First large constrictor?

[herpgirl]

I've been keeping snakes for years(corns, BPs, kings, milks, etc) but I'm wanting to get a larger snake now. Would you suggest a burm, retic, or some type of boa? Why? Thank you so much!

[Rob]

Depends on how much size and personality you are ready for. Boas are the obvious "next step" they get big but not huge. Burms get much larger but are slow movers and pretty chill(I've only had one burm tho) Then retics my personal favorites get very big and love to get out and run, also they are extremely intelligent and know everything going on around them so it's important to learn to read them well. It's all in what you are prepared for, just make sure you have done all your homework and know you're ready for a large animal.


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[pariahdog]

I'd go with a boa first, maybe a female if you're serious about getting a giant in the future. imo retics and burms are in a different league than boas, which are considered a good "next step" up from bps, like Rob said.

[Sauzo]

Go boa. They are mellow, get larger enough to be impressive but not huge to require 2 people to move. Boas get on average 4-8' depending on locality, sex, and feeding. Another good choice would be a super dwarf retic but you would want a pure locality like Kalatoa. They get about 6' or so. Now if you get a morph with sd blood, its kind of a guessing game to size as to how much the mainland blood influences it but I would be prepared for 10'+. As for burm, you could get a dwarf burm which will be about 6' too but they on Lacey Act so they cant be transported across state lines.

Bottomline is if you go for a SD retic, make sure you know the parents size, how many generations of SD it is and what % SD it is or if its a pure locality.

[Terminal]

I think a carpet python would be good. Much more length without the bulk and weight of some of the other choices.

[Andylee11]

Boa would make sense. But if your ok with a larger snake I would recommend and burm. I would do my homework first though .

[Andylee11]

If your unsure or doubting keeping a Burm or Retic in anyway I would get a boa . If your certain and are committed I would recommend a Burm or Retic .

[bcr229]

Another vote for boa. BCI, BCC, Dumerils - all get up to a decent size. Don't let the Dum fool you either, while they don't get quite as long as the other two, they're much heavier-bodied and insanely strong.

[JoshSloane]

Please understand that with these types of questions, the best that we can offer you is a highly biased opinion, of which you should probably not put much weight into. None of us could possibly know enough about you or your situation to produce an answer for you.

Now, with that disclaimer, here is my highly biased opinion: don't get a boa just because they are smaller than burms/retics, and bigger than corns. Yes, both retics and burms will get significantly bigger than boas. However, a smaller size in no way guarantees a more manageable animal, or a better experience. As with any animal, there is definitive individual variation for all three of these species. I have 4 boas, 2 retics and 1 burm. Out of all these snakes my most unruly and aggressive one is a boa. My burms and retics have never tagged me, or even attempted an aggressive posture. In the past I had a dwarf retic, much smaller than all the others, and it shredded my hand every time I handled him. Point is: your purchase of a large constrictor needs to be based off of your love and interest for that individual animal, rather than that it just fits the basic parameters.

We we have all heard the old adage that retics are smart and quick, and burms are slow and dumb. My experiences lend no credit to this. These animals are all MUCH smarter than we give them credit for.

Also, please don't let internet images of gigantic retics and burms frighten you away from them. The Internet is rife with people over feeding large constrictors just to show off their size, mostly resulting in a snake with a vastly shorter lifespan. Most male retics and burms can be comfortably kept around the 10' mark, with a healthy and planned feeding routine. It is also rare to find females of both species over the 15' mark in captivity. Specimens over this size are usually highly over fed. This means that most males can be kept in a 4' T8 size AP cage, and females in a 6' enclosure indefinitely.

I love my boas dearly, but as I have gotten into retics and burms over the last few years I found that many people wrongly discount them solely based on size.

[dkatz4]

I know this thread has been inactive for a little while, but its super interesting as i too want to upgrade in size at some point. i have a CA boa; dont know if its technically considered a "dwarf" but at 2 years old and he's just under 3' and about as thick as broom handle at his widest point so i dont envision an adult size any bigger than 4 to 4.5 ft (but please tell me if you disagree). In my mind i am between a full-sized boa and a male burm. Personally, I happen to think retics are the most beutiful, but i do get a little nervous about temperament as i have kids who might not be able to "read" them like an adult could so it seems like the general even tempered burm might be a safer bet (while fully acknowledging Josh's point about individual personalities vs species generalities). I have a question about housing - I have a spot all picked out for a 6' by 3' enclosure - is this even big enough for a male burm? and also, what kind of height do they like? With a boa, i plan to go 3' tall with sturdy climbing structures (does anyone think taller would be better? i have the room to go a bit taller but dont want to waste the space if its not going to be used) . But i havn't been able to find much about whether or not burms will climb if given the chance. This isn't a collection, this is [going to be] one big pet, so i am happy to give it as much room as it will actually enjoy, but i dont want to build an artificial floor-to-ceiling rainforrest for an animal who really just wants to curl up under a rock either.