constrictor/imperator

[Ivan (NL)]

Any suggestions?

the biggest one was sold as a constrictor and the little one an imperator.

big girl: 2 meters and 6 years old
little girl: 1:30 meters and 3 years old

[Ivan (NL)]

little bigger

[Ivan (NL)]

the biggest girl

[Beardonicus]

Boa Conctrictor imperator is one species......both of yours look to be BCI.

[Ivan (NL)]

I know, was just wondering the snakes looked more like Boa constrictor constrictor, or Boa constrictor imperator?

Can't get the pictures better, but more en bigger ones overhere:

http://www.reptielenforum.nl/forum/index.php?showtopic=4122&st=0

Got them yesterday from a girl who was looking for someone to take care of them properly.

Alreaddy had 2.4 Boa constrictor ssp. and now 2 beautifull girls to join the club :)

[MouseKilla]

It's hard to tell without a good look at the dorsal blotches but I would say that they both look like what we call BCI's.

I am personally skeptical of there really being a difference between BCC and BCI but I'm no geneticist. I think that there is so much variation among BCI localities that to use an arbitrary scale or dorsal marking count to decide which subspecies you have is a little strange. However, like I said those both look like what are usually called BCI, probably Colombian.

[foman]

4 sure bci's, pretty nice too.

[Ivan (NL)]

Here in the Netherlands most constrictors are crossed, so called ssp. To my opinion; it's only certain when it's wildcaught or with the official doccuments to prove it's purity.

Just for myself trying to figure out what it could be.

The little one looks to me as a imperator but don't no what sort of, de biggest one looks a lot like what's also the opinion overhere a columbian imperator to me.

[BoidKeeper]

I say BCI but to be sure wait until they shed and count the ventral scales an dorsal blocthes.
BCI: Less than 253 ventral scales. 21 or more dorsal blotches.
BCC: Between 234-250 ventral scales. Less than 20 dorsal blotches.
Info from Boa Constricto Manual.
Cheers,
Trevor

[MouseKilla]

Ivan,

Crossing of sub species is common in Canada as well for all the same reasons. There is no way for me to know that the animal I bought as an alleged "Colombian" BCI is actually from a Colombian bloodline, or even purely BCI unless it is wild caught or I have some sort of paper work authenticating it. I was using the name in the looser sense which is probably wrong to do because it really is innaccurate and misleading.

Names seem to get thrown around a lot but I think in most cases a captive bred snake is likely some kind of mutt unless great care has been taken to keep a bloodline pure. Of course then you have to deal with the question of what makes genes "pure" and how you would define a genetic impurity.

If you manage to do a scale and saddle count I would be interested in the results.

[AnniesMom]

Boidkeeper: when you say ventral scales, you are referring only to the large ones correct? Not the ones on the underside of the face? Dumb question, I know, but I'm going to count my kids and I want to make sure that I count correct. I know that one website I saw had listings for the different locales and scale counts, and I'm curious

[BoidKeeper]

Not a dumb question at all. The scales under the face have a different names so you are correct I'm not reffering to those.
What I'm wondering is when counting dorsal blotches do you stop when the pattern obviously has become the tail blotches or do you count to the vent or do you count all the way to the tip of the tail?
Cheers,
Trevor

[MouseKilla]

The way I've heard it you count from the nape of the neck to the vent. Usually you're well into obvious tail blotches by that point.

The problem I have with it is the magic number is supposed to be 22 blotches. More than 22 it's a BCI, less it's a BCC, what happens if you have one that has exactly 22? lol! Same thing with the ventral scales, 253 or less is a BCI... blah blah blah. Who decided on these numbers? Is there actually some sort of genetic basis for picking such odd numbers?

There's supposed to also be a way to count dorsal scale rows but I just go cross-eyed trying to count those, there must be a method for counting them that I don't know about.

[C.m.pyrrhus]

I use fresh large sheds that are in one piece to count scales. I also use a marker to count every tenth scale to make things a bit easier. I find this to be the most simple method to count, as the snake is not protesting.

I also go by this boa meristics (http://home.att.net/~crinaustin/BoaGeneral.htm#Table2) chart myself. I count mid-body, ventral, caudal, and interocular scales. This gives a wider overall scale count and is easier to deem what species you may have.

I would add more...but it is 4:45 am and I really must be on my way to work.......:D

[Ivan (NL)]

Originally posted by MouseKilla


If you manage to do a scale and saddle count I would be interested in the results.


the little one sheds this or next week, i hope she sheds in one piece and when she does i'll count the scales.

thing what's wondering me; when an imperator and a constrictor are crossed, could it be that one baby looks exact like an imperator and the other looks like a constrictor?

with looks like i mean al the given points of scale and saddle count.