hissing

Question
I just bought a baby red tail boa about 3 months ago.  She has never hissed at me or tried to bite me until just 2 days ago.  I went to change her water and then wanted to hold her for a little while and she hissed and snapped at me.  Then i tried to get her to eat a mouse in her feeding cage and all she did was hiss and snapped at it but did not try to eat it.  I put her back in her tank (using a pole) and she sat there hissing at me and even snapped at me when i walked by it.  Why is this? This has never happened since i've had her.  And she is in her 4th day of shedding.  She is shedding in pieces.

Answer
Roy, I'm guessing (as I can't see the snake) that her eye caps have not shed and she can't see very well.  Soak her in some warm water for about 2-3 minutes and starting at her nose work the non-shed skin off her head.  Roll it backwarsd towards the tail.  Hopefully the eyecaps will come off with the rest of the skin.  If not, write back.  BPC

p.s. sounds like you need to increase the humidity in her cage, that's probably what started all this in the first place, and make sure she has a water dish big enough to soak in.