So, I've made up my mind.

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Originally Posted by artgecko

I do not own them, but with SD retics, I've read extremely varied accounts of how large they get and their temperament. If it will only be you handling, cleaning, etc. then I'd go with a male high percentage or 100% SD locale only and buy from a reputable source. You don't want to handle anything over 8' solo and even a male SD would be pushing that.. but they are thinner than boids, so that should be considered too.

There are a LOT of options with boas. I own 5 myself (BCA, BCI, CA BCI, and BCL). If you stick with a male, most will max out around 6' (or less) and be thinner than a female. Not all boas stay that small, but if you are really concerned, you can purchase a dwarf locality like a central American, Nicaraguan, island boa, or Mexican boa. BCL also stay leaner and shorter on average.

I am married, but my husband doesn't enjoy the hobby. He will help occasionally if I'm sick or something, but I take care of my whole collection (~15 snakes, 6 geckos, and 1 skink) by myself. I would not want to keep a similar number of large snakes though.. and wouldn't want anything that I couldn't handle solo if needed. My largest snake now is my male BCA at just over 5.5' and I can easily handle him by myself. Time is the biggest issue with maintaining a larger collection.. I spend maybe 30-45 minutes on average a day (sometimes 1hr+) and then about 2-3 hours+ on the weekend doing deep cleaning, etc.

I have purchased my first breeding pair (BCL) but am growing them from hatchlings so it'll be about 5 years before I even have the option to breed them if I decide to at that point. I picked BCL specifically due to their smaller size and relative rareness in the hobby (plus they look great). That said, I can see my time commitment at least tripling if I breed and have to deal with cleaning, feeding, and selling babies. Not to mention how much my food bill would go up.

Deciding whether you want to breed or not is a very serious matter and you can always go back and change your mind if your situation changes later. I'd grow your collection and buy a few nice females of the species you want to deal with.. Grow them up and see what the amount of work and time is and also how you feel about handling them, then make up your mind.

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Yes, I spoke to a SD retic breeder (the guy I bought my V180 from) who mentioned the temperament of the SD Retics. I have his information, and he said he would introduce me to some reputable breeders that I would get what I am looking for. My plan is to keep one of the tubs empty so that I can transfer whatever snake whose Tub I am cleaning to the open tub.

Yes breeding is very serious, that is why I don't want to do it solo. But something I did speak with my GF about was getting a female T- Blood python just in case I ever change my mind. :)

our SD retic is a total sweetheart. has only struck at us maybe twice b/c husband had mouse hands. our dwarf is a little newer but has settled in nicely..she is also very nice.

i hope you guys share some hobbies, if not snakes. gotta always be friends first.

I would be leery going into a marriage with somebody that does not like snakes as much as me but that's just me and my own personal opinion. But, I'm speaking from experience. :(

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She is the best person in the world. I never thought I would meet someone that understands me for who I am. Around her I can just be myself and not worry about how she might judge me. She loves me unconditionally and I love her the same. She never tells me I shouldn't do something because its how she feels. She supports me in everything I want to do. At 40 years old I have been through a lot of relationships, but she is different. She honestly understands me. She may not like it all the time, but she understands. She totally supports my hobbies, she just doesn't want to partake in this one. :)

I wish y'all nothing but the best

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Originally Posted by sur3fir3

Yes, I spoke to a SD retic breeder (the guy I bought my V180 from) who mentioned the temperament of the SD Retics. I have his information, and he said he would introduce me to some reputable breeders that I would get what I am looking for. My plan is to keep one of the tubs empty so that I can transfer whatever snake whose Tub I am cleaning to the open tub.

Yes breeding is very serious, that is why I don't want to do it solo. But something I did speak with my GF about was getting a female T- Blood python just in case I ever change my mind. :)

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Having spare, clean tubs and empty rack slots is GREAT. I use this system when I'm cleaning. I keep a stack of prepped tubs (clean with substrate) and can pop snakes out of a dirty tub into a clean one and replace it in the rack. I also keep an empty slot in my CB70 rack to hold snakes from my PVC cages while I clean..That is also something that makes cleaning cages a lot faster. I have enough CB70 tubs now that I have 1 spare for 3/4 of my total rack slots. I can clean them, spray with disinfectant, and stack to dry. Doing things this way has probably cut my cleaning time in half.

I hear you on breeding. It is best to wait until you are sure you are ready, but having some nice animals in place in your collection that you wouldn't mind breeding (if you decide to) is definitely a good idea. :)

What do people use for disinfectant nowadays?

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Originally Posted by sur3fir3

What do people use for disinfectant nowadays?

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In the past I've used Nolvasan, & F10, but currently using generic chlorhexidine (Durvet brand, carried by feed stores & online). I haven't added any snakes for a few
years & all my snakes are healthy. I use it to wipe down the rodent cages too (I breed my own). Nolvasan & F10 are a bit stronger but 'over-kill' for me now. If you
have a growing collection, are breeding, or running a veterinary clinic ;) -that's who also uses these- the higher prices may be worth it to you.

They are all similar to use: they dilute way down & you can wipe & dry a cage with the solution without rinsing. Very handy...(note- most effective
when you wait about 20 minutes after spraying cage before you wipe dry).

I use 50/50 vinegar and water solution on urates and waste to get it off, then spray with chlorhexidine solution. I bought a gallon bottle from reptile basics about 2 years ago and a pump lid for it. I do one pump into a spray bottle and dilute. It is safe once it is dry and it does not have a strong odor. I have used hand sanitizer and baby wipes in the past too, but I like spraying down the whole tub with the chlorhexidine. Be aware that chlorhexidine goes bad over time in the light. I keep my gallon bottle in the closet along with the diluted spray bottle. I change it out weekly.

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Originally Posted by artgecko

I use 50/50 vinegar and water solution on urates and waste to get it off, then spray with chlorhexidine solution. I bought a gallon bottle from reptile basics about 2 years ago and a pump lid for it. I do one pump into a spray bottle and dilute. It is safe once it is dry and it does not have a strong odor. I have used hand sanitizer and baby wipes in the past too, but I like spraying down the whole tub with the chlorhexidine. Be aware that chlorhexidine goes bad over time in the light. I keep my gallon bottle in the closet along with the diluted spray bottle. I change it out weekly.

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Thanks, I think I am going to go the chlorhexidine route. So the solutions I found are 2%. Do you still dilute it?