Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I wanna get a boa or a python but i dont want it to get big. What is the smallest boa/python there is?

I would go for either a ball python or a Rosy boa. Possibly even a Hogg boa. The ball will max out at 5-6ft. The Rosy around 3ft. And, the Hogg around 6 ft.

There really are a lot of smaller snakes out there. Burms, retics, Indian pythons...........Er...Just kidding!!! LOL!

Seriously, there are kenyan sand boas, childrens pythons, certain carpet pythons, etc. etc.

If I were to go for a smaller snake I would first go for a ball, rosey, or Hogg. Past that.......I would then go for a Kenyan. Those are really cool looking to me. I also really like carpet and their looks. Especially their heads. But, I don't see them as cuddle snakes. I could be totally wrong. I have never owned one. But, that is what I have gotten from them.
John
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"To be the best..........You must lose your mind."

As far as pythons go, I would also recommend a ball python (captive bred - you'll have fewer problems with captive than with imports), a children's python or spotted python. Carpet pythons are also a good choice (I have 3) but can get larger, some staying around 6 feet but some reaching lengths of 10 feet or more - none of them as heavy bodies as boas though. If you go with a carpet, research the sub-species that will best fit what you're looking for in a pet. With boas, I would second the recommendation for a rosy boa or one of the sand boas (I prefer the rough scaled sand boas to the Kenyans, but that's just my preference, there are several sub-species of sand boas). Or, if you want something a little different, a captive bred Solomon Island ground boa or possibly a Viper boa - both are very unique looking and I've found them pretty easy to care for providing you pay attention to the husbandry requirements (pretty much the situation with any animal). For the boa constrictors, the Hoggs are usually the first of the smaller boas to be recommended but there are a couple of other insular boas that stay under 6 feet that are worth considering (just check out Gus's animals at the Rio Bravo website - www.riobravoreptiles.com ) Of course, if this is a first snake for you, there's always the old standby of corn snakes. *Don't groan everybody! They're neat little snakes! lol* I have 4 corns (2 normals and 2 snows). The corns come in a WIDE variety of colors, have calm dispositions, and typically don't get over 5 feet in length. Plus, I like how active they are compared to many of the boas and pythons in my collection. Basically, there are just all kinds of snakes to choose from with husbandry ranging from very easy to pretty difficult - the same goes for temperament. Good luck with whichever animal you choose...they're all great. Raven

>>As far as pythons go, I would also recommend a ball python (captive bred - you'll have fewer problems with captive than with imports), a children's python or spotted python. Carpet pythons are also a good choice (I have 3) but can get larger, some staying around 6 feet but some reaching lengths of 10 feet or more - none of them as heavy bodies as boas though. If you go with a carpet, research the sub-species that will best fit what you're looking for in a pet. With boas, I would second the recommendation for a rosy boa or one of the sand boas (I prefer the rough scaled sand boas to the Kenyans, but that's just my preference, there are several sub-species of sand boas). Or, if you want something a little different, a captive bred Solomon Island ground boa or possibly a Viper boa - both are very unique looking and I've found them pretty easy to care for providing you pay attention to the husbandry requirements (pretty much the situation with any animal). For the boa constrictors, the Hoggs are usually the first of the smaller boas to be recommended but there are a couple of other insular boas that stay under 6 feet that are worth considering (just check out Gus's animals at the Rio Bravo website - www.riobravoreptiles.com ) Of course, if this is a first snake for you, there's always the old standby of corn snakes. *Don't groan everybody! They're neat little snakes! lol* I have 4 corns (2 normals and 2 snows). The corns come in a WIDE variety of colors, have calm dispositions, and typically don't get over 5 feet in length. Plus, I like how active they are compared to many of the boas and pythons in my collection. Basically, there are just all kinds of snakes to choose from with husbandry ranging from very easy to pretty difficult - the same goes for temperament. Good luck with whichever animal you choose...they're all great. Raven
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"To be the best..........You must lose your mind."

will probably top out at about 2 feet long. Females get a little larger. Very good disposition and easy to care for. Variety of colors. I am partial to the anery (black and white) ones, but they all make nice pets, and won't get large.

>>will probably top out at about 2 feet long. Females get a little larger. Very good disposition and easy to care for. Variety of colors. I am partial to the anery (black and white) ones, but they all make nice pets, and won't get large.
>>
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"To be the best..........You must lose your mind."

I think the best ones are the "high contrast" individuals that hold a bold black and white, like the one in the photo. The white on the "regular" anery form tends to wash out with grey at about a year old. They still look cool, but just not as striking. Frank