Better starter snake Boa or BP??

beaglegod · 01-23-04, 06:28 PM

Just curious how yall feel about various boas vs BP's as a beginers snake, Id love to hear your opinions.

Big_V · 01-23-04, 06:34 PM

Ive had bp's for 3 years now...no snake is easy to care for as you have to keep on top on cleaning and fresh water....not too mention temperatures and such....but if you are capable of doing that id suggest the ball pythons. They are friendly snakes and if you get a well establish one you should have no trouble gettin them to feed. Plus bp's stay a managable size...some boas can get pretty big and have a little mean streak in them. My vote is BP's.
Cheers,
Ryan

Lrptls · 01-23-04, 06:42 PM

i agree with Ryan mostly. but snakes are all different. bps can be chalenging, people will lie and say your buying a cb when its a wc and it can be pretty agresive and extremly hard to get them to eat, even alot of cbs are hard to feed. they do stay a nice size though. but if you could keep a large snake (a species that can get on average 8-10 feet) you should think about colombian red tail boas. they are my favorite animals and the best type of snake i could ever own. very simple to care for, strong feeding response so easy to feed, wonderful temperments if you care for them right. just do alot of research if you plan on geting something, and continue the research after you get it

marisa · 01-23-04, 06:44 PM

I agree. Well except about the mean streak! I have known a couple very friendly boas in my time that friends have owned!

But Ball Pythons are *Simple* to care for! They have a slower metabolisim than say corns, so that means you can clean less than every hour (LOL) and they are sweet natured snakes in general (not all and each one of course bu in general)

If you take time and purchase your Ball Python from a breeder known for healthy well feeding captive bred ball pythons you will have a great pet that will most likely feed for you soon after you receive it. They stay good sized like mentioned and are beautiful!

Marisa

BoidKeeper · 01-23-04, 06:56 PM

What is easy about a snake that needs to be kept warmer than any other snake? Requires a relative hymidity of at least 60% to have a decent shed. Is head shy and super secrective and goes off food for months at a time? They stop eating if stressed.
In my not so humble opinion ball pythons have one good thing going for them, size, that's it. They are picky eaters can get hooked on one thing and refuse anything else. If you follow the rule of not handeling snakes that are not eating you won't be holding your BP much. I've got ten balls here and all but maybe two are CBB and they're no better when it comes to feeding than the others. A CBB ball comes paracite free but in this day in age there's no reason to buy your animals any other way so the whole CBB balls are better argument is a wash because almost all snakes in our hobby can be bought CBB now so it's a mute point.
Ball pythons are not the perfect pet snake or first snake at all. On the contrary, they are one of the easiest snakes to exploit by the pet trade, so the pet trade has spent time and money to make us all belive that they are the perfect beginer snake. What is perfect about a head shy, picky feeder, secrective, high heat and humidity snake?
I think a Rosy Boa or a BCI is a far better choice. If you can handle the size then a BCI is great. If the size is an issue which it should be for your first snake then I say go with a Rosy Boa. They are small, great feeders, like it dry and not too hot. Generally very docile too.
What could be easier except maybe a corn?
Cheers,
Trevor

**Andy_G** · 01-23-04, 07:10 PM

I agree with Trevor!

ReptiZone · 01-23-04, 07:12 PM

Hear hear....Boid Keeper I will drink to that

AnniesMom · 01-23-04, 07:23 PM

Just my opinion here, but I find that my BCI's, even Honey Bun at 8.5 feet, are easier and more enjoyable to handle than Annie, my 32" BP. Having said that, the BP has had no health problems, never refused food, and is a fairly *docile* snake. She is the only snake that I have ever been bit by, however. Annie is more active than the BCI's, but I don't trust her not to bite unprovoked. The boas, Jake especially, is very calm and even tempered. I am comfortable letting people, even children, hold him SUPERVISED.

I agree with Boid Keeper, why not a corn? Perhaps you are looking for a more.... impressive snake?Larger?
Whatever your choice, research is very important. I'm aquiring knowledge at an exponential rate lately, LOL!

HetForHuman · 01-23-04, 07:27 PM

My first snake was a BCI and she is just awesome, now a little over 7 feet and very handleable and a really easy snake to take care of in my opinion.

The only time i have trouble with her is trying to get her back into her cage after having her out. She never wants to go back in.

I say BCI all the way if the size doesnt bother you.

BoAddict · 01-23-04, 07:33 PM

i would have to say a bci too as generally you dont have the issues that you have with balls such as the non feeding that is my only reason i go with bci's and i like the size they get attain.

if you buy a boa as a baby you will be ok with it as a starter

Invictus · 01-23-04, 08:03 PM

I agree with Trevor and Tim 110%. BPs are terrible beginner snakes. BCI get quite a bit longer, but weigh about the same because they are not as heavy-bodied. If you think you can handle a full grown BP, you can handle a full grown boa, except that with a boa, if it's not feeding, you are doing something SERIOUSLY wrong. They are usually feeding machines. You also can give them a bigger enclosure. Only one of my BCI even has a hide box, because the others didn't use it even when they did have it, and now even the one who does have a hide has spent the last 2 weeks perched on top of it! They don't seem to get stressed at all, and I have 6 of 'em, so I don't think it's just coincidence.

Even the one I got that had a NASTY attitude has calmed down (thank God, because she's 9 feet and 25 lbs).

JDouglas · 01-23-04, 08:11 PM

Right on! I totally agree that boas are better pets for a beginner or anyone in general!

BoidKeeper · 01-23-04, 08:35 PM

Let's not forget that it can be a boa with out being a Colombian BCI. There are Rosy Boas, Sand Boas and Hog Island Boas. All boas and all smaller than Colombian Boas.
Cheers,
Trevor

ohh_kristina · 01-23-04, 08:37 PM

I keep both balls and boas (among other things). I love my balls to death, and one is a 6 year WC captive. I've had them for a while now, but it wasn't until this year that they started acting up. They are both off feed now and have been for the past three months. It's not anything to worry about, but I can see where someone with little experience would freak out over something like that.

My boa, however, is an eating machine. She is seriously scary when there is a rat in the room, and it's an adventure every feeding day.

go for the BCI!

beaglegod · 01-23-04, 09:00 PM

Man Im realy at a loss here guys. Sorry to say this after sooo many of my questions regarding BP's have been answered its. Its just that Ive always wanted to keep a snake and now that Im able to I want to have a real good first experience. Corns are pretty but theres something about pythons and boas that attract me. BP's have the size range I was looking for 4-5 feet, but now that I hear these testimonials Im not sure what I wanna get as my first. Lord knows my wife would freak at the thought of me having a 9 foot snake in the house. But I dont wanna short change myself either , know what I mean?