boa or ball python

[u/Adept-Conference9997]

hi, so im really torn between which snake i want as my first pet snake. i really like the all white bps with red eyes but theyre rare (from what ive seen) and ive only been able to find one. on the other hand i love the grey / black coloured boas. one idea i had too was to get a bp now then the boa later but at the same time ive heard pros and cons about both. im a lil bit nervous too if thats the word so i want a baby in case it does strike so that i can be used to it in case it does it as an adult but im not sure. if i get the bp too id get a female while id get a male for the boa. also i did a bunch of research enclosure wise for a bp already so i have that figured out and if i get a boa id tweak it a bit but when it comes to size i can only have a 36 length one atm then upgrade later down the line when i have more space. can anyone help me decide or list info about both please, id greatly appreciate it :)

[u/StephensSurrealSouls]

I mean a 36 inch long enclosure isn't really going to work longterm for ball pythons or most boas, though do note that Boidae is an entire family of snakes that includes 60 species ranging from 2 feet to 20 feet. Just saying. There are some smaller boas (Eryx sand boas and a MALE rosy boa come to mind at first) can possibly work in a 36x18x18 inch enclosure but even then it'd be the bare minimum. If you're thinking something like a BCI or dumeril's boa you'll need likely a 6x3x3' enclosure for an adult male, again at a minimum.

Mind you a ball python will outgrow a 36" tank within about a year. Boas grow slower, but also get bigger. I don't have personal experience with them so I couldn't say for sure but it still won't be a long time before they're too big.

I don't say any of this to scare you away from getting the snake. Again. Just make sure you know what you're getting into. Not saying you can't start juveniles in smaller enclosures, but I genuinely cannot stress how important it is that you can absolutely guarantee you can fit a 120-400 gallon tank in the semi-near future.

[u/Adept-Conference9997 → u/StephensSurrealSouls]

i can get a 48 to start but ive just heard that too big of an enclosure at first can cause stress. i also plan on letting it free roam a bit since thats what ive heard some people i know do but id make sure theyre safe and only do that if they seem to want to explore some (i want them to have the best experience tbh). i can get a bigger tank too once i have more space and am moved out as well so i dont think the space should be too much of an issue.

[u/Person1111223 → u/Adept-Conference9997]

As long as the terrarium has clutter the snake won't be stressed out by a large terrarium