PetStore BCI

[BoaBoi]

I ordered a 422D BoaPhile with the works installed, now I plan to buy a BCI from a petstore. My question is will that cage be big enough for the boa for life? http://www.boaphile.com to look at the cages. Also, I cannot specifically get a male because the petstore refuses to sex them. Their spurs are VERY SMALL so I'm making an educated guess that they're female.

James~

[Linds]

I would strongly recommend purchasing your BCI from a breeder or through a private sale. This way not only should you have better chances of avoiding the headaches of internal and external parasites, disease, but you can be sure to get a male ;) You will also not have to pay double the price you regularily would be. Boas cannot be reliably sexed by spur size, only probing, and in some cases, popping. You can keep any snake up to 7.5 - 8 feet in that size cage, but we cannot tell you how big your snake will grow to be. If you get a male it is fairly safe to say he won't outgrow that cage. Most females will do fine in that size as well, but some may need a bit more room :)

[BoaBoi]

Aside from not knowing the sex and exact origin of the snake I have no probs buying from this petstore. I bought my last 2 snakes(Ball Pythons) from here and they were perfect pets. I checked out all of their reptile inventory 2 days ago and they all looked healthy, other than the fact that a baby Burm was being kept with a juvi Ball Python which I consulted the owner on. Everything looks good at the store itself, and the owner likes reptiles. So basically if I could find a well known breeder of BCI that sells columbians for $160 or less shipped I would get it from a breeder, but the cage itself cost me nearly $500... I searched the web looking for breeders wellknown selling them for under $160 and only found Clay English... I emailed him and he was a total jerk. If you know of anyone that fits the criteria then I'd greatly appreciate yoposting a link or contact info.

James~

[BoaBoi]

Also I thought that I would add that it doesn't really mater if they hit the 9-10 ft mark in 5 years or so since I have my snakes out of their cage about 50% or more of the time...

James~

[Invictus]

Henry Piorun has colombian boa males for $110 + Shipping. If you go WestJet (although rumor has it they aren't shipping live cargo until spring), that would pretty much put you at the $160 mark. Henry is a great guy to deal with, I'd recommend him. www.a1pythons.com

[Linds]

Where are you located? In Canada market price for BCI is $100, and you can easily find one in the states for $50. Check classified ads and you will find loads of *guaranteed* sexed animals ;)

[MouseKilla]

I love those cages! They look so easy to clean and work with.

Yeah I can't say enough bad things about buying from pet stores. It's how we all generally start out but after you gain some experience you notice how bad the husbandry is in those places. You are far more likely to bring home a new parasite with your new animal when you get it from a pet store. Hearing about a burm and a ball in the same cage makes me cringe and I would hate to think what other practices exist there that are just inviting problems. If you go with a reputable guy like Henry, as has been suggested, you're not dealing with a guy who makes most of his money selling dog food and cat litter, you're buying from a guy who specializes in breeding snakes. You can be sure that a breeder (particularily a good one) is doing everything he can to keep parasites and disease out of his own collection and that's where yours will come from. On top of that you aren't paying the 20 - 40% store mark up.

[BoaBoi]

If I'm not gonna buy it from the petstore, and get it from like an ad or something I want one that looks awsome if I'm gonna be waiting a week for the check to clear before they send it. Also I appreciate the link posted above, I visited it but didn't like the colors. The colors of the petstore's boas were better IMO. If I could get some more links or something like that I'd be very greatful.

James~

[BoaBoi]

I went to the petstore today and purchased one of the 3 Columbian Boas after inspecting each of them. None of them had any visable parasites nor' scars, and they managed to seperate the Burm and Ball like I asked them. I'm very happy with the service and the new baby, the colors are amazing. I'm quite sure it is a he and he has very light wide saddles with a bright red tail. He seems to be very tame and well cared for, this is a testamonial to how good petstores can be.

James~

[Oliverian]

this is a testamonial to how good petstores can be. LOL! Now theres something you don't hear every day. ;)

I'm glad you got a nice snake, but personally I would have waited to get one from a breeder. For a lot of reasons, including more selection, way cheaper prices, guaranteed sex, and probably a healthier animal. But since you decided to buy it already, good luck. I hope it has no parasites, ect, and that it does well for you.

-TammyR

[BOAS_N_PYTHONS]

BOABOI:

LINDS knows what she is saying.

As for me trusting pet stores that went out the door the first time I went in one to ask questions I already knew answers to just to terst the stores knowledge on boids, fish, and parrots.......seems they know more "BULL" than "TRUTH" on any animal.

Cya...

Tony

[BoAddict]

good luck with your new boa
now i suggest you take a fecal to the vet and be sure that it doesnt have any internal parisites.

good luck

[Auskan]

Originally posted by Oliverian
For a lot of reasons, including way cheaper prices,
-TammyR

I have looked at lots of breeder's websites, but can't really see that the prices are *any* cheaper than what they are asking at my two local reptile & exotic pet stores. Plus, you have to pay shipping, which makes them quite a bit more expensive. On this forum, I consistently hear people say that breeders are cheaper, but the evidence is not there.

[ScreamingMisfit]

Auskan: the evidence is jst that you buy from a pet store and there is a 95% chance your snakes is sick with something which means a trip to the vet $$$$$$
buy from a breeder and you have a %100 guarentee its healthy and eating ..
it may cost a little more at the biggining but it is way cheaper in the end ...


Jay
CHEEPER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER

[Linds]

Originally posted by Auskan
On this forum, I consistently hear people say that breeders are cheaper, but the evidence is not there.

There are many variables taken in to consideration when pricing an animal. I will use Colombian BCI as my example since this is what the thread was started on. You can get an normal (and sometimes even nicer than normal) looking BCI for $50 USD from a breeder (that is crruently what market price is)... now if the pet store wishes to sell captive bred animals, they have to purchase from a breeder first, who may not lower their price much more than that as wholesale. Typically there is at least a 100% markup on animals in the retail indsustry. If you see a BCI for maybe $60 or $70 USD in the pet store, it may not be that much more expensive than from a breeder, but it is likely to be a WC or farmed animal (which will bring it's own lot of problems). Also, a lot of the animals in the classifieds may be exceptional specimens demanding a higher price, or proven breeders. Animals gain value with age as well to an extent. Breeders will always be cheaper than pet stores for what you get. Breeders charge market price, while stores charge retail price. You would be paying at least double for the same type and quality of animal from a pet store than you would a breeder.

[MouseKilla]

I've never heard anyone attempt to say that pet stores have better stock than breeders do. That one kinda makes me scratch my head because the breeders normally sell to the pet store what is left of their stock after their friends have picked through it. And the idea that you'd ever get a better price for an equivalent animal at a pet store is laughable. Linds is right about the mark up on livestock, now that I think of it it is more like 100%. You have to consider that the stores are a middle man, they have storefront and ill-informed staff to pay for plus he's already paid the breeder's price.

[Auskan]

I don't disagree with what you're all saying, however I am not talking about an everyday run of the mill petstore. Both of the stores I frequent are reptile specialist stores, and I know from talking to the staff at one of them, that they breed most, if not all of their own stock.

[ScreamingMisfit]

i think i would still get it in writing that there are %100 healthy and feeding good just to cover your a$$

[JDouglas]

OK they are a reptile specialist store but you had to request them to seperate two different species of snake? Sounds like an average pet store to me. Also I have done business with Clay English and he was very professional and friendly? To say that buying from a petstore is better than buying from a breeder in any circumstance is laughable for obvious reasons that have already been mentioned. It sounds to me like you bought from a petstore because it was easier and you didn't want to wait. It is totally your choice to make although you will not find many people here who will think you made the right decision.

[BoaBoi]

Well now that I ahve gotten the baby, I wouldn't do it any differently. The animal is very healthy and I apsolutly love him.

James~

[BoAddict]

has it had a fecal done yet? if no than how can you say its very healthy?
and when you get the fecal done you should bring the boa and let the vet sex it properly.

[Auskan]

Originally posted by JDouglas
OK they are a reptile specialist store but you had to request them to seperate two different species of snake? Sounds like an average pet store to me.

I think you're getting my post mixed up with that of the original poster. I never said anything about the reptile specialist store I frequent having to separate different species of snake.

[JDouglas]

Auskan,
I went back and reread the entire thread. You are correct. My comment should have been directed to the original poster. Also I agree that there are a handful of reptile specialty pet stores that breed there own animals that have high quality animals. IMO if they breed their own animals and only deal in reptiles they are probably just as reliable as any other breeder but they are the exception. Most pet stores suck!

[MouseKilla]

We're veering into semantics here but if they breed their own stock they aren't a "pet store" they're a breeder that may happen to also have a specialized store. That's totally different than the big corporate pet store with the aisles of dog food and cat toys and a corner devoted to badly cared for reptiles (burm and BP in the same enclosure) and some criminally overpriced cage furniture.