difference between.......

[sapphire_moon]

Ok I'm studing up on "red tails". I plan to own one someday. (dreams......) and wanted to know the difference between BCI, BCC, and....if there are any differences in basking temps and such. I know one gets bigger than the other. So.

Which one gets bigger (and then wich is bigger male or female for both please).....

I was thinking about getting a Columbian red tailed boa from www.lllreptile.com sometime in the next couple of years.....and it says just that "columbian red tailed boa babies".......so preferably info on that type would be great......

Remember i'm just looking up on it and don't plan on getting one until I can have a cage for it to "grow up in (probably a rubbermaid) and then have a custom built for it for when it is an adult........any info would be great!!!!

o> :w

[Invictus]

Use caution when buying "Columbian Redtails" as they are not true redtails. That's a bit of a misnomer that is given to them to help sell them.

BCC = Boa Constrictor Constrictor. These are the "True redtails" and include Guyanas and Surinames. They get bigger than BCI, but not by much. Females are much larger than males for both BCC and BCI.

BCI = Boa Constrictor Imperator. This is kinda the "Common Boa Catch-all" and includes everything from Columbian boas to Central Americans, Hog Isles, and so on. Size is highly variable depending on locale.

Personality-wise, the BCC have a reputation of being a bit more unfriendly, but I don't know how much truth there is to this. However, we have 3 Columbian BCI, and they are all more tame than a puppy.

Housing requirements are pretty much the same for all of them - 90-95 basking spot, 75-80 cool spot. 50-60% humidity is ideal, but our BCI are doing very well at much less than that.

[Edwin]

www.boa-constrictors.com is a good resource site. There are lots of pictures of the different species and localities etc.

Invictus has covered most of the stuff, and I just want to add that in general BCCs are more delicate and not as hardy as BCIs.

Hope this helps.

[sapphire_moon]

well as I said when I do decide to get one I am probably going to get it from www.lllreptile.com it's the one that says "baby columbian red tailed boa's" on it. and that is probably the one (type that is) that I am going to buy. So what kind is that one? Because lower on the page it has more that has

Suriname red tailed boas, Peruvian red tailed boas, South Brazilian Red Tailed Boas, and Bolivian red tailed boas,

So which one is BCI and how do you tell (besides scale count).....