Nervous to pick up

[GoingPostal]

I would let her settle in for 2-3 weeks before attempting handling and then if you are worried, have a drink first put a glove on the hand you reach in with, you can also just drape a towel over the snakes head and then grab. What I do is tap a little with a hook or the hide if they have that hungry, looking for food appearance or show my closed fist, boas seem pretty smart and not strike first, ask later like my short tails. Once they get the idea, oh, just coming out for handling you can slide a hand under the middle thick part and start pulling out, the squirming away, mine does that too and just as bad when I try to get him back in the cage. I got an adult male redtail a few months ago and he was fine out of the box but the first week struck at the cage door a few times at my husband, who now refers to him as "the mean snake". I let him settle in and he's been nothing but calm, no hissing or striking. It always sucks not being able to see and touch new additions but it's better for them to just wait it out and go slow.