Ball python and calibar boa in same cage?

Thekaratekid002 · 10-25-12, 10:30 PM

Is it okay to put a caliber boa in the same terrarium as an ball python?

alessia55 · 10-25-12, 10:33 PM

Ball pythons are solitary snakes and it is not recommended that you house them with other snakes.

RobsCornField · 10-25-12, 10:45 PM

The only snakes I would ever keep in the same vivarium are garters, and that's because they are social snakes (oddballs). The only time I keep any other snakes in the same cage is for breeding, and that's only temporarily (a few hours at most).

Rogue628 · 10-25-12, 10:46 PM

What she said. Most snakes are solitary animals and do better by themselves.

Thekaratekid002 · 10-25-12, 10:50 PM

Okay thanks!

SSSSnakes · 10-25-12, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thekaratekid002

Is it okay to put a caliber boa in the same terrarium as an ball python?

I've nee heard of a Caliber Boa snake before. A Caliber Boa is a hand gun. I would not keep it in a enclosure with my Ball Python, it may ruin the gun. I think you are talking about a Calabar Python, Charina reinhardtii. Sometimes commonly called, Calabar ground boa, burrowing boa, Calabar boa. The snake is from West and Central Africa, it is a egg layer and is not a boa. As mentioned before by others, it is not a good idea to keep them together.

Rogue628 · 10-26-12, 12:06 AM

Wow. I never even caught the fact that he was talking about an animal I'd never heard of, much less mis named it lol. All I saw was a python and boa living together lol.

I had to google the critter to see what it is. Looks almost identical to a sand boa. I'm having problems finding a good care sheet for it. Seems like they're kind of rare and not that popular in the reptile industry although I've found it does well in captivity and is considered a friendly snake. I wonder if the care is similar to sand boas?

Thekaratekid002 · 10-26-12, 06:10 AM

The calibar python is the most friendly snake I've ever owned and my favorite!!!

SSSSnakes · 10-26-12, 06:45 AM

I have kept them before. Mine were W/C and did not want to eat. Mostly burrowed under the substrate, so they were hardly ever seen. They are very non aggressive. I referred to them many times as a two headed Python, because their tail and head look very similar. and they will hide their head in their coils and move their tails like their head when they are scarred.

StudentoReptile · 10-26-12, 07:04 AM

Most calabars are WC and a lot of the difficulty lies in their reluctance to eat mice. It's best to start them on rat pups, which can be hard for the novice keeper to acquire on a regular basis.

Beyond that, habitat and temperament are low-key. I had one once, very unique species.

Thekaratekid002 · 10-26-12, 08:22 AM

I've owned two but I got them as a pair and I think they were wild caught an they would not eat.

**Aaron_S** · 10-26-12, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

I've nee heard of a Caliber Boa snake before. A Caliber Boa is a hand gun. I would not keep it in a enclosure with my Ball Python, it may ruin the gun. I think you are talking about a Calabar Python, Charina reinhardtii. Sometimes commonly called, Calabar ground boa, burrowing boa, Calabar boa. The snake is from West and Central Africa, it is a egg layer and is not a boa. As mentioned before by others, it is not a good idea to keep them together.

I want to respectfully say you're wrong in the common name because I'm fairly certain I read it's a boa that lays eggs. I know the Barkers were/are working with them and I'm trying to find it on their site but haven't come up with anything. I'll keep searching.

SSSSnakes · 10-26-12, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I want to respectfully say you're wrong in the common name because I'm fairly certain I read it's a boa that lays eggs. I know the Barkers were/are working with them and I'm trying to find it on their site but haven't come up with anything. I'll keep searching.

Common names are normally an incorrect name that a snake is called in certain locations. Most snakes have common names that are different from their correct name. That is why they use the Latin names to correctly ID snakes.

In general, Boas give live birth and Pythons lay eggs.

marvelfreak · 10-27-12, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I want to respectfully say you're wrong in the common name because I'm fairly certain I read it's a boa that lays eggs. I know the Barkers were/are working with them and I'm trying to find it on their site but haven't come up with anything. I'll keep searching.

Calabar Boas; formerly known as Calabar Pythons are one of three species of egg laying boas. They are a small, extremely friendly species of snake that take well to captivity. They feed readily on defrost rodents and are excellent beginner snakes. Calabar Boas are a burrowing species, and rarely come above ground during daylight hours. However, they can be highly active at night, and under a red night lamp can be a very interesting species to watch. Adults rarely exceed 90cm in length, although they are usually around 60cm.

Here's the link. Calabar Boa (Formerly Python) Care (Calabaria reinhardtii)

SSSSnakes · 10-27-12, 06:55 AM

This is from pets NEWS:
"The Calabar burrowing boa {Colobaria reinhardtii) is a very unusual and misunderstood snake. Although at present, it is not very common in private collections or in zoos, this is largely the result of a lack of information about how to maintain these snakes rather than for any other reason. These snakes are highly distinctive members of the boid group. They used to be called Calabar burrowing pythons, because they are an oviparous (egg-laying) species, although they only produce 1-3 eggs once every two years. However, the species is now known as the Calabar burrowing boa, based not on its reproductive habits but on broader aspects of its biology.

What’s in a name?
There is considerable confusion around the name of this species. Some of the common names used for it include Calabar boa, Calabar python, burrowing python, burrowing boa, West African python, West African brown boa, Calabaria, African ground boa, two-headed python, Cameroon burrowing boa and Erycine’s python.
Its scientific taxonomy is equally confusing, with some believing that it belongs in the genus Charina along with rubber and rosy boas. This then places the species in the subfamily Erycinae which also contains the sand boa genera fryxand Gongyiophis, to which others feel they are more closely-related.There then is another view which I believe is the most appropriate – that they form their own sub-family, Calabarinae. There is no confusion though over their scientific name of Calabaria reinhardtii."

This snake is so unique they really don't know what to classify it as. One minute science say it's a Python, the next they say it's a Boa and then their not sure. Honestly who cares, it's a cool snake whatever it is.