Puerto Maldonado, late December 2018

[cranefly]

2018-12-30: Part 6 -- Tree Boa
The snakers redeem themselves with an Amazon tree boa.  It's four feet long and quite aggressive (they don't make good pets).  Mohsin gives an impromptu lesson on handling it.  Holding it by the coils, he instructs Olaf to release its head.  Olaf does so cautiously.  The tree boa rears up as if to strike Mohsin, but Mohsin remains calm and it doesn't.  The trick is not to react to it, Mohsin says, to stay relaxed past that point when you think it will strike.  Also, you shouldn't breathe on it, as the snake will think you're about to eat it and strike.  The fact that Mohsin is talking puts him at some risk because of his breath.


Several people take turns holding it, following Mohsin's guidance.  He does warn that if it does strike, it's not going to let go.  Time and again the tree boa looks poised to strike.  But by staying relaxed and ignoring it, the tree boa never does.  I don't take a turn holding it, just as I didn't with the vine snakes, for a reason I'll explain later.

When it's Ian's turn, of course he takes it to the next level.


With dusk coming on, we have dinner, laze a bit in the hammocks and chairs, then call it a night.