[Behavior] My new red tail

[Aspectt]

I bought my red tail boa I have wanted for a while from a local pet store he is all helthy. I held him at the store on multiple occasions and now he has been home for a day when I even get close to the cage he goes into defence postions. I don't want to just reach my hand in there and get bit is it because he moved homes so he no longer likes humans or whaT?

[Aspectt]

Re: My new red tail

Or should I just man up and touch and and he will recognize? I'm just another human like before?

[Noelle7206]

Re: My new red tail

He is in a whole new world (for him!) and he is frightened. It's best (for him) if you do NOT try to handle him for several weeks or longer, and only until AFTER he has fed easily for you at least twice at normal intervals.
It puts a strain on a snake's immune system which means any germs he's been exposed to now have a better shot at making him sick. (petstores are stressful enough, but now he's been uprooted as well) Also, some
snakes will feed well in new surroundings, but many won't...especially if right away you start handling them first...it seems to interrupt their instincts...so for all these reasons & best results, please let him settle in first.

Find out when he fed last in the store. If he is too stressed when you feed him (due to the move, your handling, or both) he is more likely to regurge his meal...and that is not good for him either. Please just be patient,
the results will be much better for you (less likely to get bit) and for him (more likely to thrive under your care).

Make sure he has plenty of places to hide in his cage (cool side and warm side) and if he is really defensive when you pass by the cage, you might also consider draping a towel over half of the cage while he settles in.
(or tape paper over the outside on half the cage, until he gets used to seeing a new "world" out there).

Keep in mind that snakes don't typically "recognize" us visually at all....they mostly recognize our scent & our touch...don't take his reaction "personally" at all. To him, any movement past his cage or in his direction
may be a predator...he was used to the cage before...it will take some time before he feels safe in this one. What you choose to do will either help or delay that process...I recommend patience.

[Jrock23]

Re: My new red tail

Just be patient with him and give him some time but do not stress him out. You may also want to purchase a snake hook. Because pet stores feed inside enclosures so by u reaching your hand inside his enclosure, he may think its feeding time and you just might get bite.

[Aspectt]

Re: My new red tail

Ok thank top half of the cage is covered by a towel to keep in heat due to a glass tank. And i have his feeding schedule. Every Thursday, and for them being fed in the cage the petsotre i bought him/her from takes them and feeds them outside in a dark cage so they dont mistake i have yet to handle him sense he has got home i have only just misted him and such. I will wait untill he feeds at least twice. But for me to feed him i will need to handle him to move him into the feeding tank thing i bought. Thank you for the adivce regardless i was going to wait 10 days at least to handle him or 2 days after first feeding but for him that would be 10 days. Thanks for the help

[Noelle7206]

Re: My new red tail

May I suggest that you only use that "feeding tank" for when you need to clean the cage. Feed your snake IN the cage he lives in...do NOT try to move him to another cage...as he gets bigger, that becomes a

dangerous thing to do, since boas may stay "in feed mode" for hours or even days...meaning they are ready & willing to pounce on any warm & wiggling thing that comes their way even if they just ate. If that's

you, it's not going to be pretty, trust me on this... Boas catch on to when it's feeding time or not...for most of them, avoiding bites that result from confusion on their part ("is it dinnertime?") is not that difficult.

Most of us use signals of one type or another...see "hook training"...or clearly give them your scent* & touch* so they know it's not time for "room service"....(*use a small towel or glove, etc)...you can also give a

quick spritz of water to their face to change their train of thought (for food)...but please just feed him in the cage. It might be easy to move him now...but he won't stay this size.

[Aspectt]

Re: My new red tail

Anyone else think I should feed her in the tank? I have read that its good to put them in a another tank but if its better to do that then by all means I will. And what hook should i get for when he is bigger? What size? And the whole "know my scent" When will he know this? weeks? months? years?

[tsblair]

Re: My new red tail

Feed it in its tank. Using a feeding tank is unnecessary and may place more undue stress on the boa.

[Aspectt]

Re: My new red tail

Ok feed in tank and hook train sounds good

[Noelle7206]

Re: My new red tail

.... And what hook should i get for when he is bigger? What size? And the whole "know my scent" When will he know this? weeks? months? years?

You have lots of time to shop for a hook...you can use something else too...like a stick (or wooden dowel, or even a length of skinny PVC) with a padded end. You won't be lifting the snake with the 'hook' anyway...

Your snake will learn your scent quickly once you start handling them, but please wait until after a few weeks & a few meals to start that gentle process. Their sense of smell is incredibly good...so make sure you have

not touched their food prior to any handling also...or you'll find out that they rely more on scent than on sight, LOL! When you give your snake time to settle in first, the whole process just goes better...

[Aspectt]

Re: My new red tail

When i feed her in the tank should i turn off all the lights or anything?

[Noelle7206]

Re: My new red tail

Darkened room: Not necessary for most snakes, especially boas. They are usually good feeders. But I guess you'll find out?

See the more you handle a new snake, the more likely they WILL be fussy about food & maybe even NEED the lights off...simply because they get stressed...that's why we try to steer you right from the start.