| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| mikeyd_26 |
Posted - 26/09/2011 : 23:57:58
ive just aquired a new hogg isle boa (female around 12 months old) off a friend of mine. the reason i got it off him is he wasnt looking after her properly and it hasnt eaten for 6months (still cost me £85! the cheek!) basically i just wanted to help her ive had it for just over 5 weeks and she still wont eat and is VERY bitey and im not sure she is drinking. ive tried her with braining, warming up food and recently a live rat pup but she seems terrified of everything. ive been told boas dont really go off food so is this a job for the vets? any other suggestions?
she is currently in a small rub with a heat mat that fluctuates between 28.5 and 33. she was formerly in a 4ft viv! with 1 hide and a waterbowl nothing else. |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 21/11/2011 : 10:07:39
Just a thought, it sounds like shes biting you rather than being just overly mean. try washing your hands and arms with something different, change the smell. |
| mikeyd_26 |
Posted - 05/11/2011 : 00:13:57
lol! i put my motorbike gloves on the other day to pick her up which went smoothly untill she was in my hands and she got the top of my fore arm! it was a head under running tap job to get her off! (almost 10 mins!) which prob didnt help the cause. and @ mikeR yeah her problem is i think she is scared of everything even her food. but on a positive note she has not lost any wieght since i got her.
thanks for the help (so far!) ppl :) |
| ptmbradley |
Posted - 04/11/2011 : 11:18:20
quote:
Originally posted by mikerichards
Sorry, forgot about this!! Hows she getting on now?? Handling wise, if she is still really bitey then use a glove, that way she can still bite and you wont feel it, it also gives you the confidence to handle her, on top of that, it gives her the chance to realise that biting isnt gonna help.
Most snakes bite out of fear, its their only way of deterring an attack, so handling her with the glove will show her that she doesnt need to fear you, that will take time though.
this is how I'm having to deal with my moody madam. On with the gloves, wait for her to bite my thumb a couple of times and let her settle after a hissy fit, and then take the gloves off once she's settled. Just really hope she grows out of it!! lol |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 04/11/2011 : 10:13:28
Sorry, forgot about this!! Hows she getting on now?? Handling wise, if she is still really bitey then use a glove, that way she can still bite and you wont feel it, it also gives you the confidence to handle her, on top of that, it gives her the chance to realise that biting isnt gonna help.
Most snakes bite out of fear, its their only way of deterring an attack, so handling her with the glove will show her that she doesnt need to fear you, that will take time though. |
| mikeyd_26 |
Posted - 29/10/2011 : 23:07:15
yeah im clued up that far im just worried about wot next. thanks for the suggestions tho lotabob. and tbh i think some one with more experience than me would make a difference |
| lotabob |
Posted - 29/10/2011 : 19:24:16
While its not feeding I wouldn't handle the snake at all other than when you have to for cleaning etc. Keep it nice and quiet, stress free, preferably in a part of the house with very little traffic.
On the feeding front there isn't a lot you can do but just keep trying just keep prey items nice and small, defrost them for a few hours close to the enclosure, get a hairdryer and blast the poor ratty for 5-10 minutes, get it nice and warm and sneak it in for the snake with minimum fuss and then retreat, cover the RUB with a towel and leave overnight and cross fingers. |
| mikeyd_26 |
Posted - 29/10/2011 : 18:49:22
hi peeps. sorry for the late reply my internets been off 4 a while. @ mike i live in york. ( and your offer is great if poss )
@ gp is pauline the older lady with the bullsnakes? she seems like she could help....
in both your opinions what can i try next for her? my biggest concern is that she might suffer due to me beign not sure what to do next. do i just stick at it? eg trying to feed her every 7-10 days and handle her now and again (even tho i get a boa attached to my arm every time! lol) |
| gingerpony |
Posted - 21/10/2011 : 14:34:57
sorry you feel it's come to that mikey  have you thought about Pauline from rep night taking her on for a bit?
tbh most of mine are starting to go off their food now....... but if i can help at all just email me  |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 21/10/2011 : 10:00:25
Where are you mate? I dont mind taking her on for a while, maybe work with her and get her calmed down a bit, then you can have her back if you still wanted her. |
| Auld Baldy |
Posted - 21/10/2011 : 01:57:56
Although i don't have any experience with Boas I do agree with Bob. If it has been so badly neglected previously then you will have that extra burden to overcome. Stick it out and don't panic. She's in a caring home already. That equals the best for her in my book.  |
| mikeyd_26 |
Posted - 21/10/2011 : 01:37:23
i get you lotabob ive had snakes for a whole 18 months plus now! errm yay me! but this one im worried about, the bites i can honestly take the fact that i really dont know what to do next is what bothers me. i just want a gud home for her. and i do own 2 other hogg isles so i thought i could handle/help this one = wrong!!! needs more than i can give in my own personnal knowledge and little time that i have...... ( im a chef a day off is rare! ) |
| lotabob |
Posted - 21/10/2011 : 01:29:20
Hang in there bud they do calm down eventually, Sanke my Hogg is very tempremental but she is just beginning to calm after about 6 months or dodging strikes and been hissed at. The not eating thing just sounds like she is a shy girl around eating, its a very vunerable time for them, I can understand how it can be stressful for you when they don't eat but snakes can go a long time without food so dont worry that she is only eating every now and again, that may improve with time as she settles or it may just be the way she is, in the wild they dont eat to a schedule. You are providing her everything she needs so there is no suffering involved. I hope you decide to keep going with this one you're not doing anything wrong though if I was a little closer I would jump at the chance of a free Hogg, I love them even the fussy ones lol. |
| mikeyd_26 |
Posted - 21/10/2011 : 00:02:03
okay peeps i know its still a bit early. but she refusing food again!!! had her on a heatmat but changed the stat to a dimmer. and she very very bitey. I think ive taken on more than i should of with this one, due to my lack of experience with boas even though i own 2 they have beign easy compared to this 1!, and i dont want her to suffer because of my lack of experience. so if people such as GP, mikeR, gmac, kehlyr, corn morph master eejie want her ( or even people you can personnaly reccomend) then i will be more than happy to let her go for no price, just your own travel expense/courier ( as im skint cos im gettin married next year!) sorry if part of this post is in wrong section! |
| ptmbradley |
Posted - 10/10/2011 : 22:16:12
yeah that was my thoughts re. tap training. She's already scared and nervous and there I am taking a stick to her! Hopefully she'll come to realise that biting doesn't actually achieve anything and she'll stop. Fingers crossed!
And good luck with yours mikeyd. |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 10/10/2011 : 21:55:09
Sounds like you have your hands full there Pete!! TBH, i wouldnt bother tap training yet, tapping an already scared snake isnt gonna help much!! wait till she calms down before going down that road. Once you start though, you have to make sure that you ALWAYS use the same method, otherwise it confuses them and its pointless, as i have discovered with my girl, she was tap trained, i havent done it for ages, so when i used it the other day, she ignored it!!! |
| ptmbradley |
Posted - 10/10/2011 : 21:46:32
my new arab girl is my problem child. She just HATES being disturbed and strikes and bites constantly when I go to take her out. Been trying her with tap training but no luck so far. Usually now I just put my leather gloves on straight away and go in to get her, and she normally bites the gloves several times before she calms down. That normally takes a minute or two and then she's generally good as gold and I take the gloves off. Hopefully it's something she'll get tired of and start behaving, coz if she's this moody as an 8' adult I'll be frightened to go near her! lol |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 10/10/2011 : 20:33:37
dont worry, a bit of manliness will get you through it!!! |
| mikeyd_26 |
Posted - 09/10/2011 : 22:01:31
lol! yeah must admit if she makes noise i leave her be! but will be brave next time! but i blame you if she bites me LOL! :) |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 09/10/2011 : 21:35:09
Out of all the boas i have had, Hogs are the bitiest of them all, you just gotta weather through it. Other than my big girls, pretty much every boa has bitten me, its all fine, however if the big ones are in a mood, i avoid like the plague! i could do without 2 stone of boa attached to me!!
I know its easier said than done, but if you can avoid having the snake actually biting, then that will help long term, hissing and blowing off steam is fine, just get in, get her, get out, its easier shown than written, especially when watching tv! |
| mikeyd_26 |
Posted - 09/10/2011 : 20:40:25
cheers mike. and dont i no there bites have a good sting! all of mine have got me at some point. and thanks for the info on the stats, all 3 are on mat stats at the mo but shall change that as soon as |
