Actually, they are less work. The conditions you keep them is different, but they are less labor intensive than boas. They are more delicate as neonates than boas.
"Any words of advice?"
I'll just reiterate what has already been said. As a first time buyer, you need to be extra careful to purchase from a breeder who will stand behind his animal and provide support. The worst way to get your first chondro is from a pet shop, brokers, and shows. Not that there aren't some good buys out there from these sources, its just that it takes an experianced eye to find them and experiance to deal with the inevitable problems that often pop up when dealing with these types of animals. Lots of animals "look nice," for awhile. When they hatch they look nice. But if they haven't been trained to feed properly, they won't look nice for long.
The safest way to get a chondro is to frequent these forums and see who is producing them. Visit the MVF forum classifieds. Some of these people advertise on Kingsnake as well. But there are more brokers on kingsnake than breeders, so unless you know who is who, my opinion is that it is not safe to purchase from the Kingsnake forum.
" (but could you trust buying GTP's online etc?)"
Provided you find a reputable breeder, buying one online is about the safest way to buy one. Of coarse it would be nice to visit the breeder in person. But when a reputable breeder ships you an animal, the risk is all his. Most guarantee that the animal will arrive live, healthy and feeding. They keep their reputation by standing behind their word.
