Advice on first boa

My Tarahumara are a tad vocal if startled or feel threatened ... but never bitten or struck at by them .. I just pick them up and after about 30 seconds, if that, they start cruising in my hands and are as sweet as can be.

My little guy will hiss and strike repeatedly. I will try holding him more and I keep hearing they grow out of it. He stays in a striking pose even once out of his cage and won't move.

He seems to only want to eat once every two weeks. I guess my kingsnakes have faster metabolism as they will eat every 5 days. Also I have noticed he is a pet rock and I don't see him crawl around his cage and is always in the same area. He ignores the hiding places and stays in one corner kinda balled up.

Are you sure the temp gradient and humidity are correct? Attitude aside, I'd think a growing young snake should have more of an appetite.

Enclosure size and available cover may also have an effect. Babies generally feel more secure in a smaller space, should at least have suitably small hides.

Originally Posted by toddnbecka

Enclosure size and available cover may also have an effect. Babies generally feel more secure in a smaller space, should at least have suitably small hides.

This. Check the temps too. My three Taras are little garbage disposals.

I feed all of my boas pretty lightly though due to the health issues that stem from overfeeding them.

Originally Posted by big b

My little guy will hiss and strike repeatedly. I will try holding him more and I keep hearing they grow out of it. He stays in a striking pose even once out of his cage and won't move.

Yup that is one hissy lil baby! Pretty typical defensive stuff. Besides the other things mentioned, you might try to help him settle down by just hanging around outside the cage. I used to sit and read a book by my boa cages so they could get used to seeing me there and moving around. You can also try putting something like a t-shirt you've worn in his tank, so he gets used to your scent. Slow deliberate movements are good. It takes time and little boas are food for other animals so his defensive posturing is just his way of saying 'I'm a big tough guy don't mess with me'. When they get 'stuck' in posturing and striking, I've used a snake hook or sometimes a shield (like the top of a Rubbermaid) so I can gently pick them up and put back into enclosure and try again another time.

Good luck and hang in there!

Originally Posted by bcr229

This. Check the temps too. My three Taras are little garbage disposals.

I feed all of my boas pretty lightly though due to the health issues that stem from overfeeding them.

temp in hot part is 89 and is 80 in the cool part. I have a small hide and a bigger hide in different parts of the cage. He also has a 16 ounce water bowl. The ambient humidity here in the Seattle area is 47% today, how high should the humidity be in his cage?

I notice if I wiggle the mouse he shows interest in it. Thinking he would enjoy live mice as he came to me eating both f/t and live. He did eat a f/t thawed last time. ~10 days ago.

How long did you wait before trying to feed him again?

Well,

My little man has settled in and is eating smaller mice on a weekly basis. He found his favorite hide and has mellowed out. I don't see him out much, but when I do see him it is a real treat.

On a side note I have a caulker kay coming. I can't wait (is it here yet)
Sadly this will put me at my six snake limit (sanctioned by wifey). lol
I hope to persuade her into a couple more as I want to try and breed some zonata kings.

Ack, a six snake limit sounds pretty harsh, though your individual circumstances must be considered. Colubrids generally require smaller accommodations than boas, but if you breed them you will have to house their offspring too. Wine and dine her a bit, maybe even look into some new jewelry?
We have 15, though I'm not sure if I should count the wee diamondback water snake that's been MIA for a couple weeks now. Less than 12", somewhere in the basement, I've left a container of water and guppies on the floor but have't seen any disappear. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll see that one alive again, but for now it's still counted. I would like to move along a couple of my spare male DRMB's, and still want to add a Mexican black king to the collection.
Post some pics of the caulker when he/she arrives.