Difference between owning a boa and a python?

I'm going to be getting my first boa soon (I'm going to assume she's a red tail since that's what she looks like http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.p...=154&de=823690). I have some experience with ball pythons and I'm a curious as to how different these two snakes are. I know there is the obvious size difference, but I want a larger snake. From the articles I've come across on care it seems like their heating and cage requirements are the same as ball pythons (by cage requirements I mean you want the perimeter to be 2 times the length of the snake, not that you can keep an 8 foot snake in a 30 gallon terrarium). It seems like both boas and ball pythons have similar docile temperaments (if handle regularly). So I guess what I'm really asking is are boas like very large ball pythons? I really just want to know what I can expect.

I have never owned a boa (yet), but from my experience they seem to be alot more active and curious then most ball pythons. They can be aggressive as juveniles but they seem to mellow out pretty quick.

Im pretty sure husbandry is quite similar, but they do get a bit bigger. Depending on your feeding regiment, they might get 8-10 feet long! Most dont get this big, but be prepared to house a snake that big just in case.

While I'm sure others probably have other things to say about it, from my experience with boas I didn't really consider them to be like large ball pythons. Of course, every individual snake is different, and every breed has its own characteristics that need to be accounted for.

The two youngsters that I had were very active, liked to stick their heads where they didn't belong, and had a FEROCIOUS feeding response. While they were docile and fair mannered when handled, they sometimes had a little more spunk than even the burmese that I was fostering. I've had 3 bps and each one has been a polar opposite from the other, but I still don't think any of them were comparable to the RTBs that I had.

I do need to say that the RTBs that I fostered came from a pretty stressful environment, but I think that for their history they were very well mannered.

I can't even describe how different my two are! The boa is so active and strong.. Even at her small size, when she wants to get somewhere I don't want her to, I have to fight for control! They do what they want, lol!

When I hold Nagini she is active, curious, and always wants to get in my face(I have seen her lift her entire body up to get to my face while holding on by the tiniest end of her body to my finger..she was almost entirely in the air!!) Maru just chills and smells the air. Much less wandering with balls, though of course they are curious too.

Also, get ready for a good feeding response :O I thought Maru was a good eater too, nothing is as ferocious as my boa!!

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Originally Posted by Krynn

I have never owned a boa (yet), but from my experience they seem to be alot more active and curious then most ball pythons. They can be aggressive as juveniles but they seem to mellow out pretty quick.

Im pretty sure husbandry is quite similar, but they do get a bit bigger. Depending on your feeding regiment, they might get 8-10 feet long! Most dont get this big, but be prepared to house a snake that big just in case.

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Okay, I don't really have an experience with boas so I just wasn't sure what to expect. I know they can get huge and females tend to get larger. I'm hoping with moderate feeding she won't get much bigger than 6-7ft, but I have bad luck so I'm sure I'll end up with a 10 foot snake. :P

I'm glad to hear they are more active though. I have my ball pythons in a rack because it was easier on spacing, but I'm hoping my boa will make a great pet/"display" animal.

Thanks for your help. ^__^

Red tail boas are active while young but as they get bigger they will become much lazier. They grow relatively slowly. They are more susceptible to throwing up prey if it is too large, so be aware of that. They change colors a bit too, going from really light to dark, where their "freckles" really pop up. This happens for different reasons ranging from shed to time of day.

Great looking snake btw, it looks just like my hypo pastel. You should also check out Guyana/Suriname "true" red tails, they have some intense markings.

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Originally Posted by purplemuffin

I can't even describe how different my two are! The boa is so active and strong.. Even at her small size, when she wants to get somewhere I don't want her to, I have to fight for control! They do what they want, lol!

When I hold Nagini she is active, curious, and always wants to get in my face(I have seen her lift her entire body up to get to my face while holding on by the tiniest end of her body to my finger..she was almost entirely in the air!!) Maru just chills and smells the air. Much less wandering with balls, though of course they are curious too.

Also, get ready for a good feeding response :O I thought Maru was a good eater too, nothing is as ferocious as my boa!!

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It sounds like my BPs are more like your boas. :P My BPs go every where when I hold them. I can't wait to try feeding a boa, though I'm having a hard time imaging anything more ferocious than Lily. She taken the tail off a f/t mouse by striking it so hard. I've had to start making sure I have it gripped by the butt not the tail with her. :rolleyes:

Thanks for your help. :)

Also, if you want a smaller snake that's a boa, why not a smaller locality? Like a central american boa!

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Originally Posted by purplemuffin

Also, if you want a smaller snake that's a boa, why not a smaller locality? Like a central american boa!

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I don't mind have a larger snake, but thought of owning a 10 foot monster does scare me a little. I might look into a smaller locality since I haven't heard from the breeder since he responded to my initial inqury and his kingsnake ads seem to have vanished in the past few minutes. :( I'm not entirely sure I trust him at this point, but I am slightly paranoid. >_>

No hun, you're totally justified in being paranoid when buying over the internet. I was too when I bought my ratsnake.

As for the difference, as everyone above said, boas are more active. I also think they're not as strictly nocturnal as pythons (but I could be wrong), and I think they like it a little bit warmer and more humid. Not by much. I think something like 10 degrees and 5 - 10%? But yeah.

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Originally Posted by Kinra

I don't mind have a larger snake, but thought of owning a 10 foot monster does scare me a little. I might look into a smaller locality since I haven't heard from the breeder since he responded to my initial inqury and his kingsnake ads seem to have vanished in the past few minutes. :( I'm not entirely sure I trust him at this point, but I am slightly paranoid. >_>

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try jasin chapmin @hellbent reptiles i just got my pastel rtb from him and he breeds is rtb's more on the smaller side.

I no longer have Boas but they seemed to be much more cage aggressive. Once you got them out they were sweethearts and just wanted to cuddle and pull warmth from your skin.

The are a LOT better feeders....rats typically got snatched up in 5 seconds or less ;)

Might try to get another down the road...

My dum boa is alot more calm that my bp's

I don't know if its that boas are so different or the species vary so much in apperance than pythons or what but I really like boas. Rosey boas, Kenyans, and our longicauda are all great animals that seem more inquisitive and engaging than our BP. I also like the fact that the boas all seem to take food better (unless in shed) than the BP. I haven't experience the live birth thing but I do like taking care of eggs from colubrids so we will see how that goes.

I'm slightly biased, but if you're looking for a snake that's larger than your Ball Python, but isn't going to grow 10'+, Dumerils Boas and Brazilian Rainbow Boas make wonderful pets. They both usually average around 5-7 feet long with Brazilian Rainbow Boas having a more slender body. Both have a great temperament and are tolerant to handling. Some Brazilian Rainbow Boas are a little nippy early on, but that goes away quickly with consistent handling. Both Dumerils and Brazilian Rainbow Boas have a strong feeding response and are rarely finicky eaters. Brazilian Rainbow Boas have high humidity requirements, but it is easily maintained with a properly setup cage. I hope this helps out. Here are a few pictures.


Here is a female Dumerils Boa named Cleopatra.
http://www.moonlightboas.com/images/...-20100505e.jpg


Here is a male Brazilian Rainbow Boa named Apollo.
http://www.moonlightboas.com/images/...-20100630b.jpg

Here is a Het Hypo Male Brazilian Rainbow Boa named Spartacus.
http://www.moonlightboas.com/images/...-20110101b.jpg

My Boa is much more mobile than my BP's and has an incredible feeding response. My Boa also seems to be less timid than my BP's and is way stronger. All-in-all...I would say they are completely different from one-another.