Boa v Ball

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Any tool with a fish tank and a keyboard can be an "expert" on the internet.

-adam

---

LOL, that made me laugh.

My opinon still stands that a bci isn't an ideal first snake. Your average male colombian is NOT going to stay 5' long. I have seen 7-8' male colombians.. over 20lbs. That is not a small snake. It is a very powerful animal. Yes, they are usually tame, but if you don't have a some prior snake experience you may get into some trouble if you don't know how to read 'snake language'. The fact that BCIs are fast growers doesn't help.

I just don't think that a snake that can potentially overpower you is a good choice for a first snake. Just my opinion though.. and I'm not a person that has just one or two pet snakes. :)

My opinion still stands aswell..but I guess it depends on the person..for a little girl ok a boa might not be the best choice but seeings as a ball can also get 6feet a ball isent the best either..a corn snake is or a something that doesnt get any bigger then 4feet at MAX

I haven't read this whole thread, but here's a story that's relevant ....

I know a local guy here (we'll call him "Mike") that from time to time helps out one of the big boa breeders that lives here in Maryland ... cleaning cages, feeding, etc ... not full time, but he drops in to help every now and then .... He's not a "small" guy ... 6'3" .. 6'4" maybe ... about 250 I'd guess but I'm horrible with stuff like that ... much "bigger" than your average person ... he's in the gym all the time and does some type of "fighting" locally ... boxing, kick boxing, something like that, but I can't remember exactly ... "Mike" has many years of experience with all kinds of snakes, he keeps and breeds many of his own, and some people might even recognize his real name from around other forums and classified sites .... Well, one day about a year or so ago, "Mike" was up at this big breeder place cleaning some boa cages ... the big cages that the bigger male and female boas are housed in ... "Mike" comes to this one cage (a cage that he had cleaned 100 times before) and slides the door open and WHAM! ... a big ole girl lunges out at him, bites down hard into his shoulder and actually pulls big ole "Mike" inside of the cage with her and tries to throw a coil or two around him .... he had to scream for help to get out of the cage.

I've never seen a ball python of any age or size that can do that. :P

As far as Boa vs. Ball goes, personally I have no strong opinion one way or the other ... get what you like ... I just LOVE that story. ;)

-adam

lol.. yeah that is a good story. Yikes.

Most people don't realise the strength that even a 5' boa can have.. that's why I don't recommend it as a first snake! Make your initial SFEs with a ball, not a boa. ;)

How many 6 foot bp's have you seen, to me it seems like that fish story, with every post the size seems to get bigger ;) LOL

6' is pushing the limits. 5' females are certainly around.

I still dont see a 5foot boa being much if any stronger thne a 5 foot ball..the fact a boa may USE its strength more doesnt mean its stronger..this 250 pound guy could be a potatoe couch and not do anything and I could lift stuff all the time but just cause I USE my strength more doesnt make me stronger..know what I mean?

And even a 7foot male wouldent be aple to pull him in the enclosure lol if hes anywhere near that big it wouldent be able to eat him and would realise it cant so that boa would be bigger then your maxed male BCI...and back to the whole feeding thing lol dont feed it like a horse it wont grow to the size of a horse

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shelby

6' is pushing the limits. 5' females are certainly around.

---

Pushing it but possible

granted you would have to feed it like crazy but feed a ball or male bci normally and it will stay managable size...if it doesnt stay the average size ill buy it from you cause its a rare case that I wanna breed lol

BCI's are alot more muscle. Bp's are more fat (I think). My opinion is that a 4 foot BCI is far stronger than a BP of the same size.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Reptile_King

BCI's are alot more muscle. Bp's are more fat. A 4 foot BCI is far stronger than a BP of the same size.

---

Can I ask what studies you have done or know of that prove this?

From my experience boas are much more active when out of cage and quicker! They are more apt to throw a coil if they're not happy with you than a BP.

A BP has more of a 'small snake' temperament. They are more afraid and apt to ball up if afraid than try to constrict/eat you. ;)

A boa constrictor has the 'big snake' temperament. If they don't like what you're doing, they can do something about it, and they know it. :)

none. But thats always what ive heard from breeders and what not. My BCI can turn my hand almost purple, and id wager that an adult can do alot more than that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shelby

A boa constrictor has the 'big snake' temperament. If they don't like what you're doing, they can do something about it, and they know it. :)

---

I notice that the bigger my boa gets the more "attitude"(you could call it) he gets.

I know boas USE their strength more...my little guy holds on for dear life when im holding him with 2 hands where my ball on the hand doesnt try to grab at all

I must have the weird snakes lol my boa is the TV watcher usually just chills unless im standing and hes only in my hands but my ball wont sit still for crap

Alright well im done "arguing" or "discussing" it trying to convince people on a BALL PYTHON forum isent gonna work lol well to each his own

I am done as well. But im sure any where you go most people will tell you, corn, bp, kingsnake as the first species.

Boas never want to sit still.. silly things.

I'm just saying that if a boa wanted to do something to you.. they're more agile and I think have more muscle tone than a bp. Simple fact is they are potentially dangerous animals. Normally they are not aggressive, but.. there's always the possibility.

My little 3' dumerils boa makes my hand turn purple every time I hold him. I have to peel him off (not easily) and I have lovely scale prints on my hands after that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shelby

My little 3' dumerils boa makes my hand turn purple every time I hold him. I have to peel him off (not easily) and I have lovely scale prints on my hands after that.

---

My boa trys to slither backwards :rolleyes: He kinda curls him self up front and pushes backwards.

My more nervous snakes go backwards. I hate it because it makes their scales bend back.

We can go on about this forever! Both BP and BCI have it's pros and cons depending on who you ask. I agree that some snakes are more forgiving with husbandry errors than others, I also think there are more responsible people than others.

Male boas can be kept at around 5-6ft for may many years, can they reach 8ft+, sure! Remember that growth is associated mainly with feeding! The more/larger you feed, the faster/larger your Boa will grow! I feed my adult male boas (3-6yrs old, 4-5.5ft long) a medium rat every 2-3 weeks and they skip 2-3 meals a year, do you think they'll reach 8ft+/25lbs anytime soon? Check back with me in another 10-20yrs!

I'm new to keeping BP's (7 days to be exact), but I've kept Boas and other snakes for years and have enjoyed them immensely. I've got 7ft girls that are as tame as puppies, even after birth they are the calmest creatures alive, it doesn't mean I let my guard down around them at anytime or lay a P/K rat on my chest during feeding day!!

IMO, there is really no such thing as bad snakes, just bad decisions made by owners!

It's like the 14yr old living in his 10X12 bedroom in his parents 2/1 apartment, who just bought 2-3 baby Retics or Burms and is looking for that special Anaconda that fits perfectly in his extra 55gln fish tank. Are these snakes the problem down the road or is it the owner? I have nothing against Giant snakes, if you can keep them responsibly and properly more power to you!

Whatever snake you are thinking about getting, do your homework, do lots of research, take your time, visit a breeder, etc, etc. Ask yourself "can I house, feed and care for this pet properly today and tomorrow knowing those requirements?".

If after doing your homework, the correct answer you came up with is a Corn, Boa or BP…you've picked the right snake for you!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Diceman

While this is a ball python forum most people here will say ball pythons are the ultimate beginer snakes but go to a general reptile forum and talk to some experts and youll find most agree a BCI is a better decision

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Diceman

Alright well im done "arguing" or "discussing" it trying to convince people on a BALL PYTHON forum isent gonna work lol well to each his own

---

This is a REPTILE FORUM....not just a ball python forum. Do you not see that there are forum sections for other herps and that most people here own reptiles other than ball pythons? It seems like you don’t think to highly of us for ’just being a ball python forum’.....I would choose the group of people on bp.net over any group of ’experts’ on another forum anyday.

I want to know what your background is to have such a strong opinion on which is a better first snake.... how many ball pythons and boas have you raised to compare?

After reading this whole thread, I wanted to aplaud SSSCALES comments.
All in all if you want to own an animal (any animal) do your homework.
Yes some snakes are better then others when the person who is interested is a bit inexperienced. Most people whom I have talked with do say that BP's and most colubreds make fine first snakes.
With all of the information out there it is not very hard to learn all there is to learn.
What ever the person decides on, just ensure you can properly care for it for the long haul. Think financially, physically and emotionally.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

LOL ... what "experts" hang out on general reptile forums?

Any tool with a fish tank and a keyboard can be an "expert" on the internet.

-adam

---

Adam said tool, that's too funny.
Rusty

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rusty_Reptiles

Adam said tool, that's too funny.

---

You've heard me say worse. :O :D :party:

-adam

ssscales - you said it best, and you have the experience to back it up. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Any tool with a fish tank and a keyboard can be an "expert" on the internet.
-adam

---

I know you meant that in a sarcastic way (or at least I think you did), but there is a lot of truth to that statement. People like you Adam, help people like me become very knowledgeable very quickly. My snake would probably be dead now or in poor health living in a 10 gallon aquarium right now if people like you weren't here. I got Salina 5 months ago, and I know I have tons of knowledge that I never would have with out good forums like this. If someone takes the time to read and ask questions, they can be raising snakes like the big boys in a short amount of time.

I would second that - I learnt more in a couple of weeks of lots of questions and reliable answers from this forum (and researching the forum archives) than I would EVER get from little local pet stores.


I'm really grateful to all the knowledgeable people on this forum who have helped me.

i have had 3 boas, and 4 bps. both are good beginner snakes but i favor the bci because of their size and temperament. not everyone will be able to like that about a boa. so do what you want. get the snake that you feel is right for you.

But you also have to think, because you (not directed at anyone) have held adult and are comfortable with them, doesn't mean there good first snakes. Because eventuly that little baby will become one. If i had never held a snake before and someone told me to hold an adult redtail, i would have been terrified. lol. My friend wants a snake badly and hes come before and held my boa when it was just under 3 feet, and he was scared of it then. I still think a bps a better choice.

What about a CA Boas, they stay smaller. They are more agressive but nothing that some good handling can't fix. I paticularily liked nicaraguan boas.

CA boas are little snots. If I had one for my first snake, I probably wouldn't want another. lol