is 20 dollars a good price?

Yea, start with a corn snake and once she's accepted that, start move up the scale.

;)

$20 --They don't get cheaper! But ,I agree that boas do get big. They also grow quick-like 5 foot or better in just a couple of years. So in the second year you are feeding a large rat at $6 a week!

Red Tail Boas can get very big compared to Ball Pythons and other species of snakes. If your mom has an issue with snakes, this is DEFINITELY not one to bring into your home for starters. My next door neighbor has 3 red Tail Boas and they are averaging about 8-10 feet in length. They are big and can be awkward to handle as well, especially for a beginner. The last thing you want is to get a snake that gets so big you can't handle him or her safely and end up wither injuring the snake, or getting hurt yourself.
Personally, if your mom has such a phobia with snakes, I would definitely hold off until you get out on your own. It's not fair to bring a snake into a hostile environment to begin with and risk having to re-home it at a later date because your mom can't get used to having one in the house.
Just some food for thought. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nate

if she's afraid of snakes, then a RTB is probably not the direction you want to take at this point.

It never hurts to let her know you've been doing research and present her with facts. One fact is a RTB is probably not a good beginner snake because of their size.

If you can convince her to start with corns or maybe even ball pythons, then prove your abilities to care for it and it will give her time to see that snakes aren't the demons that people portray them as.

:gj:

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i disagree. boas, imo, are the perfect first snake for someone afraid of serpents. the attitude, and the ability to "hang on" make them a great handling snake, more enjoyable and comforting than a nervous (or even calm and lazy) corn or other colubrid. if future size seems an issue, i suggest a male, who seem to never get too big to be worrisome.

my 2 pennies worth.

edit: forgot to say to go with baby if possible, so you and the scared can grow into the snake as the snake grows for you.

Also, considering all the facts already given, $20 for a Boa with all its setup?

Id be weary of such a deal. Sometimes things are too good to be true.

females hit about 8-9 feet and males hit 6-7 feet youll need a 4'x2'x2' for a cage for an adult male and a 6'x2'x2' for an adult female you need a 90 degree hot spot and 80 degree ambient temperature :gj:

The size would vary greatly depending on if its BCI or BCC.

If your mom would let you get it though then go for it, my boa is an awesome snake. Very intelligent and docile. But as others mentioned $20 is quite cheap; some guy on my local craigslist was offering an adult pair for free, catch was (I knew this as he had originally contacted me before through an ad of my own for help) that the snakes both had internal parasites.

Thanks everyone for all your input. I talked her into it. and I called her today but she already sold it.
I am moving out hopefully in a few years so by the time it gets to be to big for her I will be out on my own anyway. And plus my uncle has a HUGE tank. so I wasnt worried about buying a big tank he would probably let me have that one. lol.