Re: getting into boa constrictors
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ginevive
I would just make sure that with any species you want, you get a little experience with handling and feeding an adult. Even if it's just at a pet store; ask them to handle their adult boas. This way you can see if they are really right for you.
Hoggies seem really cool.
oh i'd love too, unfortunatly none around here (in any of our larger cities that i can get to) carry adults. the largest snake i've seen was a sub adult bp. everything else has been a baby.
hopefully i can make it to next month's dixie reptile show, i'll be sure and check if anyone brought theres or if anyone's near me that i can visit. every other time i've gone, someone's had a big girl forsale or to show off her babies.
Re: getting into boa constrictors
i think that "go handle a adult of the species etc" is crap, if you buy a snake as a hatchling no matter what it is, you will grow with it in husbandry skills and confidence as it gets bigger, same with the "am i ready for this snake" how do you know if your ready or not? just go buy it and raise it!
Re: getting into boa constrictors
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffjr464
i think that "go handle a adult of the species etc" is crap, if you buy a snake as a hatchling no matter what it is, you will grow with it in husbandry skills and confidence as it gets bigger, same with the "am i ready for this snake" how do you know if your ready or not? just go buy it and raise it!
This is a very poor way to purchase an animal, in my opinion. Many, many, many people see this little neonate snake in a cage at the pet store and think: "Huh, six feet really isn't that big." And then the snake gets to six feet and they no longer want it. Trust, I've worked in rescue, it happens all the time.
And as for making sure you're ready for the snake... hmm, to me, just going out and buying an animal without making sure you're prepared is about the most immature thing I've heard in a long time. If you've read up and have everything ready to go and just have that gut feeling, then you might be prepared. If you still have questions, don't have the right set-up, etc... nope. Just going out and buying anything---ESPECIALLY an animal of any kind---is not exactly the brightest thing to do.
Calling someone else's advice "crap" is not all that constructive, either.
Re: getting into boa constrictors
i feel it is completely in your best interest to handle an adult- i just posted in another thread about people that get themselves 'killed' or 'attacked' by their giant and the news is always "oh they were an experienced keeper that raised it from a baby".... i dont feel like 'growing into' a snake is very effective. say someone makes many feeding husbandry mistakes on a baby burm- and they keep doing it- eventually that will come to a head when that snake is 8-10+feet.
i just dont see how knowing everything possible about a snake during every phase of its life is a waste.
