Can't decide on which boa to get.

[BFE Pets]

I currently have a ball python, and I love it, but I want something a little more sociable. I am thinking about getting some type of boa. (it will probably be 6 months to a year before i get it, because i need to do research) I have thought of a few I might like, but I can't decide. So, I want to ask you. Which one would be good for me? Here's a little bit about what I am looking for:

-I want something docile and something that won't get too big (6 feet max), but will be bigger than my ball.
-I want something that likes to be handled more than my ball python.
-I like the big heads of the boas. There's just something about it that intrigues me.
-I will keep it in a tub of whatever size the boa needs.
-I am good with keeping the humidity of my ball python, and she has a constant hot spot, but her ambient temps usually stay about 75-85, depending on if the heater is on her. So I need something that can bare a bit of temperature gradient. Or something that doesn't require high temps. That would be even better. If not, I can accommodate to its needs.
-I will probably get a male.
-Not very interested in getting a morph.
-Relatively low prices would be nice.

I have thought about a Dumerils Boa, a Leopard Boa, a Brazilian Rainbow Boa, and a Hog Island Boa.

IMO A carpet python does NOT fit into what you are looking for!
1 something docile Carpets are not known for being very docile. they do calm down with regular handling but for the most part umm still gotta watch them and adult female coastal carpets can reach lengths of 9-12 feet for some localities.

2 something that likes to be handled more than your ball. well they tolerate it but they are very active. i'd say they handle more like a retic lol jmo

3 the separate neck and head. yes that they do have

4 something to keep in a tub. they are semi arboreal the minimum suggested enclosure for an adult carpet is 3' x 2' x 2' with a 4x2x2 being preferred by most keepers.

I'm no expert on carpets by any means but I own 1.2 and have done a little bit of home work on them before getting them. my jungle male was a total psycho when I got him. after his week of "me time" I tried to handle him long enough to snap a couple pics and he wasn't having it! I got nailed 14 times in under 2 minutes! that is no exaggeration either. That was around valentines day I can now count on only getting hit when I reach in to get him but it was a lot of work to calm him down to that. My diamond carpet cross is a total sweetie and hasn't even thought about taking a swing at me (also a baby) my 6-7 female coastal is cage aggressive as all hell and is well on her way to being hook trained but you don't dare reach in to drag her out unless you feel like getting stitches! once shes out shes completely cool but DO NOT reach in her house! My vote is always and forever a Dumerils Boa! total sweet hearts and fits very well into your requirements.

[ceca2015]

IMO A carpet python does NOT fit into what you are looking for!
1 something docile Carpets are not known for being very docile. they do calm down with regular handling but for the most part umm still gotta watch them and adult female coastal carpets can reach lengths of 9-12 feet for some localities.

2 something that likes to be handled more than your ball. well they tolerate it but they are very active. i'd say they handle more like a retic lol jmo

3 the separate neck and head. yes that they do have

4 something to keep in a tub. they are semi arboreal the minimum suggested enclosure for an adult carpet is 3' x 2' x 2' with a 4x2x2 being preferred by most keepers.

I'm no expert on carpets by any means but I own 1.2 and have done a little bit of home work on them before getting them. my jungle male was a total psycho when I got him. after his week of "me time" I tried to handle him long enough to snap a couple pics and he wasn't having it! I got nailed 14 times in under 2 minutes! that is no exaggeration either. That was around valentines day I can now count on only getting hit when I reach in to get him but it was a lot of work to calm him down to that. My diamond carpet cross is a total sweetie and hasn't even thought about taking a swing at me (also a baby) my 6-7 female coastal is cage aggressive as all hell and is well on her way to being hook trained but you don't dare reach in to drag her out unless you feel like getting stitches! once shes out shes completely cool but DO NOT reach in her house! My vote is always and forever a Dumerils Boa! total sweet hearts and fits very well into your requirements.

They were never very high on my list. Nothing against them, they are absolutely beautiful, but after a little research on them, they get a little too big for me. Thank you very much on the info. I think I'm going to get either a Woma Python or a BRB. I'm doing research on both of them everyday until I make a decision. I might have to look into other cages if i decide to get one. I don't know if it will be fair to keep them in tubs, unless i can find one 4x2x2, which i probably won't. Still have tons more research to do, but thanks everyone for the info you have provided me and thanks for your opinions!

[bcr229]

I have a BRB and several BP's. I wouldn't describe the BRB as particularly social, and while he's not nippy now he was when he was young and while he's shedding. Overall my BP's seem much more comfortable about being handled than my BRB.

[Gio]

I'm not sure what you mean by "BIG" in your want list description as there is long big and thick big. Every Dumerils boa I've seen has been 5.5-6 feet and pretty thick. When I say thick I mean not a real easy to handle shoulder pet. Having said that I am NOT any type of expert on Dumerils boas. But even if you had a 7-8' jungle carpet that is considerably different than even a 5 foot boa with the thicker type build. However, it sounds like the carpets can be a handful as HoFR stated, and are more squirmy during handling. 14 bites in 2 minutes seems like something I'd rather pass on. Great display snake IMO and I almost went that route. I also almost went the Dumerils route, but thought a BCI/BCC would be about middle ground for me. Slightly more active than a Dumerils and Royal, though I'm sure that can be argued/debated.

Dumeril boa have some of the nicest natural patterns I've seen.

Personally I think you need to find a few of the mentioned snakes as adults, handle them and see what makes you smile.

If you ask here you will get die hard fans for each type of boa and 100 reasons they love them.

Smart people just get at least one of each LOL! I'm not clever enough to convince my household members that I NEED a dumerils, a carpet and a few more BCIs LOL!

But you may be the clever one,,, ya never know.

[BFE Pets]

Lol that jungle has since calmed down with regular handling and I've picked up a few more that were calm from day one. But that did get my point across. Lol a male dum isn't as large or heavy bodied as the females so I'd keep that in mind. Depending on your level of experience in husbandry really dictates which would be a better choice for you. Dums are fairly forgiving if there not quite correct for a short period and bounce back fast once they get what they need. I have no personal experience with brb but have heard they can be a little more difficult to keep.

[Steve-o M]

I am looking for a boa for the same reason, maybe in a year or so but i started doing some research i was looking at a Peruvian Long-Tailed Boa. go to youtube type in Peruvian Long-Tailed Boas (Boa Constrictor Longicauda) there is a video by DraoiSidhe

[Trackstrong83]

Simply, you just can't go wrong with a dumerils boa

[hypnotixdmp]

Personally, I started with my brb, and humidity is NOT hard to keep if you have a little imagination and creativity!!! You can make hide boxes that hold in 80+% humidity, which is the greatest thing ever. I got her for $80 because I was a repeat customer to him. She was such a tiny baby, and she's still small, but she's got some weight to her now. They are very curious little buffers and do love to climb and look around at everything in reach!!

A bci was my 2nd boa, got the hog island and she also is super curious. Requirements for husbandry are super similar to ball pythons, so its not hard to make the switch over. They are very bright animals at night and get darker in the day, showing their patterns much more than usual. They get 6ft at most as female.

My 3rd boa was a dumerils, she's kind of "shy" but I think with constant handling as she grows, this will change. She's super sweet when out of her enclosure, and the pink blushing on them is just so cool. As said, females get around 8ft and are heavy bodied animals, so they get bigger than beeps as you asked for.

My 4th and NOT my last one lol, was my yellow anaconda. I can't tell you how she was as a baby, but she's super docile now and will get around 12ft at full size. They are big, so this is probably not something you are looking for. But my opinion is, with care and handling, they are not as mean as people say....just hate to see people who have never owned one to say they are 100% random....if that was true, I'd have been bitten a lot more than once lol.

Anyway, the dumerils or a smaller bci seems to be right for you, check out videos online and see what they look like and how they act and how others house them.

Ball Pythons
0.3 Normals (Coilette, Athena and Mary Jane)
1.0 Spider Morph (Zeus)
1.0 Mojave (Prometheus)
1.0 Pastel (De Sol)

Boas
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Stella)
0.1 Hog Island BCI (Kiyoko)
0.1 Dumerils Boa (Gloria)
0.1 Yellow Anaconda (Serenity)

[xFenrir]

-I want something docile and something that won't get too big (6 feet max), but will be bigger than my ball.
Colombian BCI (most likely male; females can be 6ft but tend to be bigger). As youngers they can be nippy or hissy (like most baby snakes) but 99% of the time they grow out of it with regular handling, or even as soon as you get them out of their enclosure. Once they're out, they become very inquisitive and don't mind being "out in the open" or held as much as the shyer BP's. My boyfriend and I have nicknamed our boa "the fat slug" because she's big and as docile/lazy as you could possibly get without being dead.
-I want something that likes to be handled more than my ball python.
If you get a BCI, most of the time they'll end up handling you, haha. I've never had a kid, but I would guess watching after a BCI while it's out and about is almost equivalent to trying to keep a toddler out of trouble.
-I like the big heads of the boas. There's just something about it that intrigues me.
BCI's have the "bigger" heads than most of the localities; BCC's are the biggest in terms of overall size, but they have slimmer heads than them.
-I will keep it in a tub of whatever size the boa needs.
You might be better off looking to purchase an enclosure from Boaphile or Animal Plastics. It's gonna be hard (not impossible, but hard) to find a tub that will be big enough for a full-grown adult.
-I am good with keeping the humidity of my ball python, and she has a constant hot spot, but her ambient temps usually stay about 75-85, depending on if the heater is on her. So I need something that can bare a bit of temperature gradient. Or something that doesn't require high temps. That would be even better. If not, I can accommodate to its needs.
BCI's are one of the most forgiving when it comes to husbandry mistakes or fluctuations. Not only that, but they actually tend to like it a tad cooler than BP's; I keep my girl at about ~78F ambient and ~88F hotspot.
-I will probably get a male.

-Not very interested in getting a morph.
Even if you change your mind, hypos/salmons and other morphs are very affordable.
-Relatively low prices would be nice.
You can get a baby BCI for between $40-60 at a reptile expo.

[ceca2015]

I have watched I think every video YouTube has to offer on the dumerils boa and the hog island. I have also watched an awful lot of videos on brb and wget pythons too. I really think I'm leaning towards the hog island now. On July 27, there is a reptile expo in Myrtle beach, where I will be vacationing at that time. I have talked my mom into letting me go so I can handle the different types of snakes and hopefully decide. I might or might not buy at the expo tho because I don't know if I will be working then and have money to get the snake and the snakes requirements. And for husbandry, I think I am going to go with the VE-175 from reptile tubs. Has anyone used those that could give me some feedback? They are very big tubs and I think it will contain plenty of room for whatever snake I decide to get.

Btw, I am going to look up the Peruvian long-tailed boa. Thank you for the suggestion.