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In your opinion what would the most docile species of boa be? What would be the most aggressive boa? I am looking to add another boa that is "docile" to my collection other than the common boa. So far i have considered Hogg Island or Dumeril's. Am i on the right track? Thanks!

common columbians are usually pretty good. argentines for the most part seem to be a combination of all the hack n slash movies combined.

However handle it often and it tames down usually. Ive seen mean ball pythons and bearded dragons. Depends on the animal for the most part.

anything other than the "common" that is just as docile? not the desert boa species either, just not for me.

it all depends on the animal really i have seen argentines tamer than ball pythons but then yet again some that were the devil in there own. each and every snake is its own animal if you find a decently docile baby no matter the type work with it and what not you should have a nice docile adult tho some times accidents do happen and a bite may accour. i would highly suggest a dumerils. i have two that were rescues and they are sweet hearts besides a slight im big bad girl lol no bites just bluffs but they were neglected animals. but i have never seen or heard about evil dumerils

It really can vary widely from snake to snake.

They each can have very different attitudes, but most can be tamed down with consistent handling.

My hog island male is very tame, but the female I used to have would be hissy every now and then, and clearly NOT want to be handled when she was being hissy. When she wasn't hissy, she'd be fine to handle.

The Suri (BCC) female I have is VERY tame, but her mate, also a Suri, doesn't like to be handled. He's not mean, but seems scared of falling and just tries to get away from being held.

My hypo male (BCI, or "common" is a sweetheart, I've handled him a lot since he was a baby. Nothing seems to phase him.

My hypo female, who I have also had since she was a baby, is afraid of falling. She's also not mean, but when picking her up, she clamps on for dear life, as if I were holding her over the edge of a cliff. Eventually, she calms down and starts exploring, but you can tell she's afraid of heights when first being picked up.

So, you can see even within one small collection, there's a variety of different personalities.

Plus, if you have just one pet, the tamer it will get as you have more time to spend with it.

In general, I've also heard that BCI (common 'columbians') can generally be the most easy-going. BCCs have a reputation of being nippier when young (I got mine as adults, so I don't know). Nicaraguans have a reputation of being nippy as well.

If you are concerned about tameness - you should try to obtain a very young snake, so that you can socialize it and tame it to your satisfaction. If you are not sure you can do that, find a type of snake you like to look at, and whose adult size you wouldn't mind, and try to find a tame adult. Most honest, reptutable sellers will tell you what a snake's temperment is before the sale.
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Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com | CageMakers
1.1 Ball Python, 1.0 Hog Island Boa, 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 1.1 Saharan Sand Boa

I would recommend a Hogg Island. They are pretty laid back. In my humble experience, Dumeral's have the most extreme feeding respose I have ever seen in a Boa. If a Dumeral's thinks you're food, look out.

Most boas do acclimate to a routine and get to know and understand their keeper's cues.
Boas, and most snakes for that matter, with behave defensivly when they're feeling threatened or feeling less than 100%. Such things as: retained shed, mites, dehydrated, too hot, hungry, gastroenteritis, in shed -- will often put them in a foul mood. How fine a hair trigger that will set them off varies by species and by individual.
Most babies that are fearful and defensive usually grow out of it with age and size if provided with reasonable care.
jsc

far.

The 'most docile' boa is the one you handle the best, with the right care, slowly, surely, correctly, etc.

The most 'aggressive' will be the one you do not show respect to, the one you do not handle correctly, safely, supportively.

This is like saying, I want a nice husband (or wife), one that is kind, caring, loving, etc.

He'll probably be that guy as long as you're together, alone, having fun, in good situations, etc.

Once you get into an argument, he reacts differently.

If he were to be attacked, or FEEL as if he were being attacked, he would act defensively, just like any other animal in this world.

If he felt like his life were threatened... WATCH OUT, because I would then fear even the meekest, calmest, most peaceful looking person.

To be honest, when I receive calls and emails telling me they are ready to buy a snake, but it has to be one that is 100% tame with no chance of biting, I tell them I cannot sell them any snake, and I kindly ask them to read up more on snakes, or animal/human behavior, for that matter.

I hope you understand what i'm trying to express.

When it comes to facts, Colombians are far more domesticated than any true redtail or Central American, because/meaning, they've been captive bred for longer, many more generations...

So, that's like comparing a dog that is first generation cross of a wolf to a shepard, with a dog that has been bred for many, many generations to be calm, small, friendly and so on, like maybe a [bleep]zu or a beagle; but that [bleep]zu or beagle could still bite if provoked! just like your own sibling or parent! You just know how to handle your sibling or parent MUCH better than any other person... see what I mean?

Be well, Joe
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Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

Another option might be a rainbow boa. Beautiful snakes and probably no worse than any other boas as far as temperment.

Good luck,
Ed

>>In your opinion what would the most docile species of boa be? What would be the most aggressive boa? I am looking to add another boa that is "docile" to my collection other than the common boa. So far i have considered Hogg Island or Dumeril's. Am i on the right track? Thanks!