Just picked up an 8 year old female and having problems!

[RitalinBoyDFL]

I have owned large snakes in the past, but it has been a while since my last one. Anyway, I was working at the pet store and a lady came in to buy rats. I asked what she was feeding and she said a "Red Tail Boa". I was looking into getting a snake again and told her and she said that she was trying to find a new home for hers because she had started a family and didn't have enough time for the snake anymore. She said that it never stuck at anyone, at frozen, not aggesive at all. I question that now. I brought her home the day before yesterday and set her up in her tank, 55 gallon that I was given along with the snake, and set it up the EXACT same way it was setup at their house. My girlfriend and I got her out of the pillow case she was in and placed her in the tank. We decided it was best not to get her out because she had eaten that day. We did place our hands in the tank and storked her, didn't seem to bother her much at all. Now things go down hill. I left for work yesterday and a friend of mine came over to see my snake. He has a 10 1/2 foot boa himself so he knows how to handel them. He got her out for about two hours with out incident, but when he picked her up to go back in the cage she struck at his face twice. He had her neck under control so she didn't make contact, but not a good sign. So, around 11 pm I get ready for bed. Walk in the room, and she is coiled and strikes at the cage the second I walk in the room. I walk over to the tank and she strikes a total of three more times hitting the glass and the lid. I unplugged her lamp and went over to my bed and all I could her was her hissing. I turned the light on and she struck. Turned the light off and tried to sleep, but she just kept hissing. So I grabbed my blanket and went to my room. This morning she is moving around the tank like crazy, but isnt hissing or strking. Anyone have any idea's on what could be going on?
Thanks
Jay
[addsig]

Hi there;

WELCOME TO RTB.NET!!!

Yeah a few thoughts for ya on this..
First.. The snake was most likely needing a new home due to it's temperament most likely. Ya just weren't told about such is all [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]
Second, the snake has just eaten and due to such may be a lil on the "jumpy/insecure" mode is all.

OR The snake just needs some time to "mellow" out a bit and settle in with you. Wait a week or two and see how the snake is "getting along" at that point before deciding that it is actually "untame" so to say. After all your friend had the snake out for quite awhile without any problem it seems even.
On another note... WHY was your friend handling a snake for such a long time prior to 48 hours after it had been fed ? This also could be why the snake acted like this too.

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[RitalinBoyDFL]

My friend did not know it had just been feed, I'm sure if he would have known he wouldn't have taken her out. I guess that I will give her a week or two to get used to the new place. Friend of mine just got a 18 inch RTB and we handel him as often as possible. Could it be that the larger snake smells the younger one and that is promoting the strikes? As far as I know the older one has been on her own for her entire life.
Thanks
Jay
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[Ed_r]

Yeah very true. After just eating like that she could have been getting ready to Regurgitate. She may have been an ornery one from the get go. I have a female now that after she gave birth is not very handleable ever since. Hoping she calms back down.
Not saying anything about your knowledge os snakes and RTBs BUT Lets get back to basics too. Just because your copying the exact living environment the previous owner had doesn't mean its right.
First off How big is the snake?
An 8 yr old female should be at least in the 6-7' range probably bigger.
A 55 gal tank is way too small for an adult RTB.
What are the temps in the cage. Use a digital thermometer. A few degrees off and that could be the reason for a cranky snake.
What sustrate are you using?
What was the snake fed size wise?
[addsig]

	Geek Auto Linker or Gallon Geek Auto Linker Gallon - United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>Could it be that the larger snake smells the younger one and that is promoting the strikes? </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

UMm ..Nope not likely [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] this type of snake could care less if another one is around at all really.
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[Dr.Oviparous]

Welcome to RTB, Ritboy! no, I don't believe the smallersnake smell is causing the strikes. BTW, what is the snake's set up like? place big enough for the snake to hide in? how big is it (the snake)? -Juggalo
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[RitalinBoyDFL]

She is about 6 1/2 feet
The reading in the tank is 86 degrees
I know the 55 is too small, I am building a new cage for her now.
She is on astro turf
If I rember correctly she is feed two med. rats, which seem to small. I was going to get a jumbo frozen for her next feeding.

And I figured that by copying the enviroment, the shock to the snake would be much less, doesn't look like my plan worked right though. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

I went back in the room to check on her, she saw me come in and moved very close to the glass, but no hissing or any other weird behavior. She was doing the slow tongue flick which isn't good. Im hoping that she calms down.
Jay
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[Ed_r]

She was probably relieved to get out of the sardine can and out in the open, and may have been 'voicing' her oppinion about going back in. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img] She should calm down when she gets in a bigger environment. I got a very nast male BCI in that would strike at me every chance he got. I got him home and in a nice environment and he was calm and pleasant in a month. I just let him be. Then after his quarentine i put him in with me 2 females. Needless to say I'm his best buddy now. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
Oh Definately a jumbo rat for feed. That will also calm her down.

_________________
Reptiles are like Pokemon... Gotta catch em all!!!

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[Ed_r]

Oh Yeah Welcome to RTB!!! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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[Dr.Oviparous]

A good bet might be the snake is hungry, I would switch to jumbo as well. I've never liked astro turf for substrate. I use cypress mulch in almost all mine. $20 at the pet store, or $1.50 at wal-mart [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] just needs to be cleaned, 200 degrees in the oven for a couple hours will do the trick (keep an eye on it, it can catch fire). how bout te hide, does she have one? if not she could just be being defensive because she's scared of her new surroundings. -Juggalo
[addsig]

Umm JUMBO for a 6 1/2'er ? Don't know what your jumbos look like that you get but mine are like the size of a rabbit that I get and definately not something a 6 1/2'er could eat at all. Go with what the appropriate sized prey is for the snake's girth anyway..
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[Ed_r]

Lori All my BCI Adults eat jumbo rats. My 7.5' female eats rabbits when i can get em. That is appropriate sized prey for mine at least. 6-6.5' should be almost a 12&quot; girth.
500-650 grams
_________________
Reptiles are like Pokemon... Gotta catch em all!!!

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[Bry]

Ed_r, I hope you're talking about the rat being 500-650 grams, because that's only 1-1.5 pounds. A 6-7' BCI would be a little on the skinny side if it were 500-650 grams.

Bry
[addsig]

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[Ed_r]

Yes the rats
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