# New owner of baby common boa!



## Teddybear (Oct 8, 2008)

Hi all, I'm new here and wondred if anyone could give me a little advice please. I have just purchased a baby Common Boa. I should point out that I have a little experience in owning a snake but not a Boa. 

What I would really like to know is when they're fully grown how do you handle them. Are you able to take them out of their viv. Also what size can I expect it to reach? Can you handle them, say, when they're 12 feet in length if they get that big!

Teddy


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## chris1234 (Oct 4, 2008)

*hi*

they normally average out at about 9foot to 10foot but can grow up to 12foot and when they are that big you can handle them but you will need someone else around while you are handling the snake but they are normally good tempered snakes


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## grumpyoldtrout (May 19, 2008)

Caresheet here, hope it helps. 

Common Boa Constrictor Caresheet (B. c. imperator) - Reptile Information - Caresheets Database


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## Teddybear (Oct 8, 2008)

Thank you for your time and information.

I'm concerned that when fully grown I'm going to be nervous of handling her knowing what she is capable of doing to me. I'm hoping that having raised her from a baby these feelings will subside.


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## Reaper941 (Mar 21, 2008)

Teddybear said:


> Thank you for your time and information.
> 
> I'm concerned that when fully grown I'm going to be nervous of handling her knowing what she is capable of doing to me. I'm hoping that having raised her from a baby these feelings will subside.


From experience, they're very very docile snakes. They also can be very inquisitive. 

Just know that Boas like their food, a LOT. So when they're young, watch your hands at feeding time. :whistling2:


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## Snow_Man_UK (Nov 20, 2006)

A common is likely to grow to between 6ft (male) and 8ft (female). However, many are smaller and a few are larger. 

Handling a calm one is no issue unless they get much over 8ft. They are quite strong so you just need to get stuck in.

Handling regularly in the early days pays dividends when they are older.


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## Teddybear (Oct 8, 2008)

Thank you all for your advice about handling an adult Boa. I now feel a lot more confident and happy about handling mine when she's fully grown.


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## bullit (Oct 10, 2008)

youll be fine mate


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## Roewammi (Mar 23, 2008)

to give you an idea, i regularly hold a male 7ft BCI that is at a mates shop, i will hold him by myself although he is a very hefty lad, but i will not do it without someone near me, he has squeezed near my neck before and i needed the lads to help me get him off. Im 5'9 and not small.

i would say with any adult boa, if you want to hold them, do it with someone else near you, they are constrictors and if for any reason they wrap round your neck and squeeze.....

boas used to scare me but now i own 3 with our 4th coming next weekend! and they're all different sizes!


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## Metal_face (Oct 2, 2008)

im planning to buy 1 of these in the next couple of weeks, this thread has been in interesting read :2thumb:

whats your set up like, sizes etc?


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## Trice (Oct 4, 2006)

Teddybear said:


> Thank you for your time and information.
> 
> I'm concerned that when fully grown I'm going to be nervous of handling her knowing what she is capable of doing to me. I'm hoping that having raised her from a baby these feelings will subside.


Generally they're calm snakes, keep handling regularly as she grows, and you should be ok. But a word of advice is.. a 9 ft boa is a large snake, capable of alot of things if it chose to do so. Make sure when you handle that someone is close by, it's better to be careful than to risk something that may or may not happen


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## Merve (Sep 6, 2008)

Boas are indeed a gentle bunch. 

They only squish on to you because they have no hands to grip onto you with and they dont want to fall on the floor!

I have 14 Boas at the moment, 2 adults (largest is only 5 foot and hes fully grown i think) and the babies are less than 2 months old. 

Boas are easy to care for, fun and interesting. They get kind of big, and they do get very strong. A good piece of advice for when its fully grown, if you dont feel confident is to try and not get it out when you are alone, but if it needs your help, ie its having a problem (eyecaps not come off or a stuck tooth like ive had with mine) then regardless of how you feel, you will find yourself getting in and helping it out. You will be amazed how your fear goes out the window when your animal needs your help.

I used to be pretty scared of what i considered my husbands snakes, but with his help and the help of Merve- my gentle Boa male, i feel alot better and even bought myself some snakes of my own (Western Hognose) 

Good luck, any specific q's i'll be happy to help, steve and i know our boas, royals, corns, hoggies, scorpions and T's pretty well.


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## Shamperz (Oct 19, 2008)

*I completely hear ya!*



Teddybear said:


> Thank you for your time and information.
> 
> I'm concerned that when fully grown I'm going to be nervous of handling her knowing what she is capable of doing to me. I'm hoping that having raised her from a baby these feelings will subside.


I feel exactly the same way. We recently bought a 6ft male common and although my completely fearless girlfriend was straight in there, I was a lot more dubious and in the end it got the better of me. 
I had no issues with handling him, but found it really difficult to get him out. If you dont show em whos boss, they dont need long to wrap around a branch or slither somewhere even more difficult to get to.
between that, and the fact he had not settled and not eaten in over a month, we took him back and got a baby.

I know shes a female and will be even bigger, but as a baby, we have the chance to get to know eachother while shes small which will help with my confidence as she grows.

I'd be the same with a dog. Yes they are easier to read but if you get an adult and dont know its history, anything is possible.

Like me, you will be fine.
Let me know if you get the jitters. We can coach eachother.. lol


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## ilovepythons (Aug 2, 2008)

my 9- 10ft female is really sweet natured but she is also very heavy and very strong. because she is so long and heavy it takes 2 of us to lift her out of her viv and move her anywhere. she has a 7ftx 2 x3 viv but she does also come out most nights for a roam around. the problem is she does'nt realise she's as big as she is so i spend most of my time trying to stop her from geting stuck in spaces that are too small like the bannisters and behind radiators.


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## martin day (May 18, 2006)

go to a shop and ask to handle there adults just to give you an idea


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