What's a good boa for me?

[TJ_Burton]

I love boas,

You could always go with one of these (few different morphs)





And if you fancy a BEL, they actually have those too















Seriously though,
Nics are sweet (fiery and full of piss) and stay small for boas.

[skinnyrascal]

Hogs are BCI too



Females can get larger, some pure females still can get up around 7 ft. Even though they're considered a "dwarf" boa I don't really consider them one since some can still get on the larger side.

I really recommend a Hog Island as well or Colombians or Central American boas (which usually do stay smaller). Look into getting a male if you want to stay around 6' and I'm 110lbs and only 5'3" and handling isn't an issue with my 6' wacky jungle Colombian male.

Can't go wrong with a Hog:



Or any normal or morph Colombians:

If those are full grown Columbians I can totally handle that. Doesn't look too heavy on the shoulders but a nice size. The hog island boa is lovely too. I still worry about being bitten, even though my BP is a sweetie I've had some bad experience with small mammals biting me badly without any reason. Or maybe that's just a mammal thing??

[liv]

I would go with a Nicaraguan boa Now, apparently some people find them hissy.... But here is mine right this very second:

Not a mean bone in her body! They stay relatively small and are absolutely beautiful!

[skinnyrascal]

I would go for a BRB. They are beautiful and are sweet hearts when it comes to handling. My BRB only struck at me once and that was my fault for man handling her to much (it was more of a "back off" bite than aggressive). They also don't get very big so if you are not looking for a large boa then they are perfect.

I would seriously love a BRB. Size wise they seem great. Though a friend of mine has one that's supposedly quite aggressive, her husband mostly handles him. I also don't have much money, it's unlikely I could buy a big tank and fill it with fancy plants and trees (real or fake) so whatever I get would have to be able to thrive in a tub setup. F/T feeding is also important.

[Daybreaker]

If those are full grown Columbians I can totally handle that. Doesn't look too heavy on the shoulders but a nice size. The hog island boa is lovely too. I still worry about being bitten, even though my BP is a sweetie I've had some bad experience with small mammals biting me badly without any reason. Or maybe that's just a mammal thing??

Oh, they have a lot more to grow: those are only sub-adults that haven't even bulked out yet lol I do recommend a male though for whatever boa you decide, and would look into CAs and Nics since they stay small and manageable. PS: Colombian is with a "o"

As for biting, it totally depends on the snake. All of my boas have very strong food responses (I've gotten a few wild strikes when they get really excited and some strikes when I walk by if I'm heating up feeders) but in terms of a strongly defensive (not aggressive) boa my Hog and new baby Argentine female are my top ones. But even when they puff up and open mouth hiss/strike it's not intimidating: they just require a bit more work. My advice with a pissy/strike-y boa is short but slightly frequent handling sessions and DO NOT put them away right away if they start being puffy and striking. They'll learn that that's the way to get out of being held. Another advice: get a baby so you can learn and grow with it as it matures and you'll come to know its personality and when it's not feeling too friendly (snakes have their "off" days I believe).

Also: all my boas (6) all eat F/T without issues.

[3skulls]

I placed my BRB in a rack/tub while I had to move some cages around. He seems very happy in there. I had him in a boaphile and he always set in the same place or buried himself in the substrate. Maybe mine is shy? I'm not sure.
The larger boas are going to need a pretty big tub once they get bigger.

All my snakes have always been on F/T

[Mike41793]

Hogs are BCI too

It seems like every time i comment on a boa thread you teach me something new. Thank you!

[RoseRed]

I would seriously love a BRB. Size wise they seem great. Though a friend of mine has one that's supposedly quite aggressive, her husband mostly handles him. I also don't have much money, it's unlikely I could buy a big tank and fill it with fancy plants and trees (real or fake) so whatever I get would have to be able to thrive in a tub setup. F/T feeding is also important.

Right now my BRB is (temporarily) in a tub and she just had a perfect shed. Money wise, you can get one for $160 and under (I have seen in classifieds some that are $80-$100). Mine takes F/T (both mice and rats she has no preference) like a champ. Concerning aggressiveness, they are usually pretty docile, but there are always ones who are oddities (in any species of snake). For example, corn snakes are docile but I know of people who have aggressive ones.

[Evenstar]

Dumerils are awesome - they are slightly heavier bodied than BCIs but not as big overall. I doubt you'd be "crushed" by a Dum. They can sometimes be finicky eaters, but as it was already stated, they will do much better if you don't feed "on schedule" and allow them to defecate prior to their next meal. They are very calm, interactive, and docile snakes.

BCIs are outstanding! My 2 females in particular are kittens and love to be out and watch tv with me. They are totally sweet. And, unless I did something stupid, like rub rat all over my face, I doubt either one would ever bite my face. A male BCI will generally stay under 7ft, although of course there are exceptions.

Hog Islands will be a bit smaller, although there are exceptions here too. They can sometimes be a bit more sensitive though. Central Americans are known for being a bit pissy and nippy.

BRBs are somewhat nippy as babies, but generally calm down nicely with regular handling. They do require higher humidity and have somewhat more strict husbandry requirements.

Rosy boas and Sand boas are remarkable little snakes. They do stay quite small - about the same as your ball python in fact but more slender-bodied. I have heard they both have very nice personalities though. If you want a very small boa, go with a Rosy. They are extremely under-rated!

I suggest that you attend a few expos and handle a few different varieties of boas to get a feel for what you like. They more you handle, and the more breeders you talk to, the more you'll feel comfortable with one species over another. This is the fun part!!

[skinnyrascal]

Dumerils are awesome - they are slightly heavier bodied than BCIs but not as big overall. I doubt you'd be "crushed" by a Dum. They can sometimes be finicky eaters, but as it was already stated, they will do much better if you don't feed "on schedule" and allow them to defecate prior to their next meal. They are very calm, interactive, and docile snakes.

BCIs are outstanding! My 2 females in particular are kittens and love to be out and watch tv with me. They are totally sweet. And, unless I did something stupid, like rub rat all over my face, I doubt either one would ever bite my face. A male BCI will generally stay under 7ft, although of course there are exceptions.

Hog Islands will be a bit smaller, although there are exceptions here too. They can sometimes be a bit more sensitive though. Central Americans are known for being a bit pissy and nippy.

BRBs are somewhat nippy as babies, but generally calm down nicely with regular handling. They do require higher humidity and have somewhat more strict husbandry requirements.

Rosy boas and Sand boas are remarkable little snakes. They do stay quite small - about the same as your ball python in fact but more slender-bodied. I have heard they both have very nice personalities though. If you want a very small boa, go with a Rosy. They are extremely under-rated!

I suggest that you attend a few expos and handle a few different varieties of boas to get a feel for what you like. They more you handle, and the more breeders you talk to, the more you'll feel comfortable with one species over another. This is the fun part!!

Thank you! I'm still undecided because they're all beautiful, temperament/willingness to be held is of top importance, but I don't want anything that'll get huge. A hog island morph would be really neat. I'm still pretty drawn to the BCIs though, there's just something about them!
But yes, I'd love to go to an expo sometime.