Please Help. Pic Heavy Lipstick

BoaBoy91 · 07-22-13, 05:18 PM

Ok today i picked up a beautiful female lipstick boa. I noticed two things about her that i need some advice about. She is cage aggressive, once i have her out she is great. With handling and age will she out grow it? and i also noticed a line/indention on her belly (going down about 50% of her belly). does this indicate anything bad?

Mikoh4792 · 07-22-13, 05:35 PM

Wow I've never seen anything like that. Could just be a birth defect of some sort. If she poops, pees, and eats fine I wouldn't worry about. Does she move normally?

Hannibalcanibal · 07-22-13, 05:35 PM

The line is the snake's "belly button" (all my snakes have something like that). And it might grow out, might not, but i hear they (boas) usually get better with age, though not always.

bigsnakegirl785 · 07-22-13, 05:47 PM

That looks to be a bit more extreme than what you would call the snake's belly button. It's much larger than Cloud's was when he had one. I should still have a picture if you'd like to see. To me, it looks like maybe it's an indentation. My ball python has been climbing up the overlap of his glass doors, and he has a line down his belly just like that. As far as the aggression is, I don't know, I've never run into it with mine. Try getting some thick gloves if you don't want to be bit, and handle her regularly. She may clear up her attitude as she gets older.

Chris72 · 07-22-13, 05:50 PM

How old is your snake (that is a goood lookin' animal BTW)

The line:
Hard to tell from the pic but that line on the belly is likely fine and just a remnant from growing in the egg. If the area is not red, scales are not lifted, etc. I wouldn't think you have anything to worry about with that line. Have seen much, much worse.

Google: miracle ball markus

On the aggressiveness:
With age and regular handling it may get better. However it may not. A client of mine is a marine biologist who once said during a conversation "animals are like humans in some ways....most are even tempered for thier species, some are stand-offish, and the odd few are like Charles Manson". Move slowly, respect her cage space and you have a good chance. Not a boa guy...I'm sure there will be boa specific advice coming.

BoaBoy91 · 07-22-13, 07:40 PM

Thank you all. yeah i ask because i have 7 days to return if anything is wrong with her, and i want to eventually get into breeding her. As for the aggression I'm not as worried because she hasn't struck at me yet.....but she has hissed and opened her mouth when i touched her.

Chris72 · 07-22-13, 08:18 PM

Oh Gawd...a little hiss in the cage is nothing. Even more so if you are in there bugging her during the day; remember she is nocturnal. Give her some time....looks like you have a good one!

rocknhorse76 · 07-22-13, 08:25 PM

Not sure about the line, but my male Dumeril's hisses at me almost every time I lift his hide to pick him up. I just give him a few taps before I pick him up and all is well. He's over 6 feet long and about 10 lbs, but he doesn't scare me

Lankyrob · 07-23-13, 04:26 AM

Tap training

Mikoh4792 · 07-23-13, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocknhorse76

Not sure about the line, but my male Dumeril's hisses at me almost every time I lift his hide to pick him up. I just give him a few taps before I pick him up and all is well. He's over 6 feet long and about 10 lbs, but he doesn't scare me

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Tap training

How do you tap the snake? Lightly on the head? with the hook? I may need to do this when my snakes become bigger.

KORBIN5895 · 07-23-13, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikoh4792

How do you tap the snake? Lightly on the head? with the hook? I may need to do this when my snakes become bigger.

Punch it in the nose.

@op

I have a yearling that is named Malice. She lives up to her name hardcore. She is super cage defensive but I just reach in and grab her she has never tagged me yet. Now one of my womas on the other hand......

Mikoh4792 · 07-23-13, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

Punch it in the nose.

But that's what I do to kill the mice before feeding!

Ddub · 07-23-13, 07:06 AM

This behavior is pretty common amongst boas in new homes. Ideally you'd want to just leave them be with no interaction for several weeks to acclimate to their new environment. If you're planning on breeding down the road just get used to this type of behavior so you know how to deal with it. You'll need the experience when dealing with offspring and trying to remove the mother from them. If all else fails, I like Korbins advice on a good nose punch!

BoaBoy91 · 07-23-13, 07:21 AM

Here is two more pics I took yesterday

**Pareeeee** · 07-23-13, 07:34 AM

Snake bellybutton. I freaked the first time I saw this on my BP as well.