meet Cuddles my new boa

Lrptls · 08-13-05, 06:22 PM

went to the pet store today and it seems i always take the stuff people drop off. the wonderful people who i am friends with in the reptile room always take herps sick or healthy. then i usually get to take what i like though sometimes i have to buy but my friends drop the price for me. =)

today it was love at first site for a very upset red tail boa. he was sitting with his head pulled back, mouth open, striking and hissing at every thing. some one didnt want him any more due to being so nasty. i myself dont really enjoy keeping agressive animals but for some reason i feel so bad for this guy. hes so pretty and seems so upset and i hope i can take care of him well and maybe he'll calm down. right now iv got his cage coverd in towels to keep it really dark and he has actually stopd hissing.

do you think there was something at his last owners house that has made him this upset? maybe kids or something, i dont know. iv heard of agresive colombians but have never seen or heard of any thing like this.

Lrptls · 08-14-05, 02:39 AM

how funny is this...
well he flipped his thermometer and hide box over so i got some tongs to reach in and fix them. they didnt upset him at all. i took the tongs and gently used them to pet him and it didnt bother him so i used my fingers, still didnt bother him. so sence iv been dieing to hold him i went for it. he wrapd around my fingers, struck at a few things but not towards me. i even got pictures and he didnt mind. though after about 2 minutes he got upset again, hissing alot so i put him back. i hope this means i will be able to work with him and calm him down. hes so pretty and i really want to be able to hold him and not get bit to death.

Reticsrule · 08-14-05, 11:07 AM

he is a very nice looking boa and what a name

lol. from what youve said here it looks like he should calm down for you. hes very lucky that he got a good home with you instead of somewhere where he might be taken care of improperly again. good luck with him!

Lrptls · 08-14-05, 11:43 AM

i hope he calms, today i had to move around alot of animals, puting them in different cages and stuff. cuddles was moved into a slightly larger rubbermaid, he was the same crazy snake he was when i got him, had to use a stick to carry him and he was hissing his butt off agian for a while. maybe he just has good moments.

thunder · 08-14-05, 07:38 PM

In my experience, baby boas are defensive when they are at the small "everything can eat me" stage, but as they grow up, they become less afraid, and regular handling usually calms them down once they get some size to them.

Lrptls · 08-14-05, 08:26 PM

i do want to handle him more but because i understand the stage hes in, how much is too much handling? i dont like to handle any of my snakes more than twice a month, atleast the ones who are tame. would once or twice a week be too much on this little guy?

Lrptls · 08-14-05, 08:33 PM

more pictures, his good side and his bad side.

Serpens · 08-14-05, 10:15 PM

I burst out laughing at the title of your thread, as I'd considered naming my new boa Cuddles. (picking her up in a few weeks) I thought it would be hilarious to introduce her as "Cuddles the Boa Constrictor". Guess I can't anymore

Sounds like you've got a keeper there though. Keep up the work, and I'd bet it'll pay off. Awesome pics as well.

Serpens

Jeff_Favelle · 08-14-05, 11:21 PM

BEAUTY!!! Almost SILVER on the insides!!

Lrptls · 08-15-05, 11:30 AM

Serpens you can still name your boa Cuddles, it will be Cuddles the girl, i have Cuddles the boy.

Jeff, thank you very much for the compliment, i would one day love to breed him to my female and see what kinda babies i get.

ffollett · 08-15-05, 05:24 PM

Good looking boa you have there.
You can handle them more then twice a month and it won't hurt them. One of the things I have heard of people trying is putting a shirt or something with your scent on it in the enclosure. I have never tried it but then again I have a bunch of hatchlings that like to chew on my hands.
The more you handle him the more he should calm down though. You may get nailed a couple times but he should start to calm. Just give him a few days after he eats before messing with him as boas are very easy to get to regurge.
Here this may help as well
http://hissnhers.com/careboa.htm

Lrptls · 08-15-05, 10:11 PM

hes been doing better every day iv noticed. this morning i opend his cage and picked him up with my hand, he never hissed at all. he wraped around my hand and climbed up my arm a little, i just sat still because when something moves, he bites at it. he bit my leg right after i took him out but after a minute or two i slowly moved him back into his cage and let him crawl off of me. i think hes going to be a great snake. i cant wait to go back to the pet store and tell them they gave away a wonderful beautiful snake.

im going to try to feed him in a few days, if he doesnt eat im going to leave him alone so he can settle some more. hopefully he will eat for me and not regurge =\