Ball pythons vs. boa constrictors - key differences in care?

[jmcrook]

Haha, yes, it's mostly for planning purposes -- and to have realistic expectations to curb my eagerness to see my babies quickly grow big and strong. I'm sure that's part of what makes it tempting to deviate from a regulated feeding regimen, so I want to arm myself with the knowledge now to avoid over-feeding as a result of my own impatience.

Yep, boas grow at a glacial pace. I’ve had my Suriname for a year as of June 26th and while he’s about tripled his mass in that time frame, he’s still barely over 200grams and a tad over 2’ long


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[Bogertophis]

Okay, noted - slightly cooler than for the BPs. Since there is some overlap in the ranges for optimal ambient temperature for BPs and boas, is it still reasonable to keep them in the same room (of course, after completion of the quarantine period), maintaining a fairly consistent room temp of around 77-78 F?

Haha, that sounds like a very resourceful strategy for "tricking" a boa back into its cage! The BPs are generally more than happy to skedaddle back into their tubs after a handling session or photo op, so this would certainly be a very different experience. I wonder if one of those tent/cave style beds that they make for dogs and cats would be similarly effective ...

Same room with ambient temps 77-78* is probably OK, although I can recall my BCI often selected the cool end of her enclosure even when it was low 70's. I think that's warmer than your entire room needs to be...it might be better to tweak only the BP- enclosures, with the room about 75*?

The tent/cave style beds do not zip closed, as far as I've seen. A member here lets her BP out for exercise on "missions" & has one of them for exploration purposes & while snakes like them, the idea is to contain the boa that may suddenly decide it wants out. Also, the rectangular shape of the soft-side dog carrier lends itself better to fit the interior of the snake's enclosure, the times when I used it for "involuntary return" purposes.

One time I had my BCI out relaxing on my bed while I folded laundry. I'd been going back & forth for a while, momentarily out of the room- she never moved a muscle. Then I was gone for a couple minutes (tops) & when I came back she had disappeared into a nearby drawer that I'd left open. She claimed it as her own & hissed at me when I took her out... But she didn't try to bite, she was just so pleased with her hideaway. (pardon my digression) Anyway, she never did get her very own dresser, but it's easy to see what snakes like.

[MarkL1561]

Idk if this will help you out but this is what I’ve been following for mine. Although I’ve only had him since January so I’m definitely not an expert on boa constrictors. He’s definitely become my favorite snake though. He’s an absolute sweetheart and has gotten comfortable enough to lay on me and watch tv. He will be 1 in July and is a tad over 3’ long. He’s not super thick though and he’s currently eating weaning rats from perfect prey. Side note, they’re fantastic for buying rats in bulk! I’ve been feeding him weekly and he seems to be doing great as he’s lean/tall, definitely not obese. Although coming up soon I’m going to be switching to every other week unless he loses weight of course. I’m very curious as to the growth rate as well. There seems to be mixed information online. At what age do they reach adult size and what’s the typical girth of a male BCI. I’ve heard to expect 5-7’ but have seen males 9+ so I’m assuming it’s somewhat random with feeding playing a large role. Currently he’s in a 4x2x2 enclosure but eventually I might move him up to a 6’ or 8’ enclosure if I get a bigger place. So far my experience with them has been fantastic and I honestly think they’re better than ball pythons Also, if you want some good information check out Clint’s Reptiles on YouTube


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[RedRabbit]

Same room with ambient temps 77-78* is probably OK, although I can recall my BCI often selected the cool end of her enclosure even when it was low 70's. I think that's warmer than your entire room needs to be...it might be better to tweak only the BP- enclosures, with the room about 75*?

The tent/cave style beds do not zip closed, as far as I've seen. A member here lets her BP out for exercise on "missions" & has one of them for exploration purposes & while snakes like them, the idea is to contain the boa that may suddenly decide it wants out. Also, the rectangular shape of the soft-side dog carrier lends itself better to fit the interior of the snake's enclosure, the times when I used it for "involuntary return" purposes.

One time I had my BCI out relaxing on my bed while I folded laundry. I'd been going back & forth for a while, momentarily out of the room- she never moved a muscle. Then I was gone for a couple minutes (tops) & when I came back she had disappeared into a nearby drawer that I'd left open. She claimed it as her own & hissed at me when I took her out... But she didn't try to bite, she was just so pleased with her hideaway. (pardon my digression) Anyway, she never did get her very own dresser, but it's easy to see what snakes like.

Good point about the need for "containment" during an "involuntary return," haha. (And I believe you're referring to Valyndris and her adventurous boy Crowley, right?) Also, that is a hilarious anecdote about the dresser drawer. How dare you relocate her when she had already comfortably moved in?!

[RedRabbit]

Idk if this will help you out but this is what I’ve been following for mine. Although I’ve only had him since January so I’m definitely not an expert on boa constrictors. He’s definitely become my favorite snake though. He’s an absolute sweetheart and has gotten comfortable enough to lay on me and watch tv. He will be 1 in July and is a tad over 3’ long. He’s not super thick though and he’s currently eating weaning rats from perfect prey. Side note, they’re fantastic for buying rats in bulk! I’ve been feeding him weekly and he seems to be doing great as he’s lean/tall, definitely not obese. Although coming up soon I’m going to be switching to every other week unless he loses weight of course. I’m very curious as to the growth rate as well. There seems to be mixed information online. At what age do they reach adult size and what’s the typical girth of a male BCI. I’ve heard to expect 5-7’ but have seen males 9+ so I’m assuming it’s somewhat random with feeding playing a large role. Currently he’s in a 4x2x2 enclosure but eventually I might move him up to a 6’ or 8’ enclosure if I get a bigger place. So far my experience with them has been fantastic and I honestly think they’re better than ball pythons Also, if you want some good information check out Clint’s Reptiles on YouTube


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Thanks for sharing these great info sheets! Very clear and well-organized. And it sounds like you're having an amazing time with your boa so far -- I can feel the itch of envy setting in, haha! I second your questions about typical adult size, as there does seem to be a lot of variation there, with some localities staying smaller (around 6ft max) while others easily hit 9-10ft. And I love that Youtube channel! It was Clint's comparison video between BPs and boa constrictors that first led me to start considering a boa, in fact.