RTB questions

[SeeTheCityLights]

The boyfriend and I have been thinking about buying a RTB. We have 9 ball pythons now and want to grow our collection with them, but we have been really wanting to get a rtb because they have always been a favorite of both of ours.
Some questions...
- Care sheets I've read said they can be 6-12 feet. What's the average for a male, and average for a female? Is a 10-12 foot common or no?
- How much do they usually weigh as adults? (male and female)
- Also read that amount of feeding determines size. Is this true, or will they keep growing really big no matter how little you feed?
- Can they stay on rats their entire lives, or will they need to be fed rabbits eventually?
- Ambient temp of 80, hot spot of 90. Humidity between 60-80. Is that right?
- Average cost of feeding per month?
- Anything else I should know before taking the dive into boas?

[devildog_dk]

10 to 12 feet is on the large size, especially for a BCI but I wouldn't exactly call it uncommon. Basically any adult boa will need to be in a minimum 4ft vivarium style enclosure and not just a tub like a BP.

Care wise they're very similar to a BP. A slightly lower ambient seems to be better for them, but they tolerate a variation pretty well.

They can definitely stay on rats their whole lives, but one common mistake made is over feeding them cause they typically will eat anything you dangle in front of them. Because of this they can be a lot more prone to obesity due to overfeeding than a BP. Even my neonate boa I only feed every 7 days, and once she gets some size she'll be only every 10 days (she's a BCC though, and its generally thought that they can be more prone to regurges).

Another thing I hear a lot (not from people here but others I know in person) is that it seems like a lot of people mistake a boa just being a boa for either aggressiveness or stress. As always there are exceptions but typically boas are a lot more "in your face" than a BP. Ask some of the other boa owners here and they'd probably agree, it's a lot of fun trying to get a typical boa back in to their enclosure lol...

[Salamander Rising]

10 to 12 feet is on the large size, especially for a BCI but I wouldn't exactly call it uncommon. Basically any adult boa will need to be in a minimum 4ft vivarium style enclosure and not just a tub like a BP.

Care wise they're very similar to a BP. A slightly lower ambient seems to be better for them, but they tolerate a variation pretty well.

They can definitely stay on rats their whole lives, but one common mistake made is over feeding them cause they typically will eat anything you dangle in front of them. Because of this they can be a lot more prone to obesity due to overfeeding than a BP. Even my neonate boa I only feed every 7 days, and once she gets some size she'll be only every 10 days (she's a BCC though, and its generally thought that they can be more prone to regurges).

Another thing I hear a lot (not from people here but others I know in person) is that it seems like a lot of people mistake a boa just being a boa for either aggressiveness or stress. As always there are exceptions but typically boas are a lot more "in your face" than a BP. Ask some of the other boa owners here and they'd probably agree, it's a lot of fun trying to get a typical boa back in to their enclosure lol...

I love my Boas!

They're so much fun it's not even funny...even the WWE wrestling matches that occur when it's time for them to 'go to bed' get me giggling.
[they are so 'creative' when they really don't want to go back in their condos]

Brom [aka Bob] is going on a diet.
He's getting too chunky for his own good.

No more jumbo rats for a while.

Belle Boid [the orange tail hypo] is much slimmer and sleeker than Bob and I was told it had something to do with Panamanian 'body type'.

I dunno.

They're both about 7 feet but Bob weighs at least 15 pounds and Bella is only about 8 pounds.

She also recently had babies and is being fed to regain weight so I'm not sure what 'shape' she'll be when she's back to "normal".

Again, I was told she'd not be as heavy and 'loaf shaped' as Bob is.

Bille Jean is only a 2 year old and seems "tiny" compared to the other two.

I agree about the ambient.

When it's 81 degrees like the Beeps like, the Boas either go to their top decks and look positively annoyed or flop into their water bowls, making a huge mess.

They seem to be happier in the mid/upper 70s.

[WarriorPrincess90]

Some questions...
- Care sheets I've read said they can be 6-12 feet. What's the average for a male, and average for a female? Is a 10-12 foot common or no?
They do have to potential to get larger, but those that reach 10ft even are not terribly common. Females usually fall more in the range of 7-9ft, with the average being around 7ft. Males are smaller and usually stay at 6ft or under. It really depends on the animal though...and the bloodlines. If it's a BCIxBCC cross or something, they will almost definitely be larger than 9ft. It really depends on the animal though. Some can be on the larger side, so you should just be prepared in case that happens.

I actually saw a video about a guy who adopted this snake when the owner took off and "couldn't keep it". That gorgeous female BCI ended up being 13ft and like 100lbs. The guys may have been exaggerating on the weight, but definitely not on the length. He couldn't handle her without someone else to help him. Which is advisable at 6ft+ anyway. I handled a 6ft female a couple of times and while I had zero problems just holding, petting and cuddling with her...having the help of another person just to hold the lid of her enclosure made putting her back somewhat less difficult. Trying to unwind a boa while they're slipping their tails into your belt loops and the like can get tricky.

- How much do they usually weigh as adults?
Not entirely sure. I've heard a lot of adult females usually hit the 20-30 lb range. Males are usually much lighter. I'd guess 10-20 on average.

- Also read that amount of feeding determines size. Is this true, or will they keep growing really big no matter how little you feed?
Feeding is definitely a factor in size. Snakes continue to grow all their lives, but to what extent will be determined largely by feeding. On rats a female will average 7ft. But if you feed her rabbits once she gets to size, she will continue to grow larger. An adult on jumbos can be fed once every 3 weeks easily. I feed my juvenile only every 10 days right now. Once she hits Large rats she's going to be bumped back to every 2 weeks.

- Can they stay on rats their entire lives, or will they need to be fed rabbits eventually?
They can stay on rats their entire lives, and will usually stay smaller if you don't switch them to rabbits. But that is up to you.

- Ambient temp of 80, hot spot of 90. Humidity between 60-80. Is that right?
My humidity is usually in the 50%s, but bumped to 70% during a shed. Much like BPs. My snake room is 78, and while my BPs tend to favor their warm sides, my BCI will hang out on her cool side unless she just ate.

- Average cost of feeding per month?
That depends on WHAT you're feeding. An adult on jumbos would be the cost of one, maybe two jumbos a month. If you feed rabbits it will be considerably more expensive.

- Anything else I should know before taking the dive into boas?
Make sure you have the space and money for a custom Viv. Adult females need something more in the 6x2 range. Males can be kept in a 4x2 though. Boas are very much in your face, as has been said. Before my female's mood swings started I used to let her climb up on my head. It was her favorite place to be. They have a very strong feeding response, so you'll probably want to come up with a routine for feeding and a routine for handling. I'm hook training my girl so she doesn't try to eat my face accidentally one day. They are very intelligent and inquisitive. They will hang out and watch you while you're in the room. Definitely cool snakes to own...just VERY different from BPs.

[Salamander Rising]

An adult on jumbos can be fed once every 3 weeks easily.

OMG....I've been stuffing Bob.

[SeeTheCityLights]

Thanks guys! So helpful

Another question... I'm a girl and I'm 5'3", will I have problems handling an adult rtb?
& when you guys say "in your face" do you mean they just want to get close to your face, but not aggressive? "Cuddly"?
& hook training... tell me about it. Do you just get him out with the hook every time you want to hold him? and keep the hook out of sight during feeding time? Or is there more to it?

So, in a nutshell, is this right?
- Once they're adults, a jumbo every other week to once a month?
- Ambient of mid to high 70's, hot spot of 90, and humidity at 50-60, and 70 in shed
- Usually stay under 10 feet, and up to 30 pounds

I have a 20 gallon terrarium with sliding glass doors and a screen top that I have completely decorated with a backdrop, fake plants glued to the wood background, driftwood, etc... I had originally made it for my 1st ball, but he's in a tub so I don't need it anymore, and he's never even been in the tank. Will that 20g be okay for the first year we have the rtb? We plan on building a full sized cage once she needs it.

The biggest thing we were worried about was feeding costs and adult size, but seeing as they eat much less than balls, that makes me feel better.

I have seen pictures on google that they look really big, both long and thick (that's what she said ). Are all adult rtb's like this, or is this just due to feeding bigger meals like rabbits, or jumbo rats every week?

[Tfpets]

There are MANY localities of RTBs. There are even mixes of localities. I am not an expert or even well educated on them, but I do know there is a huge variation in size and temperament! I have a pair of hog island x colombians that don't seem to be growing nearly as fast as my hypo colombian. There are some localities that have been dubbed "dwarf". Not entirely accurate, but they do stay much smaller than the potential monster colombians that people associate with the term "boa constrictor". In my opinion, with a little education and experience in handling, they are easier and more fun than a bp. They can have a very strong feeding response that you must learn how to deal with, hopefully when they are small! They will be "in your face" as soon as you open the enclosure looking for food! They also seem to enjoy being out and being handled, which is why it can get interesting trying to put them away!

[Jason Bowden]

Thanks guys! So helpful

Another question... I'm a girl and I'm 5'3", will I have problems handling an adult rtb?
& when you guys say "in your face" do you mean they just want to get close to your face, but not aggressive? "Cuddly"?
& hook training... tell me about it. Do you just get him out with the hook every time you want to hold him? and keep the hook out of sight during feeding time? Or is there more to it?

So, in a nutshell, is this right?
- Once they're adults, a jumbo every other week to once a month?
- Ambient of mid to high 70's, hot spot of 90, and humidity at 50-60, and 70 in shed
- Usually stay under 10 feet, and up to 30 pounds

I have a 20 gallon terrarium with sliding glass doors and a screen top that I have completely decorated with a backdrop, fake plants glued to the wood background, driftwood, etc... I had originally made it for my 1st ball, but he's in a tub so I don't need it anymore, and he's never even been in the tank. Will that 20g be okay for the first year we have the rtb? We plan on building a full sized cage once she needs it.

The biggest thing we were worried about was feeding costs and adult size, but seeing as they eat much less than balls, that makes me feel better.

I have seen pictures on google that they look really big, both long and thick (that's what she said ). Are all adult rtb's like this, or is this just due to feeding bigger meals like rabbits, or jumbo rats every week?

Those look way over fed to me.

They can be on rats for their entire lives.

My biggest male is about 6 feet and my biggest female is about 7 1/2 feet. (5 year olds)

I say, get one! I think they're one of the best pet snakes to be had.

- - - Updated - - -

Hey, I'm only 5'5". Boas, no problem!

[Tfpets]

To answer a couple of your other questions, a 20 gallon would be "OK" for a while but you may want to steer away from that option for the same reasons as a ball python (hard to hold temps and humidity etc.). If your bps are already in tubs, an rtb would be a nearly identical setup!
Hook training is really just teaching the snake to associate the hook with handling. For example, my burm, Retic and RTBs all want food when you open the cage. I use the hook to tap them on the head. Sometimes a tap will get them out of "feed me" mode. Then you can reach in and get them. Other times it requires a tap and some "shoving" and "pulling" to get them to understand. Occasionally I'm still not comfortable with how they are acting and I will pull them all of the way out with the hook and that always seem to shut them down. It is also not just about "teaching" the snake but also you learning your snake. If you get a young one, you will have plenty of time to learn each other!

[boakid]

Those look way over fed to me.

They can be on rats for their entire lives.

My biggest male is about 6 feet and my biggest female is about 7 1/2 feet. (5 year olds)

I say, get one! I think they're one of the best pet snakes to be had.

- - - Updated - - -

Hey, I'm only 5'5". Boas, no problem!

Those pics of those giant boas are very rare...

My adult males are only 4.5'ft long and maintenence fed, my females are only 6-7'ft. long.

8-9'ft are there but that is actually a more rare occurance. Boas arent that big get one and enjoy a curious fun snake.

I keep and have over 100 boas.