Boa constrictors are one of the largest snakes you can own as a pet. Depending on the subspecies, these massive snakes can grow anywhere from 7 to 13 feet, and can live up to 30 years. Native to Central and South America, these heavy bodied reptiles kill their prey by constriction, hence their name. Unlike many boas, Boa constrictor does not posses heat pits used for locating prey through thermal vision. 

There are around 8 subspecies of Boa constrictor, with the most well known being Boa constrictor constrictor (BCC),or Redtail Boa, and the most commonly seen in captivity being Boa constrictor imperator (BCI), or Central American Boa. Boa constrictors are unique as they don’t lay eggs. Instead they give live birth to anywhere from 10 to 50 babies at a time. The babies will be around 1 to 2 feet at birth, but they tend to grow very quickly. As soon as a Boa is born, it is fully developed and ready to fend for itself. These snakes always seem to be hungry, and in the wild they feed on rodents, birds, and exceptionally large ones can even take small crocodilians such as caimans. Boa constrictors are good pets if you have experience keeping snakes, but I wouldn’t recommend getting one as your first snake, due to their large size and habitat requirements. 

These snakes are usually docile, but they do have teeth and can bite, so that’s something you are going to want to be careful of, especially if you have a larger snake. They are non-venomous, but it still wouldn’t be fun to get bit. When threatened, Boa constrictors have a tendency to hiss very loudly, as to warn you that it does not want to be messed with. It is usually best to heed this warning, or you are very likely to take a bite. Overall, I think Boa constrictors are a fantastic part of creation, and I hope you do too!

Leopard Geckos are, in my opinion, one of the most adorable reptiles you can keep as a pet. Native to parts of the middle east, these lizards have a very good reputation in the reptile hobby, and many people claim them to be the best pet reptile for a beginner keeper. Leopard Geckos get their name from their spotted pattern, which helps them blend into their desert surroundings. They don’t get very large, growing to about 8 to 11 inches in length, so they do not require a crazy amount of space. They do, however, have a relatively long lifespan, with captive individuals living up to 30 years with proper care, meaning owning one as a pet is a long term commitment. If you are willing to keep an animal for that long though, a Leopard Gecko would be a great choice. 

Leopard Geckos are, in my opinion, one of the most adorable reptiles you can keep as a pet. Native to parts of the middle east, these lizards have a very good reputation in the reptile hobby, and many people claim them to be the best pet reptile for a beginner keeper. Leopard Geckos get their name from their spotted pattern, which helps them blend into their desert surroundings. They don’t get very large, growing to about 8 to 11 inches in length, so they do not require a crazy amount of space. They do, however, have a relatively long lifespan, with captive individuals living up to 30 years with proper care, meaning owning one as a pet is a long term commitment. If you are willing to keep an animal for that long though, a Leopard Gecko would be a great choice. These reptiles are famously easy to care for. A 20 gallon tank will be big enough for them in most cases, but if you have the space and want to go bigger then you can do that as well. Even though Leopard Geckos naturally live in the desert, it is best to stay away from sandy substrate, as it makes it very difficult to keep the humidity of the enclosure at around 30%, which is ideal for these lizards. If the humidity is too low, the lizard can get shed skin stuck on its toes, and in severe cases it can cause them to lose their toes. Instead, I recommend using a reptile terrarium liner, or even just paper towels as substrate. Since Leopard Geckos are native to the arid deserts of Iran and Afghanistan, they thrive in a warm environment.

They should have both a hot side and a cool side of the enclosure, with the hot side averaging around 80 to 85 degrees fahrenheit, and the cool side at around 70. This can easily be achieved by using an undertank heating mat. Leopard Geckos are strictly insectivores, meaning you will need a readily available source of feeder insects such as crickets, mealworms, or Dubia/Discoid Roaches. I recommend mealworms since they are very easy to care for and are slow moving. An adult Leopard Gecko will eat a few mealworms every few days, with juveniles and hatchlings eating more frequently. If your Leopard Gecko refuses food for longer than usual, it’s usually not anything to worry about. The tail holds fat that they can live off of for some time, and as long as the tail looks fat and healthy it shouldn’t be a problem. These lizards do drink water, so making sure they have a full water dish is a must, preferably on the cool side of the enclosure. A fun thing about Leopard Geckos is that they are, in most cases, very calm and easy to handle. Despite this, you have to be careful because they can move surprisingly quick when they want to, and a fall from any height could be very damaging to the animal. They are also particularly easy to accidentally squish due to their small size.

If all this sounds good to you, and you are looking to get your first, second, or twentieth reptile, then maybe a Leopard Gecko is right for you!

In this video I have some good friends of mine ask me questions about snakes! Enjoy!

Snakes grow in a very interesting way. They shed their skin!

If you keep snakes, you are bound to eventually run into the problem of stuck shed. In this video, you will learn how to safetly remove it!

Monty, my Ball Python (Python regius)

 Ball Pythons are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. They don’t have very good eyesight, so they rely on heat sensing pits on their upper lip to find food. These pits pick up the heat from their surroundings and enables them to “see” heat, such as the warm body of a mouse. This incredible ability allows them to hunt even in pitch black. In captivity, young Ball Pythons are usually fed pinky mice (newborn mice) or fuzzies (young mice that have just grown their fur) while adults are fed adult mice or rats, depending on the size of the snake. Young Ball Pythons should be fed around twice a week, while adults usually go a week or two between feedings.

A close up view of the heat pits on a Ball Python’s upper lip.

These are long lived snakes, living up to 40 years in captivity, so they require some commitment. Ball Pythons are great pets for people with dog or cat allergies, as they have no hair and don’t cause any allergic reactions. They are also perfect therapy animals for people with autism and similar conditions because of how calm Ball Pythons are, since the hyperactivity of a dog or the quick movements of a cat could be stressful for the person.

My cousins hanging out with their favorite snake.

Ball Pythons make amazing pets.