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Dumerils or Red Tail?
So I'm looking at some day getting a larger snake. I want something with size to it, but not something that needs multiple people around whenever you have to handle them. So far I see that red tail boas could be a good choice, and I've also encountered dumerils boas. Could anyone who has had experience owning both tell me the general differences between the two? I know the red tail has potential to get much larger than the dumerils, but if I get a male I don't think I'd have to worry too much about a giant 10ft boa. I'm wondering more from a standpoint of handling them as full grown adults and their general demeanor (which I understand varies from snake to snake). I've managed to handle a 3-4ft dumerils, and maybe a 4.5ft red tail, but I don't know what they are like as full grown adults. I noticed the dumerils gripped me harder than the red tail, and I liked that, but I feel like they might outgrow that as an adult.
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I have an eight year old Dum female that is as sweet as sugar and very mellow. Love her to pieces. That being said she is the only one I've had and the only one I've been around. Most BCIs I've worked with have been young so most were nippy. Individuals very but I'm sure most grow out of it with proper care and handling. I took care of a pair of BCCs that were great but way too big. You could trust the female but the male was temperamental and was over 10 feet. There are a lot of different red tails to choose from (Hog Islands seem really neat) but I wouldn't trade my Dum for anything :)
Was there a specific Red Tail you would looking at? -because 'red tail' is too vague.
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I understand red tail is very vague, I am considering any at the point haha. I have looked into the hog island, but I think their average size might be a bit smaller than I want (then again I haven't encountered a full grown adult yet).
What is your dumerils like when you handle her? Does she like to hang out on your shoulders? Or does she prefer to be off of you?
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I have both and they are both awesome snakes. My red tail is a little fiesty right now where my dums i can grab hetr head and she doesnt care.
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I have mostly BCIs but I do have a baby Dumerils as well. First off, a male BCI will grow up to be roughly the same size as a Dumerils. Both will max out around 6-7ft and therefore are a fairly managable size. Really, you can't go wrong with either one. Both are very intelligent and curious snakes and both should grip you firmly - both as babies and as adults. Some have different ways of gripping though, so that is sometimes a very individual thing. My male BCI is constantly wrapped around me and holds on tight. My female BCI needs more support from me and would actually allow herself to fall if I'm not careful. My Dumerils is somewhere in between.
I will say this about Dumerils - they have incredibly calm and gentle personalities. All my BCIs are great, but my Dum in particular is very docile. They can be so docile though that they are almost to the point of being shy. And sometimes baby Dums can be hard to get started feeding. My Dum didn't eat with me for the entire first month I had her. Even so, Dumerils are my first choice to recommend as a "step up" snake. However, my own first step up snake was a female BCI and I've never been sorry about that. So it truly is a matter of personal preferance and what you like.
What I would recommend is for you to go to an expo or somewhere where you can handle several BCI and Dum babies and pick out the one that really speaks to you - the one you just can leave without. That will be the best choice you can make! :gj:
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Re: Dumerils or Red Tail?
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Originally Posted by Evenstar
I have mostly BCIs but I do have a baby Dumerils as well. First off, a male BCI will grow up to be roughly the same size as a Dumerils. Both will max out around 6-7ft and therefore are a fairly managable size. Really, you can't go wrong with either one. Both are very intelligent and curious snakes and both should grip you firmly - both as babies and as adults. Some have different ways of gripping though, so that is sometimes a very individual thing. My male BCI is constantly wrapped around me and holds on tight. My female BCI needs more support from me and would actually allow herself to fall if I'm not careful. My Dumerils is somewhere in between.
I will say this about Dumerils - they have incredibly calm and gentle personalities. All my BCIs are great, but my Dum in particular is very docile. They can be so docile though that they are almost to the point of being shy. And sometimes baby Dums can be hard to get started feeding. My Dum didn't eat with me for the entire first month I had her. Even so, Dumerils are my first choice to recommend as a "step up" snake. However, my own first step up snake was a female BCI and I've never been sorry about that. So it truly is a matter of personal preferance and what you like.
What I would recommend is for you to go to an expo or somewhere where you can handle several BCI and Dum babies and pick out the one that really speaks to you - the one you just can leave without. That will be the best choice you can make! :gj:
I agree 100% with one exception. That is the size of an adult rtb male and a female dumerils. They both will max out around 6-7 feet which is what I think she meant. However a female dum will weigh almost twice as much as a male bci. My 7 y old dum girl weighs in at 37 pounds. I cant swear to it but I'm pretty sure adult male bci's normally only weigh in the 15-20 pound range. Double check that bci weight though because I'm fairly new to boas.
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Re: Dumerils or Red Tail?
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Originally Posted by towelie4365
I understand red tail is very vague, I am considering any at the point haha. I have looked into the hog island, but I think their average size might be a bit smaller than I want (then again I haven't encountered a full grown adult yet).
What is your dumerils like when you handle her? Does she like to hang out on your shoulders? Or does she prefer to be off of you?
My Dum is heavy. She's about 16 and a half pounds and is a ground snake. I lift her and support her over my shoulder until I can sit down. She usually curls up around my waist and and in my lap as I watch TV. She just chills. She'll flick her tung and look around for a bit and usually rests her head on my knee or arm and watches TV with me. I think se actually does watch the changing lights on the screen. Every once in awhile she seems perky and wants to explore but she usually stay with me.
She never has an aggressive attitude even when in shed. She usually goes off food every winter for about 125 days. I know that she'll start eating soon when she sheds around that mark. As soon as she gets that last bit slid off I offer her a large rat. I always feed with tongs because they are an ambush predator. She has never missed but she hits so hard that she has occasionally left me standing there with a tail swinging from the tongs. I know they aren't as flashy as a lot of other boas but I just can't imagine life without her.
She is also the first snake I bring out for a curious person who is scared. Yes she is big and heavy bodied but she is also slow moving and doesn't mind the attention. People are always fascinated by how smooth and dry she is and almost aways feel brave enough to hold her in the end. She was a severely abused rescue that I got a couple years ago. Its amazing that she went through hell with humans and still be so mellow and comfortable with us.
I can't say all Dums are like my Leelah but she is the perfect medium snake.
Edit: I should point out that my Dum is under weight. She was 6.5 feet and 10 pounds when I got her. Its been a slow but steady job putting good weight back on her. She never loses weight during a winter fast but it slows her gain. Just be prepared for a much heavier bodied snake that a BCI.
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Re: Dumerils or Red Tail?
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Originally Posted by H.o.F.R
I agree 100% with one exception. That is the size of an adult rtb male and a female dumerils. They both will max out around 6-7 feet which is what I think she meant. However a female dum will weigh almost twice as much as a male bci. My 7 y old dum girl weighs in at 37 pounds. I cant swear to it but I'm pretty sure adult male bci's normally only weigh in the 15-20 pound range. Double check that bci weight though because I'm fairly new to boas.
Arghhh!! :stupidme: Yes, that is what I meant. Thanks for clarifying!! :rolleye2:
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Thanks for input! I think I want both now haha.
Do any of you have any pictures of an adult male red tail or an adult dumerils? A picture with something to reference size to would be great. I'd like to know how bulky they get. Do male dumerils stay thinner than the females?
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Re: Dumerils or Red Tail?
Quote:
Originally Posted by towelie4365
Thanks for input! I think I want both now haha.
Do any of you have any pictures of an adult male red tail or an adult dumerils? A picture with something to reference size to would be great. I'd like to know how bulky they get. Do male dumerils stay thinner than the females?
I just took them really quick so sorry about the quality.
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...0/img_0755.jpg
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...0/img_0752.jpg
I keep her in one of the Iris Christmas tree boxes because she never settled in the larger show enclosure. If I had to guess I don't think she liked the clear front. This is nice and opaque. I use an 11 inch heat tape and a V200 thermostat. I'm not sure why she never liked it but ever since moving her to this she has been stress free and much happier.
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my dums does not strike. if i do a zombie dance she goes the other way. if i set it in there it is in her mouth within 30 seconds.
my dums was very hard to get started on food as well. but she has never missed a meal. when she goes in shed she wont eat for those two weeks but she will hop right back on. i have only had her since novmember and she was 140g when i got her. i do feed her/fed her larger prey items but now i am cutting back since she is getting plump. she is not as quick as my bcc nor does she hold on as tight as him. but she is strong dont get me wrong at that. it is night and day between the two of mine.
you cant go wrong with either of them.
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Re: Dumerils or Red Tail?
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Originally Posted by Cendalla
That is a beautiful snake! I'm going to have a hard time not getting one now :-P
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You will be very happy with a Dum!! Since mine is a baby, I don't have adult pics of her, lol, but the ones Cendalla posted are great! Male Dums will be a bit shorter in length than the females, but they are just as heavy bodied, relative to their size. Males will usually be around 5-6ft and females around 6-7ft. These are very under-rated snakes!! :gj:
Here is my baby Dum..... :D
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...psea999a3e.jpg
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And here is my dumerils :) love her to death, and she's is my favorite snake and all of my friends love her. Not sure how ld she is, but she's about 3' and maybe (I'm guessing here, since she won't sit still long enough for me to weigh her) about 500 grams. She doesn't move quickly, even when you get near her head, so you don't have to worry about them being jumpy. It seems mine actually likes to be out, because when I try to put her back in, like now, she wraps around anything she can find and tries to climb out of her tub. :D But she's an awesome snake, these pictures don't do her pattern much good, she has bright peach colored spots on her which are gorgeous. Well, here she is :) just took these.
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/...ps025dfbd5.jpg
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/...pse5ae83b5.jpg
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/...psf412f3eb.jpg
http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9a9d7cf2.jpg
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Re: Dumerils or Red Tail?
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Originally Posted by Evenstar
Too dang cute!
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Re: Dumerils or Red Tail?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cendalla
She is also the first snake I bring out for a curious person who is scared. Yes she is big and heavy bodied but she is also slow moving and doesn't mind the attention. People are always fascinated by how smooth and dry she is and almost aways feel brave enough to hold her in the end. She was a severely abused rescue that I got a couple years ago. Its amazing that she went through hell with humans and still be so mellow and comfortable with us.
I can't say all Dums are like my Leelah but she is the perfect medium snake.
Edit: I should point out that my Dum is under weight. She was 6.5 feet and 10 pounds when I got her. Its been a slow but steady job putting good weight back on her. She never loses weight during a winter fast but it slows her gain. Just be prepared for a much heavier bodied snake that a BCI.
My 3 are all rescues also. my big girl was 21 pounds when i brought her home. She was severely neglected and under fed when I got her. I put her on a 10 day feed schedule for about 3 months and now shes on a 14 day schedule and still gaining. I also use her in educational shows and she is great.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cendalla
Too dang cute!
I dont know how she does it but evenstar always seems to find the best of what ever shes after!
to the op: I highly recommend a dumerils and for about the same price of a baby you can often find one a few years old in need of a good home. I know its always a great experience to watch them grow but adoption can be just as rewarding. please dont get me wrong, I dont have a problem buying a baby from a breeder I just have a soft spot for critters in a bad home. I dont have a recent pic of my big girl handy but here is one from a few months ago at a show I did for my local cub scout troops. I think she was in the 27 pound range in this pic.
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...pscb8f5c9f.jpg
The guy holding her wanted to take her home he was so amazed at how calm such a big snake could be.
and heres a smaller girl my daughter holding her. Shes about 2 and almost 6 pounds at 4 feet. also another rescue.
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psb3618832.jpg
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Re: Dumerils or Red Tail?
Quote:
Originally Posted by H.o.F.R
My 3 are all rescues also. my big girl was 21 pounds when i brought her home. She was severely neglected and under fed when I got her. I put her on a 10 day feed schedule for about 3 months and now shes on a 14 day schedule and still gaining. I also use her in educational shows and she is great.
I dont know how she does it but evenstar always seems to find the best of what ever shes after!
to the op: I highly recommend a dumerils and for about the same price of a baby you can often find one a few years old in need of a good home. I know its always a great experience to watch them grow but adoption can be just as rewarding. please dont get me wrong, I dont have a problem buying a baby from a breeder I just have a soft spot for critters in a bad home. I dont have a recent pic of my big girl handy but here is one from a few months ago at a show I did for my local cub scout troops. I think she was in the 27 pound range in this pic.
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...pscb8f5c9f.jpg
The guy holding her wanted to take her home he was so amazed at how calm such a big snake could be.
and heres a smaller girl my daughter holding her. Shes about 2 and almost 6 pounds at 4 feet. also another rescue.
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psb3618832.jpg
I like the idea of rescuing... especially since I wouldn't mind skipping the growing phase and just having a large adult. How could I easily find some that are up for adoption?
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Not sure where you could adopt one, but I picked my girl up from repticon for a super low price compared to what other people were asking for dumerils. They're awesome snakes, you really can't go wrong with them.
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Re: Dumerils or Red Tail?
Quote:
Originally Posted by H.o.F.R
I dont know how she does it but evenstar always seems to find the best of what ever shes after!
Thank you!! :D
I just don't buy the snake or morph I'm looking for until I see one that is perfect (in my eyes)!!
And I found a cell phone picture of my friend's 10yr old son with an adult MALE Dumerils when we took them to our local reptile expo last summer. The snake was so sweet and did not want to come off Connor's shoulders - but instead of gripping around his neck like you may expect from his position, the snake wound his tail around Connor's waist and then his wrist to hold on. As we all know interactions like this should always be supervised just in case, but this is just one example of how gentle these snakes really are. :gj:
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9d02fb03.png
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Re: Dumerils or Red Tail?
Quote:
Originally Posted by towelie4365
I like the idea of rescuing... especially since I wouldn't mind skipping the growing phase and just having a large adult. How could I easily find some that are up for adoption?
it really depends on where you are located. The best place to start is your local herp society. I also watch classified ads for "adoptions". Also some spca's have reptiles from time to time and you can give them your name and number to call you for certain things that you would be interested in. I also run an ad on CL "taking in unwanted reptiles, No questions asked no sob story or caging needed" I get them healthy and use the ones with good dispositions in my reptile demonstrations until I find a suitable home. Some times i'll donate them to my local herp society to auction off so they can use the money for supplies to continue operations and rescueing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evenstar
Thank you!! :D
I just don't buy the snake or morph I'm looking for until I see one that is perfect (in my eyes)!!
I try that but sometimes I just get impatient or one thats not perfect speaks to me. lol
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Re: Dumerils or Red Tail?
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Originally Posted by H.o.F.R
I try that but sometimes I just get impatient or one thats not perfect speaks to me. lol
I completey understand!! Both of my BPs were rescues. My mojave male has had surgery to remove a hemipene because he couldn't stop prolapsing. Despite his problems, I coudn't leave him behind. Sometimes you have to think with your heart instead of your head. In fact, the time I can't think with my heart first is the time I'll actually make a mistake in my choice. And that's when I'll get out of the hobby. Let your heart lead, and you'll never truly go wrong!! :gj:
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Ok i am new and have been reading just about every thread, i have decided on a boa, but you guys are really making it impossible for me to pick which i want first. :D
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I've never had a Dumerils so I'm biased as I've had a red tail, so I say red tail.
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If it helps, I ended up going with a hog island boa :P
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