new Boa (actually first)

[Gustavo]

hello I just got my first (most likely not last) Boa

It is of course a redtail

 

[Qickshot]

verynice i have one about your size

 

[Midnightrdr456]

congrats, they are addicting too, i would love a second, thankfully i wont b/c of space........for now.

I have a male Pastel BCI. Hes about 1 1/2 years old and little more than 3'.

 

[Gustavo]

do these guys actually get 10' and if so how long does it take?

His/Her name is Jazz

and i saw some green tree pythons at the pet store they are so beutiful

 

[Scarp172]

Yes they do get to around 10' long, around 12" around in the middle, and they grow up fast. Generally they grow about 3' in their first year and, two feet or more in their second and third until they reach maturity.
As your first boa have you considered if you want it to be dicile enough to handle or a display only pet? My girlfriend is a bellydancer and has an aneurythristic redtail that she handles everyday and feeds in a seperate container. Both her Ball python and redtail are fed in seperate containers lined with paper. The snakes both associate the feel of the paper with feeding- very cool to watch them change their demeanors completely when they feel the paper. She just gets endrolls from the local newspaper (couple bucks for hundreds of feet of paper).

By the way Jazz is a great name and a gorgeous redtail! Hope you enjoy!
-Steve

 

[Gesticulator]

It's a beauty. I recently got my first as well, but its a Sand Boa. Notice how we said "first"...which implies as "second", "third" and so on...
Scarp, that's very interesting about the way your gf feeds the snakes. Does she incorporate them into her belly dancing?

 

[Gustavo]

i also plan to feed in a sepperate container because i was told that it would keep them more docile in their original container its good to hear that seconded by someone.

i didnt know they grew that fast i was prepared to take care of a 10' in about 7 or 8 years but in just around 5 might be alittle more dificult oh well i can cope lol

Jazz is 1 foot 10 inches now about how big might she be in 3 years ? 5' maybe 6'?

 

[Blasphemy]

do these guys actually get 10' and if so how long does it take?

His/Her name is Jazz

and i saw some green tree pythons at the pet store they are so beutiful

No offence but shouldn't you have asked these types of question before buying the animal? Perhaps you should start off with a smaller snake like a Ball Python before taking on a boa because it's obvious you didn't do your homework very well.

 

[Gustavo]

like i just stated i am prepared t take care of it when it is larger

 

[Midnightrdr456]

It varies, is your boa a BCI or a BCC. BCC grows to 10' but it takes a while still, like at least 5-6 years, 7-8 is realistic also, anywhere from 6-8 is about the "standard" time frame.

BCC Female will grow 10 or 12'
BCC Male grow about 7' or so
BCI Female grow about 8' on average
BCI Male grow 6' on average.

So it really matters if you have a BCC or BCI (both are often sold as redtails, though BCC is the true redtail, but BCI are whats usually sold in pet stores). Hope that helps a bit.

 

[dangerprone69]

While it does depend what species it is, there are some other factors to take into account as well. First is the size of their enclosure. While genetics matter more, a boa is not going to reach the top end of it's size range if it doesn't have the room to grow. Also it depends on how often you feed them. Juveniles don't need to be fed every week- every 10 to 14 days is good. Overfeeding will eventually create a swollen snake that hardly ever moves. Keep records. Also do yourself a favor and find a good reptile vet, with boas especially it's a good idea to have a stool sample checked for IBD.

 

[Gustavo]

ty guys (beleived she ) is a Columbian (BCI) ive already contacted the only reptile vet around and plan to take the stool sample when it come still waiting lol ok well ty again

 

[SoupyC]

No offence but shouldn't you have asked these types of question before buying the animal? Perhaps you should start off with a smaller snake like a Ball Python before taking on a boa because it's obvious you didn't do your homework very well.

Ok, is this necessary? I mean come on...asking questions about housing and substrate and heat and light and all that jazz I can see criticizing after the pet is purchased, but I mean, this was an innocent question about size and how long it takes.

This kind of snotty attitude is pervasive throughout this 'community' and while there are those who are OK with it, I find it repulsive. I think people lose the general respect for others they might show in real life when they're tucked in safe behind their keyboards.

My 2 cents, I won't say more.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I mean come on...asking questions about housing and substrate and heat and light and all that jazz I can see criticizing after the pet is purchased, but I mean, this was an innocent question about size and how long it takes.

To be fair, considering how many larger species of snake get abandoned/set 'free'/kept in too-small enclosures/generally unwanted because people didn't know how fast or how big their new pet was going to grow...I'd say it's every bit as loaded a question as "so I have this pet and don't know anything about care or housing, lolz."

 

[Midnightrdr456]

I agree but he said he could handle it, so we have to believe he can. But regardless he said he thinks its a BCI (and if you got it from a pet store most likely it is). So it should only get 7-8' as a female, though 10' is possible too.