Anyone Keeping / Breeding Rosy Boas?

[artgecko]

I've run across some pics and FB forums for these guys recently and find their contrast and colors appealing..along with their smaller size. I already keep KSB and think these guys would be similar in terms of housing needs, feeding, etc.

If anyone here is keeping / breeding them, I'd love to hear your opinions on temperament, feeding, etc. and which localities / sub species you are keeping / working with.

I've been told that the coastal variety is hardier and better feeders. I've also been told totally contrasting things about temperament. Anything from they are basically psycho demons to the most laid back snakes out there. I'd love feedback on that as well.

[RickyNY]

That's true... I heard they like to bite and are terrible at handling.
Then I saw a guy on Youtube with one, and she seemed super chill.

[GeneticsWizard]

I've kept both Kenyan Sand Boas and Rosy Boas. I've bred other species, but never bred either of those.

I don't remember which variety of Rosies I raised, as it was about 20 years ago, but mine had great temperaments. I don't remember feeding to ever have been a problem, and I don't think they ever snapped at me.

I'm sure you know they only need water occasionally. They were beautiful snakes that were a joy to have around.

I'll see if I can find in my records where I got them and what the locality was, and if I can determine that I'll update later with more precise info.

[Bogertophis]

I've kept (& bred) both desert & coastal/desert-intergrade rosy boas...still have one pet rosy boa (a female, about 3+', males stay a little smaller). For a time I
also had a pair of (inbred?) Mexican rosy boas (chocolate/cream stripes) that were nice enough pets but lousy for breeding (& I re-homed them). They weren't
supposed to have been related but don't think seller was truthful.

But as far as the desert & desert-coastals I've known & raised, all were good pets (good temperament, good appetites). These are not burrowers like KSB, though
as neonates they love a deep layer of Carefresh & actually created tunnels like an ant farm, lol. I disagree with GeneticsWizard's post that they only need water
"occasionally": just because a snake survives in the wild that way does NOT mean it should have to as a pet, where the constant household & cage heat are even
MORE dehydrating than the actual outdoors, where snakes take refuge underground & where humidity still lurks. (just ask the toads that survive long periods by
being buried )

The worst thing I can say about rosy boas is that they tend to go off-feed in winter for a few months if not brumated, but don't lose serious amounts of weight &
make up for it in spring by eating enthusiastically. And it's fun to watch them born live...some of mine (from one male's line) were so feisty that I had to separate
them immediately after birth, they were snapping at each other & most fed immediately, rather than after the first shed. On average rosy boas live to about 20
years...one of mine hit 26, even after surviving many years of substandard care in a museum before she was given to me (essentially 'dumped') & had 5 years of
reproducing remarkably-healthy offspring for me (49 in all). They stay a really nice size for pets, I recommend a tank with screen top for good ventilation as they
have in the wild. Neonates DO want live pinkie mice...they will switch to f/t easier than most BPs, but plan on needing to feed live pinks for a while at least. Most
rosies happily take pinkie/fuzzy rats too, but it's better they stay on mice & gradually go up in size to hopper/small adult mice as adult rosy boas. They aren't
great climbers but in the wild do climb into shrubs...possible reasons are to catch prey or escape the surface heat; as pets, some will snuggle around your neck
without squeezing...just the right length to do that & not enough power to choke you even if they tried. (& they don't )

BTW, they always used to have a reputation of being very docile, so it's possible that over the years some ppl are inbreeding them & temperaments have
suffered? I'm not sure...I've kept wild-caught rescues that adapted just fine to handling, but as far as choosing a young one, I'd take a biter that EATS well any day over the overly-docile one...because they DO tame down, just like most any other snakes do.

[artgecko]

Thank you so much for your replies! I love kenyans, so am hoping that rosies will be similar..They are at least a similar size. So far, I'm liking some of the Mexican localities, but I'll have to look into the coastal and AZ localities more to see if those interest me also.

I'd love to start with a pair or trio of 2-3 localities.. That would necessitate working out where to keep them and I will likely need to set them up in a room different than the rest of my collection due to humidity levels.