Epicrates subflavus pic...

[Simon Sansom]

Here is a pic of my breeder female Jamaican Boa...

http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/simonsansom/378635picture.jpg

...thanks for looking

Simon

[Stockwell]

Yup,they're nice snakes.Insular Epicrates have their own unique appeal!
That reminds me...I promised you some E striatus pics didn't I...

[Clownfishie]

Very cool! :D She's beautiful!

[Invictus]

WOW! I was hoping someone in Canada would be working with these! She's awesome! When do you expect to produce little ones?

[Stockwell]

Invictus.. dozens of them have been produced in Ontario, over the last decade... this is the late Tom Huff's bloodline originating from the now defunct Reptile Breeding foundation in Picton.

[Simon Sansom]

Roy is correct. I think that Huff's original ones were actually driven up here from Florida to Canada by Louis Porras' right-hand-man, in the 70's.

I don't know what happened to all of the "geriatrics" as we used to call them from the RBF and Centre for Endangered Reptiles, lol! Some of these snakes were getting pretty "long-in-the-tooth", and there was a group of Huff's ones at Windsor Reptile World before it closed down. I assume that they've mostly passed on by now...??
It's really an honour to have this blood-line in my collection - a little piece of Canadian herpetocultural history.
At one time, there was a serious breeding program going here in Canada, with the idea of eventually being able to re-patriate and release the captive-bred offspring back on Jamaica, but from what I've heard the Jamaican government wouldn't have anything to do with it, sayig that they would not want any large snakes on the island to scare off the tourists. What a horrible shame that an animal can't even get a fair shake in it's native land.

Invictus; By my reckoning, my pair could very well be the only reproductively active pair around at the moment. I have not heard of anyone else producing any in a few years.
I should have some babies in '04, as my female's had a couple of years to rest up, and she's bigger and more beautiful than ever.

Cheers,

Simon

[mark129er]

Put me on the list for '04!!

[Simon Sansom]

Here's something that you don't see every day - legal baby Jamaican Boas!...
http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/simonsansom/532105picture.jpg
This less-than-perfect pic represents part of a litter of 31 perfect babies and several "slugs".

The youngsters remind me very much of young Tree Boas (Corallus), with big heads, huge orange eyes, and long, slender bodies.

Thanks for looking

Simon

[albinoman]

WoW those babies are great, My next two Epicartes subspecies have to be, inornatus and subflavus. How much are you asking for a pair?

[Simon]

wow
these are something you don't see everyday
nice photos!

[snakegal12345]

i love the babies baby pics are so cool

[Linds]

Simon,
She looks great :D I forget where I read it, but I believe that they did put forth a replacement program on the island itself and were doing ok with it? LOL they do remind me of little tree boas, my male even has more attitude than one :p Female is still almost strictly arboreal, only coming down for food :)

[Sean_.E.]

Very nice! Do you have a full body shot?

[Invictus]

Put me on the list as well! Depending on cost of course. :) How much will you be asking per pair Mr. Sansom?

[Tim and Julie B]

Hi Simon. About eight months back there was someone advertising a pair on that other site. Definately a rare find. You obviously have my dream collection. But you probably already knew that! TB

[Simon Sansom]

Tim, Thanks very much for the kind words. I appreciate it.
I believe that the ones advertised on "the other" forum by a friend were actually produced by me. I produced babies in '99 and '01.

Invictus,
I'm not really sure what I'll be asking for them, (if I'm lucky enough to get another litter). Like most baby insular Epicrates they are difficult to get feeding and take a lot of individual attention, and when you're talking about litters upwards of perhaps 40 or more, a lot of time.
I would likely ask somewhere in the region of $600.00 - $700.00/pair Canadian, with copies of my documentation of legal ownership included.

Sean,
She's just about to shed. I'll post a full-body shot as soon as she's done. I'l see if I can get my male to co-operate, too.

Thanks for all the great comments, everyone.

Simon

[Invictus]

Well, at that price per pair, please be sure to notify me when they reproduce again. We'll definitely do some business. :)

[Ryan and Katie]

Hey Simon- What age do Jamaican boas hit sexual maturity? We had the chance to ask Dave & Tracy barker. They said they mature around 5 years of age, but they have had very little experience working with these animals.

Thanks...

[Simon Sansom]

Ryan and Katie,
My adults were almost six years old by the time they reproduced. This is not a fast-growing specie.
You have to watch it when you introduce your breeding pairs - my female has twice attempted to kill, and no doubt eat, the male upon initial introductions! She is MUCH larger than he is, and is, for her size, one of the most powerful constrictors I've ever handled. At least one zoo has reported a male being killed and eaten by a non-receptive female.

When I first got my Jamaican Boas, all I heard was about how vicious they are etc, etc, but I have not found them to be particularly difficult to deal with - no more different than a Carpet Python, for example, which is what I always tend to compare them with. When you disturb them they'll sometimes lash out with half-hearted, clumsy strikes, but once in hand, like most snakes, they're fine. My male is a bit more jumpy than the female, but he's still no trouble to handle.

Lindsay,
I've been digging for natural history and conservation information on subflavus for a long time. I've found a couple of rather uninteresting sites with snippets of info, but nothing really comprehensive. I know that a lot of work has been done on them at one time or another, but where the heck is the info?
I have spoken to a fellow from the U.S. who has visited their actual wild home ranges, and has found several specimens "in situ". Can you imagine!!??

If you have found anything interesting. please send me a link to it if you can - I'd appreciate it very much.

Ciao!

Simon

[TheRedDragon]

Wow! She's beautiful, and congrats on the babies! Be sure to put aside two for Invictus and I! :D

[RepTylE]

Add me to the '04 list too:D

[Linds]

Simon,
Apologies for getting to this thread so late. I was saerching through old threads and realized I forgot to post that link :o
http://www.stlzoo.org/%5Ccontent.asp?page_name=boa :)

[JaBoa]

hey im new here, just got a snake actually, so im still in the process of learning all about it. I actually found and saved a baby (about a 12" long) Jamaican boa from my dog the other day while doing some gardening (it was'nt hurt, but i was sure my 2 jack russels would definately go back for her), yup, it was in my back yard (i was born and raised in jamaica and I'm still living here) and up til the other day i had known very little about (what we call "Yellow Boas") but now im addicted, I love my new snake, and I have a need to learn as much about them as I can, so if anyone has any feeding tips for one this young, or on anything else about them the knowledge would be much appreciated, and ill be sure to keep the board updated on her growth with pics and all.

Thanks
Simon Levy

[Simon Sansom]

Hi Simon, and welcome to the forum!

WOW! A Jamaican Boa in your garden? - sounds like heaven to me!!

Seriously, first of all I just want you to be aware of the fact that the Jamaican Boa, <html><i>Epicrates subflavus<i></html, is listed by the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species as an "Appendix 1" animal, meaning that it is severely theratened in the wild, and that there are certain laws governing and restricting the international trade and ownership of such animals.
I am unaware of the local regulations in Jamaica regarding the keeping of native flora and fauna, but I think I'd tend to check with local conservation authorities before you decide to keep the snake.

In captivity, young Jamaican Boas are usually very difficult to get feeding. I would offer your very small live or dead <html><i>Anolis</i></html>, lizards during the evening as possibe food. If that doesn't work, perhaps small geckos or tree frogs. The babies are quite shy and don't seem to take to tease-feeding very well.

Good luck,

Simon