First Time Owner Need Advice

[OverweightSalamander]

Hey guys! Long time lurker, first time poster here.
As stated by the title, I have recently decided to buy my first reptile and, after a few weeks of research, have narrowed the field down to two species. Now I am handing it over to you guys, who surely have more experience than me, to help guide me to my final choice.


The two snakes that I have narrowed it down to, are the Dumerils Boa, or a Ball Python.


My question is, which of these two snakes is a better choice for a first timer?


I like the Dumerils Boa for its docile temperament, curiousness, and easy feeding. However, as males can get up to 6ft, this may be a little intimidating for a first timer like myself. Are there other species of Boa that do not grow at large (besides sand boas) AND are very docile?


I like the Ball Python as a choice, for its cool color morphs, ease of care, and the fact that this animal is ubiquitous and easy to purchase. Though, I frequently hear people calling this snake a "pet rock" and that it lacks the personality that a Dumerils can have.


Thanks guys, cant wait to hear the feedback.

[Zincubus]

Hey guys! Long time lurker, first time poster here.
As stated by the title, I have recently decided to buy my first reptile and, after a few weeks of research, have narrowed the field down to two species. Now I am handing it over to you guys, who surely have more experience than me, to help guide me to my final choice.


The two snakes that I have narrowed it down to, are the Dumerils Boa, or a Ball Python.


My question is, which of these two snakes is a better choice for a first timer?


I like the Dumerils Boa for its docile temperament, curiousness, and easy feeding. However, as males can get up to 6ft, this may be a little intimidating for a first timer like myself. Are there other species of Boa that do not grow at large (besides sand boas) AND are very docile?


I like the Ball Python as a choice, for its cool color morphs, ease of care, and the fact that this animal is ubiquitous and easy to purchase. Though, I frequently hear people calling this snake a "pet rock" and that it lacks the personality that a Dumerils can have.


Thanks guys, cant wait to hear the feedback.

Where do I start ...

Sadly I know nothing about Dumerils so I won't comment at all on them ... I do have FIVE Royals ( you guys call them Balls ) and they're fabulous snakes for enthusiasts and beginners alike as long as the make sure you buy a good feeder ....

As to being described as rocks .... it makes my blood literally boil .

I've seen so many say that and then it turns out that THEIRs is kept in a RUB with a hide and a water dish ..... what are they supposed to do ??

Mine are all in lush vivs with hides , hiding places and BRANCHES so every evening they're all to be see climbing around their vivs or just chilling out on them . They're the BEST for handling if you want to relax on the sofa couch with one ( or two ) as they will happily sit on your lap for as long as you want . Plus there is a massive range of colours ( colors) at affordable prices ..


As to small boas ...... why not look into Dwarf Boas ?

I've got a stunning Dwarf SunGlow which I'm expecting reach around 5' or even less ..


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[bcr229]

I have both Dums and ball pythons. From strictly a husbandry standpoint I think Dums are a better choice for the first-time keeper. They are kept a bit cooler and dryer than ball pythons so they're more tolerant of the husbandry mistakes new keepers are likely to make. They're also not picky about eating - mine all take frozen/thaw rats or rabbits.

They eventually do get bigger than ball pythons BUT it takes years for them to grow up so you have plenty of time to learn how to deal with them as they grow; they're not mainland retics that get up to ten feet long in their first year. My oldest male is five and is just barely six feet as of this year.

They're also very docile and accept being handled very quickly, though you do have to be careful in that they are extremely strong for their length. As a ground-based species they're very thick-bodied, and they like to feel well-supported when being held.

They also love to burrow so if you keep a youngster on aspen or cypress, offer a few inches of it. I don't dump a foot of substrate into my adults' enclosures though, they get an old towel to hide under.

[OverweightSalamander]

Thanks so much guys, very informative.

I think the idea of having so many different morphs to choose from in a ball python is attractive, but I really do want an interactive, curious snake.
It gives me confidence to hear that Dumerils take a while to grow to full size and I would have time to adjust as the snake grows.

Where is a good/reputable place to find a Dumerils breeder? Should I buy one online or at a reptile show? Do reptile shows even have Dumerils boas?

[Zincubus]

Thanks so much guys, very informative.

I think the idea of having so many different morphs to choose from in a ball python is attractive, but I really do want an interactive, curious snake.
It gives me confidence to hear that Dumerils take a while to grow to full size and I would have time to adjust as the snake grows.

Where is a good/reputable place to find a Dumerils breeder? Should I buy one online or at a reptile show? Do reptile shows even have Dumerils boas?

Just a long shot ... If you want an inquisitive , interactive , active throughout the day , not too large ..... I'd have a look into Woma Pythons .... Pretty unique characters !!


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This guy has one of the biggest Womas I've seen so they they're not huge ...

[BPGator]

I have one Dumerils and two BPs. I had the BPs first and found them to be very anti-social, fitting the pet rock description you've found. After doing some some research, I settled on the Dumerils for the reasons you stated - more social and known to be docile. I have found both of those to be true. Granted he's not a dog that comes rushing to greet me, my Dumerils is a lot less skittish and more tolerant of handling than my BPs. And as bcr said, they like to burrow; I don't even have a hide, just 1-2 inches of coco husk. They don't have cool morphs like BPs, but depending on how you look at it, that's an advantage because you don't have to make a choice in which morph to get.


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[Lizardlicks]

Just a long shot ... If you want an inquisitive , interactive , active throughout the day , not too large ..... I'd have a look into Woma Pythons .... Pretty unique characters !!


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This guy has one of the biggest Womas I've seen so they they're not huge ...

I would not recommend a woma for a first time keeper. Their feeding response can sometimes be a bit too overwhelming. Stick with something a little more mild mannered, then move up to a woma if you want a bit of fun at feeding time

[Zincubus]

Well he mentioned he wanted interactive and curious /inquisitive and that says Woma and Relics but he doesn't want monstrous size which kinda rules out Retics unless he gets a Super Dwarf like mine

I've had a few Womas over the years and at feeding time if was just a case of checking where they were and dropping the food in at the other end of the viv (on a piece of card) - simple enough tbh