My 1st Red Tail Boa

Hi!

I just purchase my first Red Tail Boa the past weekend at a reptile expo. I was wondering what color morph is he and what type is he BCC or BCI? The seller told me but I can not remember the color morph. He said he is about a year old. I did have a Ball Python when I was younger but unfortunately he passed away a few months after I got him, I'm not sure why. I already love my boa so much! Will his color change as he gets older? Will he keep his red markings or will they turn brown?

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...pse4bsxs5s.jpg

Any way to get ahold of the breeder you bought from to confirm?
More photos would help a lot.

I assume you paid a few hundred? Because from this one photo and based on the coloration, looks like a VPI T+ to me
Very pretty!

- - - Updated - - -

and Bi not Bc or possibly a cross

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ps9m3xo7hx.jpg


https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...psu4xlcqkh.jpg



https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ps7fbbrhpr.jpg

He was a pretty penny haha but once I saw him I couldn't leave with out him. Do you think he would get bigger than 7 feet?

I thought he looked like a vpi t+ to me too from them pics absolute April he’s not pink enough to be a vpi t+pink panther, great looking boa tho them saddle markings are so cool


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nice looking BCI. I doubt he will get 7 feet and if he does, it will take a LONG time. My oldest girl who is a normal BCI is over 5 years old and about 6.5 feet. They do change colors some with age but nothing dramatic like a BCL or GTP or anything. As for keeping the red tail, depends on the snake. My big girl has kept most of her red in her tail and like i said, she is over 5 years old. Here colors havent really changed much from when she was a baby.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...78dfba1a_h.jpg

Beautiful boa! Congrats. I think I'm getting a boa itch... again

Nice Boa!

I am new to Boa's, and got my first BCI, Behira, last year. She will be 2 this year (she's a 2016). She is awesome. Great eater, docile, and very interactive.

The males are usually quite a bit smaller than the females. From what I have heard, and others can correct me, a BCI male should be 4-6FT and a BCI female 5-7 FT, sometimes 8FT, but rarely bigger. True red tails are significantly bigger. How much and often you feed has a big bearing on size, as does genetics to a lesser extent.

Very important you not overfeed. They will eat pretty much as often as you feed, but they can die young if overfed.

We had a whole discussion going about this on my thread about Behira https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...host-First-BCI

I think it starts on page 2.

There are a few Boa people on here and all seem happy to help if you have question.

Good luck with your beautiful boy!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dakski

Nice Boa!

I am new to Boa's, and got my first BCI, Behira, last year. She will be 2 this year (she's a 2016). She is awesome. Great eater, docile, and very interactive.

The males are usually quite a bit smaller than the females. From what I have heard, and others can correct me, a BCI male should be 4-6FT and a BCI female 5-7 FT, sometimes 8FT, but rarely bigger. True red tails are significantly bigger. How much and often you feed has a big bearing on size, as does genetics to a lesser extent.

Very important you not overfeed. They will eat pretty much as often as you feed, but they can die young if overfed.

We had a whole discussion going about this on my thread about Behira https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...host-First-BCI

I think it starts on page 2.

There are a few Boa people on here and all seem happy to help if you have question.

Good luck with your beautiful boy!

---

Yup, Yup and Yup. Also add, while BCC do for the most part get bigger than BCI, it takes them a much longer time to get there. Gina, my suriname will be 2 years old this coming August and she is about 2 feet long and eating adult mice. At 2 years old, she might be up to weaned rats but I'm nit betting on it lol. Heck, even Rango who will be 2 years old this March is still on adult mice and almost 3 feet and Louie my BCL will be 2 years old this July and he too is on adult mice and closing in on 3 feet. Slow wins the show with boas and generally any snake. Some though get bratty when not fed(I'm looking at you Caesar), so those guys you need to feed a little more.

Thank you, I was wondering around the reptile expo trying to decide if I wanted another Ball Python or a Boa. I looked at all the ones for sale and nothing really caught my eye but I saw him and I fell in love. After the seller let me hold him it was already over, I was attached to him already lol. I hope he doesn't get too big. I just fed him a small rat yesterday. The seller said to feed weekly but after reading your thread, maybe I should go to once every 2 weeks?

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...psbydksbko.png

So I be worried about him ingesting the substrate? When he was eating I think I saw a few pieces of it on the rat.

Sauzo, your boa is beautiful!

Also with feeding him twice a week.. would he get cranky? I'm trying to avoid being bit at much as possible haha.

If he’s eating small rats already, I would go to every two weeks.

If if he gets cranky you can always go to 10 days or so and feed a little smaller meal.

See how it goes.

Behira is fine on every two weeks.

I wouldn't worry about the substrate eating. In the future you can feed the rat on a piece of paper so it doesn't get substrate on it, but in my experience it is no big deal. I've seen my ball pythons eat big chunks of substrate and go on with life like nothing ever happened. Their digestive systems can handle bones and hair!

How would I tell if he's cranky, will he try and strike at me? Ok great to know. I had a Beardie before so eating substrate always scares me since they can get impacted. I always kept her on shelf liner.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by svtvenom

Thank you, I was wondering around the reptile expo trying to decide if I wanted another Ball Python or a Boa. I looked at all the ones for sale and nothing really caught my eye but I saw him and I fell in love. After the seller let me hold him it was already over, I was attached to him already lol. I hope he doesn't get too big. I just fed him a small rat yesterday. The seller said to feed weekly but after reading your thread, maybe I should go to once every 2 weeks?

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...psbydksbko.png

So I be worried about him ingesting the substrate? When he was eating I think I saw a few pieces of it on the rat.

Sauzo, your boa is beautiful!

---

Thanks. Thats my normal girl. Should take a few peeks at my other boas. I'm pretty proud of my little 'family' :D

And if it is eating small rats, i would for sure go to a 2 weeks feeding. I generally do every 7-10 days when under a year old and on mice. Once over a year old and still on mice, every 2 weeks. Once up to weaned/small rats, every 2 weeks. Medium rats every 3 weeks. Large rats every 4 weeks. Rabbits or jumbo rats every 4-6 weeks. Rabbits are a lean and dense meat so i would go to every 6 weeks with them.

As for ingesting substrate, i wouldnt worry too much. I do feed my guys on pieces of cardboard though to try and minimize it but sometimes they just drag them away so i will usually use the feeding forceps and pick off bigger pieces of substrate as they swallow it down. My snakes dont seem to really care. But once they get to the 3/4 mark on the food, i back out and close the door so i dont get attacked lol.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by svtvenom

Also with feeding him twice a week.. would he get cranky? I'm trying to avoid being bit at much as possible haha.

---

None of my snakes get 'cranky'. They will be alert and think its feeding time when i open the cage but when they dont smell food, they lay back down and sulk haha. The only snake i have that gets bratty when he wants food is Caesar my SD retic. He will push like crazy and shove his hides around and overall make a lot of noise and destruction until fed. Then he gets quiet again haha.

Ok cool! I will try to gently pick off the substrate with the feeding tongs until hes 3/4 done lol. That's so cute that they sulk. I will go every 2 weeks :D I was also wondering, most times when I had a Beardie she would defecate in the bath when I soaked her and I would brush her with a toothbrush with a baby soap to make sure she was clean. He did poop in his enclosure the night I brought him home (this past Saturday) and I was wondering if there was a way I can wash him? I know not to touch him for two days after eating so I won't try anything just yet.

Sauzo, all your snakes are so pretty! I'm jealous. What do you guys think about letting the snake around your neck when hes full grown? I read some people think its ok but others don't let their snakes do it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by svtvenom

Sauzo, all your snakes are so pretty! I'm jealous. What do you guys think about letting the snake around your neck when hes full grown? I read some people think its ok but others don't let their snakes do it.

---

First, I cannot speak from personal experience, as Behira will be the largest snake I have owned when she is full grown.

I have heard, and it makes sense to me, over 6FT or so do not let them wrap around your neck. They only constrict to kill prey, but a large snake could hurt you, even accidentally, if they felt insecure or like they were going to fall, etc.

I have seen many people drape BCI's over their shoulders and let them hang on them, but again, not wrapped around their neck. Just hanging from it.

So, I think it's a good guideline, the 6FT or so length for Boids. My corn is almost 5 1/2 feet and 620G, so I am not worried about him. Shayna, my 4ft BP, and Behira, at 3 1/2 feet, are much stronger than Figment, my corn.

Besides, as Sauzo said, you will have a long-time to get to know your snake before he is big enough to worry about putting him around your neck.

Additionally, and to clarify, Behira has shown no added aggression eating every two weeks. She has not gotten cranky at all.

However, I offer food only at night with the lights out in the cages and that part of the room (big finished basement). If I am going to handle, cage lights and/or room lights are on. That way, the snakes have become "conditioned' not to look for food if the lights are on. At night, it's another story, they almost expect to be fed when I go in there.

Also, I have a 5 tank apartment from Boaphile and even though I feed every other week for Behira, I offer weekly for Shayna (although she hasn't eaten in 4 months now - on her yearly fast) and Figment. So, Behira smells the food and I am sure she would consider tagging me if I went in her tank near when feeding the other snakes.

By the next day, she is back to her chill self.

Thanks for all the information! I see what you mean by just letting him hang on the neck. I guess I'll see when he is bigger. That's good to know, I'm glad she hasn't shown any type of aggression feeding her every 2 weeks. Do you hook train your snakes? Or just reach in and pick them up? Aww poor girl, she's like feed me human! Luckily, he will be my only snake so I don't have to worry about that. So he is a VPI T+ BI? Is he a Colombian Red Tail Boa? I just want to be sure I'm calling him by the correct name when talking about him to other snake people so they don't think I'm totally clueless.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by svtvenom

Ok cool! I will try to gently pick off the substrate with the feeding tongs until hes 3/4 done lol. That's so cute that they sulk. I will go every 2 weeks :D I was also wondering, most times when I had a Beardie she would defecate in the bath when I soaked her and I would brush her with a toothbrush with a baby soap to make sure she was clean. He did poop in his enclosure the night I brought him home (this past Saturday) and I was wondering if there was a way I can wash him? I know not to touch him for two days after eating so I won't try anything just yet.

---

I generally dont 'wash' my snakes unless they do something stupid like paint the cage with poop....which they have done. You can soak them in the bath tub if you want or i use 41 qt sterilite tubs with luke warm water but thats usually only in the summer when its hot out and i use water that is slightly cool to the touch as we are 98.6F.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by svtvenom

Sauzo, all your snakes are so pretty! I'm jealous. What do you guys think about letting the snake around your neck when hes full grown? I read some people think its ok but others don't let their snakes do it.

---

Thanks. I usually avoid letting them wrap fully around my neck. I try and keep them on my shoulders or slung over 1 shoulder and around my waist or they like to sit on my head.

If he’s on small rats definitely fortnightly, males are normally smaller but in saying that I have a 7ft albino jungle , Ive only had him a year and the bloke was feeding him an xl rat every two weeks, no wonder he is supersized,Ive put him on a diet since then to once a month and he is slowly slimming down,
My male motley
Who is 4 this year is only 5ft and Ive had him since six months so been slow /sensibly grown
1-2 I feed fortnightly
2-3 every 3 weeks
4+ I feed mine monthly
Obviously all on the appropriate sized prey

I think you chose really well for your first boa, boas are really cool, Ive got 12 and there great eaters that’s for sure even tho I have a male longicauda that will only drop feed in the dark, but at least he still eats every time, he just won’t strike feed like the others


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

Welcome to the awesome world of boa ownership! I have several species, but my boas are def. my favorites. I have a BCA, A hypo BCI, and a Central American motley BCI.

Looks like you have a nice VPI T+ albino.

I agree with the others on feeding him every 2 weeks if he is over 1 year and under 3 years. When he hits 3, you can start feeding every 3 weeks. My oldest boas is around 6 years old at this point... I have had him for 4 and he was 2.5 when I got him. He eats every 4-6 weeks depending on meal size and is at a healthy weight.

I do hook / tap train all my snakes. My boas have a very high feeding response, especially at night. Sometimes they will slam the glass enclosure doors when they see movement / heat pass by, so I don't want to take risks lol. I use the hook whenever I work in their cage, change water, want to handle, etc. All I do is gently stroke them with it until they show that they recognize what is going on (usually by moving away from the hook touching them / turning their head away). At that point, I can reach in and grab them. This is useful because they could be asleep and strike out of fear if disturbed while asleep or just be very hungry and over-react. None of my boas has shown aggression to me, even when being treated via injection or oral medications, so the hook is truly a precaution to prevent them from making a mistake.

Be prepared to house your friend as he grows.. He will probably need at least a 4'x2'x 15" tall pvc cage as an adult with some climbing options. All of mine have AP pvc cages with sliding glass locking doors, light, heat tape, and basking / climbing shelves. They use the shelves a lot, even my oldest / largest boy.

Good luck with your new boa! They are such great animals... beautiful and have great attitudes also.

Welcome to the awesome world of boa ownership! I have several species, but my boas are def. my favorites. I have a BCA, A hypo BCI, and a Central American motley BCI.

Looks like you have a nice VPI T+ albino.

I agree with the others on feeding him every 2 weeks if he is over 1 year and under 3 years. When he hits 3, you can start feeding every 3 weeks. My oldest boas is around 6 years old at this point... I have had him for 4 and he was 2.5 when I got him. He eats every 4-6 weeks depending on meal size and is at a healthy weight.

I do hook / tap train all my snakes. My boas have a very high feeding response, especially at night. Sometimes they will slam the glass enclosure doors when they see movement / heat pass by, so I don't want to take risks lol. I use the hook whenever I work in their cage, change water, want to handle, etc. All I do is gently stroke them with it until they show that they recognize what is going on (usually by moving away from the hook touching them / turning their head away). At that point, I can reach in and grab them. This is useful because they could be asleep and strike out of fear if disturbed while asleep or just be very hungry and over-react. None of my boas has shown aggression to me, even when being treated via injection or oral medications, so the hook is truly a precaution to prevent them from making a mistake.

Be prepared to house your friend as he grows.. He will probably need at least a 4'x2'x 15" tall pvc cage as an adult with some climbing options. All of mine have AP pvc cages with sliding glass locking doors, light, heat tape, and basking / climbing shelves. They use the shelves a lot, even my oldest / largest boy.

Good luck with your new boa! They are such great animals... beautiful and have great attitudes also.

Really great looking boa you got there and for a first very nice. Best wishes but you probably don't need them cause boa's are pretty easy going and i'm sure you'll be ok. Boa's along with ball pythons are hands down my favorite boids. Most have laid back attitudes and are not picky eaters unlike ball pythons.

And since some of us are sharing pics here's one of my first boa and still have nearly 20 years later. This was last December early in the month. Also don't worry I don't think yours will get as big as this guy.
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil..._42_12_pro.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EDR

Really great looking boa you got there and for a first very nice. Best wishes but you probably don't need them cause boa's are pretty easy going and i'm sure you'll be ok. Boa's along with ball pythons are hands down my favorite boids. Most have laid back attitudes and are not picky eaters unlike ball pythons.

And since some of us are sharing pics here's one of my first boa and still have nearly 20 years later. This was last December early in the month. Also don't worry I don't think yours will get as big as this guy.
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil..._42_12_pro.jpg

---

Great job EDR! 20 years is amazing, he looks well taken care of.
When I was a kid, I wanted to buy a Red tail boa being sold at a local petshop... if he's still alive, he most be around the same age as yours right now. Didn't get it, my parents said: "Absolutely not". Is funny, I always think of him. I really hope he got a good owner and is still alive and well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RickyNY

Great job EDR! 20 years is amazing, he looks well taken care of.
When I was a kid, I wanted to buy a Red tail boa being sold at a local petshop... if he's still alive, he most be around the same age as yours right now. Didn't get it, my parents said: "Absolutely not". Is funny, I always think of him. I really hope he got a good owner and is still alive and well.

---

Thanks Ricky. Yeah boy time flies and now my albino boa is going on 5-6 years old. Next thing I know he'll be a big old snek.

Nice story too. Hopefully he found a good home. I think its really nice that you remember him.

Thanks everyone for all the advice! I really want to make sure I do everything to ensure he lives a long and healthy life. He has so much more personality than my ball python ever did and I love how he’s not skiddish like he was. I still can’t think of a name for him. I was thinking about Sandor, Clegane, or Ramsay from Game of Thrones or Negan from Walking Dead. I’m also open to suggestions, anyone have a unique/badass name!?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sauzo

Yup, Yup and Yup. Also add, while BCC do for the most part get bigger than BCI, it takes them a much longer time to get there. Gina, my suriname will be 2 years old this coming August and she is about 2 feet long and eating adult mice. At 2 years old, she might be up to weaned rats but I'm nit betting on it lol. Heck, even Rango who will be 2 years old this March is still on adult mice and almost 3 feet and Louie my BCL will be 2 years old this July and he too is on adult mice and closing in on 3 feet. Slow wins the show with boas and generally any snake. Some though get bratty when not fed(I'm looking at you Caesar), so those guys you need to feed a little more.

---

He is saying that a male BCI will reach 4 to 6 feet and he is asking others to correct him if he was wrong and you are agreeing with him. Well, my male BCI is 20 months old and already over 5 feet. Nobody should think or claim that i am overfeeding him, he did not eat anything for about 2 months now. Boa Constrictors are large heavy body snakes

Whatever you say Dutti. We all know that you are the snake expert on this forum lol. :gj::bow::rofl:

Sauzo, I think you have jerked someone’s chain some how.:P

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tigerhawk

Sauzo, I think you have jerked someone’s chain some how.:P

---

Me!!?? I'm an angel :floating:

Yeah you.:D Smh.