Thinking about making the jump to boa's

[Ronin]

I will take what these guys say to heart. I will check out some breeders but I also believe the craigslist ad is also from a breeder that has turned to only breeding pythons. Sounds like keeping boa's are pretty cool and easy like pythons, just different temps and feeding habits.

[hypnotixdmp]

Heres my info, DO EET!!! lol

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and bigger cages lol

[Evenstar]

There's no set percentage for feeding boas. We usually say to feed 10-15% of body weight for BPs but to choose a prey item that leaves a slight bulge in the belly. With boas, you do NOT want a bulge in the belly (an occasional very slight lump is fine). Smaller is better.

I tend to agree that buying from a reputable breeder is the best course of action, however, you can make some real finds on Craigslist (although I've never been lucky enough to come across one....). It seems like you have some experience with BPs so you'll know what to look for in a healthy snake when you go check out that boa. Here's some extra tips to watch out for though if you do go...

1) Make sure the snake is well-coordinated. If it wobbles or tends to "stargaze" or doesn't grip you strongly or has the least bit of trouble righting itself if turned onto its back, WALK AWAY (or ever RUN away...). These could be signs of a neurological problem or even IBD.

2) Boas should be more slender than BPs and have a leaner and more square appearance. They will often look skinny to those who have mostly BP experience. That is ok. But it should not look scrawny or weak or sickly in any way.

3) Use common sense. Other than appearing thinner than a BP would, a healthy snake looks like a healthy snake no matter what the species. Stay away if anything gives you pause.

Good luck and let us know what you decide - we'll want to see pics!!

[Gio]

evenstar and daybreaker are some of our resident boa experts. take what they have to offer to heart! as far as a % to body weight for feeding a boa I havent seen any as of yet. The general rule for feeding boas is smaller is better. you want the prey item to be slightly smaller than the largest part of the body. when in doubt get a smaller prey item. i believe daybreaker gave a feeding schedule in a previous post. Its the same schedule that I use. I cant stress this enough to someone looking to get there first boa. Buy one from a trusted breeder! please dont get your first one from a cragslist crack pot! once you know what you are looking for and can do a through health check and have a proper qt procedure then maybe jump on a cl deal if you find one. but until you know what to look for dont risk your collection to save a few bucks!

This is excellent advise. I think you should look around. There IS a list of breeders here that I believe Daybreaker made a while back.

I can personally recommend Gus Rentfro RIO BRAVO REPTILES and LEGACY REPTILES. Jonathan Brady of Deviant Constrictors sells beautiful BCCs.

This is only my personal opinion, but I truly love locality boas. They are how they are in nature and not made into a special mix.

That said there are some morphs I find beautiful and I mean really beautiful.

Evenstar pretty much got me in the right direction with advise and positive encouragement. I'm not a young kid, but like you, I had a Royal python we bought for our son and I had about a year of snake keeping experience. Since then I've completely immersed myself in snakes and continue to do so. I'm VERY interested in boa and python biology.

I can say BCIs, BCCs, are NOTHING like Royal pythons, well nothing is a bit strong, but they are a bit different. I love our Royal but find her boring and very picky about eating. When she does it, I make it a big meal and feed what I can before she shuts down. Last year it was 6 months of no food.

My male boa would eat himself to death. I have to be careful because they don't refuse and it's fun to feed them. They are MUCH more active than BP's and will climb and explore. They are not typically shy and seem to enjoy being out. I actually hang a climbing rope from the ceiling and have my dude go from floor to ceiling straight up. That will not happen with a Royal.

I can't come up with another snake that I'd like more. I think maybe I should have bought a female because after getting to know boas, I'd love a huge one. I'll get my male big without endangering him. I want a big boa. 7 feet is my goal if his genetics can to it.

IF I had maybe another snake I could pick other than a boa, maybe I'd go with a SD or small male dwarf retic. But even those at the same length don't get the boa girth. I like costal carpets too.

I could go on and on and on. I love my boa. I want you to feel the same.

I'll post cage pics, boa pics whatever you want, just ask.

PLEASE skip the Craigslist ad. Wait just a bit and dig in with research. BOOKs,, there are a lot of good ones. Read ask questions here and learn.

Also get a good cage and get everything before you get the snake. It will make the whole experience so much better.

I am not a big believer in starting with a small cage. Nature is huge and a boa will not stress in a big cage. The key is clutter and top cover, hides perches or shelves. As the snake grows remove some clutter and you'll have what you need.

People are really nice here and even if you visit other boards which I do, keep an ear open for Evenstar's advice. It jives with the big name breeders advice. I can't lie even if I don't do exactly the same stuff she does, I can always get great advice and she is one of my favorites here because of the help I got early on.

I seriously can't say enough about Gus Rentfro's devotion to boas. I think he is my hero when it comes to boas.

This is my dude. 13 months old, 3 feet 9 inches long and 865 grams. He is a Barranquilla Colombian BCI.


Holy buckets did I go on with babble LOL!

[Ronin]

Well I did end up getting her and she is amazing! I got all the paperwork that needs to come with her as well. I will post pics soon!! I think this is only the first of many boas I will be getting lol. I can totally see why boas are so cool and less shy than pythons. My next one will be from a good breeder!!

[Badgemash]

Congrats, looking forward to pics! The best thing about being a BP owner with a boa, you no longer get stuck with leftovers when the BPs suddenly decide that it's breeding time, or they no longer like rats, or Mars is out of alignment with Venus and they stop eating.

[Gio]

Well I did end up getting her and she is amazing! I got all the paperwork that needs to come with her as well. I will post pics soon!! I think this is only the first of many boas I will be getting lol. I can totally see why boas are so cool and less shy than pythons. My next one will be from a good breeder!!

Cool! I'm glad you got the papers and all the important stuff.

Enjoy her and give her the spoils of life she deserves!

[Ronin]

Pics will have a wait a bit, she has gone into shed and she is looking pretty dull at the moment lol

[Ronin]

Are the shed cycles of boas pretty much the same as BP??

[Evenstar]

Are the shed cycles of boas pretty much the same as BP??

Boas will often go longer. Usually every 6-ish weeks, but can be as long as 8-10.