yeah, I had a boa previously. he was awesome, but garters are a lot more fun to interact with imo. they're always curious to see what you're up to. they seem very intelligent for snakes. if you don't want to use the Ca2+ powder or water treatment, you could try good old UVB. They're much less nocturnal than boids and seem to enjoy "sunshine" (as in UVB). Mine likes it in small doses, but I've read that some garters will bask for hours. The humidity and heating requirements are way more lax than for boas, too. I keep one side in the low 70's, the warm side in the upper 70's and a basking spot in the mid-high 80's. I just use a 60W CHE. My humidity stays around 60%, but I have live plants and like to mist in the mornings for her to simulate dew (I'm a nerd). I also mist when it rains outside. This has worked best for me, but they obviously vary. You're going to love them.