Girth

I'd like to get a boa sometime in the future but I can't decide if I'd like to get a male or female. Sizewise I feel that adult males are a little smaller than what I am looking for, but at the same time, there are some monster females out there and that is not what I am looking for either. Ideally, I'd like a boa that is about 5 inches in girth, I'm not so worried about length. Are those monster females somewhat rare or pretty common? Is it a matter of how much you feed it? Maybe I should get a female of one of the smaller species? What do you think?

There's numerous factors that aid in boa growth. Ssp. being a biggie. Feeding frequency, sex, cage temps, genetics all play a role as well. If you are "too" concerned on size, then maybe a boa isn't the best choice. But that's just my standpoint. When acquiring a snake, if you are concerned on it getting too big, then it's not the pet for you.
.
Some of the Island ssp. of boa stay very small. A Cayos de los chochinos (Hog Island) might be a good choice for you, male or female.
.
Best of luck.

I'm not worried about the size as in I won't be able to handle it or will be scared of it. I just wouldn't choose to "put up with" a huge boa.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by yeahyeah

I'm not worried about the size as in I won't be able to handle it or will be scared of it. I just wouldn't choose to "put up with" a huge boa.

---

So maybe you shouldn't get a boa when it has the potential to get bigger than what you're willing to "put up with".

So tempted to quote out parts and just put that's what she said...

anyway do some research, you'll find what you're looking for.

Basically I just want to know if I should go with a male or a female of one of the smaller localities. Thanks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by yeahyeah

Basically I just want to know if I should go with a male or a female of one of the smaller localities. Thanks.

---

Female nic's get like 6 feet long and they are fairly slender compared to other females

So if you want a decent sized snake you will still get one, but it's also safe to say you wont end up with a 9 foot monster :P