New to Boas: Considering a Red Tail / Colombian – Seeking Advice

[fire-eyes]

Hello,

I am new to Boas. I am exploring the possibility of getting one. Exploring carefully, that is. I mean, I have a ball python, but I really don't know much about these Boas. Not to mention the considerable size differences. I held a six foot male the other day, and a few others as well. I know that's not fully grown. I was really loving it, and did not want to put them down! Must... Avoid... Impulse temptations.

I'm open to suggestions and advice and so on.

I have heard that Colombians have a better attitude than the others. But that they are not true red tails? What is the difference between a true red tail and, err... Not a true red tail?

I frequently see the term BCI and BCC. Does this have anything to do with Red Tail Boas or Colombians?

What is the general temperament like? I understand that as with any snake, there can be exceptions in any direction. Is it true they are nippy while young?

I would really appreciate it if some people could tell me about their first Red Tail (or Colombian) Boa experience. I'm simply looking to gain an understanding from the real world, so that I can know what to possibly expect, including pitfalls and common mistakes.

Well, I believe I've asked enough questions for now – Obviously I'm showing how green I am with Red Tail or Colombian Boas. I'm looking forward to responses!

P.S. I'm jealous of all you who have them already! I can see why you fall in love with them.

[bleeding_sarcasm]

BCC tend to get larger, and also tend to be more temperamental when it comes to husbandry and feeding. Regurgitation is more common when you feed BCC too large or too often. I also hear that BCC can be a bit nippy.

BCI, and specifically colombians tend to be very docile by nature, they have been CBB for generations, If you keep them right, they are eating machines, Theyll eat in shed, theyll eat food that is cold, etc. They are usually a good choice for beginners because they tend to be pretty forgiving in the husbandry department. You can make mistakes and correct them and still have a snake, where as with some other species, mistakes are sometimes fatal.

Common mistakes are improper heat, and improper humidity. Once you have the set up correct, and as long as you only ever feed f/t and wait 24 hours to hold them after, its pretty much smooth sailing for the next 20 years.

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

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

	Frozen/Thawed A rodent or other prey item that is frozen and then thawed to be fed to a reptile or other animal.

[BlackLava]

all of mine are columbians (bci) and ive never regretted getting any of them (all 9 of them) we have bci's ball pythons, and a blood python, the bci's have, and always will be my fave mine are fat little piggies that pretty much eat all their food (only had 2 of them refuse food during a shed, one time each) most of mine i have had since they were between 1.5mo to 1 year old, and none of them have ever been nippy or defensive with me. ive kept them in screen top tanks with a towel over them (no longer use those), to nice display cages, to sterilite tubs in rack systems, as long as the temps/humidity are good, they are good anywho, they are by far the easiest pets to take care of, at least IMO. we have several other types of pets and they all require much more maintenance than any of my snakes.

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

	In My Opinon IMO = In My Opinion and IMHO = In My Honest Opinion

[Hairless]

This might help:Rio Bravo Reptiles: Boa Care

I wouldn't recommend a BCC (true red tail) as a first boa. Their husbandry can be more difficult without experience and they can be less tolerant of husbandry errors.

Like you said on temperament...There are exceptions with any boa. They are all individuals, but some generalities can be made based on where the animal is from. How the animal is kept/handled and more are also factors. Any boa has potential to be a less than ideal 'pet' as far as temperament is concerned.

Your on the right track. Keep doing research and asking questions before you make the jump.

Good luck.

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

[Smtie]

BCI is probably your best bet for a first, just based on size alone. Got my first about 3 years ago and havent had a problem so far. I got tagged once, but it was my fault, and he was young so it wasnt all that bad . Tried to remove him too soon after feeding, whoops! I'd suggest getting a young boa from a good breeder. Might cost you more at first, but itll probably save you money in the end with potential vet visits and what not. Stay away from pet stores for the most part! We got some of the good guys on this site, so if you DO decide to get a boa, I'd ask around here first.

You might also want to look into the hogg island boas. Love their coloring and the stay on the smaller side.

GL with your deciscion!

Matt

[andy138]

For what it's worth, I'm about 4 months into my first experience with a BCI (common boa constrictor, not "true red-tail") and she has been wonderful. She was a bit nippy for the first week and then quickly settled down into the routine of handling, feeding, cleaning, etc. I absolutely recommend them for someone who is willing to put in the time and effort to care for what will eventually be a big snake.

The one thing I can suggest, that I wish I had done, is get one from a reputable breeder. I had a bad experience with a local breeder and ended up getting mine from a pet store (wish I had found redtailboa.net earlier). The problem with that was I don't have any records on her, I don't know her lineage - she's most likely a mut, and soon after bringing her home I discovered the mites - but thats a whole other story. If you buy from one of the good breeders you can find on this site, you won't have any of these problems.

Thats my two cents, but I don't consider myself an expert by any means. There are quite a few on here though, and they are good people to get advice from.


Cheers
Andy

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[jere000000]

hey i live in vegas and im selling three boas 2 normals and a poss het snow if your interested pm me their docile and bci

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

	Heterozygous Heterozygous - the animal carries the gene for a genetic trait but does not outwardly demonstrate the trait. Example: A boa that is het for albino looks normal but carries the albino gene. When it is bred to another het for albino boa or an albino boa, a percentage of the offspring will be albino.

[kimszoo1]

Ditto on the pet store, im in the same boat, no lineage, she had mites and no idea on sex, go with a rep breeder , they will tell u just what you need to keep it healthy

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[BRITTani]

I've only had my first BCI for a short while as well but I do know that you should definiately go with a breeder, I got mine from JimiSnakes and she is just awesome and so healthy. She even ate during a shed the other day. She was born at the end of June and she is not nippy in the least!

You could also check the classifieds on kingsnake.com they have some good snakes on there as well

But do check out the link Hairless gave you to Rio Bravo website its got a good bit of information and answers the questions you have.

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[Boaviking]

I love my BCI! Greatest snake ever and easy to take care of. She is the most patient snake ever. I have to give her nasal medication for her RI, and even when shes in a bad mood, she still puts up with me. (before I get comments on not medicating her while shes angry, I have to. Doctors orders)

Ive never gotten tagged by her, and Ive never even seen her aggressive. They do get a bit big, so its one thing you'll have to accomidate. But what everyone aready said, I agree with. Go BCI for your first boa. Later you can explore the wide world of awesomes like: Dumerils Boa, Brazilian Rainbow Boa, Emerald Tree Boa, etc.

Good luck!

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

	Respiratory Infection Respiratory Infection

[timesender]

Please read this before buying.

Redtailboas.com - Amazing Boas and the Ultimate Care Guide

I recommend a BCI not a BCC. In buying any pet you have to balance the joy of ownership with the cost of maintance. The BCC cost about 250 at a show. The bci is about 50. Granted some say that the BCC is the ultimate boa because of its red tail but it also has its down sides which have been explained in other posts. Then again I am a lazy keeper. The cost/ benifits of ownership favour the BCI. Read a couple of posts and compare the two. Here are couple of areas to compare.

1. temperment
2. size (could you handle it by yourself)
3. husbandry requirements ( which is more forgiving of temp, humidity ect mistakes)
4. initial cost
5. cage costs
6. feeding habits ( including risk of regurgitation)
7. what if you had to "give it away" for some reason.

Ultimately you must decide which will make you happier. There are folks who own mercedes and spend every waking hour worried about how to pay for them, what if they get a scratch or dent and high insurance premiums. But they are happy to own a mercedes. Get my point???

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

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[timesender]

Also:

ckeckout kingsnake.com under events. there is probably a show ion your area. You can compare the two. Please avoid Petco, Petsmart ect. They seldom know what they are doing or saying at least in my neck of the woods. At they charge $200 for a bci that you can buy at a show for 50. They also seldon cary the BCC.

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

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[timesender]

sorry thats

kingsnake.com - the information portal for reptile and amphibian hobbyists.

[fire-eyes]

Very helpful replies, thanks for the time everyone. Things are starting to make a lot more sense now.

I would be going with a Colombian. When I browse around breeder sites, I see things like sunglow and many other terms. I am not sure if these are Colombian? It's probably the only thing still confusing me.

If I want a Colombian, will it just say it's a Colombian or are there various different morphs of them and so on?

Also, how do I thank a poster? I see the scale icon for increasing their reputation, but that does not seem to have anything to do with thanks.

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

[BRITTani]

Okay well if you need any help just PM me with any questions and I'll help if I can! Thanks are at the bottom of each post theres a thumbs up symbol.

[jere000000]

Originally Posted by fire-eyes

see things like sunglow and many other terms. I am not sure if these are Colombian? It's probably the only thing still confusing me.

well it will probally be columbian if its sunglow

[timesender]

Sunglows are just a Columbian morph. I you are interested in morph PLEASE GET A REPUTABLE BREEDER. There are some “breeders” that will cross bloodlines just for the looks of a morph thus increasing the chance of genetic defects.

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).

[mpgt]

I thought inbreeding caused defects, not "crossing bloodlines".

[fuglyfarmhand]

Some crossing of bloodlines can cause defects, but mostly it's inbreeding. Ya know like his snake's sister is it's cousin and things like that.

[Boaviking]

If I were you, Id stay away from morphs for your first Boa. First reason being, most morphs are really expensive. Secondly, for what others have said. There are a lot of bad breeders out there.

	Morph A morph is a color or pattern variation that is proven to be genetic. Common morphs include albino, anerythristic, gentically striped, Hypomelanistic, and many others. Morphs also include combinations of simple traits such as "Sunglow" which is Albino and Hypomelanistic. These traits may be recessive traits, co-dominant traits, dominant traits, or created through selective breeding (ie Pastel).