What's up with Spooky?

[SpOoKy]

Hello everyone, About a month ago I went down to my local reptile store to pick myself up a baby Columbian Boa and I was given a nice surprise. The only one out of the whole clutch of normals that looked like this. Well as you can guess as soon as I saw him I needed this snake! From the few people I have spoken too I have been told it is possible he/she could be a harlequin or Aby? I have nooo idea I just know that the some of the patterns look like spooky faces, hence the name Spooky. Hoping someone here can help me figure out "what is up with spooky"? :) Thanks everyone, looking forward to your thoughts.

[infernalis]

I'm not much of a boid guy, but that pattern is sweet.. Nice!

[stephanbakir]

Really is a fantastic pattern

[reptile65]

He's awesome! Congrats

[Lankyrob]

I'm with wayne - not my thing but beautiful patterning

[stephanbakir]

If I was the breeder, that would have been a holdback. Did you pay extra or?

[Shmoges]

Holy wow pretties!!

[SpOoKy]

Thanks everyone, he really is cool. The pictures really don't do him justice and it was dark in the room so you can't really see his silver eyes. I will try to get better light pictures.

If I was the breeder, that would have been a holdback. Did you pay extra or?

Yeah I payed a little extra...Went in for a normal that would have cost $75 but got him for $125. Worth every penny.

[stephanbakir]

For sure, just wait for our boa people to log in and tell you, but that snake is a looker for sure.

[TeaNinja]

yea, awesome patterns.

[ineedsoap16]

That came out of a "normal" clutch? Wow. that was a steal.

[Shmoges]

what the heck is it like pied or just broken pattern? why are the sides pattern less?

[stephanbakir]

Hes a giant bundle of sweetness.

[stephanbakir]

Where is Jendee :(

[Shmoges]

Where is Jendee :(


No kidding, She would like to see this I am sure.

[whoaxmary]

-runs around franticly calling out for jendee- D:
Silly people having real lives and not spending all day online looking at ssnakess.com! D: :P

I'm really interested to know what she thinks of this one.
definitely a nice looking pattern! <3

[stephanbakir]

Likewise, I'm not a boa guy and that pic made me giddy:P

[unknownclown]

wow thats a gorgeous snake!

[SpOoKy]

Thanks everyone, here are a few recent ones of him chilling in the sun.

[stephanbakir]

Where is jendeeee!!!
Nice pics:P

[SpOoKy]

Who is this mysterious Jendee everyone keeps calling for? :) Will Jendee be able to give me some ideas as to what Spooky could be?

[stephanbakir]

Jendee is one of the forums boa gods :)

[bo2as]

That is one SEXY snake!! :D im officially jealouse! ;) Congrats!!

[Freebody]

im thinking maybe its a hypo jungle, closest i can come up with.

[stephanbakir]

im thinking maybe its a hypo jungle, closest i can come up with.

I was thinking something along those lines but they just don't "fit" it has a truly unique pattern.

[Damion930]

Grrr I know I've seen one very close to that on here in one of jendees or issaks posts but I can't find it i remember saying the pattern looks like bones my first thought was a jungle mix of some kind as well very nice looking snake

[Ch^4]

AMAZING looking boa, congrats!

[Isaac's Ark]

I was not the one that produced it by any means lol so i did not choose the parents but genetics is a tricky game it is also why it is so fun to do. If this is a genetic thing it will be reproducible if we can not reproduce it then it will be classified one of 2 things a absolute genetic anomaly such as our calico that we have yet to produce any offspring that exhibits the trait or it will be classed as a failure to keep a gravid female in prime conditions. This is the direction I would lean towards. This doesn't negate the possibility that the parents were het for something it is just that the Abby gen is co-dom there for there should have been a few extras in the litter not just one with out seeing a litter photo you will never know. The lesson learned here is buy from a breeder that can give you genetic certificates, litter photos and baby photos to choose from this will help you pull the morphs you are looking for in specific projects.

All that being said I can offer you my best guess, but that is all it would be is a educated guess. This Animal seems to be exhibiting traits found in both the Abby and Arabesque Boas. Understanding how these genetics work is what makes it unlikely that this is how this little guy came about. But all is possible in the eyes of the big man upstairs and we are in the kind of industry that we see evidence all the time of him messing with what we think we know lol...

Isaac's Ark

[ilovemypets1988]

this is: Ampalagua, Giboya, Masacuate:
http://www.cites.org/gallery/speciespics/boa_constrictor.jpg
this is just for reference purposes

[ilovemypets1988]

also could it be a cross with a pygmy boa

[stephanbakir]

Really awesome looking snake, wish we knew what it was for sure so I could bookmark it :(
Thanks Isaac

[HeckbertReptile]

Without knowing the history of the animal or what the parent animals were, it is almost impossible to say. To me it looks like an Aberrant BCI, although a heck of a nice one. Even though "Abby" is short for Aberrant it refers more so to a bloodline that originated from Rich Ihle's PC line and furthered by Mike Weitzman Of Basically Boas who actually coined the name Abby. It doesn't seem to have the orange and Pinks that Abbys normally do even as newborns, so for that reason I would say it is not an Abby.

As far as spooky being a Harlequin I honestly don't know. There is not really alot of information on them and from what I understand Harlequins have not really been well defined .

The best advice I can give is to approach the store in which he came from and ask them the breeders name. Most times though they will not give out that information, but it is really the only starting point that will lead you to hopefully more accurate information.

No matter what , you have an incredible looking little Boa, that anyone would be proud to own:)