What is the difference between a python and a boa?

Question

Any recomendations on what kind of boa or python to get as a pet?

Answer 1

I could go into detail on the biological differences between boas and pythons, which are numerous, but you can go to Wikipedia for that. Remember that pythons are old-world snakes and boas are new-world snakes. What I think you're looking for is their differences in terms of suitability as a pet.

First of all, rule out any of the giants. You do not want to be trying to deal with a twenty-foot reticulated python, especially in an apartment or a small house. That's a lot of snake ... which needs a lot of space, a lot of food, and a lot of cleaning up after. It's also a several hundred pound predator with the brain of a rock. It can easily mistake you for food, and even if the worst that happens is that you get bitten, we're talking one nasty bite here. They have needle-sharp teeth and lots of them.

Ball pythons are excellent pet snakes. They stay a convenient size, around four feet or so. They're usually very calm and placid. They're not very active snakes, so they don't need as much space as more high-strung species; in general, they're content to bask and wait for food to come by. Two critical things, however: One, buy your ball from a breeder, NOT from a pet store, and if possible, watch it eat. Balls have a reputation for being finicky eaters. Wild-caught balls will sometimes refuse food until they starve. You have no real idea where a pet-shop snake came from, and hence whether or not you're going to get into feeding problems. Two, if at all possible, get a snake which is already reliably eating frozen rodents. Trust me, having a baggie of frozen mice in your freezer is infinitely more convenient than having to run to the pet shop for a snake snack, and then deciding what to do with the fuzzly little guy if the snake isn't particularly hungry today. Frozen mice don't bite, don't escape, and don't need housing of their own.

I'm not sure what people are talking about when they say "rosy-tailed boa". I think they're somehow conflating the red-tailed boa (a regional variety of the boa constrictor) and the rosy boa, a small and attractive species of the southwest desert regions. Red-tails, and most other subspecies/races of boa constrictor, reach about 8-10 feet in length. They're much more easily handled and fed than the true giants, but you're still looking at quite a large animal, and one which will need a lot of space to be able to climb, thermoregulate (adjust its body temperature by moving from warm to cool spots and vise versa), and so on. It is very difficult to find a new home for a large snake, so I would recommend thinking very hard about whether you want to spend the next 20 or so years of your life with one.

There are many other species of boas and pythons, too many to go into in a Yahoo Answers reply. I would suggest, however, staying far away from the blood python, rock python, green tree python, and emerald tree boa. In addition to the size issues with the first two, they all have a reputation for biting with little provocation, and the teeth to back it up with. Leave them to the more experienced herp keepers.

You might also want to consider some other groups of snakes, such as the rat snakes, including the ever-popular corn snake, and the milk snakes and king snakes, which have some truly beautiful, though somewhat skittish and escape-prone, members.

Answer 2

Well there are many common pets that fall into the boas and python categories. However they have a wide range of care. Some are small, others are very long. Some are natuarlly docile and other can be hard to tame.

A ball python is probably the most common boa/python as a pet. They reach 3-4 feet long and have a rather large girth(width). They are usually house in a 20 gallon long or larger tank when full grown. They are easilly tamed and are happy to curl up and relax in your hand as hatchlings.

The second and larger snake I would reccomend is a Rosy-tailed Boa. They get 6-10 feet depending on genes, feeding schedules, and gender. They are beautiful snakes, and have a good reputation for being friendly both as hatchlings and adults. They however because of there size require a much larger enclosure as adults. Most Rosy-tailed boa owners I know built there own enclosures instead of purchasing large glass tanks.

These two snake species are common in pet stores because they are good snakes, and though most wouldn't consider a RTB a "beginner" snake, with enough research a RTB could be a great first boa or python.

Consider doing searches for "ball python caresheet" or "rosy tailed boa caresheet" and check out the temperature and humidity requirements for vivariums for these and any other pets you may consider getting!

Goodluck choosing a pet!

Answer 3

All boas, except for one...give live birth...most pythons generally lay eggs. This is the biggest difference. The others have already given you good descriptions of a couple of the best snakes from each species...:-)

Ball pythons are small snakes staying at 3-4'...as someone else already pointed out. The other snakes just get bigger...;-) Even the small to moderate-sized boas can be 6-9' and cost a fortune in food.

Answer 4

Boas and pythons are very similar, their differences are mainly small biological things which don't really affect their status as pets. Both are non-venomous constrictors which eat small mammals and kill their prey with strangulation.

There are some small pythons and boas, such as the children's python, rubber boa, rosy boa, etc. which are smaller and gentler than some of the larger snakes. If you don't have experience with snakes, I would avoid large pythons (burmese, reticulated) and columbian boas. They can all grow in excess of 15 feet and are very powerful creatures. I would also avoid ball pythons; although they do stay small, they are notorious for starving themselves to death, and a new snake owner will have difficulty dealing with this behavior.

Rubber and rosy boas are good, they stay small (3-6 feet) and have good temperments. Children's pythons are similar. Try checking out www.kingsnake.com or visit a local reptile expo.

Answer 5

One has a sunny disposition, the other is looking to eat your finger. Just kidding, usually Rosy Tail Boas have mild dispositions, Ball Pythons need special handling. They come from different parts of the world but both grow very big. They also need a lot of care. I had a boa for 9 years and we had to build a room for him he was so big, he finally wound up in a zoo.
If I had to pick between a Python and a Boa, I'd stick with a boa unless you know a good herpetologist!

Answer 6

I have read that the captive bred ball python or royal python is a good pet-and they don't get large.

Be wary of anything that is going to get bigger than you can afford a house for-it isn't fair to you or the snake or your neighbors if you turn it loose. A reticulated python, while cool to think about, would make a lousy pet for most people. They need a room size enclosure, and when they eat something the size of a small goat, they also POO something the size of a small goat......

I ended up with kingsnakes and corns, which are very beautiful, but they don't require a lot heat/humidity and I can handle them all by myself.

Answer 7

a ball python lay eggs and boa have live babies no eggs for one.not much difference they both constrict and can be deadly.

Answer 8

A boa will squeeze you to death and python's will eat you whole

Answer 9

Just get a grass snake.