help ID, pics

[fishsnakescars]

hey all, I just picked this guy up a few days ago from my friend who really never handled or took good care of him/her. as you can see she ate a nice sized rat for me a couple days ago :) she is a bit nippy/agressive until I have her out of the cage, but I really like her.

can anybody tell me if its a BCC or BCI? I really have no idea how to tell. thanks, and how does she look? average? nice? I think shes purdy :cool:

http://www.angelfire.com/space/davisrx7/rtb1.JPG

http://www.angelfire.com/space/davisrx7/rtb3.JPG

http://www.angelfire.com/space/davisrx7/rtb4.JPG

http://www.angelfire.com/space/davisrx7/rtb5.JPG

http://www.angelfire.com/space/davisrx7/rtb6.JPG

[Yve]

i'm no expert but the saddles are peaked and that is a common trait in bcc. Its not a very prominent peak....maybe its a hybrid?
she is pretty.....what snake isn't?:)

[JD@reptiles]

its a pretty nice BCI

[Linds]

Congrats! Very cute little BCI there, very clean :)

[fishsnakescars]

thank you guys. how can you tell?

[Linds]

Nobody can really tell you for certain, just give educated guesses. There are many crossover traits between BCC and BCI, and the subspecies have been mixed in captivity as well. The only for certain way to tell is to do a saddle count. BCI are being bred for few saddles by some, but BCC are not being bred for more, and the count definitely exceeds the "limit" for BCC, as well as colour, etc. Generally your snake resembles more what is considered to be a BCI type IMHO ;)

Yve,
A small amount of peaking can sometimes be found in BCI as well I've found.

[Invictus]

That most certainly looks like a Colombian BCI to me as well, but it's a BEAUT! I love the lightly-colored ones the most, and that one is a great example of the traits that I look for in a boa.

[fishsnakescars]

you cant really tell in the pics but she has some pink on her sides too. I dont know if that helps with the ID.

[MouseKilla]

Lately I've become nearly convinced that the distinction between BCC and BCI is entirely man made. One criteria commonly used is the saddle count (don't remember what the ceiling is for BCCs...?) and another is the number of scale rows (which I don't personally understand how you are supposed to count). The problem with using these standards is that you get borderline cases. The snake you have there has the appearance that its associated with a Colombian BCI (as has been mentioned) but her true lineage may be neither Colombian or BCI... confused yet? Welcome to boa constictors. LOL! (My head still hurts from that "pastel" discussion!) Check out the BCC or BCI thread in this forum it's pretty interesting. Oh about the pink, it probably doesn't help with the BCC/BCI question but it is certainly a desirable trait. Nice boa!

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Also, another thing, arent the tue BCCs such as a guyana or surinam redtail, arent the "true" redtails the BCC? I know about the saddles and stuff but i also look at the tail? It seems to me that they have a blood-red tail on the red-tails(BCC). Correct me if im wrong. Nice snake BTW!

Chris

[snakey]

As many cross breeds, inbreeds, and hybrids, and different breeders trying to breed for this trait or that pattern or this colour,...How can anybody tell for sure anymore without compareing D.N.A. samples just what the&%$#@# anything truly is or where it's from? As far as I'm concerned any more a boa constrictor is a boa constrictor. Especialy if it's a beauty like that one.