Meet Achilles

[Snakefood]

Just a couple pics of my new Red Tail Boy. He is about to shed, so the full body pic is a little dull looking, but the head shots were taken last week and I think, show his coloring beautifully!!

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[Sharlynn93]

beautiful! I love red tails! but they violate my hubby's 7' rule...I doubt I will ever get one...although he was enamored over one they had at a shop today...it was probably about 5'...but still in a 20L tank so hard to tell the size...they are so gorgeous!

[Snakefood]

Thanks!! My hubby started with a size limit which has changed to "nothing that breaks the laws!!" He was anxious about Achilles when I first brought him home, but since I brought him home in mid December, he's warmed up to him and actually holds him now!!

Then again, when hubby and I first met, he wouldn't even hold a baby BP, so I think I am creating another snake lover!

[Sharlynn93]

same here...hubby was very leery when I wanted my first snake...but getting a baby corn was just his speed...NOW he is very into the snake thing...the tarantula's weren't his thing...until I got one for my daughter...he was fascinated...once he saw me holding one, he couldn't be outdone, and now holds them...now HE wants a mexican fire leg...LOL...I think I started a monster! LOL...but one I love! ;)

[Mikoh4792]

beautiful! I love red tails! but they violate my hubby's 7' rule...I doubt I will ever get one...although he was enamored over one they had at a shop today...it was probably about 5'...but still in a 20L tank so hard to tell the size...they are so gorgeous!

By red tails do you mean only bcc?

There are BCI localities that only grow 3-4 feet. And others that grow 4-5 feet, 5-6 feet...etc

[Sharlynn93]

around here all we find are labeled "red tail boas"...and it's so hard to find true "breeds" to make sure of sizes...Ben had some for auction (buy it nows) tonight, but they go so fast there is no way to research sizes before they are gone...LOL

[Mikoh4792]

around here all we find are labeled "red tail boas"...and it's so hard to find true "breeds" to make sure of sizes...Ben had some for auction (buy it nows) tonight, but they go so fast there is no way to research sizes before they are gone...LOL

You can be sure of what you get from Vin Russo at cuttingedgeherp. He's been working with pure boas for decades, and many of the boa population in the usa are directly descended from his stock. He's also the co-author of The Complete Boa constrictor.

[Sharlynn93]

oh wow...will keep that in mind! with this new baby on the way, I'm sure he will want to stop for a while, but I know he still wants a jungle, and I want a red tail, so once we get everything settled in, established, (and my piano sold to make more room in the snake room, since I can't play with my arthritis) then maybe I will talk him into that! :D

[sharthun]

Nice looking Boa!!

[Tsubaki]

Handsome boa :D!


You can be sure of what you get from Vin Russo at cuttingedgeherp. He's been working with pure boas for decades, and many of the boa population in the usa are directly descended from his stock. He's also the co-author of The Complete Boa constrictor.

I love Vin Russo's boa's, i had a few of his. Healthy, Strong and very beautiful animals. There is a very good boa breeder in Germany too so i made unrelated couples. :D Plan on doing it again, very much a shame my couples are no more..

[TheFrogman]

Wow...hes stunning

[Snakefood]

Thanks everyone, I think he's stunning too!! he's about 6 1/2' right now. Don't know if that's it or we still have a foot or so to go!!

[limey]

I'm actually half way through that book right now - The Complete Boa Constrictor. And while the pics in it aren't the best I've seen, the information is really great.

Sharlynn93 - there are actually quite a few geographic races of boa that will reliably stay under 7 feet, if your hubby has his rules.

Especially if you get a male. Look into the island races - Caulkers Cay Boa (pronounced Corkers Key), Tarahumara Mountain Boa, Nicaraguan Boas - these are all species of Boa Constrictor, but they seldom reach 5-6 feet in length.

These island localities basically survived in harsh conditions over thousands of years with very little food supply, so they never grew as big. Inherently, they evolved to be permanently smaller than the mainland species of boa.

[Mikoh4792]

I'm actually half way through that book right now - The Complete Boa Constrictor. And while the pics in it aren't the best I've seen, the information is really great.

Sharlynn93 - there are actually quite a few geographic races of boa that will reliably stay under 7 feet, if your hubby has his rules.

Especially if you get a male. Look into the island races - Caulkers Cay Boa (pronounced Corkers Key), Tarahumara Mountain Boa, Nicaraguan Boas - these are all species of Boa Constrictor, but they seldom reach 5-6 feet in length.

These island localities basically survived in harsh conditions over thousands of years with very little food supply, so they never grew as big. Inherently, they evolved to be permanently smaller than the mainland species of boa.

Don't forget the crawls!

I have a pair of cay caulkers and they are neat little guys, but I'd like to own the other island localities as well. Particularly pearl and corn island boas. Another cool group are the blood boas ( a form of el salvadorean boas). These all grow to be relatively small(around 4-5 feet)

[limey]

Don't forget the crawls!

I have a pair of cay caulkers and they are neat little guys, but I'd like to own the other island localities as well. Particularly pearl and corn island boas. Another cool group are the blood boas ( a form of el salvadorean boas). These all grow to be relatively small(around 4-5 feet)

Totally! I almost forgot about some of those others, Mikoh.

There's a real handful of "dwarf" localities when it comes to boas,Sharlynn, that a lot of people are unaware of. To most average joes - a red tail is a red tail, either a BCC or a BCI. But no, that's not true! There are BCO's and more. What makes boa constrictors so special is there are so many individual varieties it's staggering, and I'm not talking about these so-called morphs created by breeders - I mean natural geographic races.

Very exciting stuff, if you ask me.

While these 3 may not all be "dwarfs", I love Hog Islands, Pokigron Suriname's and Peruvian Longtails best.

I mean, look at this beauty of a Peruvian Longtail... it makes me droooooool.

[Mikoh4792]

Totally! I almost forgot about some of those others, Mikoh.

There's a real handful of "dwarf" localities when it comes to boas,Sharlynn, that a lot of people are unaware of. To most average joes - a red tail is a red tail, either a BCC or a BCI. But no, that's not true! There are BCO's and more. What makes boa constrictors so special is there are so many individual varieties it's staggering, and I'm not talking about these so-called morphs created by breeders - I mean natural geographic races.

Very exciting stuff, if you ask me.

While these 3 may not all be "dwarfs", I love Hog Islands, Pokigron Suriname's and Peruvian Longtails best.

I mean, look at this beauty of a Peruvian Longtail... it makes me droooooool.

Beautiful specimen.

[Snakefood]

What about the Amerilies (sp?) Not sure if I have the right Boa here, but isn't there one that stays under 5' even in the females??

[Sharlynn93]

Wow...looks like we have a lot of research to do! Lol...someday maybe I will have one...we will need a bigger snake room! ;)

[Snakefood]

Yes, there are Boa's that stay on the smaller side, I *think* one of them is called an Amarili, pretty little things.

[Mikoh4792]

What about the Amerilies (sp?) Not sure if I have the right Boa here, but isn't there one that stays under 5' even in the females??

Not just one, but many. All of the locales that have been mentioned by Limey and I usually stay under 5 feet.

Tarahumaras usually max out around 3-4 feet. Cay caulkers usually max out around 4 feet....etc and so on

[Tsubaki]

When it comes to dwarfs, my second love are Hog islands but they do not stay terribly small (smaller than any general boa still). But my number one have to be Nicaragua's. My favorite dwarf boa's, especially the Hypo nic.. Stunning. They are TINY, and mine had attitude :D

[Mikoh4792]

When it comes to dwarfs, my second love are Hog islands but they do not stay terribly small (smaller than any general boa still). But my number one have to be Nicaragua's. My favorite dwarf boa's, especially the Hypo nic.. Stunning. They are TINY, and mine had attitude :D

I love nicaraguans as well. Hypo nics remind me of some really red corn island boas.

[Snakefood]

Ya, I have a chance at a pair of Hypo (Columbians, or so they say) But they want $400 for the pair, BUT, I know I can also get a pair of Salmons for $300.

I Love the Hypo's, their coloring is awesome, but I also love the Salmons. And as far as I understand it Salmons are a "higher end" morph" than they Hypo's, so I am having a hard time to decide whether it is reasonable to pay $100 more for the "lesser" morph.

Anyways, it's not like I don't have time to decide what to do. I have to wait for my new BP racks to come in which will free up my Boaphiles, and also: other than the female Lavendar Corn I need for a long awaited project, hubby said that I can't spend $100's of dollars on snakes until I have hatchlings to sell/trade. (I have put out an exorbitant amount of $$ on my snakes in the last year, so I understand where he is coming from!!)