Are Rosy Boas Friendly? (Temperament)

A snake species that is becoming quite popular among different reptile enthusiasts nowadays is the Rosy Boa.

The reason why it is as popular as it is can be attributed to how it is said to be beginner-friendly due to its temperament and more docile demeanor.

And not all snake species are really known for having that same temperament.

Is the Rosy Boa really a friendly snake?

Rosy Boas are actually snakes that are friendlier and more docile compared to other species of snakes. They are easier to handle due to how gentle and generally docile they are. As such, the Rosy Boa is said to be one of the best snakes for beginner reptile owners due to its friendly temperament.

As you can see, the Rosy Boa should be a snake that is friendlier and more likely to accept getting handled by a human.

This is primarily due to its easygoing and docile personality. However, that doesn’t mean that this snake is generally a safe snake as you still need to be quite cautious when handling a Rosy Boa, which can still show its aggressive side in rare instances.

Are Rosy Boas friendlier than most snakes?

One of the things that tend to turn people off in relation to keeping snakes as pets is how snakes are often described and portrayed to be aggressive predators that can bite and actually kill you if you are not careful enough when you are around them.

This is why people tend to fear the very sight of a snake regardless of its species or whether or not the snake is actually venomous.

However, there are some snake species that are actually so safe that people generally love keeping them as pets regardless of whether they are totally into keeping pet reptiles.

That’s because these snakes don’t aren’t venomous and have the right size and temperament for common households. While not domesticated, they still have qualities and traits that allow them to be good pets even for beginner snake owners.

One of these snakes is the Rosy Boa, which is said to be one of the best snakes to be kept by beginner snake owners who don’t have any experience when it comes to keeping snakes.

And the reason why the Rosy Boa is an ideal pet snake to have is due to its apparent friendly demeanor. But is Rosy Boa really friendly?

Well, if you compare it to other snakes, then the Rosy Boa can be described as “friendly” because of how it doesn’t have the aggressive and defensive temperament that most snake species have when it comes to human interaction.

As such, the Rosy Boa rarely shows its aggressive side and is not a snake that is likely to bite. In fact, it is said to be so friendly around humans that the Rosy Boa actually doesn’t mind being handled and may even like getting handled by its owner.

That said, the Rosy Boa is indeed a friendlier snake in comparison to other snake species due in large part to how docile and submissive this snake can be.

But, in terms of whether or not it has the same kind of friendliness that a dog has, that may be pushing it. Still, in comparison to other snake species, then one can easily say that this snake is friendlier.

Is the Rosy Boa easy to handle?

Now that you know that the Rosy Boa is generally friendlier compared to other snake species because it rarely shows its aggressive side and is almost always docile and submissive, does that instantly make it an easy snake to handle?

For the most part, yes, the Rosy Boa can be quite easy to handle even for beginner owners who don’t have much experience taking care of or handling snakes.

In fact, children can even find that the Rosy Boa is an easy snake to handle as this snake is not likely to show its aggression or bite a child due to how docile and submissive of a reptile it is.

This makes the Rosy Boa one of the snakes that people tend to describe as beginner-friendly as basically anyone can handle it quite easily.

However, you still have to make sure that you are not rough when it comes to handling the Rosy Boa. When the Rosy Boa feels that you are being a bit too rough with it or that you are not handling it the right way such as when you tighten up and don’t allow it to move around so much, it will begin to feel threatened and will ball up.

After balling up, the Rosy Boa will release a musk that is supposed to be its defense mechanism against its natural predators. While not dangerous to you, this musk can be pretty irritating.

As such, it still is better to make sure that you handle the Rosy Boa gently and to make sure that you and your snake both feel safe. Don’t be too tight or rough on the Rosy Boa when handling it.

Just simply allow it to move around your hands without tightening up your grip. Rest assured that giving it enough freedom won’t lead it to bite you or to do something that can be dangerous.

Can a Rosy Boa show aggression?

We have mentioned over and over again that the Rosy Boa is a snake that is generally friendly and quite docile in comparison to other snake species. But does that mean that it is a completely safe snake that won’t show its aggressive side?

Like all snakes, the Rosy Boa will still show its aggressive side when it has a reason to do so.

This can include the occasional times when it might feel like you are being too rough with it as it does have teeth that it can use to try to defend itself other than using its musk, which is supposed to ward off its natural predators in the wild.

However, the most likely case when the Rosy Boa will show its aggressive side is in relation to feeding. Such instances include:

• Not feeding it properly such as starving it as any animal that is starving is more likely to show its aggressive side.
• Not feeding it the right kind of diet. A malnourished Rosy Boa will most likely display an aggressive side due to how it isn’t receiving the right kind of nutrients it needs to stay healthy and to maintain the right kind of temperament.
• Hand-feeding it. This will allow the Rosy Boa to associate your hand with food. So, when you try to handle it, it might actually bite you thinking that your hand is food. That’s why you need to feed it using tweezers or forceps.

As long as you avoid any of the abovementioned instances, you can be sure that the Rosy Boa is unlikely to show its aggressive side or might not even try to be aggressive at all. This is exactly why this snake is said to be beginner-friendly.