Wanting Boa Size without Spending Boa Money

[bigsnakegirl785]

Originally Posted by Drevj12

I appreciate all of the replies and information. Sorry that in my original post, i got a bit lazy and simply wrote boa in a lot of places rather than specifying BCI. I didn't mean to put out the implication that I am not willing to pay X amount of money to keep a snake. I'm willing to save as long as I may need to as is needed. But y'know, if there's a way to get my foot in the door for less money, I'm willing to explore options. I figured there's no harm in asking. When I first started becoming interested in snakes, I had no clue that bull snakes or pine snakes existed. I didn't know about hog nose snakes. I must've found at least 15 new snakes that I dreamed of having every day when I first got into this hobby. So I thought maybe someone here would know of a snake that fit perfectly into my admittedly strict given parameters. But I did look into yellow anacondas for awhile and I thought they were gorgeous. I'll probably dive back into researching them and get to saving up for the snake and all the necessary equipment. And learn how to set up a good partly aquatic enclosure.

Don't get me wrong, I love boa constrictors, they're my favorite snake to keep. They just won't get anywhere near the potential that an anaconda can. Only other giant constrictors will be comparable (as far as size), and all giants are going to be a commitment and will pretty much require you to own your own home (not many rentals are ok with a giant snake and you'll need plenty of room for their equally gigantic enclosures) and have at least 1-3 other willing people living with you to help care for it. It isn't safe to keep giant constrictors alone. Very few people die, but the ones that do are due to improper handling or keeping techniques. Safety cannot be stressed enough.

They're also super expensive to feed. My retic is only 9' and she accounts for nearly half of my food bill by herself, and that's when I had 13 snakes. If/when you still plan on getting a giant, be sure to find a reliable source (or multiple sources for back up) where you can get rabbits, once they reach a certain size rats just won't cut it anymore, and it's best to feed one appropriately-sized prey item vs multiple smaller ones. If you can give a varied diet, that's always best. Fowl is another good option for larger snakes, and if you feed them sparingly, pigs and Guinea pigs are also nice for a little variety. Due to their fat content, I wouldn't feed one more than once or twice a year on an adult eating monthly.