Finally ready to get back into reptile keeping, BCI or BP?

[OatBoii]

Hello everyone! This is quite long- there is a TLDR at the bottom.

It has been a long time. Several years ago, I came to this website seeking help for my young, sick BCI. Unfortunately, he passed away from (likely) nuerological/IBD issues not long after I posted that thread, and I have not had a reptile since. For a long time, I just wasn't ready I think. His loss really hit me hard, and I wanted to avoid all things to do with any kind of reptiles, not even just snakes, for a long while.

Well, in that time, I have moved twice, matured some, and I'm finally only a year away from completing my degree. I'm running a small side business- although calling it a "business" is a strong word, as I'm really just monetizing a hobby of mine- and with the little extra cash that brings in per month, I am confident that I can afford the initial costs and set up of a snake once again, plus recurring or emergency costs.

There is a reptile convention happening in about a month and a half in my state. I am excited to attend, as it would be my first ever reptile convention, and this would give me the opportunity to talk to the breeders and inspect the snakes directly. I feel this will give me the best chance of getting a healthy snake this time around, from someone who is informed and invested in the health and safety of their reptiles, and who is aware of the temperaments and preferences of their animals. The last thing I want is a repeat of what happened to me with my previous snake.

My question is, though, whether or not I should stick with a BCI, or perhaps get a Ball Python instead? I will admit that I am partial to BCIs, especially the sunglow morph, as I think they're truly the most stunning snakes around. That being said, I also like ball pythons, especially butter/banana/bamboo morphs. Anything that is that gorgeous pale milky-beige brown, basically. I know their care is fairly similar, and I am confident that I could provide for either one. However, for at least one more year, I will be living in my current apartment, which is quite small. Once I graduate and can secure a full time job, the plan is to move to a larger, multi-bedroom apartment. For now though, the maximum amount of space I can give a snake is the top of a wooden dresser, measuring about 34"x20". Everywhere else is either taken, within easy reach of my very mischievous cat, or simply isnt wide enough/strong enough to support an enclosure.

I know that this is not big enough for the long run, and I fully intend to upgrade, but my hope is to find or purchase a front-opening terrarium between 24" and 30" long to put on top of this dresser. This would be the snake's home for 12-18 months, before I would move and upgrade the snake as needed for its size. Preferably, I would switch to a PVC at that point, and then repurpose the exo terra for another animal. However, it has been a long time since I last looked into the ideal standards for snakes, and I will admit I know quite little about the intricacies of the growth rates/activity levels of boas vs ball pythons. I know the basics- Boas tend to be a little huffier as babies, and will cruise around a bit more- but I also know that those are generalizations, and each snake will have individual activity/attitude preferences. Above all, I love beautiful, but calm, big snakes. I would never get something like an Emerald Tree Boa or a Kingsnake. Maybe a corn or a Kenyan sand boa, but even then, my heart really lies with the big ole' puppy snakes.

I am also aware of the problems with heat/humidity that face glass enclosures, but I would not like to use a plastic tote. For one, I would be quite concerned about my cat getting into it- he's a good sized lad, and though I love him, he is a troublemaker, and far too smart for his own good. Like, opening doors kind of smart. He is also very stubborn. For two, given that this will be my only snake for at least a year, I would to give it a quality terrarium, not a basic bin set up. Something that I would be okay setting up in the living room on a stand one day is also preferable, as I like to reuse things.

As a small aside, another thing I am considering is the future size of whatever snake I get. My main concern is the QoL of my pet in the meantime, but my partner of nearly 6 years does not like snakes. He tolerates them, but I highly doubt he would ever handle them, nor would he be willing to feed them unless absolutely necessary. This is fine by me- I always have plans laid out in case anything were to happen to me for my animals, as well as for their care if I will be gone for a length of time- and I 100% trust that he would find any reptile of mine a reputable rescue should the worst occur. But... I'm pretty sure he'd be a lot happier with a smaller, less "intimidating" ball python being in the house, compared to the much "scarier" looking BCI. At the end of the day, I know it is my choice to make and he will support either one, but his fear of large snakes does sway me slightly towards a BP, and strongly dissuade me from getting a female BCI. I am not big enough to handle a full grown 8'+ female BCI without his support, or at least back up. I have been around a ~6' male BCI before (part of an educational program), and while he was awe inspiring levels of awesome and strong, I was not particularly concerned or afraid of having to move him on or off of me. Granted, he was a real sweet heart. That big lad was what made me love BCIs.


TLDR; With being able to only have maximum 30" minimum 24" of space (lengthwise) for 12-18 months of its juvenile stage, would it be better to get a Ball Python over a Boa? I intend to upgrade to larger after moving, but I worry about a BCI quickly outgrowing and becoming cramped in a 24-30". Would I be sacrificing the QoL of a juvenile boa vs a ball python in such an enclosure?