How to Tame a Boa

[eddyhead]

Skiploder that was very helpful and reassuring to me!! he sheded Completely in one piece! and he looks amazing!! so now maybe that the shed is gone..im going to give him some rest and then we will go from there

[frankykeno]

Zack, think like a small boa for a moment. He's gone through a change in his existance that he cannot even begin to understand. Then there's been changes even in that enclosure with your removing things that he may have just been starting to get used to. Then there's your buddies who sound like they probably scared the beejesus out of him with that knocking and overhandling.

Really Zack, what would you expect an animal as instinctive as a snake to do? He's become defensive - not aggressive in my mind - and it's going to be up to you to take the time and show the patience to help him calm down again. You are also going to have to decide that this snake deserves better than a crew of your buds doing that sort of thing to him in the future.

For now I would take this snake back to day 1. Double check your setup to make sure that's all good as far as temps, humidity, security, peace and quiet. Btw what is his feeding routine like as far as frequency and type/size of prey?

Move his enclosure if you need to, to a quiet place - cover his tank with a dark thin cloth if you need to help him feel secure again. Get into a routine of handling him even for 2 minutes. Be calm, be smooth in your movements and confident - not grabby or hyper, just firm but gentle. Get a grip on him and just hold him for a few moments then return him to his enclosure when he isn't fighting you. The point isn't to keep him out for long or give him free movement right now. It's just to get him used to removal and return to his home without stress. It could take weeks or months to get him calm enough to be able to stay out with you for any reasonable amount of time. With any snake it's about patience and baby steps.

He was calm, he became stressed - it's up to you to review what's occurred over your ownership of him and make the necessary adjustments to minimize that stress.

[eddyhead]

I know what you mean now..i guess i made some new owner mistakes. But i am going to give him his time to settle down and like you said take baby steps into getting him to feel more secure.

as far as eating he eats every monday. I now have him on F/T and im feeding him mice that are about 10% of his body weight. he eats fine no problems at all!!

[eddyhead]

i just looked in his cage to check temps and water and i havent got his shed out (should i get that out soon?) and i noticed something black...he pooped in his shed easy clean up.

[Ginevive]

yeah its just been the last couple days, he used to be good to where he would want to come out and would just crawl all over me and be very ornery just like a boa, but the reason i put him on the couch is because he almost struck me when i was holding him so i put him down.

lately hes seemed nervous to come out but usally i just lightly rub on the side and he immedietly is ready to come and be his normal self, but not today i rubed him and he was still not wanting. i should of left him in

If he is going into a shed, I have found, that sheds can cause a boa to stress more. My guy is usually fine, but when his eyes cloud up for a shed, he seems justifiably more defensive. Shedding is a very vulnerable time for snakes in the wild.. and sice boas are more sight-oriented than, say, a BP with its heat pits.. the cloudiness in the eyes could make him freak out more..

[frankykeno]

I'm just wondering if the mice are enough. Boa's grow pretty quickly and I know when we raised Severus he went from mice to needing the bulk of rats pretty quickly. I'm absolutely no sort of boa expert though so hopefully someone like Jimi can chime in here.

The boa we are fostering, Morgaine, will get VERY snappy when she's hungry and it's not unusual for her to slam her tub once or twice out of pure hunting excitement as soon as she even scents her weekly rat. It's quite the exercise in fast, exact movements to get her tub lid off quickly enough to get her dinner in before she manages to tap her nose too much on the side of her tub.

[eddyhead]

yeah i want to feed rats. im just not able to get any..i go to college at Ohio University so for those who know Athens, there aint many options as far as food. i have been getting mice and doing about 10% his body weight..he feeds 2maro and i was thinking about 2 med. Mice. Im not reallly one for muliptle mice but its the best i can go..Once June comes around i will be back at home and be able to get rats for him

[starmom]

Can you order some F/T rats?

[eddyhead]

I could...but i dont have place to put them..and every place ive seen sells in bulk..

[Gary Orner]

I could...but i dont have place to put them..and every place ive seen sells in bulk..

What size F/T rats do you need? If I have them I will bring as many as you want and sell them to you at cost every month at Columbus. I get boxes from Rodent pro. And then when you are ready to get a bag yourself you can just buy them from Casey at the show.

Let me know bro. I have no issues in doing that. I will just pick up an extra bag and pack what you can take in ice. No worries at all.