Hiya,
I’ve had my boa coming on a month now, I’m beginning to think they’re part ball python haha.
When i handle them they spend a lot of time still, not overly tense, but still. Theyre a shy snake generally, and whilst theyve hissed at me when first getting them out, they have not tried to strike at me.
They stay wrapped around my hand until I move them close to something then they get curious again. The last couple of days though they take a good drink when i put them back in their enclosure. And seem happy to do this even in my presence. Is this a good sign they’re getting comfortable with me?
Any time i try to “walk” them once they’ve extended their neck out in curiosity, they retreat back to my other hand. No matter how slowly i put my hand under them. I’m guessing they will become more curious over time, but for now they seem to be pretending to be a Ball python and chilling pretty still on my one hand.
I feel I’m making progress with them, but as this is my first snake, i dont know.
I’m hardly a snake psychologist, but it sounds like your boa is getting more comfortable with you and your surroundings. It may just take some more time until they’re comfortable enough to explore their surroundings a little more. Or maybe this particular boa will always just prefer to hang out on you and will never be much of an explorer.
Boas in general have a reputation for having wonderful, calm temperaments, but they’re all still individuals with their own little personalities. Some are more shy, some are more confident, some just seem angry at the world. Just continue with consistent, gentle handling, and your boa should continue to get more comfortable with everything. Many snakes also become more confident as they get bigger, which makes sense, as the bigger they are, the less things can eat them in the wild.
Not yet XD I’m still working on it, for now I’m letting them do what they want to do, i had the opportunity twice yesterday, one palpation felt maybe male, another felt female. But who knows, could just be me being too gentle could just be that the maybe male was muscle movement
Aha, i do hope so! I purposefully chose a boa for the generally active nature of them, whilst not being little speed machines like corns/milks are. But if they just want to chill and watch movies with me thats okay i guess XD
Im no snake psychologist either, just from what ive seen online theyre known to be private drinkers as they’re somewhat vulnerable so to see them “happily” drink made me think some great progress had been made
Yeah, I would definitely say that their willingness to drink in your presence is a sign that they’re getting more comfortable with you. It sounds like they’re probably pretty comfortable with you, but might still be a little unsure of the environment outside of their enclosure. With time and continued exposure, they’ll probably get more comfortable and curious about the world outside their enclosure.
Keep an eye on their tongue flicks. Lots of long, curious tongue flicks is usually a good indication of a snake that’s relatively relaxed and inquisitive. A snake that’s not flicking its tongue, or is only doing shorter, less frequent tongue flicks, can be a sign of fear or nervousness. And with boas, I’ve noticed that my girl will hold onto me a lot tighter when she’s a bit nervous or worried about something. When she’s relaxed, her body just feels relaxed and she perches on me without really squeezing me.
If I’m being honest, I’ve only been bit twice by my snakes. So I think that’s a good indicator, but also bias can be vocal if you prod them. Like Kai is very vocal when I use the snake hook. Even if his positioning comes off as not defensive or anything, he’ll open up his mouth and he’ll hiss, even if he’s trying to move away from the hook. He just doesn’t like the hook personally. I’m just saying you’ll get used to how your boa acts and you’ll be able to read those postures and body language.
Sounds like you and your budy get along just fine. The marble or pea feels like running over a speed bump and is hard to miss once you know what your looking for. Doesnt tak a lot of pressure. You just need controle of snake and tail with relaxed muscle. You may have to go down 2/3 of tail as some can be longer than others. If you dont feel anything than you most likley have a females. You can tell gender from key characteristics with experience.
Boas have commonalities but they definitely have personality. I have some that find a warm spot around the wrist or head/shoulder/neck and chill while other’s wont sit still. They constantly explore and stretch out and like to climb. I pet mine on the side of the jaws, top of head, and underneath the jaw. Some like the sides close to the head but never care for the tail to be messed with or sides farther down the body. Some boas remain skidish first 2 years of life but most breakout out of that in the first 6 months of socialization or way sooner. It takes time for a boa to trust you to pet the head and proceed with caution. Knowing how to read boa body language is key in addition to knowing your specific animal.
I have animals that have biten me several times that wont leave my arms once i get them out of the cage. I guess it just depends. I guess not being a fan of using snake hooks does not help but it is what it is. Honestly, the bite is not that bad compared to a Green Tree Boa/Python.
Just continue with consistent, gentle handling, and your boa should continue to get more comfortable with everything. Many snakes also become more confident as they get bigger, which makes sense, as the bigger they are, the less things can eat them in the wild.
