Can't Decide - Need Help - Boa or Sumatran Short Tail Python

[Squirtle44]

Hi everyone,

I have been keeping 3 ball pythons for the last year. I absolutely love them. But I want to take a step towards a more intermediate snake, in terms of both size and husbandry (but mostly size). I am currently very torn between 1) a Sumatran Short Tailed Python and 2) a Common BCI Boa.

I absolutely love the looks of all black Sumatran short tails. My hesitation is that their husbandry is difficult and less forgiving in the way of temps and humidity, but more so, that they are not great handling snakes.

I like boa's a lot - but I am a bit concerned with just how big they get.

So my goal is to move to something larger than balls - but I really want a friendly snake which I can hang out with and handle a lot. I know that temperament varies a lot animal to animal even within species, but I wanted to post this specifically under the blood python section to see if someone has or has had a Sumatran Short Tailed python which was a very good handling snake. I like the Sumatran Short tail more in terms of look and size, but my #1 goal here is to move up in size and have an awesome handling snake that I can completely trust (with proper attention, care and caution of course).

[Bluebonnet Herp]

I'd probably get a boa if I were you. My blood can be a bit interesting at times - and by that, I surely mean edgy - but boas are a much better trip to handle.
Boas in general are easier to handle. On average, they usually have a better temperament, although most CB bloods/short tails are nowhere near as mean as what's commonly believed. Regardless, short tailed pythons/bloods require more careful handling to support their weight, whereas a boa will be content to wrap around you and support its own weight.
An edgy or legitimately agitated short tail/blood python can be very intimidating for the novice. In addition, a bite from one of them will most likely cause more damage than a boa bite.
Boas get longer than short tails/bloods on average, but will not be as heavy. There's also more boas that are naturally mellow. However, both snakes are relatively lazy - neither a boa nor a blood/short tail will move around as much as your ball pythons. A mellow specimen of either species can be a great next step up. But making a mistake with a short tail/blood python is slightly more costly than if were one to make a mistake with a boa. Boas are usually calmer than bloods/short tails on average, so I'd say the boa would be a safer bet as an introduction to medium sized boids.

[bcr229]

There are several dwarf/locality BI's that stay fairly small. Tarahumaras are the smallest - my adult females will never outgrow their 41-qt tubs. Just make sure they are pure so you know what to expect as they mature. This site has an excellent writeup on them: http://cuttingedgeherp.com/

[Gio]

Hi everyone,

I have been keeping 3 ball pythons for the last year. I absolutely love them. But I want to take a step towards a more intermediate snake, in terms of both size and husbandry (but mostly size). I am currently very torn between 1) a Sumatran Short Tailed Python and 2) a Common BCI Boa.

I absolutely love the looks of all black Sumatran short tails. My hesitation is that their husbandry is difficult and less forgiving in the way of temps and humidity, but more so, that they are not great handling snakes.

I like boa's a lot - but I am a bit concerned with just how big they get.

So my goal is to move to something larger than balls - but I really want a friendly snake which I can hang out with and handle a lot. I know that temperament varies a lot animal to animal even within species, but I wanted to post this specifically under the blood python section to see if someone has or has had a Sumatran Short Tailed python which was a very good handling snake. I like the Sumatran Short tail more in terms of look and size, but my #1 goal here is to move up in size and have an awesome handling snake that I can completely trust (with proper attention, care and caution of course).

Both will be larger than the royals you keep and you obviously know that.
Now, if you want something very different from the royal, a boa constrictor is the way to go IMO.

Here's why; Both the royal python and the short tailed group are very terrestrial. The short tail is even more grounded than a "busy" royal.

I love the looks of the bloods and shorties but I like something that displays and handles well.

Boa constrictors are classed as terrestrial, but they should be re classed as semi arboreal. There are several wild observations of them lounging and hunting in trees. I'm even speaking about large boa. My near 7 foot male is always using perches and typically hunts/feeds from his perches.
If you go boa, set up the caging so you are able to observe behaviors that they would display in the wild. Some ceiling space 18" or more will make for a nice display. I have 20" of ceiling and wish I had 2-3 feet.

"Common boa" is typically thought of as a Colombian boa. I find that to be fairly unsupported these days without any locality data. A common boa (Boa Constrictor Imperator, BCI, BI) can be Colombian mixed with about anything. There are some large BI, but there are also boa imperator that come from islands. The typical common boa can be drab and colorless. Its not bad, but you like the "look" of the shortie.

There are ALL kinds of boa that are colorful and not expensive. Morphs obviously and some real locality boa constrictors. I haven't even mentioned Boa Constrictor Constrictor (BCC, BC)

This is my male. He's 5 years old, close to 7 feet, probably 6.5 feet. Heavy, but not too heavy, busy and pleasant.

This is a locality animal. It is a Barranquilla Colombian boa constrictor. This locale is said to posses traits of BCI and BCC and according to Vincent Russo is what a natural cross of the two species would look like in the wild.

He was produced by Gus Rentfro of Rio Bravo Reptiles (no longer in business) and sold to me by Legacy Reptiles. Legacy is still in business and produces these. They are not off the charts expensive, though they are more than the typical "common boa".


They are a very different handling experience when compared to bloods or royals. As mentioned above, a boa will wrap tight and hang out with you. I enjoy handling the boa we have here over the retic, carpet python and royal python.

Boas "feel good" when you handle them IMO.



Now with that said, I'd love a shortie here because I think one would be a good lap snake. They are one of the most, if not the most, thickset pythons out there when you take into consideration their length and girth. A 5.5 foot well fed shortie will look very impressive.

Ultimately you will have to decide. I just wanted to help a little by giving you some info and share my experiences with the boa I have.

The activity level and display potential are IMO, more rewarding. I also feel they handle as good as any snake, possible one of the easiest of all larger snakes to handle.

Check a boa or two out, find a locality, or morph, or a "mutt" nothing wrong with mutts my carpet python is a costal mutt LOL!

Good luck and keep us posted.

[artgecko]

Boa! Seriously fun and great snakes... I have three. If size is a concern, get a male and go with a smaller locality... a "Central American", Nicaraguan, hog island, BCL (longicauda), or Mexican (terrahumara or Sonoran) would be smaller than a common BCI. Most common male BCI stay around 6' or a little smaller, but some can get larger. With all of the localities I mentioned, make sure they have correct lineage... You don't want to think your boa will get 4' when it will actually reach 8' because it was in reality a cross with something that you didn't know about.

I personally have a hypo male BCI (common boa), a male BCA (amarali), and a male motley Central American. The motley CA is definitely staying smaller than either of the others (with regular feeding).

I would recommend buying from a breeder (not a store or re-seller) and asking for a calmer individual. Some of the smaller localities can be nippier at first, so it is best to ask if you are set on a calm easy-going snake. All 3 of mine are calm as can be (except on feeding night) and none of them even hissed at me when being unboxed.

Short tails are beautiful snakes, but are less active and need higher humidity. They can be tame, but are on the whole less tame than most boas. They are not as active and have to be handled correctly...don't like to climb, so it is best to support most of their bodies and hold them while sitting, etc. If you do get one, go CBB and preferably purchase from a breeder that has handled them some and can pick a calmer one for you... and a male would stay smaller / lighter.

Boa pics! (just because I can lol)

Kirby, Hypo BCI


Jax, south Brazilian BCA

[artgecko]

Forgot to add, if you want a very dark snake, you can look into Anery BCL (longicauda) they get very dark and stay thinner / shorter than common BCI... They are hard to find though and not cheap, but drop dead gorgeous.

[Aedryan Methyus]

Hi Squirtle,
How are you currently housing and heating your Ball Pythons? If you are keeping them in a rack system with tubs and using a single thermostat with heat tape, one consideration is, you could house and heat a Boa in the same rack with your Ball Pythons. The care and husbandry of Bloods and Short Tails is every bit as simple as Ball Pythons. The only difference is they like it much cooler on the hot side (80 - 83 degrees), so they wouldn't be able to share housing and heating with your Ball Pythons. They also like more humidity than Ball Pythons. That is only a simple matter of providing a large water dish in their enclosures and misting the enclosure down every day or two...

As far as the temperament of Bloods and Short Tails, all I can tell you from my experience is, I have a pair of Bloods, a pair of Borneos and a pair of Sumatrans and pretty much every one of them have acted schizo at some point. I have noted recently that my males definitely seem to have much more unbalanced temperaments and are much more moody than my females for some reason. Have any of you other Blood/Short Tail keepers noticed this, as well? All of mine are only 2015's and 2016's, so I don't have any experience with adults yet. But, most of the other more experienced keepers seem to say that they tame down significantly with age (especially after their first year) with regular handling. My big 2015 Matrix girl put on one hell of a show for about the first 4 - 6 weeks I had her every time I tried to handle her. But, strangely, she has never actually tried to bite even during that time period. Since then her temperament has been very balanced. I guess I would describe her as, "apprehensive". She basically remains completely motionless when handling her and no matter what, she always has to have her head turned around staring directly at my face at all times. It is sketchy and intimidating as hell to say the least, but other than that she is a pretty good girl. My 2015 Matrix boy has been good for the most part. There was really only one incident with him, where I was holding him and he suddenly threw himself out of my hands and across the room trying to bite my daughter... lol One other time he was huffy and hissy when I went to take him out. Other than those two incidents he has been a pretty sweet boy. Just a little jumpy when you're touching him... My 2016 Sumatrans both also put on quite a show for the first 4 - 6 weeks when I tried to handle them. They have both been very sweet ever since except recently the male started acting schizo again when I go to get him out. He just starts throwing his whole body around then sits there twitching. Once I get him out he is fine. The female is a total sweetheart and out of all my Bloods and Short Tails, she is definitely the one I trust most. My Marble Borneos have been sweet as can be since day one until recently the male stated acting completely schizo when I go to take him out. He also throws his whole body around then just sits there twitching and acting like he is completely miserable. He is also fine once I get him out. The female has still never been anything less than a total sweetheart so far...

neither a boa nor a blood/short tail will move around as much as your ball pythons.

That is true of Bloods and Short Tails for the most part, but i'm not sure why you say that about Boas, though... Any Boa I have ever owned or handled was much more active, attentive and inquisitive than any Ball Python...

Currently, I am working with 6 different species of constrictors and I love all of them to death! Each species (and each individual snake) have their own unique traits, characteristics and behaviors. But, if I ever had to choose only one species to work with I would still have to go with Boas. They're great eaters, simple to care for, even tempered and reach a larger, yet manageable size. I also feel that they have the most personality and are the most enjoyable to handle. If you decide to go with a Boa and you want one that will most likely stay on the smaller side, I would definitely recommend going with a BI instead of a BC and I would get a male. If you decide to go with a Blood or Short Tail, Sumatrans are the smallest of the three species and Bloods are the largest. Either way, you will ultimately have a 20 - 40 pound beast as an adult. It would be impossible to say, which of the three has the best temperament. It really depends on the individual snake...

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask any other specific questions you may have to help you in your decision...

[Goode05]

SSTP not even a question


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sauzo]

Boa hands down. Boas are lap snakes for sure. I wouldn't let size on a boa be your determining factor as it take years for them to grow since they grow as fast as paint dries lol. Get a baby and even if it gets 6'+, it will still seem like your baby as you will be so used to it.

And as for temperament, boas are mellow once they are settled in for the most part. Like any animal, there are feisty ones. But if you look at my sig, all my boas are complete loungers and I just reach in and drag them out no problem. They don't care lol. I can even grab their heads and they sit there or at most if they are cranky, will move their head.

And like Artgecko said, if you want black, get a Peruvian Longtail boa. I got a yearling who is already darkening up nicely and he's not even visual anery, only het anery. Het anerys can get very dark still. For example here is mom who is a het anery from Vin Russo


And dad who is a visual anery from Legacy Reptiles.


So as you see, even a het anery can be dark.

Anyways, I've never had a blood python but I love boas.

[Gio]

Quote Originally Posted by Bluebonnet Herp View Post
neither a boa nor a blood/short tail will move around as much as your ball pythons.


Is this a joke?

I don't know how anybody to come to this conclusion (for boa constrictors) unless they are involved in completely over feeding the animal. I guess that is very possible since most over feed their boas.

Again, if you are looking at the natural habits and biology of royals you will find they are solitary, very shy and typically burrow in holes.

They are not semi arboreal, like boas, although some will climb small shrubs they are small and not high on the food chain in nature.

Royal pythons may be more active than shorties and bloods, but there is simply no comparison to a properly fed boa constrictor. Keep in mind boas will be less active in winter months if you appropriately reduce cage temps and reduce or skip feeding altogether during winter.

Boas are hands down more active than royal pythons. There may be a few exceptions but that is rare. A full grown boa has very few enemies in nature. They are close to the top of the food chain in their natural habitat.

Boa constrictors almost always eat and that's where folks get into a jam. Looking hungry and wanting food should not equal an automatic feeding day. If you stuff anything to the gills it will become sluggish and have no reason to move. Boa need to go through a feast and famine situation. Most snakes do, but boas will actively, hunt and climb high into the canopy if they need to to get food.

Lazy boas are simply over fed animals.

9 times out of 10 you will hear people that own both species say the boa is far more active than the royal. I'm one of them.

No knock on royals. A comfy, hiding royal is a happy, content snake usually.

Of the 4 species of snakes we have here, the royal is BY FAR the least active. The carpet python is the most active, the boa constrictor is second, and the newer retic is in the number three spot. There is simply no comparison and I hear that constantly from others that own both.