bci and others color change?

mudflats · 11-10-04, 01:50 PM

First of all the reason for posting on the general discussion is because i have seen it in more then just bci. So i thought it would fit it correctly.
While in Belize last summer we visited the mayan temples. On the way there i saw two very large, extremely light bci's in mesh cages for sale. I could tell they where wild and purchased them for 5 bucks a piece, only to let them go far out in the jungle on a hike we would be taking. I places the 2 very aggresive serpents in large pillow cases, put them in the back and was on our way to the temples. It was about a 2 hour drive maby longer bus ride to the temple. When we got there i got the snakes out and we headed into the jungle/woods. I opened one of the bags to see that both where black. When i purchased them they where probably the whitest bci's i have seen to become almost a melanistic. It was a very drastic color change. I have seen this in others but not this drastic. I thought realy nothing of it, until today i saw a program about these snakes on belize on the National Geographic channel. He briefly talked about how wierd the color change is. Is anyone familiar with why they do this, or if all species do this to a certain level, and what is it that they can do this?? I figured they turned darker to get more sun, and lighter to cool down. But if thats the case how do they do it, is it pigment cells like in chameleons? Thankyou for any help regarding this, jon

dia · 11-10-04, 01:55 PM

I don't know anything about it, but buying those snakes and releasing them was -beautiful-. I hope they both used their second chance well and have had better luck avoiding humans.

Linds · 11-10-04, 02:34 PM

Lots of things can cause a snake to change shade. Temeprature is one, but the time of day, physical health, stress, etc. can also influence this as well. Many boas do this to some degree.

Gary D. · 11-10-04, 07:04 PM

Most boa keepers have seen this fairly regularly. Not an expert on the subject, but I believe it is no way related to the use of chromatophores like in chameleons. I believe it is due to blood flow under the skin. When an boa is cold or stressed or more active, the blood flow is closer to the surface in the muscles and makes the animal appear darker. When trying to remain cool and remaining still, the blood is not curculated to the same areas of the body. More so in the inner organs, making the animal appear lighter in colour.

If anyone has information to the contrary please let us all know.

GD

mudflats · 11-10-04, 09:37 PM

Yes but i have heard in salmon boas i believe at night there a lighter color and during the daylight hours there darker,or vise versa. I have seen this numerous times but nothing like this. If i would have been in photography then and snapped some photos i bet you all would rub your eyes. This snake was so dang light to a pretty much black. I just thought it was amazing, probably just making a big deal over soemthing seen many times. This was just the first time i have seen such a drastic change.