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Taming a bosc

1K views 28 replies 9 participants last post by  martin day 
#1 ·
How long does it take to calm a Bosc down. The one i want is beserk, wipping tail, biting and hissing and stuff. I've read that this is standard stuff so what i want to know is this. what methods have been used to tame down a Bosc and what time scale should i be looking at to calm the little blighter down?
 
#2 ·
My 08 bosc is quite tame. However, when i first get him out, he sometimes hisses, opens his mouth at me & trys to run away. But after softly talking to him, he calms down and is more than happy to sit with you.

Just get the one you want, atleast if they are hissy and whipy you know they are healthy. Will calm down with alot of handling anyway.
 
#3 ·
Could take quite a wlile to get him to calm, patience is the key. The main principle being let him come to you, try not to force interaction as this may stress him out more.
One tip i have read many times on this forum is to put an old item of clothing in his viv so that he gets used to your scent. Also if you do pick him up keep him close to the ground, and just gently support him. The tighter you hold them the more frightened they will be.

Ours was a dream really he was never hissy or agressive to start with. To get him used to us we just used to sit in a playpen (just so he couldnt get into the sofa or under the TV cabinet) with him and let him walk around and over us. He invaribly used to fall asleep on your lap or your feet (something he still does now). I wouldnt recommend that with an animal that is already highly strung though. As that could stress them out more.

The key is time and there is no accurate estimate of how long it will take, ours was handleable from the start, others take time and some never calm down. You just have to be prepared to spend alot of time with him.
 
#4 ·
Our bosc was nervous when younger. Weve had him a year now and is fairly tame. It will take patience and if you get him out every day for a few mins and get him used to you handling him then he will calm down.

When you get him out, when he struggles hold him firmly but dont squish him, until he calms down then put him back. This way he wont think if i fight i get my own way.

We found if we dont use our hands to feed him, he doesnt attack them and associate them with food so we feed wearing gloves.

:2thumb:
 
#6 ·
As above, don't bother handling him everyday and all that. Leave him be and let him come to you, thats the best way to build a relationship with any monitor.

The piece of clothing advice always seems to work well, get him accustomed to your scent so that after a while he won't relate you to something unpleasant i.e. being lifted out of him viv against his will.

Just doing the normal maintainance (sp, hate that word) and talking to him while you do it so he gets used to you...

: victory:
 
#7 ·
I think its each to their own. It depends on the temprament of the animal. Like the guys said dont bother handling every day but we handled ours at least 4 times a week from day 1 and he is a friendly chap now.
:2thumb:
Just a note though we didnt pluck him out of the viv every time he know comes to us and scrabbles on the doors for a cuddle. You'll find your own means of handling him. Have fun with your bosc.
 
#8 ·
if he`s young he`ll see you as a predator and will be hissy and whipy as a form of defense not just to be aggresive its best to leave them and grow a trust between you both, he`ll start comeing towords you when you open his viv in no time and then you can start strokeing and handleing just have patience: victory:
 
#10 ·
Not really advisable to hand feed as he might accidentally get your fingers. I found that mine got used to the same bowl for feeding and I would show him the worms so he could see me putting them in from his hiding place. Then just went away and left him to it. Any rodents/quail will be fed by tongs and that will get him used to seeing you as the source of good things too. Both my bowl and tongs are bright shiny metal so it's funny sometimes to see him dash out expectantly when he sees me carry the parrot bowl to my caique's cage :lol2:
 
#11 ·
Its amazing how they imprint, mines the same, has the magpie syndrome. 'Oooo bright and shiny must mean food!'. Not good if you have lots of piercings/wear lots of jewelery!:lol2:

Definitely dont recommend hand feeding a young Bosc or a previously hand fed one for that reason! Though ours can be hand fed now and he is really gentle, but thats because over time he has learnt that hand does not equal food. And we only hand feed his treats occasionally as its hard to pick up some things with tongs.
 
#14 ·
Mine is a year and a half old and is almost three and a half feet long, nose to tail tip. Hes always been fed a really varied diet (no more than 2 mice per week uaually only one dependant on size) and was in a large tank, 6x2, from a young age. Although he started in a 3x2. Always had UV although theres some debate over the merits of this. And a regular day-night temp and light cycle.
 
#22 ·
Yep sadly I'm back. I was in the north sea for 31 days. What joy.

In the meantime my Bosc has developed an amazing bond with my girlfriend. I'm rather jealous. Having said that he has just climbed out and made his way onto my lap for a bit of fuss.

He's a sucker for neck strokes.
 
#26 ·
it can be hard work but mine is starting to trust me i put my hand in his vv and lets him come to me and now when he sees me he knows it feeding time and comes up 2 the glass waiting for food but he got to learn that when i go to his viv its not always feeding time just take time and be stress free when you do go and get him
 
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