Hogg island boa vs irian jaya carpet

[f22raptor95]

First, let me say that I HAVE researched the hell out of both of these animals. I know exactly what each needs in order to thrive happily that being said, I'm a ball python breeder looking to get into some more interesting stuff. I know that these 2 specific localities tend to be smaller, so that's a plus for me. But they also happen to be the prettiest in my opinion! So, I simply ask you, which one do you like better!?

[EL-Ziggy]

IJ or any carpet wins over a boa with me.

[Marissa@MKmorphs]

If we are only choosing between Hogg Island vs IJ ( not Boa vs Carpets), I would go with IJ all the way.

I don't have Hoggs, but I have 9 BCI, a BCC, and a BCA. I love my boa constrictors, but there is something about my carpets (yes, I have an IJ!) that just absolutely captivate me. The way they move, their intelligence, their strength, the changes in color over the first few years of their life.
I love my boas, but they are much more simple minded. My carpets are so complex.

Also, Carpets make better display snakes

[serpenttongues]

Hog island all the way! I've had mine for almost two years and I'm still stunned every time I open his tub. Great looks, great personality, great feeding response... What more could you ask for?

[Gio]

Good question, and one worth discussion.

Now what is it you are looking for in another snake?

I have a locality Colombian BC, and I have a coastal carpet python, and I have (we) a royal python.

No offense to the royal python lovers, but the royal is by far the least interesting to me. However that is just my opinion. I personal find semi arboreal snakes the most interesting. I like the combination of terrestrial and arboreal. You will find if you provide housing that allows climbing and perching, you will see several behaviors preformed by the snake that you would not see in a drawer or tub setup.

If you are not going to provide that type of caging, you will not see much different than most other pythons or boas.

Island BCs are said to be smaller and more arboreal than mainland BCs so you should get some nice activity from a Hog Island BCI. They can still hit the 7 foot mark and are generally heavier than most of the carpets. I don't really subscribe to either of the snakes you are looking into being nasty captives. I've been bitten a few times by both my BC, and my carpet during their early juvenile stage.

Still on the BC subject, they are very solid, heavy bodied and rather fun to handle. When I see my BC moving about, I find it really interesting and he perches, but also uses his ground hides.

The coastal is the busiest snake I have at this stage. The BC is 3 and becoming a fully mature adult male. He is closing in on 6 feet, and is relatively thick. I find he still perches, but has become a bit more sedentary and tends to use his ground hides. I attribute some of that to being fed well and becoming content. When I see that, I usually will hold back on the food, and make him work/hunt for food and suddenly, I have an active snake again. I've been experimenting with longer periods between meals and I have been finding a more active BC if I don't schedule meals regularly and keep variation in prey type and size.

On to the carpet python,

I really love the coastal. They are extremely arboreal, a trait of all morelia, but she will use the ground in the morning up until the afternoon and then like clockwork, she is up in the perches hunting and exploring. She is a 2 year old snake, and is longer than the 3 year old BC, but not nearly as thick.

In all honesty,,, it is the most "exciting" snake we have. That is hard for me to say because I love my boa constrictor. The carpet has not been as consistent of a feeder as the BC, but she is also taking the same sized prey and probably needs longer to become hungry again.

Having both is really a privilege and I can't say I'd trade either one. But I could trade the royal for a BC or a carpet or a SD retic.

Again, that's just my view and preference for display snakes.


Semi arboreal BC having a rabbit.





Having a climb during some relaxing and handling.

.

Beautiful body shape and colors.

They will climb.



Long, laterally compressed and muscular.




The carpet also has beautiful colors and pattern.



She is always in view.



This is the old cage. She needed more ceiling space.



Long and lean.

They seem to get a lot of length before filling out.


She is very busy as far as pythons and boas go.





I tend to throw out a lot of info in threads like these because I used to ask the same questions. I'm not sure if I've helped or made things more difficult. I have one of each and although not the exact types you are looking at they are close enough for a comparison.

Please ask more! I will be happy to try and answer specific questions if you have any.

Of course we will all say; Go handle both and see what you like best.

I will say if you are going to cage without a taller display, you may want to go the route of the BC as I think they will handle the terrestrial setup a tab better than the IJ. IJ carpets are smaller than coastals and usually even more slim. They will more than likely be very active in a tall cage.

Let me add the BC moves slow and more calculated and controlled. The carpet is quicker, less clingy and a bit more unpredictable during handling.

Good luck!!

[f22raptor95]

Good question, and one worth discussion.

Now what is it you are looking for in another snake?

I have a locality Colombian BC, and I have a coastal carpet python, and I have (we) a royal python.

No offense to the royal python lovers, but the royal is by far the least interesting to me. However that is just my opinion. I personal find semi arboreal snakes the most interesting. I like the combination of terrestrial and arboreal. You will find if you provide housing that allows climbing and perching, you will see several behaviors preformed by the snake that you would not see in a drawer or tub setup.

If you are not going to provide that type of caging, you will not see much different than most other pythons or boas.

Island BCs are said to be smaller and more arboreal than mainland BCs so you should get some nice activity from a Hog Island BCI. They can still hit the 7 foot mark and are generally heavier than most of the carpets. I don't really subscribe to either of the snakes you are looking into being nasty captives. I've been bitten a few times by both my BC, and my carpet during their early juvenile stage.

Still on the BC subject, they are very solid, heavy bodied and rather fun to handle. When I see my BC moving about, I find it really interesting and he perches, but also uses his ground hides.

The coastal is the busiest snake I have at this stage. The BC is 3 and becoming a fully mature adult male. He is closing in on 6 feet, and is relatively thick. I find he still perches, but has become a bit more sedentary and tends to use his ground hides. I attribute some of that to being fed well and becoming content. When I see that, I usually will hold back on the food, and make him work/hunt for food and suddenly, I have an active snake again. I've been experimenting with longer periods between meals and I have been finding a more active BC if I don't schedule meals regularly and keep variation in prey type and size.

On to the carpet python,

I really love the coastal. They are extremely arboreal, a trait of all morelia, but she will use the ground in the morning up until the afternoon and then like clockwork, she is up in the perches hunting and exploring. She is a 2 year old snake, and is longer than the 3 year old BC, but not nearly as thick.

In all honesty,,, it is the most "exciting" snake we have. That is hard for me to say because I love my boa constrictor. The carpet has not been as consistent of a feeder as the BC, but she is also taking the same sized prey and probably needs longer to become hungry again.

Having both is really a privilege and I can't say I'd trade either one. But I could trade the royal for a BC or a carpet or a SD retic.

Again, that's just my view and preference for display snakes.


Semi arboreal BC having a rabbit.





Having a climb during some relaxing and handling.

.

Beautiful body shape and colors.

They will climb.



Long, laterally compressed and muscular.




The carpet also has beautiful colors and pattern.



She is always in view.



This is the old cage. She needed more ceiling space.



Long and lean.

They seem to get a lot of length before filling out.


She is very busy as far as pythons and boas go.





I tend to throw out a lot of info in threads like these because I used to ask the same questions. I'm not sure if I've helped or made things more difficult. I have one of each and although not the exact types you are looking at they are close enough for a comparison.

Please ask more! I will be happy to try and answer specific questions if you have any.

Of course we will all say; Go handle both and see what you like best.

I will say if you are going to cage without a taller display, you may want to go the route of the BC as I think they will handle the terrestrial setup a tab better than the IJ. IJ carpets are smaller than coastals and usually even more slim. They will more than likely be very active in a tall cage.

Let me add the BC moves slow and more calculated and controlled. The carpet is quicker, less clingy and a bit more unpredictable during handling.

Good luck!!

Thanks so much for the awesome response! Very pretty snakes you have also...and that is exactly it. I love my royals but I'm looking for something exciting that isn't going to get too big. Maybe I'll get both! It seems everyone has a hard time deciding

[Gio]

If you can house both adequately, do it!

They are both very good animals and I really can't pick. It depends on the day for me. Sometimes I just get blown away by the BC because he is so stealthy and calculated. It seems like a big deal when you catch a BC moving, and when you do you, you just have to watch.

When I think of snakes in the jungle, boa constrictors come to mind. You would be safe on the size front with about any male BCI, and even some male locality BCC stay lean and easy to manage.

Part of the boa pleasure IS the larger size coupled with the docile and easy to handle disposition. "Big snake,,, but not giant".

Carpets seem to be one of the ultimate display snakes based on activity, and of course colors.

You can't go wrong with either IMO.

[Reinz]

I have a 5 ft BP, then I got a rescue 6 ft Boa which I just love and have had a ton of fun with. However, I wasn't planning on the Boa, I was wanting a Jungle Python.

Next I got a 7 ft Coastal Carpet instead. It just worked out that way and I am very pleased. A very cool, fun snake. And I agree with Gio, the Carpet is less clingy, quicker, and unpredictable in handling. And for me, since she is so long, I can only take my eyes away from her for a fraction of the time that you can the Boa or BP, which isn't much! Because she can reach so far and so quick!

Im glad I got the Boa first, otherwise I might not have ever picked one up. And I would have really missed out. And as I always say, any snake with a mustache just has to be fun!


Elenore


Lizzy

Turned my back on Lizzy for one second and she's about to pull the pictures off of the wall!


Elvira, the BP

[Gio]

I have a 5 ft BP, then I got a rescue 6 ft Boa which I just love and have had a ton of fun with. However, I wasn't planning on the Boa, I was wanting a Jungle Python.

Next I got a 7 ft Coastal Carpet instead. It just worked out that way and I am very pleased. A very cool, fun snake. And I agree with Gio, the Carpet is less clingy, quicker, and unpredictable in handling. And for me, since she is so long, I can only take my eyes away from her for a fraction of the time that you can the Boa or BP, which isn't much! Because she can reach so far and so quick!

Im glad I got the Boa first, otherwise I might not have ever picked one up. And I would have really missed out. And as I always say, any snake with a mustache just has to be fun!


Elenore


Lizzy

Turned my back on Lizzy for one second and she's about to pull the pictures off of the wall!


Elvira, the BP

Nice post. It appears you and I have the same collection of animals. My son's royal is only 4 feet 3 or 4 inches, and I think my other 2 animals are a tad younger than your two but really, the sizes are close, although the coastal looks huge LOL!

When I was getting cages cleaned out and the carpet moved to her new spot, it was my boa that managed to pull a fast one. He crawled into the door jam at the rear or the door. I was afraid to open or close the door even a bit for fear I'd hurt him. It took about 20 minutes with the help of my daughter to get him out.

I will say pound for pound they are one of the strongest snakes because of their density.

I would gladly take another BC or carpet any day of the week.

There are only 2 other snakes, well 3 that I would ever want to add here.

dwarf or SD retic, scrub python if it would stay 11 feet or under, and a big eastern king.

Other than that, I am very happy with the current lineup.


O/P,

if you share a bit more of what you are looking for in your next animal and what type of setup you want to have, I'm sure others with carpets and boas would chime in with their own experiences.

[Reinz]

Gio, I agree with your add ons, I would want the same. But I have to be very cautious, I live in a town that outlaws Constrictors. So I have come to terms that a Giant snake is out of the question.

Without going into detail, a move is very improbable. I've lived here 24 years with massive accumulations and recent divorce.