Newb

Dyzmal · 07-29-10, 09:18 PM

hey guys im somewhat new to snakes and im looking to get a boa. Maybe a columbian or a hogg island but im not sure. I've also seen some nice tree boas. Can anyone make a suggestion to start of my colletion

ps. not that much into ball pythons... boas and vipers only thanks

infernalis · 07-30-10, 01:29 AM

percey39 · 07-30-10, 06:40 AM

Hello and welcome to the site. I would go with a smaller sized boa for your first.

Freebody · 07-30-10, 09:44 AM

welcome to the forum, a redtail boa was my first snake i owned and she was great, really depend on what your like, after that just narrow it down by how hard it is to keep the species you like. tree boas ie emeralds from other post i have read are rather hard to keep and have nasty bites so i would stay clear of them as a 1st choice.

marvelfreak · 07-31-10, 08:08 AM

Hello and Welcome! Rosy boa are real easy to take care of and don't get very big.(2 to 3 Feet) Come in all kinds of morph. Then there's rainbow boas they get 5 to 8 feet. They do require high humidity and a little more work, but are worth the effort.

shaunyboy · 07-31-10, 12:43 PM

hello and welcome

how about a nice carpet python.if you get one roughly a year old you will know its temprement.you get some really nice coloured and patterned carpets.
cheers shaun

Will0W783 · 08-02-10, 07:44 PM

Hello and welcome. I would recommend a hypo Hogg Island boa. Emerald tree boas are one of my all-time favorite snakes but they are definitely NOT a beginner boa. I have 3 that are perfect sweethearts and I am very grateful for them.

Nafun · 08-02-10, 08:07 PM

The first thing you need to do is let us know what you're looking for in a snake. Without knowing that, all you'll get is a bunch of people recommending their favorite snakes.

How big of a snake are you looking for? Boas range from under 2 feet to over 16 feet, and everything in between.

What kind of environment are you planning on? There are tropical boas, desert boas, and even some temperate boas. If you don't think you're up to maintaining a high humidity enclosure, stay away from tropical species.

What kind of disposition are you looking for? Do you want an active snake? A lazy snake? Do you want a display snake, or a snake you can tame down and handle?

Are you looking for a diurnal snake (active during the day), a nocturnal snake (active at night), or a crepuscular snake (active at dawn and dusk)?

There are also a wide range of pythons and colubrids. The important thing is to pin down precisely what you want out of a snake so you don't end up with something you don't like. Snakes, like most reptiles, live a very long time, so it's important to make sure you choose right. If you're looking for a good display snake, for example, you probably don't want to get a sand boa, unless you want to spend the next 20 years explaining to your house guests that there is indeed something living in that empty aquarium with the sand in the bottom.