Reptile & Amphibian Forums

THIS DECISION IS KILLING ME! I CAN'T DECIDE BETWEEN THESE TWO SNAKES. IF ANYONE HAS ANY OR - TO BOTH SNAKES, HELP ME OUT!

Thanks

i have two balls and love them, if you have experience with big snakes get a boa, if not get a ball
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jake

my addiction:
0.0.2 normal ball pythons (lazlo and izzy)
1.0 amelenistic corn snake (zyklon)
0.1 blizzard corn (blizz)
hybrid breeders association
hybrid haven

What're your deciding criteria? I mean, a ball will take less space, and be somewhat easier to handle (generally). A redtail will be more space intensive, and depending on attitude might be more trouble to handle due to size. On the other hand, a redtail might be more impressive (one of them was the big attraction at our Exotics Club open house, and got a TON more attention than the other snakes). Lots of things go into it, though, so you have to figure on what's the most important to you?
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0.0.1 Normal corn snake (Frito)
0.0.1 Creamsicle corn (Tang)
0.0.1 Ghost corn (Raynham)
1.1 Bay of LA rosy boas (Rivet and Cali)

i'd go red-tail only becasue i don't like ball pythons.

I would have to say that it really does depend on what you want, I believe that a red-tail is better looking and bigger, thumbs up in my book, the ball is gonna be a lot more timid and easy to handle...I would also say that a red tail will cost more to feed due to bigger prey items, but the ball can easily go on a fast for months at a time(not too sure about red-tails) the decision is solely in your hands, but in my opinion is impressiveness vs. handleability (dunno if those are words but they get my point across)...I hope that this helped.
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A.J.
1.0.0- Amel Motley Corn- Valentine (R.I.P 5/20/05)
0.1.0- Snow Corn- Artica
1.0.0- Normal Corn- Ember
1.0.0- Ball Python- G.T.

Like everyone else said, you need to figure out what you want. Both are very common snakes as pets unless you start paying more for the various color morphs. A BCI will grow to be much larger than a ball python so that's something to consider based on your experience with snakes. A BCI will cost more to house as it requires a much bigger enclosure than a ball. Food in the long run will cost more for a BCI as it eats bigger prey items as an adult. Both are fairly tame but if you end up with an aggressive one, it would be much better to have an aggressive 5' ball python than a 8', 40lb BCI. If you are looking at breeding down the road a ball will lay eggs while a BCI will give live birth. All various things to consider. I personally have a pair of balls (1.1) and an Anery BCI (1.0) so I've decided not to pick and to just get both, but that's not an option for everyone. Good luck deciding.

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1.0 Anery Columbian Redtail Boa
1.0 Striped Coastal Carpet Python
0.1 Gray Banded Kingsnake
1.1 Ball Pythons
1.2 Leopard Geckos (Albino, Severe Reduced Pattern, Carrot tail)
1.1 Pugs (Male-Fawn, Female-Black)
Various Fish

I really like that Anery!
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Diego & Tiffany's Zoo
SNAKES
4.4 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor
0.1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1.0 Tangerine Honduran Milksnake
1.0.0 Honduran Milksnake
0.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.1.0 Ball Pythons
0.0.1 Ribbon Snake
0.0.2 Rosy Boas (Mid Baja & Baja)
0.1.0 Pueblan Milksnake
1.2.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
1.0.0 Western Hognose
0.1.0 Solomon Island Boa
1.1.0 Gray Banded Kingsnakes (River Road)
0.0.1 Chinese Red-Bellied Water Snake
0.0.1 Desert Phase Kingsnake
LIZARDS
1.0.0 Frilled Dragon
3.1.0 Bearded Dragons (2 Normal, 1 RedXGold, 1 Citrus)
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.0.0 Turquoise Sunburst Veiled Chameleon
0.0.3 Leopard Geckos
1.1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx

I keep a variey of Boas, including a Red Tail. I also have a pair of Ball Pythons. What do you have (or plan to get) to house your snake? How much space do you intend to set aside for it? How much work are you willing to put into the maintenance of the snake? I love keeping all these guys, but some are tougher than others! My experience has been that my Red Tail was very low maintenance from the start, while the pair of Balls took me forever to get right (temps, relative humidity).

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Diego & Tiffany's Zoo
SNAKES
4.4 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor
0.1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1.0 Tangerine Honduran Milksnake
1.0.0 Honduran Milksnake
0.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.1.0 Ball Pythons
0.0.1 Ribbon Snake
0.0.2 Rosy Boas (Mid Baja & Baja)
0.1.0 Pueblan Milksnake
1.2.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
1.0.0 Western Hognose
0.1.0 Solomon Island Boa
1.1.0 Gray Banded Kingsnakes (River Road)
0.0.1 Chinese Red-Bellied Water Snake
0.0.1 Desert Phase Kingsnake
LIZARDS
1.0.0 Frilled Dragon
3.1.0 Bearded Dragons (2 Normal, 1 RedXGold, 1 Citrus)
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.0.0 Turquoise Sunburst Veiled Chameleon
0.0.3 Leopard Geckos
1.1.0 Yellow Niger Uromastyx

I have a 5'2 female boa named Suki, she is almost 2yrs old and I have a 4yo ball python..I would have to say I like my boa more with out a second thought..She is more personable and friendly.My ball python is very shy and boring, I still like him, Ive had him for quite a long time and intend to keep him forever but,I love my boa much much more'
BTW she is a plain old columbian boa.
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