feeding practices, & making sure you never handle their prey before you handle the snake in case any scent remains on you or your clothing, or even in the room & area you're in).

-Your own physical size, strength, & health (including age- it's not only the snake that's going to get older & they can live many years with good genes, good care & good health luck).

-The temperament of the individual snake (which, just like us, might not be completely consistent).

That's usually the limit of whether or not you handle by yourself or with someone else (of course this depends on the individual). Everything Bogertophis said is spot on. But, if you do decide to try to handle it yourself you should take some more precautions. Start by having other people with you or handling someone else's ~8+ ft. boa (note that this would need to be a boa, handling a retic or carpet python is not the same). Along with taking precautions (like not having scents on you) be sure never to take anything for granted, they are still wild animals with wild instincts. If it is defensive and doesn't want to come out don't force it or rush it. You should probably handle it often so it's tame, if you're not comfortable with that then it would be a good idea to have someone else around. It's also a good idea to keep a spray bottle of listerine/vodka on hand so if it bites you can encourage it to release. This might be an unpopular opinion but you might want to keep a knife or similar weapon on hand (on you so even if you can't move your arms much you can still get it) when working with potentially deadly snakes, especially since it's possible that the spray bottle is out of reach or doesn't stop the snake.

I agree with Bogertophis that there are multiple variables to consider before we can give a well informed and educated answer to your question.

Generally speaking, I believe an average, modestly healthy, adult should be able to safely handle an 8’ boa alone.

Maxdexter: It helps a great deal when you've actually RAISED the snake from when it was small- as you'll know each other pretty well by the time it's so much larger.

It's a whole different thing to just acquire a large snake- it won't likely trust you for quite some time, & you shouldn't fully trust it either until you chalk up a lot of time together. But your question sounds like you're planning to raise the snake-?

One thing that can make a snake suddenly clamp down on you is fear, or feeling like they're going to fall. It's not always predictable, & you'd be surprised how strong even a 6' snake is when it wants to be. Boas have more bulk, but they're not the only strong snakes around. My current 6'-7' adult rat snakes are very capable of "hand-cuffing" me (they're great climbers but you sure don't want them looped around your neck- even if they don't "mean it"), while the 7.5' boa (BCI) that I used to have never did put any squeezes on me- but you always have to consider that it's possible & stay "aware" when you handle large snakes.

[QUOTE=Bogertophis;2767336]Maxdexter: It helps a great deal when you've actually RAISED the snake from when it was small- as you'll know each other pretty well by the time it's so much larger.

It's a whole different thing to just acquire a large snake- it won't likely trust you for quite some time, & you shouldn't fully trust it either until you chalk up a lot of time together. But your question sounds like you're planning to raise the snake-?

One thing that can make a snake suddenly clamp down on you is fear, or feeling like they're going to fall. It's not always predictable, & you'd be surprised how strong even a 6' snake is when it wants to be. Boas have more bulk, but they're not the only strong snakes around. My current 6'-7' adult rat snakes are very capable of "hand-cuffing" me (they're great climbers but you sure don't want them looped around your neck- even if they don't "mean it"), while the 7.5' boa (BCI) that I used to have never did put any squeezes on me- but you always have to consider that it's possible & stay "aware" when you handle large snakes.[/QUOTE

Yes, I would buy it from a baby as my second snake. Thanks for all the advice.

If you raise your boa from a hatchling you shouldn’t have any issues handling it as an adult. Boas grow fairly slowly, if they’re not overfed, so you’ll have a few years experience with the animal before it hits the 6’ mark. My boas are both in the 4’ range right now, I also have a few 7-8’ pythons. The pythons aren’t quite as heavy bodied as the boas but I think they’re more challenging to handle. Their tails have a mind of their own. Most boas move pretty slowly and will sometimes even stay still during handling while pythons are much more active. IMO boas are easier and slightly more fun to handle.

Thanks for the info guys, if I want a 7 or 8 foot boa, should I go for a male or female?

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Originally Posted by Maxdexter

Thanks for the info guys, if I want a 7 or 8 foot boa, should I go for a male or female?

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If you're concerned about the boa's ultimate size & handling it alone, I'd get a male- I wish mine had been a male. The boa that I had was a female: she was an unwanted "rescue" that I took in -I was persuaded to adopt her because she'd gone thru many owners in her first year, after they each were convinced she'd never stop biting them. She was not a snake I'd ever planned to have, but she turned out to be delightful anyway. The point is, females tend to eat more & grow larger for reproductive success. Mine was at least 7.5' long by the time she was 13 years old, & at that time, I knew a couple that was into larger snakes, so she moved in with them & ultimately lived to age 18.

When she was my snake, I handled her alone, which I would agree was "pushing it" safety-wise, but I have decades of experience with many kinds of snakes at least, & a healthy inclination toward self-preservation. Her rare moodiness never actually presented a problem for me- I could talk her out of being grumpy, & she never even bit me once in the 12 years I had her, nor did she ever put a squeeze on me. BUT, there's no guarantee that your boa or any other will be the same way-nor remain at any size, since they grow their whole lives & can live many years; they're individuals just like us, so put your own situation first, so that you have a pet you'll always enjoy & feel comfortable with.

Do also consider your budget & space- larger snakes need larger housing & warmth supplied. Consider where in your life you'll be in years to come, since snakes can live a long time. Your decision.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

If you're concerned about the boa's ultimate size & handling it alone, I'd get a male- I wish mine had been a male. The boa that I had was a female: she was an unwanted "rescue" that I took in -I was persuaded to adopt her because she'd gone thru many owners in her first year, after they each were convinced she'd never stop biting them. She was not a snake I'd ever planned to have, but she turned out to be delightful anyway. The point is, females tend to eat more & grow larger for reproductive success. Mine was at least 7.5' long by the time she was 13 years old, & at that time, I knew a couple that was into larger snakes, so she moved in with them & ultimately lived to age 18.

When she was my snake, I handled her alone, which I would agree was "pushing it" safety-wise, but I have decades of experience with many kinds of snakes at least, & a healthy inclination toward self-preservation. Her rare moodiness never actually presented a problem for me- I could talk her out of being grumpy, & she never even bit me once in the 12 years I had her, nor did she ever put a squeeze on me. BUT, there's no guarantee that your boa or any other will be the same way-nor remain at any size, since they grow their whole lives & can live many years; they're individuals just like us, so put your own situation first, so that you have a pet you'll always enjoy & feel comfortable with.

Do also consider your budget & space- larger snakes need larger housing & warmth supplied. Consider where in your life you'll be in years to come, since snakes can live a long time. Your decision.

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Yeah, I won't get a snake anytime soon, because my mom is terrified of them, but I want a Boa in my life. I see females get really thick compared to males, so that was a good sized boa. I need experience with constrictors first to be honest to know what it's like. I can then see how I feel about handling large snakes.

I consider my 7ft easy to handle but I'm a big and very strong guy and she's a puppy dog. I got her a few months back and the previous owner did a great job raising her up.

My big Blood is more of a challenge. She's 6ft but she's so girthy and heavy. She's very good with handling like the boa but how she's built changes the game. Even with my large hands she's hard to grab at times.

Now say either were in a bad mood. That would change things considerably. I don't think I would have any issues but like already stated I know how to handle them and what not to let them do... Like ever coil all the around my neck. They can choke a person without trying or even realizing it, and it doesn't take a long time to choke a person out. A person could accidentally get hurt by just not knowing a simple thing like that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Maxdexter

Yeah, I won't get a snake anytime soon, because my mom is terrified of them, but I want a Boa in my life. I see females get really thick compared to males, so that was a good sized boa. I need experience with constrictors first to be honest to know what it's like. I can then see how I feel about handling large snakes.

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That's a good plan for now. Always keep in mind that despite the way so many people describe a snake that relentlessly bites as being "aggressive", such snakes are usually afraid & being defensive- only biting us out of fear. I was just the first one to handle that boa that understood her, & was able to show her she was entirely safe with me- thus she learned she had no reason to bite me, ever.

With a snake that has that much power & size, you want to make sure they feel safe, just as you want to feel relaxed when you handle them. Bites are best avoided- especially BIG ones. It's not common, but people have had permanent injury (such as nerve damage in their hands) from severe bites, so depending on your line of work or life goals- it's really best to avoid that. ;)

Of course, snakes also make mistakes at feeding times & accidentally land a bite, but experience with snakes & using smart techniques will prevent those bites. Big snakes do pack quite a big punch when it comes to grabbing prey- & I agree, your mom would NOT be okay with even just seeing that. And yes, my 7.5'+ female boa was "girthy". :D Fortunately by the time she grew large under my care, she was very sweet & cuddly- not so shy any longer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KMG

I consider my 7ft easy to handle but I'm a big and very strong guy and she's a puppy dog. I got her a few months back and the previous owner did a great job raising her up.

My big Blood is more of a challenge. She's 6ft but she's so girthy and heavy. She's very good with handling like the boa but how she's built changes the game. Even with my large hands she's hard to grab at times.

Now say either were in a bad mood. That would change things considerably. I don't think I would have any issues but like already stated I know how to handle them and what not to let them do... Like ever coil all the around my neck. They can choke a person without trying or even realizing it, and it doesn't take a long time to choke a person out. A person could accidentally get hurt by just not knowing a simple thing like that.

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Do you think your blood python could kill an adult cat just out of curiosity?

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Originally Posted by Maxdexter

Do you think your blood python could kill an adult cat just out of curiosity?

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Yes, easily. She could kill many small to medium sized dogs.

My smaller male Blood, Col Boa, Dum, and BRB could take out a cat as well.

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Originally Posted by Maxdexter

Do you think your blood python could kill an adult cat just out of curiosity?

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This is not something that you EVER leave to chance when keeping snakes & other pets. Dogs or cats or anything else- keep them separated at all times from your snakes. Accidents happen fast.

I know my ball python could easily kill my green cheek conure if he was so inclined. Indeed, in turn the GCC could do some damage back even unprovoked (he's drawn blood from me more than once). Needless to say, I never handle both at the same time and never have either one's enclosures open without the other's closed either.

Bottom line, don't imitate all those "cute" viral images/videos of a bunch of random animals (especially predator and prey) hanging out together. That's always asking for trouble.