Hi! New and looking for some help on boas (hog island)

Hi! It was recommended that I join this site. I popped over to see what it was all about and so far I like it. I need to explore a bit more but I wanted to post first. I'm sorry if this has been asked/answered before but I promise I'm going to look for myself in a little bit!

Let me give a bit of background :)

I got into snakes last March. I got a ball python and loved him so much that I got another one just a week or two later. So far I've really enjoyed them. Both are so calm and neither has had any problems eating. I've never even had a refused meal or experienced a hiss or a bite! But I really want to try another species of snake.

I've done a little research on...

Rosy Boas, Kenyan Sand Boas, Sumatran Short Tailed Pythons, rat snakes, corn snakes...

I had settled on a Rosy Boa but now I'm having second thoughts. I keep reading that they like to hide and are prone to random 'side biting' where you'll just be holding them and suddenly they'll turn their head and bite you.

That brings me to Hog Island Boas...

From what I know, they grow to 5-6 feet and have really good appetites. I've read that a lot of them are docile, calm snakes and they even make good display snakes. I was a little nervous at first about how they look. Their head shapes and eyes are a little 'freaky' but the more I look at them, the more intrigued I am...

How are these guys for pets? I don't breed and I handle my pets regularly. My balls, luckily, tolerate handling very well but I don't overdo it. I handle them maybe 10-15 minutes, once or twice a week and never after eating or during shed. Would a Hog be okay with something like that?

If I got one, it would be a baby that I can raise up. What size enclosure would a baby need? And are babies prone to being nippy? That's sort of off-putting for me. Also, do they do better in tanks or plastic bins? My balls are in tubs right now but I'm upgrading them to PVC enclosures in January.

I have so much research to do on temps, substrate, care etc! But if you guys could give me your experiences with them, I would be very grateful! I look at this as a serious investment. Snakes live a long time and I want mine to be by my side as long as possible :)

Most importantly.... pics!!! I would love to see your hoggies!

I don't have any advice about the boas but welcome :)

Thanks.

I posted on a boa page on Facebook and was told to look at Colombian BCI because there's no guarantee a Hog will stay between 4-6 feet. But don't they get big? I'm so confused by the different type of boas. Hypo's, jungles, salmon's, normals, red tails, colombian, leopard, central american. I feel silly! lol

Is a Hog the only one that stays somewhat smaller?

My understanding is that most South American boas get larger, and Central Americans stay smaller. I just got a Nicaraguan male and I'm expecting 3'-5'.

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Originally Posted by Megg

My understanding is that most South American boas get larger, and Central Americans stay smaller. I just got a Nicaraguan male and I'm expecting 3'-5'.

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The same person that suggested I get a Colombian said the Central American boas have attitude. Do you notice that with your Nicaraguan? From everything I've read, Hog's and Nicaraguan's are supposed to be pretty docile (for the most part, always exceptions).

My nic does have a little bit of attitude, but I've only had him for a couple weeks, so it could just be that he's still settling in. I've always heard good things about the hog islands. I also think that the smaller boas usually calm down with age.

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Hogs make great pets, as a juvenile they can be a bit nervous but with calm handling it should settle down quickly. Usually hog's do stay on the smaller side as far as boas go but just as with ball pythons individuals will differ. You won't end up with a monster if that's what your asking. They are definitely more active than a ball during handling sessions and fun to have out. Bci tend to be smaller than bcc and tru bcc have a little more defensive personality to them. Another small boa you should look into would be the Sonoran. My Sonoran even as a juvenile would accept the handling from my 2 year old daughter.

I forgot to mention my hog had an amazing feeding response. I had to make sure he knew it was handling time and not feeding to avoid an accidental bite. My 7 boas were all great eaters but I did make sure to touch my hog island and snow with a snake hook before handling. Again individuals will differ but once out of the enclosure they were tame as can be.

My Hog Island is a great snake - fun,beautiful and great temperament. He eats like a Hog! and likes to be out. He's somewhat timid at first and is a bit clingy but each time I get him out he is more adventurous. They are a bit longer and slimmer than balls (different body shape) and definitely is faster moving than the ball. He also doesn't just disappear in his hide all of the time and likes to explore quite abit.

5teve - Thanks for the reply. I'll look into Sonorans, too. I actually did find someone that has hog's breeding right now and I'm so excited!

BWB - Sounds like exactly what I'm looking for! A nice, acive handling snake. I'm going to be a little picky about the one I chose to make sure I end up with a good pet :)

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Hi Hazzaram, I see that you have a BRB - this is next on my wish list. I love the look/coloring of the snake and have been doing some research (mostly on here) about the animal. How has your experience with this species been? I, like you, was looking for a smaller variety and the Hog Island fit the bill plus there was one at a store here (breeders in this part of Canada is a little bit hard to find although I may find out differently at the reptile show this weekend). He has been a super snake - curious enough, eats like a trooper, and spends a fair amount of time outside the hide. I love my ball python - she is gentle, beautiful and calm and loves to explore the house, but the boa is a quicker, stronger snake that makes the hobby so interesting. I cannot believe that I am so enamored by snakes but they are the best pet that I have ever owned.

My hog island boa is my favorite snake to take out of the enclosure. She's never struck at me either. She can be a very aggressive feeder, sometimes hitting the front of her tub as soon as I walk into the room with the rats, which is great compared to doing a zombie rat dance for my male bp's occasionally.

She is definitely more active and inquisitive when handled. She settles after a while usually though, curled around my arm and just hangs out. My BP's usually start looking for a place to hide after being out for more than 5-10 minutes lol.

My wife, on the other hand, dislikes her the most of my snakes. She thinks the eyes are creepy and that she is too intelligent--both of which I think are strong positives haha. Either way, she is a stunning snake (my wife does agree on that).

Here are some images of her I found on my phone. She was born in 2013, so she is 2.5 years old by now.

http://i.imgur.com/SQRkm3O.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bCEhlKi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Aqxx4XX.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/aqOUcXy.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Cg3PJUj.jpg

Our female hogg is around 1 and half years, and about 3 and half foot. She is very docile when out of the viv. When in the viv she is very hissy, she has never bitten though. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b3267bf06d.jpg

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Originally Posted by Tyson88

Our female hogg is around 1 and half years, and about 3 and half foot. She is very docile when out of the viv. When in the viv she is very hissy, she has never bitten though. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b3267bf06d.jpg

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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ed19b6764c.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6031fa2a7b.jpg

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Most hog island boas stay smallish. Get a male and they will average 4-5 feet. Sometimes the smaller locality boas have a "chip" on their shoulder and can be very bitey. I had a male and a female at one time. The male was relatively nice and stayed calm through life but the female was demon spawn and would hiss like a croc and then snap at your face. She would actually drop her rat when feeding to bite at humans if they walked past her cage. I think she was an exceptionally vile creature and don't want to put you off, because they are usually nice snakes. Just be aware... they aren't quite as docile as a ball python in some cases.