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Boa Recommendations?

Dakota314

Dakota314

Addicted
I'm thinking about getting a boa... actually not thinking about it but I'm going to once I have some money. I know a lot of people on here have boas, and I was wondering what you would suggest for a first time boa owner. My mom is still iffy on the idea, so I want to get one that maxes out at about 7 feet tops. I've been looking into Dumeril's Boas, and they seem like a good fit. Any experiences with them or other suggestions would be great. :)
 
Dakota314 said:
I'm thinking about getting a boa... actually not thinking about it but I'm going to once I have some money. I know a lot of people on here have boas, and I was wondering what you would suggest for a first time boa owner. My mom is still iffy on the idea, so I want to get one that maxes out at about 7 feet tops. I've been looking into Dumeril's Boas, and they seem like a good fit. Any experiences with them or other suggestions would be great. :)
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I have a Caulker Cay Boa and a Hogg Island Boa, both stay under 7ft, around to 5-6ft. Both are great beginner boas in my opinion, I have never had any issues with them.
 
Brazilian rainbow boas stay pretty small also and are absolutely beautiful animals. Pretty much any of the isolated/island boas stay smaller. The emerald tree boa is beautiful but (and someone correct me if I'm wrong here) I've read/heard they have a fairly bad disposition and don't really like to be handled much. I could be confusing the attitude with the green tree python as it's been a while since I have read about them and I have no personal experience with either.

My Hypo RTB is a teddy bear and a real joy to handle. She's a bit overzealous when she's in feeding mode though lol. However, she'll top out (hopefully) at around 10 to 12ft and be about 60lbs worth of snake so probably not the best choice for your situation. ;)
 
I love my BCI :3
I think males stay smaller than the females, so he'll max out around 7 feet at the most. I'm of course he'll get a bit bigger. I got him as a newborn, around 18 inches long. He's now 4'4" at a year and a half. Definitely my favorite snake. He has such a wonderful temperament.
 
Yeah, my girl was bought as a baby last July so she's still small. She loves to cuddle with us though lol. She'll rub noses with you and then lay her head on your nose. :D
 
Thought I'd budge in...

1- Firstly, avoid "Hogg Isle" Boas... the use of Double "gg" actually means that it's a cross, in the guise of a misspell(in which case no can can 100% guarantee size). Hog Isle Boas would be a good fit though, especially if you opt for a male.

2- Rainbow Boas are awesome, but are sensitive and more demanding in the care department. I would get more experience before handling them. They can be nippy younglings.

3- I would also check out the different dwarf variants of the BCI complex: Corn island, Caulker's cay, Nicaragua, Sonora, Panama... all of these fit the bill- in that group you have animals that cost more and others which are really affordable.

Best of luck,
Oren.
 
I would suggest a Hog Island Boa. Hubby has one and just absolutely loves him! Parker is such a laid back animal but you can tell he is very curious.

Parker was produced by Chad Duggin. He is a good guy on the BOI as well.

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Hey Oren! I wondered when you would chime in. This is the man to ask about boas. He helped me a lot when I got my BCI. She's doing great by the way. :)
 
I have a male Costa Rica boa (boa constrictor imperator), which should max out at 4.5 feet, while females get to be 5 feet. He was a bit snappy at first, and I'm still careful when getting him out of his tub, but he's calmed down and does really well for handling.
 
Thanks everyone! I just did a bit of reading on BCIs, and I think I'm leaning toward them. They seem like a good fit for me. Do they need climbing area? All I found was ground space.
 
I'm pretty sure some of them are mainly ground animals but like other boids they can be prone to obesity so some vines/limbs for exercise won't hurt (along with watching their diet and feeding schedule ;)). If they end up not using them you can always take them out. My columbian loves to climb!
 
Dakota314 said:
Thanks everyone! I just did a bit of reading on BCIs, and I think I'm leaning toward them. They seem like a good fit for me. Do they need climbing area? All I found was ground space.
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There's a bit of misunderstanding here I think.
Boas are interesting because they are insanely variable both in the amount of sub-species and localities.
Under the Boa Constrictor complex you have quite a few sub-species such as Boa Constrictor Occidentalis, Boa Constrictor Constrictor, Boa Constrictor Sabogae and so forth…
All of the suggested animals in this thread were actually different localities of the Boa Constrictor Imperator(or as you know it, BCI).

So… you still have a choice ahead of you, hehehe.
To make it slightly easier for you, here’s a list, though probably not a complete list, of BCI localities which can fit the bill(as in, maxing at 7 feet).

Colombian- males only.
Hog Isle- possibly both, I’d still vouch for a male.
Corn Isle
Caulker’s Cay
Honduran
Panama
El Salvador
Sonoran Desert
Costa Rica
Nicaragua

Even though all of the above are of the same sub-species, they hail from different territories and as such have distinct appearance and in some cases, different behavior patterns(for instance, Corn Isle Boas are considered relatively arboreal).

The most common of the above would probably be: Colombian, Hog Isle and Nicaragua… but all are pretty accessible, a question of cost is all.

Best of luck.
 
I have it narrowed down to three boas: Columbian, Dumeril's, and Hog Island. Quick question though, are Columbian boas and red tail boas the same thing? I have read on some other forums about red tail boas, and don't know if they are them same or if I should consider them as well. Thanks!
 
I think that is kind of a mixed answer. Mine is a colombian red tail so yes but some people only consider the boa constrictor constrictor (peruvian, etc I think) to be true red tail boas. Kokopelli will probably chime in with some better info/answers.
 
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