Reptile & Amphibian Forums

would there be a prob with a boa 5ft being close to a ball python 3ft thank you
kate

You mean in different cages? Not at all. They learn to ignore each other pretty quickly. If they seem to bother each other you can always use the high tech construction-paper-and-tape method.
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"The serpent crams itself with animal life that is often warm and vibrant, to prolong an existence in which we detect no joy and no emotion. It reveals the depth to which evolution can sink when it takes the downward path and strips animals to the irreducible minimum able to perpetuate a predatory life in its naked horror."
Alexander Skutch

what about in the same cage or just around each other...
thank you kate

I think the boa would probably stress the python out. It works sometimes, but many times it doesn't. Also, they might be able to pass diseases back and forth, so I wouldn't let them anywhere near each other until you've had them both for 6 months.
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"The serpent crams itself with animal life that is often warm and vibrant, to prolong an existence in which we detect no joy and no emotion. It reveals the depth to which evolution can sink when it takes the downward path and strips animals to the irreducible minimum able to perpetuate a predatory life in its naked horror."
Alexander Skutch

FUNNY YOU ASKED THIS QUESTION.. I HAVE HAD MY BOA (NOW 5 1/2FT) & MY BALL (NOW 3FT) TOGETHER SINCE THEY WERE BOTH JUVENILES.. I WORKED AT 'BRONX REPTILE DISTRIBUTORS' & WE HAD BRAND NEW BABY BOAS COME IN THAT WERE BEAUTIFUL W/NICE PINK ON THEM.. WE ALSO HAD A BALL THAT WAS EATING GREAT BUT UNABLE TO SELL BECAUSE OF A BACK DEFORMITY.. I GOT THEM BOTH THE SAME DAY & THEY HAVE BEEN IN A 55 GALLON TOGETHER EVER SINCE.. THAT WAS ABOUT 5 OR SO YEARS AGO & NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.. JUST KEEP THEM SEPERATED(QUARRANTINED) AS TO BE SURE NEITHER HAS ANY DISEASES TO PASS TO THE OTHER.. THEN SEE HOW THEY INTERACT... MINE ALWAYS CUDDLE & CHILL W/EACHOTHER MOST OF THE TIME.. I WOULDN'T SEPERATE THEM NOW-MAYBE JUST A BIGGER ENCLOSURE DOWN THE ROAD... THAT'S JUST MY EXPERIENCE..

GOOD LUCK

SEAN

If you've got 8 feet of snake in a 55 gallon, I don't think they have a choice but to cuddle together.
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"The serpent crams itself with animal life that is often warm and vibrant, to prolong an existence in which we detect no joy and no emotion. It reveals the depth to which evolution can sink when it takes the downward path and strips animals to the irreducible minimum able to perpetuate a predatory life in its naked horror."
Alexander Skutch

If you've got 8 feet of snake in a 55 gallon, I don't think they have a choice but to cuddle together.
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IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL, THEY HAVE GOT ALOTTA EXTRA ROOM... THAT TANK IS WELL BIG ENOUGH FOR A WHILE TO COME... I WILL HAVE PICS POSTED AS SOON AS I CAN D/L THEM TO A WORTHWHILE COMP...

You ball is 5 years-old and ONLY 3 feet long? Give it a break

BETWEEN 4 & 5 YEARS OLD.... I FEED THEM EVERY OTHER WEEK... MY BALL HAS A BACK DEFORMITY & IS 95% PARALIZED FROM HER MID-BACK DOWN(SINCE BIRTH) SO MAYBE SHE ISN'T GROWING AS SHE SHOULD BE....

ANOTHER...

A LITTLE CLOSER, I'LL GET A BETTER PIC OF THE BACK DEFORMITY & ALL THAT LATER TODAY....

SEAN

It's hard to tell from the pictures. Really, not a good substrate if it is, as far as keeping it clean and (especially if you feed in the cage) impaction, among other things.

Otherwise, I also think that the 55 gal is way too small for that boa. Besides that, both of those snakes are solitary animals, except during breeding. I figure that if they don't want to hang out together in the wild, that forcing them to live together in an especially small enclosure would cause quite a bit of stress. This would affect their feeding, and give you snakes that are small for their ages, like yours. It's something to think about, in terms of what would be the best living situation for the snakes.

THANKS FOR THE CONCERN, BUT NOW WAY ARE THEY ON SAND... THEY ARE ON 100% NATURAL, SAFE IF INGESTED, BIO-DEGRADABLE, MADE OUTTA WHOLE KERNEL CORN, CLUMPING-DUST FREE LITTER.. MOSTLY USED FOR CATS BUT SANITARY & SAFE FOR ALL ANIMALS... I HAVE HAD MY SNAKES ON THIS FOR YEARS W/NO PROBLEMS AT ALL... AS FOR YOUR OTHER OPINION, I AM TAKING THAT TO THOUGHT... THEY'VE BEEN TOGETHER SINCE THEY WERE BOTH VERY YOUNG, THE BOA WAS A HATCHLING & THE BALL WAS LESS THAN A YEAR... THEY BOTH FEED FEROCIOUSLY THO... BUT I MAY SEPERATE THEM, HMM, THANKS...

SEAN

MY ALBINO BURM BELOW...

n/p

I'm not sure that even 6 months would be a long enough quarantine for IBD in boas. I've heard of them living with it long enough to breed so perhaps they could do well even through 6 months of quarantine, I'm just not sure. However, I get the idea that if it where the other way around the python would not live through that long of a quarantine with IBD. Apparently one of the few ways to test a live boa for IBD is with a liver biopsy. I suppose it being so difficult to diagnose coupled with their ability to sometimes live long with it (sometimes long enough to breed and pass it to mate and offspring) is why IBD is so common in boa collections.

In spite of all that, if you can insure that there are no mites or ticks (excellent step even if they are only in the same room) it might be possible that even if the boa did have IBD it might not be able to pass it to the ball without breeding or external parasites to transfer blood.

i think some of you have over looked 1 big factor. kate never mention, unless i missed it, what kinda boa she was refering to? there are some species that can conciderable lengths far thicker and girthier than a ball. wouldnt leave the ball much room to roam if she gets a species that will range 8-11 feet give it or take. second another factor over looked. humidity is a huge factor in this. in my own personal experience i believe boas tend to do better least the surinames and guyanas with fairly moderate humidty. 65-nearing 70%. this however goes with the species of the boa. those are two things that came to my mind. bottom line is, kate because if the possiable size range of most boas and different humidity requirements i tihnk you'd find your herps much happier in seperate cages.

note to SPIDERSCREW. spiderscrew i agree with the person who was amazed to find that bein that ur ball is 5 yrs old and is only 3.5 feet, the ball should be a bit longer unless its a very small male and a recluctent feeder during the winter. i have a male i own and hes aprox 3 yrs old hes 4ft 3 inches. and agreed that a 55 is WAY too small to house a full adult boa let alone a ball. as i mentioned boas givin the space and approited size meal, some can get least 8 feet(maybe a foot/foot 1/2 smaller) or much longer. ur boa prolly isnt that long cause its confined for space. just my .02 im not attacking you. pls dont think that. this is comin from 8 or so experiance. just trying to point it out and help.

the boa is a central american boa
thank you

kate, your very welcome. hope that helped.

A 2 yr boa, Looks like you have a Central American should be nearing at least 8 feet. In a 55 gal, it would be very hard for it to obtain the natural length God intended it to be. Don't get me wrong they all look like their very happy but for a snake that is capable of growin to larger lengths to be force to live in a smaller enclosure, its just somethin I have personally trouble accepting. If you have the room may I suggest a custom built cage for the boa?

Hi,

Me, personally, I would not keep a boa and a python together. But, there is this place on Long Island, in Suffolk County, call B.T.J. Jungle in West Islip that do just that. They actually keep a few boas and pythons together. You can call them and ask them, everything seems to be fine with them. Their number is (631) 587-8191. But,like I said, when you take them home they should have their own place to live. Thats how feel, so I would never keep them together in one large tank.