hello everyone, haven't been around for a while but my time has come... ok so FINALLY after years of hoping, begging and waiting I'm getting my first snake in a few months. I had decided on a red tail and was just waiting for the funds when I noticed that my local has jungles and bredls, I might have fallen in love with that big python head. So I need help deciding which to get. Which makes the better pet? I read carpets can be nippy when younger but calm down, what's the chance it never does? At the end of the day this will be my only snake, I want something you can handle, but don't mind takin a few hits in the beggining. I prefer the size and temperement of the boa but the python look with the large head and beautiful markings, and the fact that they're less popular are drawing me to the carpets. They've got both jungles and bredl's I need to research the differences but is either better in your opinion? Also before anyone says that neither of these may be the perfect species for a begginner I'm willing to put in the effort to get the snake I really want. I know this is the pythons forum but try to be unbiased so what do you think I should get? thanks ali
Well as far as just being a pretty snake... ya cant beat the jungles for color. But if you want a lap snake that the boas are unbeatable. I have two boa that are the most gentile snakes right from the beginning. I have had our oldest (9 feet) from very small for 10 years, I have never been taged by her. she have never evan tried to bite, evan when hungry. I can'nt ask for better pet. yep JCP are very nippy when young, for what I experenced, some times they will calm down very well as they get older almost to what the boas are. But I have seen a few that stay fiesty. A 6-7 foot fiesty snake is a hand full... either way be expecting a few bites while its young. bredl's python...sorry have zero experence with them... try a google search maby somthing wil tell you have handleable they are. ultmatly its your desission, I (thats me..I) would go with the boa. There are a ton of morphs out there to pick form and compared to a ball python the most handleable snake out of your choices.
Big difference in size and weight....depends on what you can handle more than what it looks like. I'll differ from jeepnphreak and recommend the jungle
If those are the two snakes you have narrowed it down to, i would go with a boa for your first snake. I'm assuming you have space for a 9-12foot snake or it wouldnt be on the list? Boas are much more sedate...tend to be good eaters - and really, other than their large size they are pretty easy snakes. Of course, they are still very large snakes and are potentially dangerous...you need to be very responsible with them. JCP's do tend to be nippy - some calm down with age, some do not. I've owned them in the past - one of them never mellowed out and he turned into a 6 foot biting machine, almost impossible to handle and pretty dangerous. Due to the fact they are arboreal, bird eating snakes they have long, nastily curved teeth - i never got tagged by my male, but i had a few close calls. My female did slowly start to mellow out, although she was never totally trustworthy...she tagged me, and my ex-fiance, a few times...and even as small snakes the bites hurt like hell. They are challenging snakes - fun, beautiful and rewarding to keep - but nevertheless, challenging and not a good idea for your first snake. Definately look into keeping them in the future, as they are goregous and a great addition to a collection - but i would advise agains having one be your first snake. However, if you do want to try a JCP i would find a good breeder and get a young adult that is already starting to mellow out - that way the chances of you having an adult that is a biter are significantly decreased!
yeah all sizes, housing requirements and future needs have been considered and I checked I can meet them, thats why there aren't any burms on the list I do hope that it would stick closer to the 9ft mark rather than the 12 but everything can be accomodated. bredl's are pretty much off the list and are partially replaced by brb's. I'm looking into into them now... so generally I'm being advised to get the boa but the jcp could work. The thing is I don't really want a 6ft demon snake with big teeth, if I did I'd get a GTP. My head is sayin boa but my eye's are saying carpet. It's funny how people never want what's best for them. But I'm still not sure, today I'm leaning to the jcp but tomorrow I could lean to the boa. I need to keep researching.
If you decide that a boa is the way to go but you are unsure of the size that they can get,... get a male. every male that I have are under 7 feet. Only my females are over the 8 foot mark. You are doing the wise thing here, research research, and make the best choise out there for you and your soon to be pet. I have been inyour situation beofore looking at some possiblitiys between a burm and a boa. I ultimatly decided on the boa and very glad I did. Although 5 years later I ended up with a burm any way...
my ideal boa would be in the 7-9ft range, I'd just rather not have a 12ft beast. How often do they reach that size, I take it that it's kind of the maximum?
yea 12 feet is useally a max for most BCIs ( I have never accually seen a 12 foot red tail, but a rare pic does pop up once in a while). Most BCI females are in the 8-9 foot range. For a BCC that not too unheard of. BCC = Boa Constrictor consctictor BCI = Boa Constrictor imperator (common red tail boa)
If you like the carpets...maybe go for an IJCP...they're equally (more!) beautiful as the JCPs, dont "typically" grow as long and tend to have more relaxed demeanors.
I think an irian would be small for me I'd prefer more snake but the relaxed demeanor sounds good. Logically I should go for the boa but I don't think I can go TOO wrong either way. Knowing me I'll probably decide at the last minute, I should handle the carpet and see what it's like, it's an 07...
I'm like 70-30 towards the boa now, I think I should play it safe for my first snake. Which one is just more fun to own, about the same or is one alot more active (carpet)?
lol after talking to myself more I think I've decided on the boa BCC or BCI not really sure, depends what they've got a bit. Thanks for all your help it was invaluable in the decision making process lol. and who knows I might even get a carpet further down the line...
