Size in BCI's

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

hey guys, Im gunna sell my Female BP to a friend here pretty soon. Gunna fill that tank up. But I dunno if I'm ready for a BCI. I handled a 5 footer and, lemme tell ya, it was the COOLEST thing....oh boy, now I want one. But the problem is, I dont wanna be stuck with a 12 foot BCI. How big do the males get? Whats theyre growth like? Do they go on feeding strikes like BPs? Thanks all.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Well according to "hip", they get 19 feet easily.

Ha ha, just kidding, hip would never say that.

Males are 6-8 feet on average. Some get biggy, some stay smally. Buy captive-bred and look at the parents. Easy.

Bci's won't go on a feeding strike (maybe males for a month during the breeding season), but for the most part, Bci's have a WICKED feeding response. And when compared with a Ball Python? Its night and day.

Bci's are way way cool snakes.

[reverendsterlin]

even a female will seldom get over 9ft, 12ft is basically the biggest of the big in Bci

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

Whoopsie, I just realized that I posted this in the wrong forum. Sorry Mods. But hey thanks jeff! I might have to look into getting one. It will be my first "Large" snake as I have only owned 2 Ball pythons. Man i am just sick and tired of they're fasting! What size enclosure would a 7 foot male need? A man at the Herp Show this weekend was saying Boas are not like pythons are dont require much rooma t all. Thanks again! :)

[dead bob]

1 square foot of floor space for every foot of snake. So for an 8ft snake you would need a minimum of a 4x2x2 enclosure. I like giving mine a little more height but you would be ok with 1.5 ft.

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

Right on, thanks a lot. Not too bad. The cage I have my beardie in now is 4x2 1/2x16 1/2. Maybe I should just start out with a three footer? hows their frozen feeding response, I saw in another post that it was hard to get them on frozen or somthin? Thanks again bob (Havnt seen u around much lately :))

[Jeff_Favelle]

Adult Bci's can thrive in 4 x 2 x 1.5. Easily. But don't buy an adult. Get a CB baby. Support the industry!

Good luck and make sure to post pics!

P.S. There are varieties of Bci's that stay even smaller, such as the Hogg Island Boas. They are wicked-looking, but are a little more pricey than a common Colombian. But WELL worth the price.

[dead bob]

Originally posted by ThEmAdHaTtEr
Right on, thanks a lot. Not too bad. The cage I have my beardie in now is 4x2 1/2x16 1/2. Maybe I should just start out with a three footer? hows their frozen feeding response, I saw in another post that it was hard to get them on frozen or somthin? Thanks again bob (Havnt seen u around much lately :))

The feeding response in my two are unbelievable. I just use a pair of tongs and hold it in front of them and bam, they hit it, and hard.

Let me know when yours gets big enough and I can make you a 4x2x2 out of melamine for under $100.00. You'll just have to pick it up from me out here in Mesa or at one of the meetings.

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

Heh, thanks Bob. Someone from the AHA is selling a 3 ft female for 50 bux. You read that post bob? Well anyway, cant beat a price like that. But Its a female (Bleh). I really really dont want a huge snake hangin around. close to 8 foot is perfect. How fast do they grow? I can buy a baby from LLLreptile.com for close to 80. Decisions Decisions...

[hip]

Well according to "hip", they get 19 feet easily.



Well Jeff I could say that if I am really really drunk and sluring my words real bad Hey man that was funny none the less





Hip

[HetForHuman]

my BCI's will eat frozen thawed like its going out of style man. should have no problems with them at all.

good luck

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

Score! Sounds like the PERFECT snake for me! I will surely get a male BCI. Thanks for all the feedback guys, any of you have pics of ur full grown males? Thanks!

[hip]

Well In Bci expect to have a female top out at 9 feet or so and males around 7 there are exceptions to every rule but these are safe numbers for the most part.Bci's are usally pigs and will eat whatever you throw at them,be worrieed when they do not eat (except for breeding season) most will take f/t no prob and even wc are not to awfull hard to switch(now If wc suris were as easy)Females are so laid back (there are exceptions to every rule) and males can be twitchy in the breeding season for a month or two,so you may get tagged.For ease of care,temperment ,ruggedness and overall keeping Columbians and most of the Bci ssp are the best of the best.



Man you gotta love those Bci's


Hip

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

Hip Hip Hooray! (I just HAD to man, sorry. :)) Yeah, theres a female for 50 at the local herp club thing. The only thing im scared of is having a female get to about 12 foot or so. I really really dont want a 12 foot snake. Dunno, theres also a circle back stripe tail for 75. Only 3 foot tho. How fast do they grow? Maybe I can get her to sell me the cage too...Thanks a lot for the info!

[Gary D.]

Circleback's tend to be of Central American or Mexican descent. Which do tend to be slightly smaller. I would not expect a female circle back to much exceed 8', if that. Growth is dependant on proper temperature and husbandry and feeding. But even at that boas grow rather slowly comparitavely to other boids. I'm sure you'd be very happy with her.

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

Prolly, but I long for a nice 5 foot or somethin KINDA large. But like I said. I would hate to have it get very large, im afraid I would have to get rid of all my herps to care for just that one. Hmm... Temps determine size?

[dead bob]

Originally posted by ThEmAdHaTtEr
Heh, thanks Bob. Someone from the AHA is selling a 3 ft female for 50 bux. You read that post bob? Well anyway, cant beat a price like that. But Its a female (Bleh). I really really dont want a huge snake hangin around. close to 8 foot is perfect. How fast do they grow? I can buy a baby from LLLreptile.com for close to 80. Decisions Decisions...

Yea I saw that post. I would jump on it but I have enough mouths to feed right now. My two BCI's are eating like pigs, one large rat every week now. Thats about all my budget can afford right now with my other snakes to feed also.

I've actually just bought some rats to start breeding so hopefully I can cut some costs there. ;) They seem to like the dry dog food and parrot food (seeds, corn and such) and since I already have to buy that stuff, it's not costing me a dime to keep them.:D

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

I think im gunna wait for a male..In the long run, if she gets too large I wont be able to care for her. I wouldnt be able to buy 3 super rats a week and all that, that gets expensive. I might just have to buy a little one, even tho I want a bigger one. Hmm..

[Gary D.]

." Hmm... Temps determine size?"

Now don't go thinking about the temp/size thing. The gist there is that an animal kept in sub optimal conditions will not be as healthy or grow as fast as one kept properly and fed properly. Eventually it can lead to stunted growth, a shortened life expectancy and a bad reputation in the herp community.

GD

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

Oh gotcha, that DID seem a little wierd....Heh. I just passed up the offer on the Female BCI for 50 bux. I cant afford to have a big one. If for some off reason she turns out to be a BIG one and I cant care for her, I would have to get rid of her. Im gunna save myself some time and wait for a male. Thanks all.

[hip]

Well for the most part a male Bci (excluding some ssp) will be 5-7 feet but you never know I have seen males that were huge 8 feet or more not the norm but quite possable none the lessMy male Columbian (Just over 2 years old ) is aproaching 6 feet already (his growth spirt has slowed alot in the last couple of months.My female Columbian who is about 2 months younger or so than him Is now kicked into overdrive and will surpass him within a month or two and should be 7-8 feet and very thick by this time next year.She won't get to awfull long I do not think much over 8 feet but I can tell she is going to be a very thick girl and quite heavy.I will post Pics when the camera gets here.




Hip