smaller boa and pythons?

[j_h_smith]

Ball pythons really don't exceed 5', ever. And the adult Hogg Island boa they've got at the pet store down the street is actually -quite- large compared to my adult female balls.

If you really must have a red tail, Mexican/Sonoran boas are considered "dwarfs", though it's hard to find ones that aren't mixed with central/south american species.

Have you looked at rosy and rainbow boas? Or tree boas and pythons? There are also a couple australia species of python that are even smaller than balls--children's/spotted pythons, for starters. Though I've heard balls have a sweeter temperament.

If your pet shop has a REAL Hogg Island Boa, it's probabably not going to be much larger than a 2000-2500 gram adult female ball python. They grow on average from 4-6 feet with not many of them ever reaching the 6 feet length. Males will be closer to 4-5 feet long.

Male Dumeril boas usually stay around 5 feet long too. However the Hogg Island boa is a much more docile boa. Some Dumerils can be agressive, but I've never seen a mean Hogg Island boa.

I've bred both and if you're looking for a great pet snake, the Hogg Island is hard to beat. The Dumeril is a great looking snake, particularly when bred for coloration. Good genes will make a beautiful snake.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith