Me: Woa. Have you ever owned a snake before?
Person: What? No.
Me: Then a boa is NOT a good starter snake for you. Depending on the type you get, you’re looking at a minimum 8 foot snake is most cases (I know there are lots of Boas that are under that limit such as Rosy, Sand, Dumerils and many more but she said she wanted a “big snake.”). Most people don’t realize how much an adult boa weighs and have trouble handling them by themselves once they’re full grown.
Person:...They only get like four feet.
Me:.....what kind of Boa are you talking about then?
Person: A ball python.
Me:...Okay. That is NOT a boa. That is a python. Those are two different snakes.
Person:...they squeeze stuff to kill it. Does that not make them the same thing just a different size??
Me:...No.. A chihuahua and a great dane are both dogs but does that make them the same thing?
Person:...no.
Me: Exactly.
Person:..Well I want one. I just need to get an aquarium to put it in.
Me: An aquarium is not an ideal habitat for a Ball Python. Even though they can and will climb, they are not very arboreal snakes. It’s often wasted space (yes there are some folks with Balls that they climb all over. In general, they are not climbers). Also Ball Pythons need a decently high humidity range and the open screen lids of an aquarium can make it hard to keep it moist enough in there to keep them healthy...
Person:...Um. I ain’t buying no fancy cage. I ain’t got that money.
Me: I’m not saying you need a big fancy setup. But acrylic cages and tubs can be much easier to keep one it. You’ll just need a heating element and a thermostat.
Person: I got a heat pad under my bearded dragon, I can use that right?
Me: Depending on the size of the heat pad and the size of your cage, yes. But you’ll need a thermostat so it doesn’t get too hot. It’ll burn your animal.
Person: Well I don’t have a thermostat now and I’ve had my dragon for two years and he hasn’t gotten burned.
Me:.....buy a thermostat. You can get them on amazon for 15 bucks.
Person: Whatever. Bet you’re gonna tell me they need ‘special lights’ too. What a waste of money those are. I use regular light bulbs for my bearded dragon. 100w ones. And I don’t use one of those special UV whatever lights. He’s 2 and he’s just fine.
Me:...It’s UVB and your dragon needs that special light to properly grow and absorb calcium and nutrients from his food....
Person: He’s two and he’s big so he’s fine.
Me:....you’re slowly killing your dragon, good job. And please...don’t get a snake. Just. Don’t.