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...
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