I have a full circle log hide for my boa and he absolutely loves it, but whenever I try to take him out to look at him or just to hold him he fights me to stay in the log. He will push his body against the sides of the log making it impossible to take him out without hurting him. Also whenever I take him out he rubs against the inside of the log making this sound that sounds like I’m ripping his scales off.
I went a while without taking him out just to see if he wasn’t in the mood to be held, but then he started getting aggressive with me.
Any idea on how to get him out without hurting or stressing him out?
take the log hide out of the enclosure and put it on the ground outside the enclosure and leave the log on the ground for a little and see if he will come out. I don’t own a boa and only have 1 ball python but it has worked for me. there are probably better ways but it is worth a shot
I agree with @logar just set him and the log down and wait, snakes are so strong you really can’t force them very easily. Also you may want to consider using a split log or a plastic reptile hide just to avoid future issues. I once had my large female retic go through a open back rack and I had to just wait for her to go all the way through it! Only took like 45 min😂
I agree with what @logar & @banereptiles suggested. I am pretty positive that will do the trick and he will slither on out. Definitely give your buddy something else to snuggle up in! Lol!
Personally, I would do what the others recommend if you need to get him out. If you don’t need to get him out, don’t get him out until you are ready to swap the new hide out. I would personally recommend that you get a plastic hide that is good quality so that it doesn’t warp if he wants to sit on it.
I don’t think I could get rid of his log because I think he has an emotional attachment to it. He used to live in a tin container that wasn’t quite big enough for him while we waited for his actual house to come, and ever sense I’ve given him his log and new house, he’s never left it
He could eventually outgrow it in time, (depending on several factors) but I would still consider trading it out. The most important thing to snakes is security and that can be possible with another hide that you wont have a issue with.
I would remove your hide and get a new one that is bigger for him. I used to use pop cases for hides. I know it’s not aesthetically pleasing, but it is cheap and disposable when it gets dirty or full . Plus, I used to have a new one just about every week. The cleaner you keep your cage, the healthier it will be for your boa.
It might not work as well for you if your boy is highly reactive, but i recommend the tickle method. Take the log out, that is your snake now. Get acquainted with log boy in your lap or something and get comfy. See if you can touch him casually in the log. If you can gently pet him and he’s only moderately perturbed by the offense, then you’re good to go on to the tickle. It’s exactly as it sounds, just start doin a little tickle. On the side of the belly scutes works for me. Possibly use gravity to help you, tilt the log diagonally and tickle him from the top. Essentially what you’re doing is coaxing him out of the log with passive aggression. It takes knowing your snake as an individual to be able to hit that sweet spot of making them mildly perturbed enough to leave the safe place, but not so triggered that they start defending themselves within the safe place.
I had a log boy at one point. We just vibed together. Me, him, and log. After an hour and a half or so, i got on touching terms. Then i slowly started pushing my luck more and more and more until he had enough and started tentatively leaving the log. Then i prevent him from going back in and that’s when they start to realize the extent of my diabolical plans, but at that point it’s too late and I’ve won.
Hope it helps you, i always try to avoid using force on my snake in any way, because in my experience that only makes them learn to fight me worse in the long run. But passive aggressive coaxing methods have been a pretty consistently effective alternative for me so far, so i rarely have to.
. Plus, I used to have a new one just about every week. The cleaner you keep your cage, the healthier it will be for your boa.