| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| uma and bill |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 09:22:32
We bought our Boa yesterday but in the shop he struck Steve 5 times and the shop owner, he said to see how it goes for 2 weeks so we took him home and left him from 4 in the afternoon till an hour ago while we stayed at mates so he had no disturbances all that time but we just tried to get him out and didnt even get as far as taking the lid off before he struck at it.should we keep him and hope it stops or take him back and get the female which was placid when we held her in the shop? |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| uma and bill |
Posted - 17/04/2011 : 23:49:11
quote:
Originally posted by Louise32
You will have to get some pics up of yours. :)
We will do in the next few days
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| Invalid User |
Posted - 16/04/2011 : 13:01:19
I had never heard of this method! I knew about power feeding but didn't know that some people try to control a snakes growth by feeding less!! Seems a really odd thing to do. If you don't have room for or don't want a big snake, don't get one!
Bob, I haven't found boa poo to be that smelly at all, infact I think king and corn poo is much worse! |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 16/04/2011 : 12:42:27
That feeding method is rubbish, stupid, and negligent, to put it bluntly!
You cannot control the size a snake will grow to by starving it.
All you are doing is starving the snake and you will cause numerous other complications, DO NOT even attempt to regulate a snakes size by starving it!
^^^^^thats not aimed at anyone here, just making sure^^^^^ |
| Mort13 |
Posted - 16/04/2011 : 10:42:24
quote:
Originally posted by gingerpony
quote:
Originally posted by uma and bill
I heard about the feeding method but I cant say I agree with it.
what feeding method have you heard about? 
Think its in regards to feeding to control size.  |
| gingerpony |
Posted - 16/04/2011 : 09:17:48
quote:
Originally posted by uma and bill
I heard about the feeding method but I cant say I agree with it.
what feeding method have you heard about? |
| lotabob |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 23:26:28
Not having a go but its not wise to buy a Boa if your not sure how big its going to get. You will have to plan for a potentially 9 foot snake that will take 2 people to handle (well one person to handle one on standby just in case). Have you been treated to a Boa poop yet? Gas masks at the ready for that, lol, I knew it was bad but oh boy its worse than that. |
| gmac |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 22:51:10
quote:
Originally posted by uma and bill
A common Boa with the red/brown tail, I have seen some pictures and some of them are massive. I heard about the feeding method but I cant say I agree with it.
.
sizewise male common 6-7 ft ish, female 8-9 ft ish |
| Invalid User |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 22:46:44
You will have to get some pics up of yours. :) |
| uma and bill |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 22:41:24
A common Boa with the red/brown tail, I have seen some pictures and some of them are massive. I heard about the feeding method but I cant say I agree with it. |
| lotabob |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 21:49:42
What type of Boa did you get, is it a common Boa (or whatever they call them these days)? You get all the taming down and settling done while they are small as they will get big (but not monster sized) I think Boa's top out at 9 feet max, maybe a few out there that get bigger. there are 10 sub species though, I have a Hogg island, they rarely exceed 5 feet but I'm planning for her to hit 6 to be on the safe side, always plan for the biggest they could get rather than hope they stay small. To an extent you can control size by feeding different amounts but not a fan of this method so thats all I'll say on it. By the time its an adult you will be so attached it wont be scary or worrying. |
| Invalid User |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 21:44:00
What type of boa is he? |
| uma and bill |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 21:41:35
yeah it was pics of your Boa that made my mind up about getting one im abit bewildered about how big it will get though as im used to my corns but im sure as it grows i will be so attached i wont care it will just be my baby :-) |
| lotabob |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 21:28:08
I've just recently got a Boa heard they can be a bit nippy as babies but they mellow out once they feel comfortable, Sanke has got over the bitey stage but still gives a little musk every now and again when scared but once she's picked up she calms right down once she sees that shes not on the menu.
Keep going and you'll get a nice tame and nosey Boa like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv5w1QqIMnw |
| uma and bill |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 21:06:19
quote:
Originally posted by Louise32
Just took this quick video to show you what my hogg is like and how I pick her up and also how soon she calms down. She has only been with me a couple of weeks now but is fast learning that no amount of hissing will stop me picking her up. I took a chance here to as she hates the camera and I did think I was asking for trouble having her in one hand and the camera in the other but she was very good, again, she is learning that the camera wont hurt her!
Also notice how when a boa doesn't want to go back in a rub it's hard to stop them one handed! These guys are clever and as you have already noticed, very different to corns :p
http://s1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff471/CodyBoo2/?action=view¤t=DSCF7230.mp4
Thanks for the video it helps alot and you can really hear the hissing.Ours looks like yours but a little bit smaller, gorgeous snakes arent they |
| Invalid User |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 15:51:27
Just took this quick video to show you what my hogg is like and how I pick her up and also how soon she calms down. She has only been with me a couple of weeks now but is fast learning that no amount of hissing will stop me picking her up. I took a chance here to as she hates the camera and I did think I was asking for trouble having her in one hand and the camera in the other but she was very good, again, she is learning that the camera wont hurt her!
Also notice how when a boa doesn't want to go back in a rub it's hard to stop them one handed! These guys are clever and as you have already noticed, very different to corns :p
http://s1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff471/CodyBoo2/?action=view¤t=DSCF7230.mp4
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| uma and bill |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 14:38:21
thanks for everyones advice its just a little distressing when your used to corns. |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 14:22:56
ok, at 18 inches its gonna be very young, so being snappy isnt all that un expected, its rarer to have a baby boa that doesnt hiss and bite than one that does, all my babies hiss and bite given the chance, but as Louise says, confidence is the key, if you dont have it, they will walk all over you, so to speak! leave it be for a week or so, and see how you go from there, nothing but water changes and the occasional spot clean. |
| uma and bill |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 14:18:28
quote:
Originally posted by mikerichards
How big is the boa? tbh its fairly normal baby behaviour, its a fear thing, not an aggression thing! Whilst its gonna hurt a bit when it bites, you need to get over that, if you cant, then its really not for you!! if you cant get over it, it will only get worse, and you will potentially have a bitey snake, or a snake you dont trust as an adult, and when a 6 or 7ft boa bites you, you gonna know all about it!
How you keep it will make a difference, so all the info asked for is useful to know. Some of my babies are a little bitey and hissy, which as mentioned, fairly normal. Its how you react to it that makes the difference, Boas arent corns, they are more intelligent and learn much quicker than corns, so you need to be on top of it.
Was the biting when it was in the enclosure, or whilst you were handling? was there open mouth hissing as well??
Its a difficult thing really, some but not all grow out of the bitey stage, some stay like it because they know you will leave them alone, i had one like that, and believe me, at 5ft she could pack a punch, and she was only 2 years old!!!
As everyone has said, you really need to give it time to adjust, for at least a week, and seeing as you have a bitey snake, i would say its essential.
I would say persevere with it, you can turn it around, but, you must be prepared for a bite, and not let it phase you, yes it hurts, yes it bleeds, but thats it, it hurts less than a papercut, and for less time, i grazed myself worse than a boa bite! thats no lie!
Its getting your head round it thats key, or they will know! they have a sixth sense like that, kinda like a horse does, they know if you are scared! Take my big boa, when anyone who is scared of her is handling, be it only a couple of feet of her, she goes to great lenghts to get back to me, and only me, because she knows the person is scared and i am not, she trusts me, and that is something you can develop with a boa, thats where they far exceed most other snakes.
Keep us updated though, see how it goes.
Thanks its about 1.4 feet long. |
| uma and bill |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 13:39:12
yes we will, thank you for advice :-) |
| Invalid User |
Posted - 15/04/2011 : 11:39:36
My Hogg Island Boa is very hissy at times, full open mouth loud hissing and you have to just ignore it. She hisses at me because she is scared. I just take the advice I was given and remain confident and just reach in behind her and pick her up. After about 30 seconds she stops hissing and happily slides around my arm.
So far it's all been a front with her and she has never struck or bitten me but even if/when she does I will just keep on as before. As mentioned above, I don't want a grumpy bitey 6ft boa later! |
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