Many people would never think a snake could be a beloved family pet. Cherished pets are generally thought of as furry, playful mammals that can be cute or affectionate. There are, however, some people who love their pet snakes as much as those who love their furry animals; even if the snake happens to be a 7 foot, 30 pound red tail boa constrictor, such as Diana's snake, Ozzie.
Diana, a divorced mother of two teenagers, had thoroughly researched the subject of snakes before she bought her boa four years ago. Today, she has an awesome pet that is content and sociable. Owning a boa is not an easy undertaking. It involves a lot of responsibility and commitment. Snakes have specific needs, but can make wonderful pets as long as those needs are taken care of.
To have a healthy and contented snake, an enclosure fitted with accessories simulating the wild is necessary. Wild red tail boa constrictors can be found in a variety of climatic regions, but mainly prefer the rainforest. It is essential to have a custom built enclosure large enough to hold a giant snake and secure enough to keep the snake from escaping. Being cold-blooded animals, they need a certain range of temperatures to keep them comfortable.
Specific materials are needed to keep the snake contented in its enclosure, such as a strong forked tree limb to relax on and hides to conceal itself in. Even the proper humidity levels must be maintained. Any material used in the enclosure has to be able to be easily kept clean and sterilized regularly; otherwise there can be a problem with disease and parasites. Getting a privately bred boa from a reputable breeder, as opposed to getting a boa from the wild, also lessens the chance of disease and parasites. Also, a privately bred boa will more likely be less stressed and easier to tame.
Diana knew that getting a snake from a breeder was the best option. She had a basic knowledge of snakes, since she had always been interested in them. The times she went to the zoo, as a child, she would watch the snakes in fascination and could have stayed in that particular section all day. She wanted to get a snake after she married. Her husband didn't take her seriously and the rest of the family talked her out of it since her children were still young. Diana realized she didn't have enough knowledge to properly own a snake anyway. After her marriage ended, she started saving money. This gave her time to study the species in depth. Since she was on her own with two children, it took her a few years to save for a snake. Boas can cost a few hundred dollars or more and, as with any pet, all the necessary accessories can get expensive. By the time she brought Ozzie into her home, Diana was well prepared.
Boas are not the best snakes for beginners because they can be very powerful and a lot of work to care for, but can be one of the easiest giant snakes to tame. They can reach up to 8 feet or longer and up to 50 pounds or more, yet if they are handled two or three times a week they can become quite tame and docile. They can even eventually enjoy being held, as Ozzie does.
Diana wanted a boa constrictor because they're not as finicky as some snakes on the type of prey they are fed. She didn't like the idea of feeding live animals to a snake. Boas will eat pre-killed prey, which is safer for them. Live prey may attack and hurt the snake in self-defense. Diana also liked the diamond shape head and the patterned skin characteristic of boas.
Though they are a beautiful and fascinating animal, snakes are generally despised by people. Many suffer from ophidiophobiathe fear of snakes. It is important to consider family and friends when getting one. Diana's children thought it was so cool when they got Ozzie. They would often take him out to handle him. There were mixed reactions from the rest of Diana's family. Her mom doesn't like snakes; she won't enter the house with Ozzie there. Her father likes Ozzie and takes care of him when Diana goes away.
Diana is finding that her friends are more leery of Ozzie now, since he has gotten much bigger than he was a couple of years ago. Her kids still love Ozzie and give him a great deal of attention by petting him, but they won't hold him anymore because he's so strong. Dating is also a consideration. Diana has had boyfriends that haven't been too fond of Ozzie. Any kind of pet can be an issue in relationships with others, but Diana was surprised at how many people genuinely hate snakes.
For those who do like them, Red Tail Boa Constrictors can be an appealing buy when they are cute babies at 18 inches long. Some prospective owners don't grasp the fact that this cute little snake grows up to 3 feet in the first year and that it will keep growing. They also don't realize these snakes can live 25 years or more. If the research is done properly and the passion is there, a snake can be a person's best friend. Diana loves Ozzie immensely. He's as much a part of her life as the rest of her family is.