So you want to get a boa?

[natas]

This message was originally written by morti:

There are several things you need to consider first. A Boa is an animal that will live for a long time under proper care (up to 30 years) so if you are the kind of person who has a hard time with commitment (do I wear the Black socks or the blue ones?) a boa might not be for you. Also, that cute little palm sized baby that you held at the last show will not stay that way for long. They can get up to 7-12 feet long and weigh quite a lot too. There is also some financial consideration. A 7' snake needs a BIG enclosure. I keep mine in a 5' X 3' X 3' cage and I am forever thinking that I want a bigger one. They will also eat you out of house and home. Large rats galore! If you do decide to get a boa, do your research first and talk to people here and on places like [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] on the Boa Forum. Good Luck!

-Your Sick Uncle Morti.

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[captainmorgan]

check out the date on this from natas! I thought it should be brought back to the top so people can realize owning snakes isn't just as easy as they think.....

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[Boa_Breeder]

i agree.. thats a post that needs to go on the front page under the Fauna add and stay there !!!!!
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[morti]

That was posted WAY back in the origional forums. Wow that seems like a long time ago. It was one of the first things I ever posted in Nov and Dec of 2000.

-Your Sick Uncle Morti,
Still the same after all these years. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
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[slaponte]

Me thinks is kind of like preaching to the choir. Most of the people that come by looking for info or interested are already doing the right thing, looking for info.

Most of the "buy it at the show for $50 and throw it away later" group would not take the time to come read about it... unfortunately. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]
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[Boa_Breeder]

yeah but if it made a couple people think about it before they bought 1 it would be wourth it... Just my opinion
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[morti]

If the majority vote says so, I will mark the topic sticky so it can stay near the top of the FAQ forum for ever and ever. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

-Your Sick Uncle Morti.
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[eddie]

Better yet, modify it to include other species and make a misc. care sheet out of it! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Just leave out the K/S part next time!
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[captainmorgan]

thought you might like that morti.... [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
memories of the original rtb....
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[MajorLunitik]

I think its great to reiterate the importance of doing your research. I am a newbie to these forums, and since you have all been so gracious at answering my beginner questions, I am the proud parent of a baby RTB and a baby Ball. The confidence as a beginner that was instilled into me because of the wealth of knowledge available in these forums is unmatched. Thank you, and keep doing what you are doing, it helps.
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[faze]

bump bidity bump bump up to the top yo newb's read this they're are not! for the people that want to be "kool" think of it like your buying a dog....

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[Stormyva]

I think that before someone buys a snake that is going to get "huge" that they should try and handle one of comparable size. It is hard to envision exactly how strong even a six or seven foot python or boa can be much less a 9' or longer snake.

If more people would or were made to do that there would be a lot fewer snakes in the adoption areas!


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[slaponte]

Agree completely.

I for one would invite any newbie in the Dade County area in Miami to come by and see in person what you are about to get into. Mine aren't that big yet, but they are not the "cudly fits in one hand" either.

I think a realistic "here you are 1 year down the road" could help people consider carefully their choices.
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[ratsickle]

HI forum,
My guyanas are growing and are becoming very powerful snakes, they don't have any hostility
but are extremly powerful. my female when i take her out is over 6 ft and I have to be careful to not let her pin my thumb back againts my arm snap crackle pop! when she's exploring my hands she just keeps that really strong constant pressure.. they start so little you forget what a big animal they will be in a few short years. the petstore that sold her to me actually told me she was from a smaller species of boa ,,, yea them dwarf BCC"S hehehe
[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]
doug
6 wks old a little tiny snake


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Aint them BOA'S COOL --

one year old

around 16 mos
20 mos and stil growing sweetie pie so far and a keeper

	Boa Constrictor Constrictor Red Tail Boa Constrictor (Boa constictor constrictor). Refers to "true" red tail boas such as the Guyana and Suriname locales.

[herp_chick]

The sad part of the whole thing is that most pet stores stink. I make it a hobby since I started with snakes 3 yrs ago(yeah, I'm still new and learning), to go into pet stores just to see what they knew and how much they'd tell. I have been in SEVERAL that tried to sell me a 2-3 ft retic, without telling me WHAT it was, how BIG it would get, what it would cost to FEED it, etc. ALso, husbandry sucks, no heat, no water or dirty water, snakes that are dehydrated and won't eat, sick, etc. But they don't tell people this and get angry with me when I let them know I know better than what they told me.Or didn't tell me. I think that for the future of herpers and their snakes, it should be a law that even if the jerk at the pet store doesn't even know what kind of snake it is, you should have to read and SIGN a paper saying that you know how big the snake will be, what and how often it eats, how expensive it is, and a good caresheet. Am I dreaming or what?? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]
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[skadiwolf]

i think that's a fantastic idea actually. one of the pet stores in the area is really terrible and i've reported them several times. however, the other is really good and actually has heat tape, heat lamps, therms and sometimes humidity gauges depending upon the snake! i was fairly impressed. they also have quite a few people who are very knowledgeable about reptiles on staff. normally one is always there at any given time.

still, they don't give out caresheets. however, they DO carry all the books in the Herpetocultural Library series! must give them kudos for that. so, the information is there (which isn't common) but how many people make such an effort? it's really sad. i get so angry when people don't do research. i have a friend with a bird and when it was ill i suggested getting on a group list to ask some people about it until she could take it to the vet (the following week was her appt.) and...'she doesn't like lists'. :/ so...i was a little...heh...rude. i told her that liking lists had little to do with being a responsible pet owner. but then i backed down. she really does take good care of him but to be so picky on one point...argh.

i know this one guy that seems a stickler for 'book knowledge'. if it's in a book, even if fifty people tell him that's not the case, he'll just ignore that and act superior. very annoying. ah well. (shrug)

hmmm...i seem to have rambled a bit...heh.

yes people, do your research before you purchase ANY animal, especially reptiles! learn its dietary requirements, it's temps, lighting, humidity, blah blah blah... everything you can know, you SHOULD know before you bring it home. be responsible!!!
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[HerpMan]

ok ok i think i will consider colubrids, well they are in the running now to, i just need a recomended one now, ( i think i might get a rainbow boa)

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[liquid-leaf]

Yeah- isn't it amazing how many people just listen to what they want to hear? I've had a ball python for almost a year now and just got my first boa- a sweet Hogg Is. I take my ball python quite a few places with me since he's still small, and always get a lot of questions from people. Many people say "oh, isn't it true that you can keep a snake small by keeping it in a small tank?" - I'm not a reptile expert but of course I say NOOOOO!! What, are reptiles bonsai trees?

I especially dislike the way people treat iguanas as if they are disposable. I won't go on a rant but there are quite a few people who get disgusted by the throwaway mentality the general public has about reptiles - if you haven't already you can find lots of info on Melissa Kaplan's site www.anapsid.org .

BTW - I'd like to add that sites like this are a HUGE asset to the beginner herper. Granted, I did a lot of research before deciding to get a ball python and then my Hoggie, because I wanted smaller snakes that wouldn't "outgrow" me.... and the general public isn't that apt to do research.... BUT these forums definitely do clear the air for those newbies who wonder what kind of pets reptiles make and what is required, and that can turn a casual curiosity into a lifelong addiction and hobby that will help to educate the general public with just one more person who knows a bit about reptiles.

I've already helped 3 people get over a fear of snakes with my ball Ermy - 3 of my close acqaintances who were deathly afraid of snakes, but after watching me with mine (from across the room at first), they are all to the point where they'll hold him and tickle his chin!

My longwinded point - though I haven't been on this site long, it and others like it are huge assets to beginner reptile keepers and the information does spread outward from there. Thanks for all your effort and for sharing your knowledge!