Which gender is more aggressive in red tail boas?

Question

Or does it matter? Also, does anyone know any creditable Red Tail Boa breeders (or just any place that sells healthy boas) in California, preferably around Modesto.

Answer 1

As far as I know there isn't any difference in aggression between male and female boas. They can both become equally nasty if they aren't properly handled and cared for. Hopefully you won't have that problem. Just make sure you've done you're research first and have the appropriate set up. Most importantly warmer and cooler areas of the cage and a hide area on the cooler side. Reptiles are terrible at recognizing that they're too hot or too cold and can easily cause themselves harm so try to help them out the best you can, ie don't let them bake in their hide spot or burn on a heat pad or light fixture. Also obviously try not to let them get too cold but usually that will just temporarily slow them down and not seriously injure them. My other important advise would be to feed frozen (and obviously thawed) or freshly killed food. Personally I didn't like the smell of thawing rats and chose to buy live and introduce them to a hard surface right before feeding. It may seem horrible but it's a lot more humane than being slowly strangled. Also feeding live is simply dangerous to your snake. I fed live for over ten years but then one day I turned my back for too long and a feeder rat actually descaled half of my boa. Peeled the scaled off an chewed down to muscle and bone in some places. It was really, really bad lets just leave it at that. I spent a ridiculous amount of time, effort and money attempting to keep the poor creature alive for a month or so but in the end it's injuries proved too severe. I don't want anyone else to have to go through the horror, and frankly the horrible guilt, of that experience. Anyway, if you dangle a semi warm dead rat in front of a boa it shouldn't have a problem with eating it. As for acquiring a snake, I'm not aware of any good local breeders but that certainly doesn't mean they don't exist. However, I would strongly urge you to check rescue facilities first. I got both of my boas from a reptile rescue and they've been wonderful pets. Some are just unwanted and others are abused. One of mine is stunted from several years of living in someones cold wet basement but he's now healthy and thriving under my care. Four feet of snake instead of five is fine for me, and I'm glad I can give him a better life. The facility I know of is somewhat inconveniently located about 2 1/2 hours north of you. However, if you're at all interested you can call and ask what's available and if you could perhaps meet someone halfway. Wherever you get your snake from, I hope everything works out great for the two of you. Best of luck!

Here's the facility:

Sonoma County Reptile Rescue

Al Wolf

Sebastopol

[phone]

Answer 2

There is no difference in personality or aggression between the sexes.