“Apartment-Sized” Boas and Pythons!

Boas and pythons, which are still sometimes collectively known as the “boids”, are among the most unique and popular groups of snakes to both breed and maintain in captivity as pets. They belong to the families “Boidae” and “Pythonidae”, respectively, and their level of popularity can largely be attributed to their more “exotic” appearances and natural history, at least when it comes to many of our native, or North American species of reptiles and amphibians. But one common misconception, or “mis-notion”, which still sometimes persists to this day, is that all species of boas and pythons are, or can become giant, “man-eating” snakes, or that all members of these groups of snakes reach exceptionally large, and difficult and unmanageable adult sizes, requiring two or more people to be able to safely and practically handle and work with.

But what if we told you that this is not in fact true, and does not have to be that way if one is looking for a boa or python species as a pets? Indeed, there are several genera and species of both of these groups of snakes which are common and readily available in herpetoculture and the pet industry which do not attain overly large sizes and are readily handleable and can make great pets all around!? Many of them, for the criteria for this list, also seldom even exceed about three to six feet (at most) as well! This educational article and list will cover a few of the most widely available “apartment-sized” species of boas and pythons which do not become overly large, and can be all around fun and enjoyable species to maintain, and some of them can even be quite unique in each of their own regards.

So without further hesitation, here are the pros and cons to the top “apartment-sized” species of boas and pythons to keep as pets!

*Photo Credit: The BioDude 1. Ball/Royal Python (Python regius)

*Photo Credit: Gary Nafis 2. Rosy Boa (Lichanura trivirgata)

*Photo Credit: Cassidy Adams 3. Kenyan/East African Sand Boa (Gongylophis colubrinus)

*Photo Credit: Snake-Facts.Weebly 4. Spotted, Children’s, and Anthill Pythons (Antaresia spp.)

5. Rubber Boas (Charina bottae)

*Photo Credit: Stockl-Boa-constrictors.com 6. Some “Dwarf” Localities of Boa Constrictors (Boa spp.)

*Photo Credit: Unknown, Reptiles in Discuss-Blogger 7. New Guinea Ground Boa, or Viper Boa (Candoia aspera)

*Arabian Sand Boa (Eryx jayakari), Photo Credit: Tales of Scales

*Rough-Scaled Sand Boa (Gongylophus conicus), Photo Credit: Dave Fogel.

*Indian Sand Boa (Eryx johnii). Photo Credit: AnimalsPrints.com

*Calabar Boa (Calabaria reinhardtii), Photo Credit: Science Photo Library.