Viper Boas

[dtocher]

I got into herping when my best friend was studying abroad in France. Now he's come back and is my roommate. He's fallen in love with my snakes, especially. He wants one of his own, naturally.

I used to think that the local pet store was a front for either selling drugs, or laundering the money from selling drugs. It was super sketchy, and I *rarely* went in there. It was mostly fish and aquariums (with the occasional Beardie for sale). About a month ago they remodeled and the place is incredible. They hired on a really cool foreign guy who turned half the store into a first time herper's heaven (mostly colubrids and geckos). The only boid they have is a beautiful Viper Boa (wierd that they don't have more common boids, eh?), and it seems really cheap ($75).

My roommate has expressed interest in getting it, but I'd really like to learn more about it before I endorse it. I've searched for info on them, but have come up short. Anyone have any links or know any solid general care info (size, husbandry, eating, handlability) on them? It is so cool looking.

~bus

[Lrptls]

i have read almost all i could find on the viper boas (not a whole lot) i would really search for people who actually have them, hopefully some one here does but i dont know. i have wanted one for a long time. they are almost always wild caught though (which also explains the cheap pricing) iv seen them any where from $65-175. the bad thing with WC's is they can have parasites, not eat, die of stress and so on. i wouldn't buy it unless some one there absolutly tells you the truth and can prove its healthy and eating. they are usually very nasty too. the only viper i held was the nicest one me and my friend have ever heard of. you could pick it up but it would strike away from you. they dont seem like the kind of snake that could (even with lots of handling) be a very handleable snake but i could be wrong. CB's would probably be much easier to handle though they would most likley still be biters.

again- be really careful with this, i know that they stay pretty small (around 30 inches) and need tropical temps and humidity but try to find some one who has them so you know what is perfect. though it is a good price dont buy it if its not eating. good luck

[dtocher]

I've held this one, and it was very nice... also, it was starting to shed at the time, so the fact that it didn't strike boggled my mind.

[Kimo]

double check that it is indeed Candoia Aspera...alot of pet stores pawn off other Candoia species as Viper boas, when in fact they are not...I know, i've been hunting for an Aspera for months, but to no avail... good website to check out is http://www.king snake. com/candoia/ (remove spaces)

Best of luck...

and the fact it didnt strike period...regardless of the fact it was in shed, boggles my mind...Real Viper boas arnt known for their pleasant attitudes.

Josh

[Stockwell]

I've kept them, and they've been bred in Canada, but rarely. They are fairly inexpensive Indo imports. Very few people captive breed them, so most of them in pet stores are wild caught.
They require a moist cage and love to be pretty swampy.. I got mine eating by keeping them at near 90F in rubbermaid shoeboxes with several inches of wet peat moss and a water bowl. They will usually settle in after several weeks and take live food.
These snakes remind me of mini blood pythons... The husbandry for WC's is very similar.. Hot, and wet and a good hide.
They strike like lightning, and don't have a reputation for being particularily handleable. In many cases you get bit before you even see it coming. Luckily they rarely exceed 3 feet.

[dtocher]

After a little more inspection, it seems to look more like a Solomon Island Ground Boa.

[Stockwell]

Well they're both in the same family.
Candoia Aspera (viper boa) are chubby and short like a baby blood python with keeled scales and much sharper snouts. Candoia c. paulsoni(solomon ground boas) are more slender usually with a more defined zig zag pattern. Lots of pics in my gallery(click the camera)

[dtocher]

Wierd, the internet pictures I have found seem to make it seems more like Paulsoni (along with temperment... as far as I've heard), but your description is too a T the boa in the shop. I'll talk with the owner more. The snake seems super nice and tame.

[BoidKeeper]

If the store has a copy of the barrons boa book there are pics of both in there.
Cheers,
Trevor