In my opinion, if you liked having a ball python, getting a boa is an easy jump.

I went the same path. My first snake was a ball python. Great snake, he has lots of personality and isn't shy. Very inquisitive and exploratory, unlike what I hear a lot of ball pythons are like.

In any case, I decided I wanted a boa. But I was also concerned about size, so I got a Hog Island boa, which is a dwarf subspecies. They tend to be smaller than normal Columbians (about 5 foot as adults, and not as thick). Be careful though, some of the Nicaraguan boas, which also stay very small, have a reputation for being "nippy". My hog island is very easy going, though sometimes he gets a little hissy if I feed him, and then walk back near his cage while he's trying to eat it. He's never tried to bite me, even when I had to give him oral antibiotics daily for two weeks straight.

Males tend to stay smaller for ALL types of boa constrictors, so keep that in mind. If size is a concern, try to get a male. Many breeders will sex the babies so you'll know what you're getting. If you get a boa from a pet store, you probably won't know if it's a male or female, depends on the store.

Boas tend to be easier to feed than ball pythons, though it depends on the individual snake. A few boa females that I have are garbage disposals, and will eat whenever I offer. My male hog island has refused food during winter months every now and then, just depends on the individual.

So, sizewise, here's a breakdown...

Island and other Subspecies tend to be the smallest (these include Hog Island, Corn Island, Tarahumara, Nicaraguan, and some others). These are Boa Constrictor Imperator, but are small, dwarf populations.

Bolivian Boas (Boa Constrictor Constrictor), get a bit bigger than dwarf constrictors, but from what I've seen, are slightly smaller than common boas when they are fully grown.

Columbian Boas (Boa Constrictor Imperator, "common" boa) tend to be 6 - 8 feet as adults.

True Redtail boas (Boa Constrictor Constrictor) including Suriname, Guyana, Peruvian, tend to be the largest. They grow more slowly and can be more prone to feeding problems (regurgitating when overfed), but over time will get larger than the average common boa. They sometimes have a reputation of having wilder attitudes, but at the same time, many are wild-caught, so that might be why.

There are a bunch of other boas I'm sure I've forgotten to mention, or just don't know that much about adult sizes, but they are great snakes. Most tend to be very docile. But no matter which you choose, if you get it when it's a baby and handle it fairly frequently, they all tend to tame down.

I hope this helps! I now have mostly boas. Though my original ball python boy is still one of my favorite snakes.
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Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com | CageMakers
1.0 Ball Python, 1.0 Hog Island Boa, 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC

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