Small Boas???

[killer Cichlidz]

Hey I wanted to know if there are any types of small boas (similar to Regular boas) that grow to only 4-5 feet in length.

I would be looking for something that is commonly available and that could live in a 36x18x2 ft enclosure with a shelf or two to take advantage of vertical space.

I am debating on getting a Black Blood python and I want to know my options with the boas.......Please dont suggest Ball Pythons.....Been in the hobby too long with them :)

If you can help in any way, please do so.

Thanks,

Lu :)

[Zoe]

Hog Island Boas.

Also sand/rosy boas, but they aren't like 'normal' boas, which I assume you are referring to BCIs.

Zoe

[Zoe]

That would be a good Irian Jaya Carpet Python cage, too, just to let ya know.

Zoe

[SerpentLust]

Kenyan Sand Boa :D

Jenn

[JDouglas]

I wouldn't put a hog in a 36x18x2. The absolute smallest I would go for a hog would be 36x24.

[snakemann87]

A male BCI.........average size about 6ft......I dont know if you mind the extra foot or not

[Zoe]

The absolute smallest I would go for a hog would be 36x24. I think the cage is 36' x 24' and 18' high?

Zoe

[chas*e]

Brazilian Rainbow Boa, Kenyan, Hog island,....all these are relatively small

[BOAS_N_PYTHONS]

KILLER CICHLIDS:

Rainbows and Hog Isle Boas to mention a few plus other people mentioned here as well.

Cya...

Tony

[Colonel SB]

Also some of the Central American Boas stay small...My nics aren't gonna get too big.

[imp_star]

A b.c.i. crawl cay / cay caulkers (4-6ft.)....i want one..

[Linds]

Kenyans and Shorttailed Pythons will not make use of -any- vertical space. There are quite a few boas that are "similar to regular boas" ;) There are quite a few localities of BCI that stay around that size such as crawl cay, cay caulker, most nicaraguans, male hog isle boas, etc. A great place to find captive bred locality specific BCI in the states is from Gus @ Rio Bravo Reptiles. All sorts of insular forms and you can find out how big their parents were. If memory serves he also has dwarf BCI ;)

[ChaosCat]

BCI would stay fairly small.

Cay Caulkers, Crawl Cays, Sonorans, Nicaraguans, they all stay around 5 feet or so. Beautiful animals too. BTW Hoggs can get to 7 feet if well-fed.

-cat

[Linds]

Originally posted by ChaosCat
Cay Caulkers, Crawl Cays, Sonorans, Nicaraguans, they all stay around 5 feet or so. Beautiful animals too. BTW Hoggs can get to 7 feet if well-fed.


Not necessarily if well fed or not. If you feed the crap out of your snake it isn't going to grow more than a snake that was only fed when it was showing signs of hunger. Its mainly in the genes. Even snakes that have been stunted by underfeeding will often reach their growth potential once fed properly, just a little off schedule ;) I agree Hog Isle are not always the small snakes people make them out to be, my 6.5' female can surely attest to that.

[Simon]

Albino Rosy Boas~
these guys stay really small....around 3 feet for both females and males....and lovely colorings too~

[Invictus]

Those of you who think that male BCI only get to 6' are either breeding dwarves or measuring wrong. We just got a 6.5' BCI, and he seems small to me for an adult. Our other male BCI was the product of an 8' male and an 11' female.

Hog Isles can be hissy, bitey boas, so be prepared if that's what you want to get. Other than that, I'd go for a central american BCI.

[MAN OF STEEL]

bolivian silver backs are very attractive and stay around
5 feet. the only negative thing is that they are kind of expensive, but still way worth it. jesus is right with the bci's. you have to be measuring wrong. i have never seen a full grown bci at 6'.

[ChaosCat]

Here's what I'm dealing with now with my smaller BCI:

Sonorans: Babies are hissy and very snappy. Won't hesitate to try and bite non-stop, although I believe with regular handling they will calm down. Adults-my female is a snot. No hissing, no warning, she'll strike at you if you bother her-occasionally she is handleable, but most of the time she lays in wait for a stray hand to pass into her cage. My male, on the other hand, is sweet as long as I read his body language. When he does NOT want to be handled, he will stiffen his body up and coil up-and sometimes hiss. Never had him strike at me-took him to a herp show last weekend and he even dealt well with kids poking at him (not my choice, I was trying to keep the kids from poking him, but we all know how children are).

Crawl Cays: slightly hissy as babies, not sure what they are like as adults. Have _not_ had one of them strike at me yet, have been pretty calm.

Cay Caulker: I only have a female, and when I got her, she struck at everything. Since I began working with her on a regular basis (wearing gloves at first) she has calmed down and is nice to handle. Except during shedding, when she again, strikes at anything.

Other Boas:

Rosy Boas: babies can be nippy if they feel threatened or are really hungry. Adults are _usually_ calm, but can be unpredictable.

ALL the boas listed above can be vastly unpredictable. So Keep them away from your head at all times. I have had all of them except the crawl cays randomly take unwarranted swipes at my head, and am personally glad I keep them well away from my head.

-cat