common boa handling issue

Question
I adopted my first snake, Crush, from a friend a year and a half ago, who was moving and couldn't take him. He/she is a common boa, approximately 3 years old and about 4 1/2 feet long. He is extremely docile, as I handled him 2 - 3 times per week. I have since purchased a 2nd boa and a corn snake for my daughter. When I purchased the 2nd boa, the breeder mentioned that I could keep the 2 boas in the same tank, even though Crush was easily 5 times the size of the new one, Bo. I kept them together without incident for a few months. As a matter of fact, they would almost always be side by side in the tank. I purchased a new tank a few weeks ago that measures 36"x18"x18", so that I could separate the 2 boas. I set up the other tank, but when I went to get Crush out of the shared tank, I found that he was agitated, and I couldn't get him without fear of being bitten. I managed to get him out to feed him, but after he fed, I picked him up with the hook. When I tried to lift him from the hook, he whipped around, mouth open to attack, but stopped at the last second, and just punctured my finger with one tooth. Then he was fine, and wrapped around my arm. Now, getting him off my arm and into the tank after feeding is normally not very easy, as he tries everything possible to stay up with me. I opened the cover to the new tank and reached in to put him back, and he struggled for a second, then simply let go and explored the new tank. Now, I can't even get him out, he goes into a defensive "S" posture and looks like he is preparing to strike when I open the cover. I was unable to handle him as much as possible this summer, due to work and vacation, but I need to get him back to normal. I have 3 kids who he was always very gentle with, but I am wary of letting them near him now. In the past year, he has not gotten much longer, but has probably doubled in thickness, so if I don't get him calmed down again, I'm not going to be able to handle him at all soon. What can you suggest I can do, to make him manageable again. I accept full responsibility for not handling him enough, but can this be undone?

Answer
Hi Mike,

Perseverance and patience are key to taming agressive snakes. eventually you will be able to tame your boa.

i'll list a few tactics to try on your boa:

the first one is a bit weird and isn't as successful as the others but is the easiest.

1) leave an item of your clothing - (preferably an old one and one that has been worn recently and not washed) inside your snake's vivarium for a few nights. this lets the snake get used to you scent and stop seeing it as a threat, hopefully allowing you to pick it up.

2)i recently devised a new method of taming my male boa down. hes a grumpy git and is about 5 foot now which makes it a lot harder. i used to try going in his tank and taking him out as quick as possible as usually he would be fine once he was out of his tank and off the ground. but this didn't allow me to confidently go into his cage. so now i go in slowly and put my hand on him. this will make him start hissing at me so i don't move any further and let him go quiet. at which point i move my hand under his belly, let him hiss himself quiet again and then gently lift him up and do the same once more. and like i said once he's off the ground hes OK. you could try that with your aggressive boa - depending on whether you can touch it without it straight out biting you.

3)You can get try ahold of a snake hook if its possible, and attempt to take it out using that first. some snakes tend to prefer being taken out on a snake hook first before being placed in their owners hands. also it keeps you out of biting range =) so try that. take it out on a snake hook and when you feel confident, slowly and gently lift her off the hook and into your hands. if this fails consistently with no improvement, move to the next option.

4)Wear some gloves. these will protect you from being bitten to some extent. go into the boa's cage and try and take it out. if it becomes aggressive and starts to hiss or bite, continue to take it out regardless of whether its hissing or biting (if possible) and try to get it off the ground and into your hands, at which point it should calm down a bit. This contradicts any common sense but the logic here is that the boa will realize that hissing at you or biting you wont achieve anything and it will hopefully give up after a few weeks. if you do back down when it fights back it will feel that by doing so, it can gain control over you and will continue to do it. eventually though, it will hopefully stop biting and you can attempt to pick it up using your bare hands.

This option does require a lot of confidence, so use this as a last resort. luckily baby boas have small teeth and their bites don't usually hurt ;)

Hopefully with a bit of time and persistence, your Boa will get used to being handled and will make a great pet.

I hope this helps,

Andy