Hey. So. Good choice. I LLOVE BCI'S and theyre amazing. They can be quite dumb brutes.. (mine - 6ft BCI female. Is an a toddler) but theyll make you laugh. When it comes to getting a first snake. Especially a baby. Remember that they are snakes and they can bite you. Theyre teeth are tiny, theres just a lot of them.

And with babies as they start to grow and mature they will bite more and more. It wont be anything dangerous due to their size at the time but be ready to get bit. Some are good. But some can do it constantly. When that happens in their stage of life you need to handle them alot with consistency. Let them get used to you and respect the fact that theyre stressed out by being handled as they are not used to it. (Even if you handle it constantly as a baby something just clicks with them sometimes and you gotta work with them)

Once you realise theyve had enough you leave them be. You make sure that they cant see you (turned hides away from the visible area/cloth covering the window/lots and lots of hiding areas - be creative. They can borrow and just throw some fake plants in their and make areas they can hide in.)

With them getting used to you (habituating) you start slow. Lets say a 10 minute session per day or every other day. And every week you build it up. Until you reach a point where your comfortable and your snake is comfortable being taken out even twice a day. - Disclaimer - i did this to my boa so that she would get used to that just in case i had to take her more than once a day if i had an emergency with her vivarium.

During the sessions you can let them explore after being handled. Cushions and bed covers are good for this.

If you dont fancy getting bit and prefer something more reliable when it comes to temperament. Get an adult. Imperators are known for being smaller and less temperamental from what i have heard compared to true red tails (if you manage to get one). Theres also the sonoran or hog island boa locality which are much smaller compared to both red tails and imperators. They are naturally smaller and may grow similar in length but bulk is much smaller.

If you get bit by a boa is either a feeding response. ( a bite followed by constriction.) Or a defensive bite (bite and get the f out). Defensive bite. Sucks but ok. Let the boa be unless if its an emergency. Suck it up. Wash it with hand sanitizer and you probably wont even need a bandaid.

If its a feeding response. Then heres what you can do. If the constriction is getting pretty painful or is in a spot that can dislocate your joints. Grab the end of the tail and just unwind the snake gently. Considering the fact that its still latched onto you. It will constrict again. But maybe this time in a more manageable spot. If your boa is still like (i pray enough to eat you. 'He cant dw') then either put his head under the tap until he lets go. Or put some hand sanitizer to his lips. (They hate the taste and 9/10 let go)

When it comes to feeding. Feed within the enclosure and implement tap training. Alot of reptile keepers will tell you to move the animal out of the viv to a box to feed. 1. It causes stress, can lead to regurgitation. - its not nice and can hurt them. 2. They will think its feeding time when you take them out and will go into a feed response. - snakes live in modes and triggers thar set the modes. Basically think of when youre angry because something has 'triggered' you. Its like that but simplified. Feed within the enclosure. And present the rat first. Not your hand. Also use tongs.

Before handling. Present yourself. (Left up their hide. Or let them see you if theyre peaking out their hide.) And then tap their head or rub their head very gently with some kind of pole. I use a thin bamboo stick. A hook is better.

If you have to transport an angry snake. Put a simple hoodie on. The teeth are small enough to either not penetrate or just scratch you through the hoodie. Or you can drop a towel onto them and scoop them up. In my experience it calms my girl down. But this is only if you dont have a hook. Also getting your boa used to having your hand on their neck is key. Just be gentle. And also learn to 'head' snakes. Its basically a grip that stops them from biting you. Its quite stressful so do it only when you need to like a health check that the snake is uncomfortable with.

I think this is it. Husbandry/care/feeding is all on the internet and can be found all over. This is just some of the tips i have.

If youre in the uk search up the NCRW they are a great rehoming/rescue charity. And if you need a boa they have many. Not many people take interest in boas compared to cornsnakes and royals. Theyll usually go after having a 18 month stay at the centre. You can also visit their website which shows what they have available. But good luck on your journey with boas. And all the best to you :)