# somwhat embarrassed to ask..



## Kitkat21 (Nov 2, 2010)

i need some advice.

My boa baby is the 1st snake i have owned. We get along perfectly and although my OH has had snakes before her care is all mine and he doesn't get involved.

a few days ago i went to get her out and she was not pleased, recoiling and running away with a distinct f off attitude. 

I then went to feed her last night, she ignored the rat pup and slow started lining up for a strike at me. 

Nothing has changed in her viv and she was fed in the normal way, but i am now a bit anxious to handle her as i don't want to be tagged. But this fear cannot remain as i don't want her to live in her viv her whole life and never get any exercise. Plus it would make changing her water and poo picking a PITA.

Any advice on what i can do?:blush:


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## werewolf (Dec 26, 2009)

Young snakes CAN be particularly defensive but that is no indication on their future attitude as long as all their requirements are met. What is the enclosure like? Has it got plenty of hiding spaces or is it overly large for the snake? Sometimes it takes a while for animals to settle in, or she could just be coming up to shed. There are so many factors that can impact the animals nature but the first one to address is living arrangements (size, temps etc etc..)! But more than likely it's just a bad day, snakes have them too, don't get discouraged, it doesn't mean you any personal harm remember :flrt:


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## berbers (May 29, 2010)

a young snake is going to get cautious of human beings. leave her to chill for a few days before attempting to feed again. if you keep invading her territory and waving your hand in front of her she's gonna get scared (even tho your intentions are all good). when youre happy shes feeding ok start handling her for short periods. but if she wants to tag you, she will! just take it on the chin and let her grow out of it!


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## Kitkat21 (Nov 2, 2010)

Sshe is nearly a year old as far as i remember.
Always been fine to handle, currently lives in 3ft x 2ft x2ft wooden viv with large water bowl, 2 large hides ( one warm one cool) and substrate is deep enough as she likes to burrow. Temps are in mid high 80s on hot side and 60/ 70 on cool side, although she likes to sit in the middle. Heating is an AHS.

Thanks for the advice, i don't want to let her down


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## luvlylillaurz (Jul 22, 2011)

Hey, 

In such a lovely large viv it may be an idea for you to add some more hides for her. You also mentioned that the hides she has are large, they quite often like to squeeze into small spaces rather than be exposed from all sides so maybe try her with some smaller hides. I'm no use with Fahrenheit but my hot spots for our BCIs are around 33c normally. 

She may just be having an odd day, our larger female sometimes just has that look in her eye and we know to leave her well alone! As has previously been mentioned she may also be coming up for a shed, our carpets personality changes entirely when she is shedding and she turns evil!

As for being a bit cautious about being tagged, I would say it's never as bad as you expect (until they get big). It will happen one day, if you have never been tagged, you haven't kept snakes long enough! Double check the temps, wait and see if she starts turning blue, and fingers crossed she'll have shed and be happy again after that! 

Hope that helps a bit!

Laura


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## Hannah81 (Nov 19, 2008)

Sounds like she's going into shed to me. One of mine was exactly the same when she was young. She still has bad PST and won't eat during shed.
Leave her alone for a bit and make sure the humidity is correct and keep an eye out for her going blue. Don't worry about feeding her til she's done.


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## Demonlude (Feb 17, 2009)

Just a quick thought. You say she is nearly a year old, but you're only feeding rat pups? I would have thought she should be on much larger prey size than this at a year old. Depending on her physical size, I'd be inclined to feed her weaner rats.


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## Kitkat21 (Nov 2, 2010)

Did think this too but she is not huge, i did ask about how big she should be before. I was told a selection of information.

Will post pics later.


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## Kitkat21 (Nov 2, 2010)

Ok 

so have check temps etc this evening, all seems fine, opened the viv to mist her down and she shot out her hide and went for me.

Feel very disheartened now:help::sad:

She is due a shed this month but no signs of blueness.

OH is at a loss too as to what to do.

She is due a feed and i need to get to her water and poo pick but she flat out stares out the viv at me.


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## Snakey Josh (Jul 25, 2011)

Heya,

I would definitely move her up a food size asap, maybe she isn't angry and just thinks you look like a good size meal 

If this were my snake, I would use a book or something similar as a shield, and just move it near her hide so she can't come out at you whilst you sort everything you need to (poo/water etc). I would then sit back and wait for a week or two, and see if she does turn blue - honestly, some snakes can become really moody around shed time - even 2 weeks before! 

If she is moody, and doesn't want to eat, it really does sound like a shed, if she doesn't start turning blue in the next 10 - 14 days (in my experience boas do take longer than other snake species to turn blue/shed), then feel free to pm myself or Laura but for now I should think it will sort itself out with a shed : victory:

Try and be confident with her, I know they can be intimidating, but I see it all the time - the people who flinch away and make uncertain, hurried movements seem to provoke strikes, people who are blase and overconfident occasionally get bitten, but aslong as your confident but observant, you should be fine until she sheds :2thumb:

Hope this helps!

Josh


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## Kitkat21 (Nov 2, 2010)

Snakey Josh said:


> Heya,
> 
> I would definitely move her up a food size asap, maybe she isn't angry and just thinks you look like a good size meal
> 
> ...


 
Thanks for all the advice, lets hope she sorts herself out:bash:


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## Damowhite (Aug 26, 2011)

*Boa bugger*

Ok put in plenty of hides for starters and do you have a basking spot for your boa ? I have a basking spot of 91-92 degrees for my boas down to about 80 on the cool side. Get yourself a snake hook and every time you go into the viv tap the boa on the head and neck or rub the snake with the hook around the head neck and body before doing any handling or moving in his viv. This will stop him thinking its feeding time every time you open the viv also gets him used to being touched and handled when he doesnt want to be. Dont give up or get discouraged a little bit of agresion is easy to get over normally if every thing is ok in the viv. Also it keeps you on your toes :lol2: Good luck and keep trying you will soon get back to how it was before. Also yeah bigger food will help but without a size reference I cant really help there !


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

They dont shed to a timetable so she may be due, as already mentioned rat pups sound too small for a year old boa - they can cope with good sized meal - go for abou 1.5 - 2times her fattest point.


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## pricer (Aug 3, 2011)

My bci is cb11 and is now taking med rats, her parents were big so she will prob get the same


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## Snakey Josh (Jul 25, 2011)

pricer said:


> My bci is cb11 and is now taking med rats, her parents were big so she will prob get the same


Blimey, how big is she now?? My 2008 has only just moved up from mediums onto large rats!

Josh


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## pricer (Aug 3, 2011)

She's approx 40 inches....


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