I've had ball pythons as well as hog island boas. Hog island boas are about my max size, as she weighs more than my cat at the moment.
Thanks for answering my question and giving me such good information. Scarlette is very food motivated so sometimes I am just a mouse to her. I love her very much, but she has a much smaller mouth! I have heard that Hog Islands can be temperamental, so it is nice to hear from someone first hand. I haven't been around many boas, so I tend to like pythons better. I just love the look of the Hog's! They are just so beautiful, but the weight does concern me. I won't be getting another snake until I move out on my own and have more room to build a cage. My SO built Scarlette's display cage and it turned out great. I think I am leaning more towards a ball python. They have the sweetest faces. We shall have to wait and see what the future holds!I've had ball pythons as well as hog island boas. Hog island boas are about my max size, as she weighs more than my cat at the moment.
As far as space, it's easier to find a proper cage for a ball python than a hog island boa if price is an issue and you're not good with diy projects.
Both are great pets. Here's a picture of Valentine who lived with me for quite a while till someone else REAAALLLLYY wanted him.
As a whole, I'd say ball pythons are more docile in nature. Hog island boas can be kind of iffy in temperament some days. Usually they're not that bad but times when they're in shed or maybe a lil hungry they tend to strike out at you. Seeing how far their strike can go, I'd invest in a nice snake hook if you go that route. Not to mention if you ever have to medically treat your snake, as I've been given snakes that had an URI or pneumonia before. It's not the funnest thing to do, and a lil more difficult with larger boas or snakes in general. Just something to think about.
I tend to prefer boas to pythons, but that's a personal preference. If you're comfortable around snakes I'd say go for whichever one you want. I'm sure whatever other snake ends up in your home will be happy it's there.
I've met plenty of people that get boas and suddenly don't want it the first time it strikes or bites them. Completely irritates me, they think they can get them when they're cute and small and when they get too big it's ok to give them away or release them outside. I remember specifically telling a police officer over the phone one time that she can not release a boa constrictor into the woods in the U.S. for legal reasons.
Sorry I went off on a rant, but knowing these things happen all the time is really frustrating.
Yeah, I love the look of my hog but she's more temperamental than most ball pythons I've come across. Ball pythons come in so many more morphs that boas do though, so it's something to think about maybe. Any boa I've ever had is very food motivated. Tongs help a lot. When feeding, I'd hate to take the place of the F/T rabbits she wraps around to say the least...
Oh my she is so beautiful! I do think that may be a little bigger than I am ready for! That really puts her size in to perspective. I do love all the ball python morphs. There are so many. I may own a boa one day, but I think a male ball python will be next. Thanks for sharing your insight with me it is much appreciated.Yeah, I love the look of my hog but she's more temperamental than most ball pythons I've come across. Ball pythons come in so many more morphs that boas do though, so it's something to think about maybe. Any boa I've ever had is very food motivated. Tongs help a lot. When feeding, I'd hate to take the place of the F/T rabbits she wraps around to say the least...
They're not always highly aggressive though, a lot of it is mostly learning the body language of snakes and knowing when you can and and can't handle them. She's still pretty handle-able on her 'good' days. The picture below might help put their head size into better comparison. She's a 6 yr old female, the last time I have her weight saved was 2 yrs ago at about 13 lbs.
