Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Not that I will get a redtail in less than 20 years from now, LOL, but I was just curious as to when you consider yourself ready to handle the responsibilities and care of a BCC versus a BCI.

I've heard MANY people say that they've had tons of BCIs and then they get their first BCC and they think they may have gotten in over their heads.

Is there any advise about when you should make the jump, or is it just something each individual person has to figure out?

Just kidding. Actually I really think it depends on the snake itself. I have 3 Hog Island Boas now but I was looking into a Suriname a few months ago. I was lucky enough to handle (or try for that matter) some Suri's at some shows but they were too aggressive. I was able to find a Guyana with a great temperment and I bought him. I don't want to push you away from Suri's because I know there are some great tempered one's out there but I couldn't find one. And of course they are gorgeous!!! I would say just go out and handle the one's your thinking about or ask someone who is selling and who you trust about aggression. With some handling and age they should mellow out. Good Luck

I bought my first bcc (a suriname) at the last Daytona show. He was 12 months old. I got him home, set up the boa phile cage that I got for him there,and wow, when I took him out of his little cloth bag to put him in the cage I was under attack for a full 3 minutes! Little monster came at me lunging his whole body, hissing the whole time! 3 feet long and about as thick as a thick cigar and I gotta tell you, I was skeered! Finally got him in his cage (yeah, he got me) and I fed him a f/t rat pup that night. I didn't touch him for 4 days mostly cause he intimidated me! Anyway I've had him for almost 3 months now and he is a kitten! (I still use the hook to get him out of the cage and probably always will.) I think that if you get a young snake that is captive born with patience, time, and good husbandry you can have an animal with a calm temperament. Traveling to those snake shows, being stared at by hundreds of monsters, (humans) I think really stresses any snake to the brink! Matter of fact, I think if you had a "calm" snake at a show, I'd wonder if it was sick-especially if it was young! So go git yourself that bcc-I'm glad I did!

Well really there isn't too much difference. Some people say BCI ar more forgiving to beginner's mistake and I have found that true. As far as them being aggressive most cb suri's, peruvians, guyanans are the same as Cb Colombians. True redtail aren't being bred in the numbers Colombians are so it is still relatively profitable to bring in ones out of the wild and then that is a whole different ball game. You are now dealing with parasites, regurging, and aggressiveness that typically you don't deal with in CB BCI. Get yourself a CB BCC and follow the rules and they are easy. This has been my experience.

Alex