Potential new BP owner

[kwjones001]

I've heard chicks aren't as good, nutritionally speaking? Not that it matters, we're only getting hens because I miss fresh eggs. Haven't had chickens since a fox or racoon took out our 5 before the kids were born.

[Craiga 01453]

I've heard chicks aren't as good, nutritionally speaking? Not that it matters, we're only getting hens because I miss fresh eggs. Haven't had chickens since a fox or racoon took out our 5 before the kids were born.

I honestly don't know the answer to the nutritional value question.

One thing I wanted to clear up just in case there's confusion...
Carpets and boas will likely take chicks, mice, rats, whatever you put in front of them. So feeding them a varied diet is easier than it would be with a BP. With BPs, once they're on F/T rats it's best not to stray, cause they may not switch back easily if at all.

Not sure if that was already known, but figured it couldn't hurt to mention it.

[kwjones001]

No, that's good info. If the wife decides to get back into rats, I would lean towards feeding freshly killed instead of FT, but that comes with its own headaches of housing, feeding, cleaning, etc., but then you probably can't go back to anything else easily.

I do like the idea of having another snake that isn't picky when it comes to FT. Oh, you don't want this rat today, well let's just give it to Mikey. Mikey likes it.

[bcr229]

I've heard chicks aren't as good, nutritionally speaking? Not that it matters, we're only getting hens because I miss fresh eggs. Haven't had chickens since a fox or racoon took out our 5 before the kids were born.

They're fine as a food source. Fowl generally are a bit lighter in weight than a rat or mouse of the same "size" due to birds having thin/lightweight bones compared to mammals. I have larger snakes that dispose of whole, grown chickens, especially roosters that don't play well with others.

[kwjones001]

I just texted the guy and told him I was going to pass on the snake. So now I want to plan for a juvenile from the ground up. Since I know salwater aquariums, I'm going in with that kind of mindest. Set up the tank and get all of the necessary parameters dialed in before stocking.

[GoingPostal]

I just texted the guy and told him I was going to pass on the snake. So now I want to plan for a juvenile from the ground up. Since I know salwater aquariums, I'm going in with that kind of mindest. Set up the tank and get all of the necessary parameters dialed in before stocking.

TBH fish tanks aren't good setups for snakes, since they aren't fish. With time and research on your side I would highly recommend you consider a pvc type cage that will hold heat and humidity well right off the bat and not have you trying the million fixes to make a glass tank work.

[Craiga 01453]

I just texted the guy and told him I was going to pass on the snake. So now I want to plan for a juvenile from the ground up. Since I know salwater aquariums, I'm going in with that kind of mindest. Set up the tank and get all of the necessary parameters dialed in before stocking.

I never pulled the trigger and went saltwater, but I've kept freshwater cichlids for years.

Snakes are sssooooooooo much easier than freshwater, nevermind salt, so I imagine with your research and due diligence you'll have no trouble at all.

And having that same mindset is perfect. Get your enclosure and equipment dialed in prior to bringing the animal home will make the transition easier on you and the snake

[kwjones001]

If you've done cichlids, you can do salt pretty easily for a fish only tank. The pH is 8.2, the equipment and filtration is pretty similar, you're just monitoring salinity. Coral add more chemistry like calcium, dkh, magnesium, and water flow, feeding, and lighting requirements. They're lots of fun. Kinda wish I hadn't sold my 75 gallon setup. I thought about setting up a 2.5 gallon nano reef or a 40 gallon reef, but have to buy most of the equipment over again. I did keep my protein skimmer though.

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[Moose84]

In your situation I would look at a carpet python or a boa. The upside to both is that they will typically eat anything and if you are raising chickens anyway they will dispose of the younger culls.

Very good advice here. I have zero experience with carpets but boas on the other hand...... if it had a pulse at one point they will eat it. Never had an issue with FT with any of the 3 I have. That’s from babies to adults. They are quite a bit more fun to handle as well.

[RedRabbit]

if it had a pulse at one point they will eat it

This made me chuckle! But aside from that, I do agree. My first two snakes were my ball pythons, and my two boas came after that. The ball pythons are adorable sweethearts, and I don't really regret starting with them. However, the boas are gorgeous, and feel SO much easier and stress-free to keep because of their eager appetites. It isn't just because I had more experience by the time I got my boas either, since their other basic setup and husbandry requirements are pretty comparable to a BP's. For a relatively new keeper, there's nothing that makes you fret and doubt yourself more than seeing your first BP go off-feed for 3+ months with no apparent explanation - and that's even if you already went in knowing about their finicky eating habits.

While it's true that there exist boas that are poor eaters, this seems to be very much the exception rather than the rule. For BPs on the other hand, it often feels like the GOOD eater is the exception to the rule, and is something worth feeling proud and relieved about, haha.

I'd say the only major point where BPs win over boas is that their temper and body language is a bit easier to read for a beginning keeper. BPs are generally mellow and timid, and very visibly so. Boas are usually pretty chill too, but they often default to a more alert stance that you want to be more attentive to. I guess there's the question of max size too, but even then, the smaller variants/localities of boas (especially the males) aren't that much bigger than average adult BPs either - longer yes, but less chunky.

With all that said, OP, the ultimate decision comes down to what you feel is the best fit for you. Whatever you decide on, it will likely be a fascinating learning experience and a beautiful animal to work with.