Help please

niemi99 · 08-07-14, 04:15 PM

About a month ago I purchased a rosy boa. Well since having him I have been feeding him fuzzy mice ( not live) in a SEPERATE enclosure as told. And he eats about 3 a week with no problems. He isn't big and a full size mouse is too big for him . Here IS my problem...Everytime I try to hold him or pick him up to feed him he bites me..just taking the top off his enclosure gets him into striking position. What is wrong???

Hmmm · 08-07-14, 09:34 PM

I would have to guess that he might just be hungry and thinks your hand is food lol. You should try to feed him in his enclosure, its a total myth that they get aggressive when they get fed in their enclosure... I may be wrong on this though

**EL Ziggy** · 08-07-14, 10:02 PM

I'm not sure why he's biting you. Sometimes young snakes can be nippy. Most grow out of it. He definitely shouldn't be hungry. 3x a week is too often to feed most snakes that I know of. I don't keep boas but most young snakes eat every 5-7 days. What are your temps and humidity like?

Mikoh4792 · 08-07-14, 10:35 PM

He's just defensive. Most young snakes should be and be ready to accept the chance that yours may never grow out of it.

Don't feed outside the enclosure...no need to go through all that. Whatever reasons you heard for feeding in a separate enclosure is either a lie or misinformation.

CosmicOwl · 08-07-14, 11:09 PM

Try feeding him in the enclosure. He could be associating you removing him from the enclosure with food.

**EL Ziggy** · 08-08-14, 08:10 AM

Edit: I just read that your boa eats 3 fuzzys a week. I thought it said 3x a week. My bad

Cmwells90 · 08-08-14, 11:49 AM

As a young snake they're instincts are very strong, biting and attacking is just part of life for them. Feeding in the cage may help, but I would recommend a snake hook and hook "training" the snake. Just tap it with the hook when you're taking it out to be handled, after a while it'll learn that the tap means it's not being fed and you'll see an immediate change from hunting mode to a more relaxed position, but putting your bare hand in a cage to pick them up can be an invitation to being bit, remember that's their territory.