angry colombian rainbow boa

[jeff91]

Hi, I just bought a 2 year old colombian rainbow boa, it's a female and she was so nice, and calm. When we got home she was okay. I decided to put in a smal aquarium while I was fixing up her new home. After I finished her setup I went to go get her out of the aquarium and she bit my hand. I figured I just scared her but just now my girlfriend took her out of the terrarium and after 5 minutes of exploring and being calm she struck at her face. I called the place where I baught her and the said that she's never like this so I figure that its because of the envirement change. form a plastick box to a terrarium. But i was wondering if there is a chance that she stays like this? or do they usually calm down?

[snakesick]

She will stay like that if you let her.Whatever you do dont stop handling her especially if shes still small.Ive got a Big female BCI that has bit me in the face like 3 times.With continually picking her up and getting her to trust me she's calmed down alot.So keep holding her even if its in small time periods. Good Luck

[jeff91]

She will stay like that if you let her.Whatever you do dont stop handling her especially if shes still small.Ive got a Big female BCI that has bit me in the face like 3 times.With continually picking her up and getting her to trust me she's calmed down alot.So keep holding her even if its in small time periods. Good Luck

I thaught thats what I should do but I heard that I should maybe let her settle down for a couple of days before I start handling her. But I dont know what your definition of BIG is... She's about 4 feet so I think you can understand that Im a bit intimidated by that pretty big mouth .

[Jakob]

first off, welcome to the forum Snakesick! i hope you have good time reading and commenting on here.

jeff, i always wondered about that. why would a snake...if its calm for a few minutes of handling, decide to go ahead and take a piece out of you. i was always under the impression that if a bite was to happen, it would be during the initial, 'getting out of the tank' process. but when i got bitten, i had mine out for about 10 minutes...but it was entirely my fault. my boa had crawled above my head and was slipping. to make a long story much shorter, alot of hot air came out of my nose in his face and i had to grab him quickly and thats when my pinky got tagged.

so, what was your girlfriend doing exactly when the boa struck at her face? (holding a mouse by the tail in her mouth...maybe?)

[littleindiangirl]

I'm not surprised at all. I find that what we often interperet as "calm and explorative" can often be stressed and in shock.

If you just brought her home, give her a week to acclimate, then start by using short handling sessions. 5-10 minutes every few days in a calm quiet environment.

We're talking wild animals here people, not dogs. Just because the pet store said she didn't bite, you can't assume thats going to be true after you've just brought her out of her environment and thrown her into a new one without an acclimation period.

Anywho, BRB's are nippy when still young. I myself just bought a pair of BRBs, 06's, and they are still small and nippy. Don't take it personally, it's in their nature to be so while young.

[jeff91]

first off, welcome to the forum Snakesick! i hope you have good time reading and commenting on here.

jeff, i always wondered about that. why would a snake...if its calm for a few minutes of handling, decide to go ahead and take a piece out of you. i was always under the impression that if a bite was to happen, it would be during the initial, 'getting out of the tank' process. but when i got bitten, i had mine out for about 10 minutes...but it was entirely my fault. my boa had crawled above my head and was slipping. to make a long story much shorter, alot of hot air came out of my nose in his face and i had to grab him quickly and thats when my pinky got tagged.

so, what was your girlfriend doing exactly when the boa struck at her face? (holding a mouse by the tail in her mouth...maybe?)

she was untageling her from the arm rest on the chair. So I guess she just wanted to say **dont mess with me** .... I took her out 30minutes ago and handeled her for about ten minutes and she was fine, but I can't say that I wasn'T a little hesitent and carefull with my movements. I guess I'm reacting like this because I'm used to doing what ever I want with my other snakes and never get bit. Besides this new snake, I've only been bit once by my baby red tail on feeding day.... Anyways, I just hope that she get back to being the nice snake that I first held. She's such a beautiful snake!

[littleindiangirl]

she was untageling her from the arm rest on the chair. So I guess she just wanted to say **dont mess with me** .... I took her out 30minutes ago and handeled her for about ten minutes and she was fine, but I can't say that I wasn'T a little hesitent and carefull with my movements. I guess I'm reacting like this because I'm used to doing what ever I want with my other snakes and never get bit. Besides this new snake, I've only been bit once by my baby red tail on feeding day.... Anyways, I just hope that she get back to being the nice snake that I first held. She's such a beautiful snake!

I would still advise you leave her alone for a week... let her acclimate. But as it usually goes, people read what they want...