Curious?

[Mighty Monty]

First off, my apologies if this is not in the right spot, or forum, didn't know where else to post, but i also wanted some imput.

I've been looking into getting a Red Tail Boa for quite a while now, and a guy i know told me he had one about 5ft for sale for 350, with the setup and everything with it. I go to him the other day and let him know i'd like to buy it, and turns out he got rid of it already.

I've been searching the internet in hopes of finding somebody who sells them, and i'm looking for one around 5ft to start off on, and i guess the only place i've really looked at is kingsnake.com.

Anybody know of any good places i may be able to pick one up that size? Or different sites i could look at to find one? ( that ships )

How much should i be looking at spending for a RTB that size?

I currently have a BP, and am looking to upgrade to another snake ( not get rid of the BP, but add a new member to my family ).

Any information would be great!

And if i posted this in the wrong spot, i apologize, and if this gets moved, anybody mind PMing me to where the topic is located?

I'm done rambling

THANKS!

[sweety314]

Monty, how long have you had your BP??? Does the boa HAVE to be 5'????


If you've only been caring for the ball for a little while, you'd be better off starting with a juvenile or maybe a subadult boa...They tend to not be a beginner type snake, and an adult is quite the handful.

[tweets_4611]

I have been looking into boas as well, and I just started a thread on it.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=50159

Several people have posted some breeders in there. But why wouldn't you want to start with a younger boa and raise it? I dont have one, but it just seems like it would be an easier transition to go from a ball to a young boa, instead of a full grown one. Then you could see it grow up, know it's temperment, and after a bit you would still end up with a full grown boa. Just IMO. ^_^

[chris B]

I have been looking into boas as well, and I just started a thread on it.

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=50159

Several people have posted some breeders in there. But why wouldn't you want to start with a younger boa and raise it? I dont have one, but it just seems like it would be an easier transition to go from a ball to a young boa, instead of a full grown one. Then you could see it grow up, know it's temperment, and after a bit you would still end up with a full grown boa. Just IMO. ^_^

X2 getting a almost full grown boa, not knowing its history and how well he was taken care of are big factor's, i'd deff. look into getting a baby/juvi for the price you wanna pay, there are TONS of morphs for them in that range also. Just my opinion.

[Kagez28]

boas do grow pretty fast as well, so a baby/hatchling RTB will be getting large by the first year. i also agree with chris b, getting a 5 foot snake might be a giant step from a bp and not know it's past or history probably isn't the best idea for a newer snake keeper.

[Mighty Monty]

yeah, i guess that's probably true, i'd like to know it's history. I've had my Ball Python a year or so.

I was curious, probably a good idea to start off with a baby, and i know where i can get some, and yeah, i guess i would like to see it grow up.

What do you mean an adult is a handful?

What's the difference between a baby and adult? Temperment? What it eats?

i appreciate the feedback from everyone that has said something, lots of perspectives put into view that i didn't even think of.

[sweety314]

yeah, i guess that's probably true, i'd like to know it's history. I've had my Ball Python a year or so.

I was curious, probably a good idea to start off with a baby, and i know where i can get some, and yeah, i guess i would like to see it grow up.

What do you mean an adult is a handful? My Hera is an adult, and is 18.5# (last time I weighed her) and close to, if not OVER 6' long. When she decides to strike, she's got a h*lluva strike range, she hits w/a LOT of force and occas. she has a VERY pi**y attitude.

There's been times where Hera has hugged Robin (or my arm) so hard that it takes the firm unwrapping to get her to let go. It's suggested for good habits, that any snake over 6' ALWAYS be a TWO PERSON job....never feed, clean, handle, etc. ALONE.

What's the difference between a baby and adult? Wrigley as a baby was pi**y and nippy. He got better as he got older and was handled more. He's now two, and still as wrigley as fast as a baby. Not QUITE as nippy, but I was handling him, and he whipped his head around and tagged me. I've been tagged by Hera once too. Being tagged by an adult boa is much diff. than a BP. Temperment? There's lap snakes, and biters, no matter what the species, but boas tend to have a more aggressive feeding response, and aren't as picky or timid as compared to balls. What it eats? Size appropriate prey....but keep in mind, you don't want your 15+ pound boa eating mice. It's like a sumo wrestler eating canapes. They're more of an hors d'oeuvres than a meal. By adult size, they're eating lg/jumbo rats or small rabbits.

Hera ate a .75# rabbit or will take jumbo rats. I've cut her back to larges, until I can get more jumbos, but she's still hunting.......Wrigley eats larges, Petey, Apollo and Pinky all eat mediums, but would eat and CAN eat a large and still be okay. I've downsized them too, b/c they tended to refuse occas. during shed. Now they eat every week.

Petey has never tried to hiss or bite, Pinky has an attitude, and Apollo tends to be timid.

Besides, adult boa poos are bigger too, and they need a larger tub/cage in order to be comfortable. Treating mites on Hera was a b***h b/c of her size, and they made her sooooooo irritable (even more than normal) that she was *%*%&&%&%&%. Cleaning cages for Hera when she'd spill or poo her water is much more work and time than vs. Freddie or Zeus, my adult ball pythons.

Just some thoughts for you to think on.

i appreciate the feedback from everyone that has said something, lots of perspectives put into view that i didn't even think of.