How would you try and tame this boa?

Mark Taylor · 06-19-13, 12:22 PM

I just seen this and was thinking were to begin on trying to save this snake from hurting itself. I don't have any aggressive snakes and have no experience dealing with them but I feel sorry for the snake in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHh1QlQI_aU

If it was my snake I would first start by putting in a couple of hides for starters.

**Aaron_S** · 06-19-13, 12:31 PM

I'd change the enclosure. A tub, or something similar with no see through walls and that's that.

No reason to "tame" it. Give it security.

Concept9 · 06-19-13, 12:35 PM

Well now.

Normally when I have snakes that bite, I just let them and after awhile they learn that I'm not going to hurt them and they get bored of biting.

But with that animal I would run low on fingers and blood FAST.

I would guess that this snake has NOT had a happy life. I would start by giving it everything it needs to be happy then start introducing myself SLOOOWWWWLLLYY.

gonesnakee · 06-19-13, 04:57 PM

Snakes are NOT aggressive, they are DEFENSIVE, some to the point what I call Hyperdefensive.
This behavior typically is brought on by husbandry & handling (or lack of) & can more often than not be corrected by correcting husbandry & handling/feeding practices.
Some snakes just like people are Aholes no matter what but usually there is a reason behind it that quite often can be corrected, Mark

Mikoh4792 · 06-19-13, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gonesnakee

Snakes are NOT aggressive, they are DEFENSIVE, some to the point what I call Hyperdefensive.

Would you call a snake that tries to eat you defensive or aggressive? My Cali king has never struck at me, he has only bit and constricted me every time.

gonesnakee · 06-19-13, 05:05 PM

For the record I have had plenty of snakes behave like that in the past.
Its best to break them of that when they are young instead of allowing it to continue.
If a snake wants to act like that all the time, thats the snake I grab & pull out right away to let it know that acting like that is not going to get it left alone.
Snakes will act all defensive like that all the time if the owner just leaves it be everytime it does.
Snakes like that require gentle handling to show them that being an ahole is not going to let them get their way & that the handler is NOT a threat to them.
Most snakes can be tamed considerably over time but it requires patience & some blood, again its best to deal with it when they are just little vs having a large Ahole on your hands & again some are just Aholes no matter what but more often than not its the keepers fault 100% & even if they are an Ahole its still the keepers fault when they get bit or allow it to strike the glass repeatedly etc.

This snake NEEDS a proper setup.
Some substrate & hides for starters & cover up a large portion of the front as well.
Snake also appeared hungry to me, notice how it checked out its own tail briefly there?
Also on that note those that are fed live prey tend to have a more "aggressive" nature as well & of course there is no reason to feed live anyways Boas are the easiest of all snakes to switch over even as adults.
The above with some handling would most definitely help the situation IMHO Mark

gonesnakee · 06-19-13, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikoh4792

Would you call a snake that tries to eat you defensive or aggressive? My Cali king has never struck at me, he has only bit and constricted me every time.

Neither just not too smart LOL
Snakes are creatures of pure instinct & some lack any "smarts" so too speak.
I have snakes such as my Eastern Indigos or Diamond Pythons that will fly right at you but know what is & is not prey right away & will stop their strike or let go right away.
Then there are snakes like Cal Kings LOL that once they have it in their head its food tehy do not give up.
I have kept/bred numerous CKs a CK being my first snake ever.
I have had them try to eat numerous things LOL
Tubs, hides, water dishes, papertowels (had one eat & pass one before LOL, blue poop that when pulled apart was a sheet of shop towel LOL), fingers, hands, arms, their mates, themselves, you name it LOL
Not to say thye are dumb, but once the instinct kicks in there is no turning back with some of them LOL (some of my Womas are the same thing DOH!)
Cheers Mark

**Aaron_S** · 06-19-13, 05:39 PM

Mark, long time no see.

Where's the new ink? I'm sure you've got more.

Ourobouros · 06-19-13, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gonesnakee

Neither just not too smart LOL
Snakes are creatures of pure instinct & some lack any "smarts" so too speak.
I have snakes such as my Eastern Indigos or Diamond Pythons that will fly right at you but know what is & is not prey right away & will stop their strike or let go right away.
Then there are snakes like Cal Kings LOL that once they have it in their head its food tehy do not give up.
I have kept/bred numerous CKs a CK being my first snake ever.
I have had them try to eat numerous things LOL
Tubs, hides, water dishes, papertowels (had one eat & pass one before LOL, blue poop that when pulled apart was a sheet of shop towel LOL), fingers, hands, arms, their mates, themselves, you name it LOL
Not to say thye are dumb, but once the instinct kicks in there is no turning back with some of them LOL (some of my Womas are the same thing DOH!)
Cheers Mark

I have a sinking feeling my baby MBK may develop a black hole in her gut soon. Once she is in the feeding enclosure she goes into overdrive feeding mode and jerks her head towards anything that moves... Lol she'd eat herself to death if I didn't cut her off after 4 pinkies....

Ourobouros · 06-19-13, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Taylor

I just seen this and was thinking were to begin on trying to save this snake from hurting itself. I don't have any aggressive snakes and have no experience dealing with them but I feel sorry for the snake in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHh1QlQI_aU

If it was my snake I would first start by putting in a couple of hides for starters.

This snake would eat me, as I'm too small built for its body mass... But I'd feed that snake a lot and get it into a bigger and more natural looking setup.. It doesn't have anywhere to hide.. So sad ..

BryanB · 06-19-13, 06:01 PM

First thing I would do is get the camera out of its face

bcr229 · 06-19-13, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ourobouros

I have a sinking feeling my baby MBK may develop a black hole in her gut soon. Once she is in the feeding enclosure she goes into overdrive feeding mode and jerks her head towards anything that moves... Lol she'd eat herself to death if I didn't cut her off after 4 pinkies....

Mine is the same way so I'm hook training her. I've seen her grab and hold the fake plants in her enclosure when she really gets going.

BTW if yours eating four mouse pinkies at once you can probably bump her up to one or two fuzzies.

After watching the video, did it look to anyone else like the snake's lower jaw was off kilter? I wonder if it hurt itself striking at the glass.

gonesnakee · 06-19-13, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Mark, long time no see.

Where's the new ink? I'm sure you've got more.

Nothing since July 13th DOH! Soon though I hope! Cheers Mark

Ourobouros · 06-19-13, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcr229

Mine's the same way so I'm hook training her. I've seen her grab and hold the fake plants in her enclosure when she really gets going.

BTW if yours eating four mouse pinkies at once you can probably bump her up to one or two fuzzies.

After watching the video, did it look to anyone else like the snake's lower jaw was off kilter? I wonder if it hurt itself striking at the glass.

She's too small for fuzzies and even the normal pinkies seem a bit big... Here's a video of me feeding her before I got smaller pinkies. (I only fed her 2 of the larger ones at a time)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i9j...e_gdata_player

Anyways the grumpy boa does look hurt. There's a comment in YouTube for it that someone else left about that....

Mikoh4792 · 06-19-13, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gonesnakee

Neither just not too smart LOL
Snakes are creatures of pure instinct & some lack any "smarts" so too speak.
I have snakes such as my Eastern Indigos or Diamond Pythons that will fly right at you but know what is & is not prey right away & will stop their strike or let go right away.
Then there are snakes like Cal Kings LOL that once they have it in their head its food tehy do not give up.
I have kept/bred numerous CKs a CK being my first snake ever.
I have had them try to eat numerous things LOL
Tubs, hides, water dishes, papertowels (had one eat & pass one before LOL, blue poop that when pulled apart was a sheet of shop towel LOL), fingers, hands, arms, their mates, themselves, you name it LOL
Not to say thye are dumb, but once the instinct kicks in there is no turning back with some of them LOL (some of my Womas are the same thing DOH!)
Cheers Mark

My king tried to eat herself one time. I threw a rat inside her enclosure and she struck and constricted her own tail. When I noticed her actually starting to swallow it I had to pour water over her head to let go.