which species ins best for a 6 foot naturalistic enclosure a ball python or boa bci?

[Bogertophis]

Hi I want to buy a 6 foot enclosure for a female boa or ball python I want make it naturalistic with real plants branches to climb and natural hiding areas for the snake and I wanted to know which snake would be happier in a 6 foot enclosure a ball python or boa constrictor bci I want a female because personal perference the females get bigger and I want a snake that will be active and explore their enclosure climbing branches sleeping in their hides etc and I wanted to know which snake would be happier in an enclosure that size? im new on this forum and have never owned a snake before this will be my first snake.

Back to the original question, herphunter: between the 2 species you started with, a ball python vs. a boa, I personally greatly prefer boas for their personality & easy feeding. I've only had one- a female- & eventually she just got larger (8') than I really wanted to deal with, but she was an unwanted rescue (yearling) that I was talked into taking, so I didn't have a choice of gender or locality. In hindsight, I'd have been happier with a male that stayed smaller, OR one of the dwarf species- but she needed a home & someone that understood how to calm her down- that was me. At first, I thought I'd rehome her after I fixed her bad attitude, but by then, I adored her too much to part with, so I continued to hope she wouldn't grow so large. In case you don't know, snakes grow their whole life- that growth slows down when they get older, but it does continue.

She had changed hands many times before I took her in, & was a feisty biter that required calm experienced hands where she could finally feel safe- once she learned she had nothing to fear with me, she stopped trying to bite & never once bit me. She was sweet & cuddly, actually- but she was not a beginner snake because of her innate temperament (on the feisty side) combined with her bad experiences with other humans. She did the only thing she knew- tried to bite in self-defense until she was convinced that she no longer had to worry. It takes time (experience) learning to read snakes- they're stoic & unlike other pets- I'm just forewarning you. Boas are not usually suggested for beginners with snakes, because you're going to make mistakes. You will.

Anyway, back to your needs: a calm-tempered male boa with genetics that stay smaller may make a good pet for you if you get it as a neonate ("baby") so you can learn & adapt to it while it's still small. If you're going to get tagged (bit), it's much better when they're small. Boa teeth do hurt- and when you're new to snakes, you might not realize how to avoid nips- that's where snakes like corn snakes are great for beginners- when they're small, it's hard to even know you've been bit, as their teeth are too small to draw blood. Bites from even a small boa will hurt- but snakes bite for 2 basic reasons: either in self-defense, & you have to remember that we're big scary giants to them, OR because they're confusing you with food. Being a considerate owner will go a long way. Boas have a more relaxed, less shy, personality than typical BPs- & you do seem to want a heavier-bodied type snake. Boas are aggressive feeders & you'll need to use feeding tongs- trust me- they hit hard, & you never want to confuse a boa into thinking your "warm & wiggling" hand is the offering.

The decision about what kind of snake to get falls on you- we don't really know you, your background or abilities. All we can do is offer you some tips, and pros & cons on various kinds of snakes. And answer your questions as you go.