New enclosure snake behavior

[syzygy]

I moved Adina (my red tail boa) into her new Ap T8 from her plastic tub. My question is that for the first 15 minutes she didn't move at all, she swayed her head a bit and changed the position her head faced but besides that she was frozen. It's been about 3 hours since she's been moved in and i haven't had any lights on for i thought they may add unnecessary stress but she has been laying againts the glass and has been trying to escape. Is this normal behavior for snakes? I haven't experienced this yet, when i moved her into her plastic bin she didn't do this. Any input would be appreciated!


0.1. 2018 Motley Red Tail Boa

[dakski]

She’s probably petrified.

You probably need 6 hides in there for her to feel secure.

Shes small and knows it. From the look of it, she is out in the open. Coming from a tub that’s a huge change.

The space isn’t the issue. It’s the lack of security.

Also, make sure temps are on point. If it’s too warm, that would be another reason she weight do that.

[syzygy]

Thanks for input i have 3 hides in there but i see that there is alot of open space still. i'll add several more hides and some fake brush to fill the open space. Her ambient temp is 81 with a hot spot of 90. I know i shouldn't handle her for a bit while she gets adjusted but how do i tell when she's comfortable. I don't want to missinterpret her "exploring and getting adjusted" with "oh she's moving she's comfortable now" and then handle her when i shouldn't be.


0.1. 2018 Motley Red Tail Boa

[dakski]

No problem.

I have a 2016 female Ghost BCI, Behira, in a 6X2', which will be her life cage. She's over 4FT and 1,340G. Even she has 4 hides in there and two water bowls. She can't go far without hitting one.

Feliz, my 2017 dwarf Venezuelan BCC, is in 4X2' but he has 5 or 6 hides and a two water bowls. Again, cannot go far without hitting one. Not a lot of open space.

Temps are good assuming you are checking them a temp gun and they are thermostat controlled.

Snakes like to feel secure, especially young/small ones. A 6FT female boa in a 6X2' is probably fine with two hides. However, she knows she's a big girl and feels secure in that cage at that point anyway.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Edit: I would leave her alone in her new tank for a week, offer food, and if she takes it, maybe handle once before next feeding to clean up the tank, etc. She's a boa, so once she's eaten 2X for you, consecutively, in the new tank, I think you are good to go.

I wouldn't worry too much about her "behavior" settling in. Again, as long as temps are good and verified by temp gun, you have nothing to worry about and it will just take some time.

[AbsoluteApril]

She should be fine. Just a small girl in a big space, everything just changed and is new, lots to explore. Did she go hang out in a hide yet?
I have a quite small boa I moved from a tub to a 4x2 and she settled in fine (I have 2 hides, one on each side and a water bowl). Boas are quite adaptable. and yes, they like to sit by the glass and boas always like to try to get out.
As long as she's isn't constantly cruising or appearing stressed, I wouldn't worry about it and just give her time to settle in.

[MR Snakes]

She needs to be able to hide to feel secure.

[AbsoluteApril]

I have a quite small boa I moved from a tub to a 4x2 and she settled in fine (I have 2 hides, one on each side and a water bowl). Boas are quite adaptable. and yes, they like to sit by the glass and boas always like to try to get out.

here's the tiny thing, ate last night, sitting on the heat but not in her hide cause boas. they're odd sometimes. haha

[Jellybeans]

Awwwwe just a baby

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[pretends2bnormal]

As long as hides are available and there is enough stuff in the tank, I wouldn't be super worried... my guy boycotted all hides for the first 3 months I had him no matter what I did. Now he only uses his cool hide half-in and half-out unless he's in shed.. (for some reason that makes him go sit in "time out" in the back corner of the warm side..)

I tricked him into using the hide here by putting it all the way against that wall and now he uses it, but nothing else, the dork. He's got 3 hides and several cork barks (a few shaped good enough to be a good hide by his definition... i.e. hides his tail end) and other things, but he is just a goof.


Not at all like BPs.. some boas just don't seem to care, lol.

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[syzygy]

I put in 3 more "hides" wich consist of small cardboard boxes with offset cutouts for her. i have 2 water bowls on the hot side corner and one on the cool side corner. She's been moving around more, she has been most seen though on her half log wich has 2 opening for her to just slither through. Thank you guys for your input. it helped me with my situation. I'll make another post introducing her and include a run down of her setup once i get some stuff sorted out. i still need to figure out lighting for her and add various decor and plastic hides to replace her cardboard ones.
Stay intuned my fellow herpers

Edit:She isn't seen in this picture for she's in the back on her log. There is still plenty of open space to be filled but i'm working on it.



0.1. 2018 Motley Red Tail Boa