Carpet Python or Boa?

I want to get my second snake/third reptile. I have a ball python and a crested gecko and I'm ready to step it up. I have done my research on both, but I'm torn. I love both and I know in the end they will require the same caging. So what do you guys think? Should I get a carpet python or a boa constrictor?

My boas are some of my favorite snakes, they have great personalities. My carpet is a handful though, hes bitey. If you're looking to set up a great display, I would lean towards the carpet, because of their slender bodies and arboreal tendencies, you can make something that looks really cool. For handling I would go with a boa, but this is just my experience, each snake is different, and your carpet may not be hard to tame at all.

Thanks for the advice. A good display doesn't really matter because I would be keeping it in a tub until it needs a 4x2 cage. I'm leaning towards boa right now because of their handleability and how readily they accept f/t.

You can got either way. Both are great snakes. Both are great display or tub snakes and both like climbing. You'll see a vast personality difference between your bp and either of these snakes. It's a great a experience.

Carpets are usually bitey if they aren't tamed down. Sometimes they are docile out of the egg. They'll typically calm down in the first year. I've dealt with a very bitey one and within a month was able to nestle itself into a bun on a girls hair. That particular snake was only 18-24 inches long.

Boas I've heard can go through a stage when maturing where if they aren't handled can develope or keep an attitude problem. NOt sure how often this happens.


Depends on preference. I prefer both. :-D

I've loved and kept boas forever. They've been a longtime favorite. If snakes do have personality, you can certainly see it in some of the boas. Although they get big, they aren't unmanageable like the giants, they interact well, have a curious nature, and are fun to have. Apart from an argentina that was real snippy as a youth, all of mine have been very docile puppy dogs.

Here's a pic of my daughter with Ziggy (this was several years ago).
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...pse31bdaf8.jpg

I was in the same position as you, OP, and I went with boas. I love my boas to death, and I want to start breeding in the next couple years. I love my BP, but everytime I get a boa out to handle, I know its gonna be exciting. CPs can be bitey, but so can boas obviously. I have a red tail that no one can handle but me, cause he's gotten me a couple times, but my others are tame as can be. I know my opinion is biased, but i will always recommend a boa!

I don't have a carpet python so I can't comment on those.

I adore my boa though. He is quickly becoming my favorite snakes. He's very easy going and confident. He gets really crabby during shed and has nailed me once. Otherwise he's such a sweet heart.

I've never kept carpet pythons so I can't comment on them.

For boas, I've got several common and morph BCI's, three Tarahumaras (locality BCI), and two Dumeril's went into QT last weekend. The species you pick depends on what you're looking for.

The BCI's overall are great to handle, very laid back, none have shown any defensiveness, and only one has ever bit me and it was a feeding mistake on my part (tongs too short). As adults they'll all end up in a 48" long enclosure, eventually.

The Tarahumaras, like most locality/Central American boas, have a bit more "attitude" and defensiveness. They take a lot of handling to get settled. My three are all 18-24 months old and still hiss when I pick them up, though none have ever struck. Once in hand they are much more likely to just settle around my hand and wrist and stay put, where my larger BCI's are active. These guys top out at 4' for the males, 5' for the females, so they won't outgrow a 41 qt tub.

I haven't had the Dumeril's long enough to get to know them but my understanding is that they're a fairly lazy species, a few keepers refer to them as their "lap snakes". They hail from Madagascar and can have some awesome patterns to them.

All of my boas are solid feeders and would eat until they got fat and/or puked if I let them.

This is a great question, and one I would love to help you with. I have both a locality boa constrictor and a coastal carpet python.

Really, my honest answer is one of each if you are able to at some point.

Look at and handle both, and if you can, look at adults and yearlings so you get a feel for what YOU personally find the most pleasing.

Both species are semi arboreal, and in my opinion should be housed in a cage where they can get exercise. If you are not going to provide that space, you should be prepared to let them get out and moving. ALL carpet species have prehensile tails and exhibit semi arboreal qualities. There are several reports of large, adult coastal carpets found several meters up in the canopy in their native habitat.

Boa constrictors also climb and hunt in the trees although they the more terrestrial of the two in my experience.

If fed conservatively, you will see a lot more activity out of a boa constrictor as they will hunt for food and make use of the caging provided compared to an overfed BC. I have experimented with my BC, and have noted that longer periods between meals increases activity levels. I prefer this to having an always full, lazy content animal, and the difference in body shape and tone is apparent when feeding properly.

My carpet is still young, and she spends 50% of her time in a hide on the ground, but like clockwork she pops out at sunset and spends the other 50% out in view cruising the branches. She is active no matter how she is fed.

Carpets can eat pretty large prey items and don't suffer any of the regurgitation issues that certain species of BC, although most BCI species are fairly hardy.

Sexual dimorphism in carpet pythons is different from that of BC's. The males of certain species of carpet combat prior to mating, and of the species that do, the male is on average larger than the female.

I'm getting off topic here, but as far as keeping goes, BCI boas and almost any carpet species are pretty hardy and easy to keep.

Handling is fun and easy with both BC's and carpets. I find my BC to move in a more calculated, controlled manner, slower, more deliberate and predictable, I find my carpet to move much faster, and can't predict where she'll go, or when she'll take off. They are not shy or easily spooked and are interesting to handle. You'll have to move your hands more with the carpet. I like to give them some type of climbing setup and let them hang out on it while I sit and watch.

I've been bitten by both when they were first acquired but they have settled and I'm not concerned about either one biting. I can read them both fairly well.

I have had a few feeding issues with the carpet. She's refused food more than a few times, and is still not 100% predictable when it comes to food.

The BC never refuses food, ever.

Here is another suggestion I have for you. If you truly want to research and gain a lot of knowledge on the animals I highly recommend these two books.

THE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR by Vincent Russo.

THE COMPLETE CARPET PYTHON by Nick Mutton and Justin Julander.

Those books are as good as it gets for the snakes we are discussing here.

Ultimately the choice is yours, and though my son's royal python has been a good snake, I find BC's and carpets far less shy, more active, better eaters and more interesting animals. I think you'll find the same with either.

Both species have larger and smaller variants so you can find the size you like.



I like this thread and if you have some specific questions ask away.

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Originally Posted by Gio

This is a great question, and one I would love to help you with. I have both a locality boa constrictor and a coastal carpet python.

Really, my honest answer is to get one of each if you are able to at some point.

Look at and handle both, and if you can, look at adults and yearlings so you get a feel for what YOU personally find the most pleasing.

Both species are semi arboreal, and in my opinion should be housed in cages where they can get exercise. If you are not going to provide that space, you should be prepared to let them get out and moving. ALL carpet species have prehensile tails and exhibit semi arboreal qualities. There are several reports of large, adult coastal carpets found several meters up in the canopy in their native habitat. These are full grown adults!

Boa constrictors also climb and hunt in the trees although they are the more terrestrial of the two in my experience.

If fed conservatively, you will see a lot more activity out of a boa constrictor as they will hunt for food and make use of the caging provided compared to an overfed BC. I have experimented with my BC, and have noted that longer periods between meals seems to increase activity levels. I prefer this to having an always full, lazy content animal, and the difference in body shape and tone is apparent when feeding properly.

My carpet is still young, and she spends 50% of her time in a hide on the ground, but like clockwork she pops out at sunset and spends the other 50% out in view cruising the branches. She is active no matter how she is fed.

Carpets can eat pretty large prey items and don't suffer any of the regurgitation issues that certain species of BC's do, although most BCI species are fairly hardy.

Sexual dimorphism in carpet pythons is different from that of BC's. The males of certain species of carpet combat prior to mating, and of the species that do, the male is on average larger than the female. Both can get big especially coastals or Bredli attaining sizes close to BC's in length, but are lighter in body usually.

I'm getting off topic here, but as far as husbandry goes, BCI boas and almost any carpet species are pretty hardy and easy to keep.

Handling is fun and easy with both BC's and carpets. I find my BC to move in a more calculated, controlled manner, slower, more deliberate and predictable, I find my carpet moves much faster, and I can't predict where she'll go, or when she'll take off. Neither are shy or easily spooked and both are interesting to handle. You'll have to move your hands more with the carpet. I like to give each of them some type of climbing setup and let them hang out on it while I sit and watch.

I've been bitten by both when they were first acquired but they have settled and I'm not concerned about either one biting. I can read them both fairly well now.

I have had a few feeding issues with the carpet. She's refused food more than a few times, and is still not 100% predictable when it comes to food but she is becoming more steady, and I don't foresee issues once she grows more.

The BC never refuses food, ever.

Here is another suggestion I have for you. If you truly want to research and gain a lot of knowledge on the animals mentioned I highly recommend these two books.

THE COMPLETE BOA CONSTRICTOR by Vincent Russo.

THE COMPLETE CARPET PYTHON by Nick Mutton and Justin Julander.

Those books are as good as it gets for the snakes we are discussing here.

Ultimately the choice is yours, and though my son's royal python has been a good snake, I find BC's and carpets far less shy, more active, better eaters and more interesting animals. I think you'll find the same with either.

Both species have larger and smaller variants so you can find the size you like.



I like this thread and if you have some specific questions ask away.

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I forgot pictures, and I also cleaned up some grammar in the previous post in the now quoted area.

Coastal carpet unknown cross. Purchased from a local breeder. Parents are 8 and almost 10 feet long.
This animal is just over 4 feet.
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/DSC01391.jpg

100% pure locality boa constrictor. Barranquilla, Colombia. Almost a perfect example of this locality. Produced by Gus Rentfro (Rio Bravo Reptiles) and purchased from Legacy Reptiles. This snake is closing in on 6 feet long and is rather thick for a male BC.
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...DSC01297-1.jpg


Comparison threads are eye opening IMO. I hope I helped you in some way.

Regards,

Thanks for all the help with my decision guys. I think I'm going to go with a boa. Do you guys have any suggestions on a smaller locality boa?

as far as I know Solomon Island boas are around the same size as ball pythons as adults

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sean12wilk

Thanks for all the help with my decision guys. I think I'm going to go with a boa. Do you guys have any suggestions on a smaller locality boa?

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Little suggestion. Don't go too small based on what you think you can handle right now. You and the snake will grown together. A male, mainland BCI like mine even close to 6 feet is a one hand snake. At times I wish I bought a female for a little extra size. Look at many types and make a well planned decision that is not rushed at all. Get the pattern and colors you really like.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sean12wilk

Thanks for all the help with my decision guys. I think I'm going to go with a boa. Do you guys have any suggestions on a smaller locality boa?

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Hog Island Boas don't get as big as others. Plus their lighter coloring is cool!

Over the years I've kept, retics, boas, burmese and balls. Just got my first carpet a baby Red Tiger Jaguar. He was snippy and flighty for a very short time. He's a great snake, good personality and handles well. I'm going to enjoy watching him grow.http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...nd_snake.2.jpg

Between comparing the two....

Carpets can be a bit more squirrelly. More prone to quicker movements and nippier. That's not to say they're evil or unhandeable, but they'll keep you on your toes more. They stay thinner than boas. A 6ft carpet sitting coiled in the cage will take up like less than a 1ft diameter circle of area. They look all cute and tiny. Then you go to get them out and they give you sass and you're like "whoaaaa there's a lot more of you than I thought!" haha. But they're definitely smaller overall.

Boas (BCI's) are calmer, get bigger (fatter), and are generally easier to handle. Their metabolisms are a bit slower than carpets too I believe.

I've worked with both, though I personally don't own either. Between the two, I like both. I'd like a BCI female just as a pet. Don't have any interest in breeding them really. I like the Moonglow morph, I think. I'm not great with keeping up on all the boa morphs tho.

I love carpets paint jobs, smaller size/body shape, and more feisty attitudes. Some carpets are definitely in my future. A pair of jungles for sure and maybe some coastal stuff too... :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sean12wilk

Thanks for all the help with my decision guys. I think I'm going to go with a boa. Do you guys have any suggestions on a smaller locality boa?

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I just saw this comment... What I said still applies, but to add...

Stay away from central american boas. They can have nasty attitudes. This was a kiss from a 2 or 3foot female the other nite. Got her out of the tub with help from a hook, she was calm in my hand without any snapping. Then just looked at my arm and decided to taste me haha. Doesn't bother me any, but if you have kids or don't want a feisty snake, avoid them.
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...260d3bab64.jpg

I say Go for a regular BCI. Even adult females aren't hard to deal with as adults. If you're worried about size, get a male. They grow slow though so you have time to learn and grow with them. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sean12wilk

Thanks for all the help with my decision guys. I think I'm going to go with a boa. Do you guys have any suggestions on a smaller locality boa?

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While not "BCI", Dumeril's boas typically top out at 6-7 feet. For BCI you can look into Hog Island, Caulker Cay, Sonoran, and Tarahumara. Note that the smaller locality BCI's can have big "attitudes"; IMO it's because their diminutive size makes them more likely to become prey rather than predator in the wild, and thus they are more defensive than the common BCI's. I have 1.2 Tarahumaras approaching two years old, and they all hiss whenever I pull them out to be handled, clean the enclosure, etc.

I don't own any boa constrictors, but I got to play with a good size Columbian at a local shop recently. And I have to say I'll be picking one up eventually. Super tame not flighty at all, unlike my retic who is literally a handful. Mind you she's 10 foot, but the boa was just such a different snake. I would say they are more ball python esk with their attitude.

Sent from my snake room

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Between comparing the two....

Carpets can be a bit more squirrelly. More prone to quicker movements and nippier. That's not to say they're evil or unhandeable, but they'll keep you on your toes more. They stay thinner than boas. A 6ft carpet sitting coiled in the cage will take up like less than a 1ft diameter circle of area. They look all cute and tiny. Then you go to get them out and they give you sass and you're like "whoaaaa there's a lot more of you than I thought!" haha. But they're definitely smaller overall.

Boas (BCI's) are calmer, get bigger (fatter), and are generally easier to handle. Their metabolisms are a bit slower than carpets too I believe.

I've worked with both, though I personally don't own either. Between the two, I like both. I'd like a BCI female just as a pet. Don't have any interest in breeding them really. I like the Moonglow morph, I think. I'm not great with keeping up on all the boa morphs tho.

I love carpets paint jobs, smaller size/body shape, and more feisty attitudes. Some carpets are definitely in my future. A pair of jungles for sure and maybe some coastal stuff too... :D

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Mike,

While we have a decent discussion going, how do you feel retics stack up? You are a new retic owner. I was going to mention a SD retic but I just have no experience. It's one on my list though.

I'd say any Colombian/mainland BCI male or female would be great. I also feel carpets get a bad wrap for their initial defensive behavior. They settle very fast, and a few micro bites from a juvey is absolutely nothing. I didn't even bleed in the 3 times I was bitten by my coastal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

Mike,

While we have a decent discussion going, how do you feel retics stack up? You are a new retic owner. I was going to mention a SD retic but I just have no experience. It's one on my list though.

I'd say any Colombian/mainland BCI male or female would be great. I also feel carpets get a bad wrap for their initial defensive behavior. They settle very fast, and a few micro bites from a juvey is absolutely nothing. I didn't even bleed in the 3 times I was bitten by my coastal.

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I've had my boy for five months now and absolutely love him!

Retics are a great option BUT they keep you on your toes. A high percentage SD or SD/Dwarf will stay comparable to a boa or carpet. Longer and more slender than a carpet, but not as fat around as a boa. Retics grow a lot faster than a carpet or boa. My boy went from sitting in a 6qt tub when I first got him to a 41qt tub now, in only 5 months. Every time you open that tub and have an interaction with the snake, you have to be paying attention. Because the day you're not is the day he'll be hungry and come flying out looking for food haha. Whenever I get him out I always have a roll of paper towels or hook in my hand to tap him out of feeding mode in case he's hungry. It's not them being aggressive, they're just looking for food and excited for it. Once you get him out, he's usually calm and just moves around on you. Likes to climb up onto your head. They have tons of muscle tone so they're great climbers. But even then, you have to keep an eye on them. Because if you let them have the opportunity to escape off your shoulders, they will. And dart up onto shelves or wherever they can get to haha. They like to explore lol. They're great eaters tho. In five months Morris has only refused one rat. He was deep in shed and ate one, then he refused a second one which was a refusal from one of my stubborn bps. So I'd say that's pretty damn good haha.

I'd take a retic over a boa or carpet just because I like the extra challenge that comes with them. :)

I love my Dumerils...she is never nippy, even when she was a tiny baby; very curious and fun to handle. I think their pattern is beautiful. They usually max out between 5-7 feet, and though there are exceptions, I think the record length is still under nine feet -- anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. :) And they get fairly thick.

Even though they are a "big" snake (compared to most balls), they don't really seem as large as they are because they're so docile and easy to handle, at least in my experience. And they grow somewhat slowly, so you kind of get used to the size as they grow, as someone else mentioned. Males also tend to be on the smaller side of the size spectrum.

Yea dumerils get sorta fat. Almost like a blood python haha

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

I've had my boy for five months now and absolutely love him!

Retics are a great option BUT they keep you on your toes. A high percentage SD or SD/Dwarf will stay comparable to a boa or carpet. Longer and more slender than a carpet, but not as fat around as a boa. Retics grow a lot faster than a carpet or boa. My boy went from sitting in a 6qt tub when I first got him to a 41qt tub now, in only 5 months. Every time you open that tub and have an interaction with the snake, you have to be paying attention. Because the day you're not is the day he'll be hungry and come flying out looking for food haha. Whenever I get him out I always have a roll of paper towels or hook in my hand to tap him out of feeding mode in case he's hungry. It's not them being aggressive, they're just looking for food and excited for it. Once you get him out, he's usually calm and just moves around on you. Likes to climb up onto your head. They have tons of muscle tone so they're great climbers. But even then, you have to keep an eye on them. Because if you let them have the opportunity to escape off your shoulders, they will. And dart up onto shelves or wherever they can get to haha. They like to explore lol. They're great eaters tho. In five months Morris has only refused one rat. He was deep in shed and ate one, then he refused a second one which was a refusal from one of my stubborn bps. So I'd say that's pretty damn good haha.

I'd take a retic over a boa or carpet just because I like the extra challenge that comes with them. :)

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I have been lookin into SD retics and they seem to be more manageable sizewise. Do you know of any breeders that produce SD retics?

without searching the 3 breeders that come to mind are Bob Clark, Prehistoric Pets, and Nerd

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sean12wilk

I have been lookin into SD retics and they seem to be more manageable sizewise. Do you know of any breeders that produce SD retics?

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Vital Exotics, Rodney Boalich and Travis Kubes all work with them. I got my boy from vital Exotics, I highly recommend them. Kris is great to work with

Thanks. Back to boas for a minute. Do you guys know any breeders who breed lower end morphs? I know a breeder close to me but he only breeds $200+ snake. Thanks again for all the help.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sean12wilk

Thanks. Back to boas for a minute. Do you guys know any breeders who breed lower end morphs? I know a breeder close to me but he only breeds $200+ snake. Thanks again for all the help.

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Nah, sorry. Can't say I do. Special K has some nice boas. Tim is a nice guy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sean12wilk

Thanks. Back to boas for a minute. Do you guys know any breeders who breed lower end morphs? I know a breeder close to me but he only breeds $200+ snake. Thanks again for all the help.

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I think $200 is a decent price for any morph.

You could consider a rescue/adoption. Craigslist always has people wanting to rehome their animals. Unfortunately the novelty of owning a snake wears off for some people. I'll be rehoming a BP in the next few days

and I have a male BC that was born on April 10th. He's awesome. I had a female BC years ago and that was a real chill snake too. I'll most likely own Boas now although I do want to add a Bredli if I find one that I like at the next Repticom or if the breeder I got my boa from comes across one

I think boas are a good choice. I now own both (just got a jag. carpet a couple months back) and the boas are much calmer.. They will be a good transition for owning a BP activity-wise.

I would go with a male BCI morph or a hog island. I think your best bet, if you can get to one, is to buy at a show. Do your research beforehand, look at morphs online and know what you like and how much the "going rate" is for them, then check out what you can find at a reptile show. I would advise looking up breeders on the Fauna Classified Board of Inquiry first though. buying at a show will allow you to handle the snakes first as well, which is a plus since you're looking for good temperament.

I picked up a male hypo a couple shows back for only $80. He isn't breeding quality (has a lot of "peppering") but his color, pattern, and attitude stood out to me at the show so I considered him a steal.

My other boa, a south Brazilian BCA male, I got from Tom McCarthy at McCarthy boas. I would consider his prices very fair and his shipping prices as well. He is a very helpful guy as well and if you have questions, he will answer them. I think he only breeds 1 litter a year though, so not sure when he would have any available.

I'm just curious how this ended up.

It was a good topic and discussion.

We are a nosy bunch, aren't we... :D I'd love to know how this turned out too.

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Originally Posted by KitaCat

We are a nosy bunch, aren't we... :D I'd love to know how this turned out too.

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Just for fun here in my BC 6 months after this topic started. Much thicker and a bit longer.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_2586.jpg


And that silly 4 foot coastal has gotten 2 feet longer in 6 months.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_2482.jpg

And the answer is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,???

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

Just for fun here in my BC 6 months after this topic started. Much thicker and a bit longer.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_2586.jpg


And that silly 4 foot coastal has gotten 2 feet longer in 6 months.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_2482.jpg

And the answer is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,???

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Gorgeous pair you have there!

I don't own any carpets or BCI's, but I have two BCC's and a BRB. :)
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06...4e9a50a48e.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06...3051c1151c.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KitaCat

Gorgeous pair you have there!

I don't own any carpets or BCI's, but I have two BCC's and a BRB. :)
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06...4e9a50a48e.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06...3051c1151c.jpg

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OH BOY!

Now I need a BCC!

Those are outstanding and the BRB is a looker too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gio

OH BOY!

Now I need a BCC!

Those are outstanding and the BRB is a looker too.

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Thank you! :) BCC's are awesome snakes. The calmest species I own. The male even came out of a shipment that was delayed overnight (so he spent the better part of 2 days in a box) and was as chill as can be.

Can't wait till they put on some size. The girl is growing like a weed right now.

Ok, this thread is about to be a year old, but I only just now discovered it via Google and it fantastic. I might just be talking to myself here, but for what it's worth, I got my Central American dwarf male a couple months ago and I'm hoping to add something bigger in the not so distant future (maybe a year from now) but I am trying to figure out what. All the species on this thread are on my radar (and mabe a few more but I'll save it for a new thread) This has been incredibly informative and enjoyable if anyone is still subscribe to it I would love to hear any and all pertinent updates.

I have a Hog Island that is now 4 feet long and is such a great snake. When I first got him he would hiss every now and then when I took him out but I didn't pay any attention to him. He's big, strong and beautiful (and hangs onto me like a scared kid - protect me daddy!). And he eats like a champ - no problems there. I picked up a 7 month old Jungle Carpet on the first of April and she was a bit aggressive at first - hitting but not biting. She now comes out without any problems and crawls around on me like we were old buddies, even the other day when she had started her shed (put her promptly back in and felt bad about that). She is going to be a great snake and make a fun, interesting and beautiful pet.