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I'm about to expand my snake hobby from colubrids to include my first boid. The choice now is down to a smaller boa such as the Hogg Island Boa Constrictor, or a smaller python, most probably the Irian Jaya Carpet Python. Can anyone offer some advice as to which of these choices would make a best first boid? Thanks!

You really need to decide what interests you the most, or even simply which boid strikes your fancy. The two you have mentioned make great captives.

The carpet pythons are very hardy and quite forgiving if their setups aren't perfect. If you like that tree-dweller look and want a snake that will make use of a shelf or branches, then this is a great choice. They love basking up high, and you should use overhead heating IMO. They will spend alot of time on the ground too.

I really love the boa constrictors. A male Hoggie is really not a large boa at all in comparison to other BC types, and they are smooth, slow and not squiggly like colubrids. They also have or seem to have a slower metabolism than the carpet pythons (they don't mess the cage as often.) But you have to keep the humidity at a reasonable level (not too low) and you have to provide warm temps (not just a heat pad in a cold cage.) A 3ft x 2ft deep cage is great for an adult male in most cases. Females can get larger and are a little more massive. Personality in boas is usually among the best of any snake pet, though I have found Hog Islands a bit shy.

Other great boids are Children's, spotted and Stimson's pythons. Real easy and do not get large, yet they are more massive than a typical king or corn. I like these alot because they act like a python but can be at home in a 20 gal long. I kept mine in Precision Caging's 24" x 20" model just fine.
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Mark

Thanks for the informative answer, Mark! I find the boas very fascinating, and tend to lean more toward the Hogg Island or other island/smaller locality type boas right now. But the pythons are beautiful as well, and I guess I've got a bit of that "kid-in-a-candy-store" thing going, LOL!

I definitely want to stick with something that I can handle without a struggle on my own, no backup needed, and would like a first boid with a good temperament and reasonable size. Should I start with the boa, I'm quite sure that I'll add a carpet python to the collection later as well.

Right now, the discussion going on between my wife and me has her favoring the carpet python and me liking the boa as a first boid. But she'll be buying the snake for me for my birthday, so she'll concede to my wishes in the final choice. But it makes for interesting discussion and we've seen a lot of great pictures here at kingsnake.com of both types of snake. As of right now we're keeping corn and rat snakes and like them very much, but I would like to explore the boids.

Thanks again for your thorough, informative answer. I'll be looking at the various species you mentioned, such as the Children's Python, et al.

>>I definitely want to stick with something that I can handle without a struggle on my own, no backup needed, and would like a first boid with a good temperament and reasonable size. Should I start with the boa, I'm quite sure that I'll add a carpet python to the collection later as well.
>>
As long as you're an average sized guy, you shouldn't have any problems handling an 8'-10' boa by yourself. Most columbians don't get really big either, usually around 5'-6' for males and 7'-8' for females. The only boa that you might have a problem handling alone is a really big Bcc.
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LONG LIVE METAL!!!!

MY COLLECTION:
1.0 '04 Columbian BCI
0.1 '05 Blood Python
1.2 Ball Pythons

MY WISHLIST (I turn 18 on June 16th ):
A Northern Blue-Tongue Skink
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
1.1 Hogg Island Boas
1.0 Salmon BCI
0.2 Columbian BCI
1.1 Sumatran Short-Tail Pythons
1.1 Borneo Short-Tail Pythons
1.1 Dumerils Boas
1.1 Suriname BCC
1.2 Spotted Pythons
2.4 African House Snakes
1.2 Rubber Boas
2.4 Bearded Dragons
1.2 Rankins Dragons
2.6 Crested Geckos
1.1 purebred Dobermans
0.1 black German Shepherd
2 ferrets
A Senegal Parrot
A Sun Conure

I'd get the Hogg Island, while carpet pythons are usually tame, they're usually more high-strung than boas, and can be picky eaters as well.
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LONG LIVE METAL!!!!

MY COLLECTION:
1.0 '04 Columbian BCI
0.1 '05 Blood Python
1.2 Ball Pythons

MY WISHLIST (I turn 18 on June 16th ):
A Northern Blue-Tongue Skink
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas
1.1 Hogg Island Boas
1.0 Salmon BCI
0.2 Columbian BCI
1.1 Sumatran Short-Tail Pythons
1.1 Borneo Short-Tail Pythons
1.1 Dumerils Boas
1.1 Suriname BCC
1.2 Spotted Pythons
2.4 African House Snakes
1.2 Rubber Boas
2.4 Bearded Dragons
1.2 Rankins Dragons
2.6 Crested Geckos
1.1 purebred Dobermans
0.1 black German Shepherd
2 ferrets
A Senegal Parrot
A Sun Conure