Do you worry about the safety of owning a boa constrictor?
Are you afraid to handle the King Of Squeeze without some more knowledge?
Many people are nervous around the large boa constrictor; it seems like such a huge pet, you feel in danger.
In reality, the boa constrictor is one of the safest pet reptiles and snakes to own.
Still, knowing and feeling squeezed is a whole other thing.
This is why we’re here to help with this guide on how to get a boa constrictor to release.
Boa constrictors rarely bite or squeeze people unless they’re surprised. We’re too big for them to eat, so they’d rather run away from us. If you do feel the constricting coming on, wait until they realize they can’t eat you, unwrap them from the tail, spray the snake’s face, or break its jaw (only in emergencies).
Look ahead for more details.
Table of Contents
Do You Need To Know How To Save Yourself From A Boa Constrictor?
Yes, but you’ll likely never need to use the knowledge.
Boa constrictors only constrict things they want to eat as prey.
If they feel threatened or under attack, they’d rather slither away, and in dire situations, bite at the advancing predator.
By and large, the boa constrictor is a docile creature.
With appropriate handling, they’ll get used to you and rarely constrict or bite at you.
If they do, it’s not a big problem as long as you don’t panic or let the snake wrap around your neck.
Learn about how hard a boa constrictor can squeeze.
But wait! How do you make a boa constrictor release if it’s coiled around your neck?
A good question which we’ll cover in the tactics below.
However, the best answer to this question is not to allow the boa to wrap around your neck in the first place!
Will the boa constrictor bite you?
Yes, if you make some mistakes.
Never handle the snake when you see signs of shedding (dry skin, blue and milky eyes) or if irritable.
Don’t surprise the boa, either.
Always approach the snake from where it can see you.
When feeding the boa, never use your hands to put the rats or mice in the tank.
Always use tongs, or it may accidentally bite you.
4 Tactics For How To Get A Boa Constrictor To Release
Getting bit or squeezed by a boa constrictor is alarming, but it’s seldom a serious problem.
Just keep calm and remember these ways for how to escape from a boa constrictor.
#1 Wait
This may seem silly, but if you wait a minute, the snake will almost unwrap itself or release its bite.
Remember, you’re not their prey.
Adults are far too large, and even young kids won’t be small enough.
Note: Never let a child handle a boa constrictor without strict adult supervision.
Once the snake realizes you’re not hunting it down and you’re not food, it’ll release and go away.
Boa constrictors will know when to stop squeezing.
#2 How To Unwrap A Boa Constrictor
Unwrapping the boa is probably the most useful and practical of these skills.
When handling the boa, be ready to unwrap the snake whenever it gets near to going around your neck.
To unwrap a boa, lift the tail directly off your body and move it away from you.
Continue up the body quickly but smoothly until you reach below the head.
Boa constrictors are strong, but you’re stronger.
Don’t panic, or you may accidentally force it to bite.
Then you have to wait or do one of the next two tactics.
#3 Spray The Snake
Spraying the snake with water in the face is a simple trick that works with almost all snakes.
Some owners use a weak mixture of vinegar and water for a safe solution.
The idea is the mixture is repulsive to the snake. It makes them want to let go and retreat.
This trick is a good one if you get bitten.
It also works for when you need to get yourself out of a good squeeze, but in this case, unwrapping is still the best choice.
Of course, this only works if you prepare the bottle ahead of time and keep it nearby.
Whatever you do, don’t pull your hand or body part back.
Boa constrictors’ teeth are curved inward to trap prey.
Pulling back will dig the teeth in deeper.
#4 Break Its Jaw
You need to know how to save yourself from a boa constructor’s bite in the direst situation.
This should only be used if you severely fear for your health and life.
The other options are much better.
In the worst case, you need to break the snake’s jaw to release the bite and cause it to unwrap.
This will put it into pure flight mode.
We don’t recommend this at all except to save a life.
You’ll probably end up killing your snake or causing it to have severe problems for the rest of its days.
Again, this isn’t recommended by any means.
If you’re put in this life or death situation, you’ve done something incredibly wrong.
Follow these tips never to be put in this predicament:
- Never let it wrap around your neck
- Don’t handle when it’s shedding
- Feed only with tongs
- Don’t surprise the snake
- Move gently from where it can see you
Conclusion
If you ever needed to know how to get a boa constrictor to release, now you know.
Waiting and unwrapping the snake from the tail are your best options and will cover almost anything you’ll need as a boa owner.
Spraying the snake with a water/vinegar mix may help with a bite, and you always have the option to break the snake’s jaw (though this will likely cause the snake to die).
You’ll probably never need this knowledge as boa constrictors are calm snakes and don’t see you as prey.
This article may sound scary, but this is one of the nicest pet snake species out there in reality.
