A question about size and temperament differences (Morph BCI / BCA)

[Gio]

Hi there,

Those are some good questions, and let me start by saying "IN GENERAL" almost all BCI's have a nice docile temperament. Notice the "in general" part. You will have some that have an edge and some that are docile 99% of the time and have a bad day just like we do. If the snake is not being defensive and showing a threat display, any other type of bite is an accidental feeding response where you made the mistake.

Boas make great pets because they are pretty even tempered and yet are still curious and active. They are completely different from Royal pythons, yet maintain a decent level of predictability once you learn/know your snake.

As for the size of morphs; Well, that is a loaded question. There are so many you can't possibly categorize a general size for them. They have influences from smaller Central American boas in them, some morphs, though not many have BCC in them. Obviously the CA influenced boas would be the smaller morphs but there are also huge albino BCI's.

All of that said, you will be just fine with a male Colombian BCI. Anything over 6 feet is quite rare for a properly raised male BCI.

Here is a tidbit of info. Kali, (Evenstar) helped me get into the boa scene, she is a great resource and also has a load of morphs and common BCI's. When speaking with her, she recommended I get a male BCI, but quickly told me, the snake grows with you when you get a young one, meaning you don't suddenly feel like you have a huge animal when it's larger because you get used to it as it grows.

After getting my male, I sometimes wish I'd have gotten a female because I love the size of the bigger boas. You can certainly assist a male into a larger size safely, if you are never going to breed it and it is not ever around female boas to react to scents and signals for breeding, but it will not attain the size of a female in most cases.

Safe bet for the male BCI 5-6 feet. 7 feet would be huge, and the girth is normally less than the female. Sexual dimorphism is pretty common.

I don't have a lot of experience with BCA's but the info I have from the Vincent Russo book, states they are usually shorter, but are thicker in girth. The BCA's are sometimes referred to a short tailed boas. They are becoming a bit more mainstream now and seem to "keep" easily from the reading I've done.

Boas are fantastic snakes and you will enjoy one. Just make sure you have the proper setup and EVERYTHING, caging, thermostat, heat source, and vet care taken care of and researched before you buy. Use a trusted breeder, ask about the genetics and background of the parents. Follow the breeder's advice and you'll be good to go.

This photo is a little older, but here is a male Barranquilla, Colombian BCI.

He is currently 4' 7" and 20 months old. He may hit 5 feet a little after he is 2 years, but his growth has slowed for the season, and his girth is not much. He is lean. Even at his current size I can easily handle him in 1 hand.