Are Sonoran boas good pets? (best dwarf species?)
 

I want another boa. I had one years ago and she was a real sweetie.But we are living in a much smaller house..So what species of boa would happily live in a 55 gallon for life? And by happily I mean it would be roomy not just the minimum.
I am thinking a Sonoran but have heard they are cranky. I want something handleable. I dont mind taming a snappy baby as long as there is hope for a nice tame adult.
Also nothing that will be much over 200 dollars would be nice but not as important as size and temperament.
Thanks..

I have 1.1 Sonorans, they are both very easy to handle and work with. With that said the female will be cranky on occasion, while the male will be flighty, trying to avoid being handled initially. They seem to be like any other locality of boa with individuals being just that. If you do decide to get a Sonoran make sure to talk with the seller and get one that has shown to be handleable.

https://c6.staticflickr.com/2/1701/2...caa36bac_c.jpg
This photo of my Sonorans is from 2 years ago, showing that even as little ones they are quite readily handled without any problem.

https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8216/2...d6b29e38_c.jpg
This is the male from earlier this year, so showing his size at 2 years old (and still readily handleable).

Thanks for the quick reply. Those are some gorgeous boas. They look to be the perfect size too.

I just saw your in Kansas too. Too bad your not selling yours..LOL

If you look around you will actually find quite a few of us here in Kansas that keep Sonorans. Not sure how far you are from Derby, but if you are reasonably close to it, call John at Tails and Scales to ask if he has any in stock. He's a great guy.

Hey thanks, We are near Topeka but still its worth the drive if the price is reasonable..

Sonorans and Tarahumaras would both do nicely in a 55-gal as long as it's set up with a sturdy top - not the mesh things - or your boa will end up popping it and escaping at some point. Guess who found out the hard way.

I have 1.2 adult Tarahumaras, the male is maybe 4' long if he stretched and he's fine in a 28-qt tub, the females are about 4.5 feet long and rattle around in 41-qt tubs.

They are usually very defensive as babies but mine all chilled out by the time they were 18 months old. Even if they do nip, they're so small it's not a big deal, and once they're out they're easy to handle as long as you're gentle with them.

Thanks bcr, I do have tubs as well, I will probably keep it in a tub until its older anyway.But would like to set up the 55 gallon eventually for it..I like those tarahumaras too, especially the dark ones.I will keep doing my research.

Yeah I really like my trio and they're ideal for someone who wants a BCI but doesn't have room for a four foot (or bigger) enclosure.

Another bonus is they do just fine on a small to medium rat or even a rabbit fuzzy every few weeks, so they're much less expensive to feed than their larger counterparts.