Bought a Nicaraguan boa....

[SVT Wylde]

He's a stunningly handsome snake, that's for sure. Looks like you made a great choice.

Thank you. I’m not as much into looks as I am personality and he seems to be easy going. He is young and edgy, so I hope he calms down quickly. The breeder admits he is feisty at first but calms down quickly after he is picked up so I hope to have an easy transition with him.

It’s a huge leap of faith to order a snake online but I think we will work out the kinks with time. Nics are known to be edgy and I’m prepared for that.

Does anyone have any handling tips that would be useful for a young boa? I understand tap training and not picking them up from above like a predator....

[dakski]

Thank you. I’m not as much into looks as I am personality and he seems to be easy going. He is young and edgy, so I hope he calms down quickly. The breeder admits he is feisty at first but calms down quickly after he is picked up so I hope to have an easy transition with him.

It’s a huge leap of faith to order a snake online but I think we will work out the kinks with time. Nics are known to be edgy and I’m prepared for that.

Does anyone have any handling tips that would be useful for a young boa? I understand tap training and not picking them up from above like a predator....

Tap training is big. Also, especially when young, I would support him well without restraining him. BE THE TREE!

He looks great and should calm with time. Behira nailed me when she was 600G (female BI) and I barely felt it. That was a food response bite too. That's when I started tap training. She still has a crazy food response, but no incidents since the tap training. It really works wonders. She is a total sweetheart once out and once tapped lets me pick her right up.

[Bogertophis]

Thank you. I’m not as much into looks as I am personality and he seems to be easy going. He is young and edgy, so I hope he calms down quickly. The breeder admits he is feisty at first but calms down quickly after he is picked up so I hope to have an easy transition with him.

It’s a huge leap of faith to order a snake online but I think we will work out the kinks with time. Nics are known to be edgy and I’m prepared for that.

Does anyone have any handling tips that would be useful for a young boa? I understand tap training and not picking them up from above like a predator....

I'm with you...personality is way more important than the "paint job".

Many years back I took in a terrified yearling female BCI that had changed hands a number of times & was now totally unwanted & out of options, due to her biting.
I knew she was just defensive & after working with her for maybe 2 months tops, she never bit me even once, nor in all the years I had her...in fact she was very cuddly.

What I did was to pick her up with a small towel over her & hold her on my lap for about 30 minutes or so, without letting her look out: this gave her time to learn to
recognize my touch & scent, and that she was safe with me. Most snakes ARE afraid of these "giant potential predators" (us!) that keep approaching them, but if that
little hissing snap-dragon could learn, I think most all of them can. Once she got used to my handling her with the towel, I gradually let her look out & get used to
seeing me, & she turned into such a fun sweet boa after just that initial patience on my part. Once she got to be a big adult, my biggest difficulty was getting her
back in her enclosure, as she liked being out with me, watching a movie or something.

On rare occasions when I'd go to take her out, like for a cage cleaning, she'd sit there & hiss up a storm: when she did that, she never turned to bite me when I'd reach in & pet her coils. I did that for a few minutes, while she mostly stopped the hiss & seemed to "remember she knew me", & then I'd just pick her up...she never bit me & was her usual friendly self, always. I think how we communicate to our snakes is the key. That & patience. Snakes just need to feel safe with us, & nearly all can learn that. (she got to be 7.5'+)

[SVT Wylde]

My boy boy arrived today. He had a safe trip from New York to Tennessee but he was in full shed when he arrived. He was understandably jumpy and nervous and but allowed me to handle him for a few minutes before I put him in his enclosure. I cranked up the humidity to 75% until that skin comes off.

He is thinner than I expected so I assume I should start him out on fuzzy mice for the first few feedings. He is about the size of my thumb (1 inch across) for reference.

[SVT Wylde]

I noticed he is much darker than the pics posted on MorphMarket. I’m not sure if that is due to shed or a heavy hand with the saturation slider in Photoshop...🤔

[Bogertophis]

Terrifying trip, I'm sure...he's so pretty, & personally I like his rich coloration. As far as him being "darker"...my BCI used to be lighter or darker at various times,
so maybe wait & see? It wouldn't hurt to feed lighter meals at first anyway...he's likely to feel stressed for a while and better not to rush food.

[SVT Wylde]

Terrifying trip, I'm sure...he's so pretty, & personally I like his rich coloration. As far as him being "darker"...my BCI used to be lighter or darker at various times,
so maybe wait & see? It wouldn't hurt to feed lighter meals at first anyway...he's likely to feel stressed for a while and better not to rush food.

I’m already attached to him so he isn’t going anywhere. lol He has shed most of his skin and is camped out under his heat emitter. He was raised in a rack and has no idea how to use the Reptile Basics hides I have provided. Considering his journey and shed, he was REALLY cool with handling straight out of the container so he is my buddy for sure. I’ll give him at least 1-2 weeks to settle in.

I’ll give him time to shed and and get used to owning a boa for a while. I’ve always had BP’s in the past.

[Bogertophis]

I predict you'll be even more pleased with him as time goes on, & I'll look forward to your updates.

[richardhind1972]

Looks like your onto a great start, very nice, he will settle in for sure with your, glad he's nice and relaxed too.
Look forward to seeing his progress

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[MarkL1561]

I noticed he is much darker than the pics posted on MorphMarket. I’m not sure if that is due to shed or a heavy hand with the saturation slider in Photoshop...

I’ve noticed the color on my pastel can change quite wildly when he goes into shed. He gets much darker and looks almost brown. After a shed though and he’s back to being bright red/pink. As for photoshop it’s fun to do for pets but should never be used as a representation of an animal for selling. It’s possible they just used a photo box with optimal lighting.


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