Hard to choose one

[anicatgirl]

I love hognose's cute little faces!!!

[artgecko]

Hogs are cute, but IME, high maintenance in terms of feeding. There are many keepers that have issues getting them to eat regularly. Mine is a male and has not eaten regularly in about a year... Stresses me out lol. If you do get one, I'd get a well-started female that is feeding on f/t regularly. Males seem to have the most feeding issues.

I vote boa... Try going for a smaller locality and a male. Yes, they do get larger and need a pvc cage as adults (racks just don't provide enough space for an adult), but they have loads of personality and are a blast to handle. I would handle any you're considering buying first, but most boas I've come across were very chill and easy going. I find them much more fun to handle than my ball pythons or hognose. I also have a jungle carpet (jag) and he is fun as well, but they start off nippy and flighty, so might be more work than you're looking for.

[MarkS]

The Non-ball pythons that I've picked up most recently have been Kenyan Sand Boas and Honduran Milk snakes. Hondurans can be a little twitchy but I love their colors and the Kenyans are just cool little worms and seem to be really easy to take care of.

[That_One_New_Guy]

I'll have to do my research on boas now. How long could you keep one in a 36x18x18 enclosure

[Marissa@MKmorphs]

I'll have to do my research on boas now. How long could you keep one in a 36x18x18 enclosure

You will hear different things from different people.... I grow my boa constrictors slowly, and they have longer healthier lives because of it! If you are looking into a common boa constrictor (BCI, which are the ones that are most common and have the majority of the morphs), I would say at least 2-3 years. I have 2012 BCI that are only about 3.5-4 feet, eating small rats, and I still haven't put them in their 4x2 enclosures yet. I feed young BCI every 7-10 days, and after they are a year old I move them to feeding every 14 days. One appropriately sized rodent that does not leave a noticable bulge.

On the flip side, there are people in this hobby who think it is okay, and even normal, to way overfeed their boas to get as much growth as quickly as possible.

Here is a photo of my two 2014 female BCI. They are both feeding on f/t rat fuzzies every 10 days, and once they are ready for pups they will be moved to a 14 day feeding schedule. Boas should be lean and muscular, with a defined "loaf of bread" or rectangular body shape, not round.







Edit: that size enclosure should be fine for at LEAST 2-3 years.

[MarkS]

I'll have to do my research on boas now. How long could you keep one in a 36x18x18 enclosure

A small male could probably stay in something that size for life, while a large female would need to move up in a couple of years. (or more or less depending on how fast she grows)

[Reinz]

I'm thinking maybe a boa. But I know nothing about them and I'd have to convince my mom to let me get one. She's a big time herper tho so I think I can do it

I went with a Boa for my second snake. I find her more fun and active than my BP. I don't regret the move at all. I still love my BP, but glad I got something different

[That_One_New_Guy]

I was doing some reading up on them. And the one thing I can't find a good answer to is how big they get... I've heard 3-13 foot and 9-10

[Reinz]

The problem is, there are sooo many groups, species, sub species.

My understanding is that the Common BCI male USUALLY will get up to 6 ft, maybe 7. Females closer to the 8-9 range. Of course there are exceptions and feedind amounts and frequency will relate to size.

BCC's tend to get bigger, as well as certain locales.

Chances are someone will come along and with different/adjusted info.

[Albert Clark]

I would love to have a Indigo snake. IMO, they are the most amazing and breathtaking of all species. The fact that they are a protected species makes me want one more. Actually I need a pair of them. I believe part of the licensing to own them requires that they are used in a educational program or a breeding program or both. They are beautiful as juveniles and turn majestic as adults. They are the true GHI of the herp world.