I'm in Love!!!

So, I just stumbled across a thread about Boa Species, and saw a picture of a "Kiyoko Hog Island" BCI…and I think I just found my new snake species to get!!! They look Gorgeous…I really want one (as long as I can afford to house them lol)


What kind of info can y'all share with me on them?? Care, Keeping, Temperament, Handling concerns, cost estimates, etc...

Cursory examination of the internet shows that they get to be about 4-6ft long, and they seem like they are nice animals…but I trust you guys better.

Considering I've only owned one snake (a BP), what would need to be different if I got one of these??

Thanks, and I can't wait to hear from you all…I'm so excited!!!:taz::taz::taz::taz:

Its just a hog island boa. Its name is Kiyoko. It's hypnotixdtm's(?) boa.
But hog islands I have heard are great boas. They stay smaller then most boas.

1.0 Ball Pythons(Twizzler)
1.0 Cat (Loki)
0.1 Dumerils Boa (Cerin)

Ok....Hog Island boa then

Regardless, what are the care requirements for them?? I'm busy searchin myself, but keep the comments coming

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...tor-imperator)

http://vpi.com/publications/boa_constrictor

Their care is very similar to a normal bci boa. I posted a few good care sheet for boas. They really are beautiful boas.

All BCI have basically the same care requirements. The are all the same sub-species, just different localities. Some sub-species like temps a little warmer or cooler than the average, but BCI are all pretty much the same. So any good care sheet for a Boa constrictor imperator will do for a Hog Island.

You should do some research on sub-species and localities. There are tons of awesome boas out there. Hogs are very cool. They are a smaller locality and generally don't grow more than roughly 6ft, although there are larger specimens out there. BCI come in a wide variety of type and pattern and there are other sub-species that might pique your interest too. :gj:

Definitely plan on following this species up…I just love the coloration :D

Just make sure, when you are ready to buy one, that you get one from a top-rated reputable breeder so you'll know you're getting a pure Hog Island. There are lots of Hog crosses out there, but only pure ones will look as good as Hypnotix's Kiyoko. Here's a couple of good places to start....

http://www.cuttingedgeherp.com/ - Vin Russo, Cutting Edge Herps

http://www.legacyreptiles.com/ - Joel and Orlando Diaz, Legacy Reptiles

Are either of these guys in California??

Ben siegel reguraly sells pure hog island russo line boas on his fb page. Shipping is $39 for as many animals as you can win and buy in a 2 week period

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I'm not really sure were Vin Russo is located. Legacy Reptiles is in Florida. They had some pure Hog Islands available on their facebook page just the other day.

So, looking into the care aspect, it seems like most people recommend larger tank sizes for BCIs than BPs…is this the case even if they remain the same size as a BP??

My girl who is over 5 ft is in a 4' x 2' vision cage. She was in a 40 gallon breeder for a little while. She does not like being in a bin and gave herself a nose rub. She is a pretty good display animal and is usually out. They are more intelligent than balls and will watch everything you do in the room, so it's nice having them in something where you can watch them.

Did she do OK in a 40 gallon breeder?? And what kind of cage furniture do you have in your vision cage??

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Originally Posted by Mephibosheth1

So, looking into the care aspect, it seems like most people recommend larger tank sizes for BCIs than BPs…is this the case even if they remain the same size as a BP??

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Remember that ball pythons like enclosures on the smaller size. They prefer tighter spaces. A boa will utilize its spaces, unlike a ball.

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She did do well in the 40 gallon and we had a screen top, but lived in Florida, so naturally more humid. I think we moved her out at about 4 ft. In her vision, we have a few fake plants, a small log, and a woven basket for a hide. I have a light bulb for heat measured with a temp gun and she definitely likes to bask under it at times, but likes a cooler ambient temp.

I'm going to be posting a thread about my poor housing situation here coming up…I need some suggestions of where/how I can put more snakes and Tarantulas, because where I have them currently isn't sufficient for my desires lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mephibosheth1

So, looking into the care aspect, it seems like most people recommend larger tank sizes for BCIs than BPs…is this the case even if they remain the same size as a BP??

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BCIs are not BPs. They do require larger cage sizes even if they aren't much larger than BPs. Boas will use every bit of cage space that you give them. A minimum cage size, in my opinion, for any BCI is a 4x2x2 foot enclosure. Bigger is always better.