Sinestra, the hypo jungle

[Jessibelle]

Hi y’all! I want to start a progression thread of my baby, Sin, and also give an update! If you recall from my previous thread, I got her at a reptile expo. She was a month old and had only had 2 feedings. She has now had 4 feedings with me! As I went to feed her yesterday, I saw that she left me a nice, healthy poop and a perfect, full shed! With her new paint job, she looked very light colored and pretty. I’m so happy that it seems my husbandry is on point. She’s such a curious, sweet little thing!

I just have a couple questions. Her shed was all balled up and kind of wet. It was also very smelly haha. Is that normal? I unraveled it carefully to be sure that everything was intact, and it really was a perfect shed.

My second question is do you have any suggestions, behaviorally, at this point? Should I be trying to hook train her or anything else? TIA!




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[richardhind1972]

Very nice looking boa indeed, really glad she's settling down for you,and eating well.

Tap training is a really good idea to start when this young and will save you so much hassle when she older,
Did you check for both eye caps and tail tip when you unrolled her skin, the eye caps are just as important as the tail tip and most people forget this,yes this can have a weird smell too it, I always know when my 10year old boa had shed as it doesn't smell nice and even more so when they haves messed in it too

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[dakski]

Pretty girl!

Sheds can be smelly because of the other thing you found as well, poop and urine and urate, plus they are old skin. Sometimes they all get mixed up a little. I wouldn't worry about it as long as the cage doesn't still smell horrible after cleaning.

I would definitely be working on gentle, short, handling sessions with her, every other day, assuming she isn't eating that day or has just eaten (48 hours to digest). It's not a perfect rule; if you handle her 2 days in a row one week, it's not the end of the world. However, you want to balance gentle handling and building trust with not stressing her out. She's a BCI and they are usually pretty outgoing, but she's still super tiny. So, at least for a while, less handling is better.

I would hook train. I waited until Behira, my BCI, bit me in a food response before hook training. Luckily, that was at 600G, not 7,000G. She has done incredibly well with hook training and we have not issues since. She is a sweetheart when knocked out of food drive and when she is being handled.

Here is a link to a thread I started on hook training: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ead-with-Video

Please let us know if you have any more questions and keep us up to date on the little one!

[Jessibelle]

Tap training is a really good idea to start when this young and will save you so much hassle when she older

Thank you, Richard! Do you tap the snake before you handle it, or tap the cage, something else? Yes, I should have mentioned, but I did check for both eye caps and I always check for the tip of the tail. Thankfully, they were all there in the shed!

I would hook train. I waited until Behira, my BCI, bit me in a food response before hook training. Luckily, that was at 600G, not 7,000G. She has done incredibly well with hook training and we have not issues since. She is a sweetheart when knocked out of food drive and when she is being handled.

Here is a link to a thread I started on hook training: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ead-with-Video

Thanks, Dakski! I will definitely check it out!

[EL-Ziggy]

Very pretty boa. Looks and sounds like she's coming along nicely. Keep up the good work.

[Phillydubs]

First of all QUEENS In the house!!! LI now but a lot of queens history here and through my family so welcome and cool to see!!!

Second... what a pretty snake! That fresh shed looks lovely and her color pops!!

You already got some great advice from the Boa Boys above!! I'd listen close and carefully as they know a thing or two for sure and have and always do help me a lot with my boas...

You have to find a hook method that works for you, there are a variety of ways.. some like to tap areas prior to. I just use the end of the hook to rub /nudge them a little and get them moving and alert that it is me and not food. Once they sort of "snap out" of the food mode I go from the hook to my hand on a back side and a few strokes... Then its a quick and confident pick up and you are good to go.

I agree, start now, no time like the present. It is all a muscle memory and repetition thing so just do it every time, one way and stay with that way and they know and learn fast.

P.S. - I also find light and time of the day plays a big role. If you get them used to feeding at night lights out and handle during the day or keep lights on in the room prior to getting them they seem much more relaxed and out of hunt mode. Both of my boas get very feisty and defensive at night. I don't even bother trying to handle my caye caulker at night or if the lights have been off, she is up in her branches coiled and waiting, I am not going in there at that point, hook or not...

[Sonny1318]

Looking good and you got some sound advice, already seems like you’re off to a good start.

[richardhind1972]

As already said there plenty of different ways to hook/tap train I like to stroke with the soft end of the hook personally just incase they strike and chomp on the metal,
Once out of food mode just pick her up she then knows it's playtime and not food time, you don't have to use a hook can be anything even a roll of paper towel .but don't use the tongs you feed with as all mine know that what they get food with ,they really arnt daft

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[Jessibelle]

First of all QUEENS In the house!!! LI now but a lot of queens history here and through my family so welcome and cool to see!!!

Second... what a pretty snake! That fresh shed looks lovely and her color pops!!

You already got some great advice from the Boa Boys above!! I'd listen close and carefully as they know a thing or two for sure and have and always do help me a lot with my boas...

You have to find a hook method that works for you, there are a variety of ways.. some like to tap areas prior to. I just use the end of the hook to rub /nudge them a little and get them moving and alert that it is me and not food. Once they sort of "snap out" of the food mode I go from the hook to my hand on a back side and a few strokes... Then its a quick and confident pick up and you are good to go.

I agree, start now, no time like the present. It is all a muscle memory and repetition thing so just do it every time, one way and stay with that way and they know and learn fast.

P.S. - I also find light and time of the day plays a big role. If you get them used to feeding at night lights out and handle during the day or keep lights on in the room prior to getting them they seem much more relaxed and out of hunt mode. Both of my boas get very feisty and defensive at night. I don't even bother trying to handle my caye caulker at night or if the lights have been off, she is up in her branches coiled and waiting, I am not going in there at that point, hook or not...

Haha, I was born and raised in Florida, but I have lived in LI, Brooklyn, and now Queens! Queens is a great place to live and I'm really enjoying it! Thank you for all your advice!

[ckuhn003]

Haha, I was born and raised in Florida, but I have lived in LI, Brooklyn, and now Queens! Queens is a great place to live and I'm really enjoying it! Thank you for all your advice!

Beautiful Boa by the way!! I love seeing Boas on this site and reading everyone's advice. I just got my baby a couple weeks ago and I'm storing away this invaluable knowledge so when the time comes I'll be ready to start handling.