my boas hissing and it scares the bejeebus out of me!

[kook617]

need opinions! my 9 yr old red tail boa is hissing at me now, and it scares the crap out of me. Damge was done to his cage so we've kept him in a large box for about 3 days. I'm assuming he's been hissing because he's uncomfortable with his new enclosure. again, i need help, I cant put a light because there is nowhere i can place it without giving him a way out. he escaped today and I needed help getting him back in. when I was getting him out of my bookshelf he was hissing and I was frightened making it a gruling process to get him back in. he's almost a 6ft snake and I have recently got him from a friend about two weeks ago, I am a begining herper and I know that a snake as large as this one isn't for begginers, but I've fell in love with him akready. He's been nothing but sweetheart up until now. . HELP!!!!!

[Rorschach]

Is the snake still on the loose?

[RichsBallPythons]

IMO if the snake is large enough that when it hisses and your freaked, its time to downsize to something more manageable.

Bites dont hurt the hissing is a reaction of its scared,pissed off and stressed out with its living conditions.

[DooLittle]

If you can't provide it with a proper enclosure, and living conditions, and you are scared of it, I would suggest you give it back to the person you got it from. Or find it a new home.

[Slim]

Fix cage ASAP or give the snake to someone who already has proper housing. A large box ain't gonna' cut it. Sorry.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Wether or not you had the proper enclosure means nothing. In my opinion, you're still going to be afraid of this animal and you shouldn't have something you're afraid of.

If you're afraid when you handle it instead of confident, that's when mistakes happen. I believe you should try to find an experienced home for it.


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Snakes, Jeeps, Dragons, Nature, & Knives.. Makes my world go-round!

[snakeluvr#3]

i just want to first say this is he still loose?>/ also if so i can just imagine right now someone new to snakes and to be in this situation has to be scary and intimidating iam still lmyself fairly new but i also just started with corns and just recently got my first bp because i didnt want something so bbig to start i feel that way you can get use to the snake and get to know it as they grow,, but if he is still on the loose you can actually use like a paint roller from homedepot or if you have one laying around and use as a snake hook to try to pick em up im sure the longer hes loose the more scared and aggrevagted the snake will become and just try to see if the person who sold em to you can take em or like everyone else said give to a good home whos more expirenced and also if you sstill want to keep snakes try a good begginer one to get use to them first so as they get bigger it wont be so intimidating ...
i wish you and the snake best of luck

[WarriorPrincess90]

Hello there! Sounds like you have a frightened snake on your hands. First, if you have only had him two weeks, he is probably still stressed from the move, not to mention his new "housing" conditions since his old home broke. He is probably just scared and irritated. He can also sense that you're afraid of him, which probably isn't helping anything. Your best bet is to get him into proper housing as soon as possible or to give him back to your friend until new housing can be found. It is very hard to begin with a large snake, especially if they make you uncomfortable as is. I believe you said you managed to get ahold of him and put him back into the (box?) with some help, so that's a start at least. But as I said, proper housing is a must as he will probably just escape again. A box cannot hold a full grown boa.

Do you have any heating elements for him at all? And if not, I really hope this setup is going to be fixed by like tomorrow, otherwise you risk him getting sick. Just a thought, if you were in a new home, locked in a dark box by some strange creature, and were freezing cold...would you be happy? I think not.

First thing's first, get him into a proper home, then leave him alone for at least a week to settle in, then offer an appropriately sized prey item. Don't handle him until he has eaten for you. This may take a couple of weeks. If your husbandry (temps, humidity, housing) is all correct, he should calm down. If you are still uncomfortable with him then, I'd find him a new home and try starting with something smaller, like a ball python. But all animals need proper housing, so keep that in mind. These guys aren't cheap pets. Boas even less so.

Or you can always just find him a new home or give him back. It's up to you, but proper housing is a must!

[kook617]

thanks everyone for the replies, I found him 30 minutes after his jailbreak and got him back in with little problems except getting him off a bookcase. I figured it was because of the move and his conditions at the moment. I consider giving him back but I know he stressed and when he has his new home he will begin to calm down. for now I think I will just continue stroking his back for now, until he calms down. Thanks again everyone.

[Rob]

I will just continue stroking his back for now, until he calms down. Thanks again everyone.

it's not a dog, it's a boa constrictor. Petting his back when he's all stressed out will not help matters. You need to get him into a proper set up ASAP and let him adjust.