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RioBravoReptiles
at Wed Feb 23 06:47:43 2005 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by RioBravoReptiles ]
Many factors combine to produce the confusion some keepers have over what is or is not a Suriname or other locality boa. Ultimately only the knowledge of where it or it's parents were collected defines the exact locality of a boa. Because of market factors and lax import-export practices many people have Boa from the Guyana, Suriname, Guiana area with no real assurance of exact locality. Nonetheless a body of knowledge and opinion has formed among Suriname boa admirers (a near cult, actually) that fairly closely defines expectations of what a Suriname boa does look like. This unofficial guide is flawed and would exclude some specimens which are of Suriname and if applied to many Boa not of Suriname would also include some in error.
The reader can decide for him or herself whether the following information is if any value in determining general locality of Boa constrictor c. from the Suriname area or simply represents the majority of opinion. Perhaps the fictional Boa drawn from these responses is only what a real fan of the Suriname Boa would like to see? If so then this is a powerful tool for structuring your next Suriname breeding project!
Here's the Survey and answers.
What is the description of a Suriname boa?
Rio Bravo Reptiles conducted a survey on how to define a Suriname redtail boa. Many people at every level of experience participated. The survey revealed that people do admire Suriname boas! And a strong majority of respondents do use saddle-counts, head morphology and other visible traits to identify boas. In this case most keepers believe a Suriname boa to have 15-20 peaked saddles (18 optimum, S-V) on a tan or silver background and are not striped. They have an above average red-tail with white highlights, the sides (and sometimes the dorsum) can be rosy or purplish and are speckled to a greater or lesser extent (taken from essay section). The ventral surface is moderately to heavily patterned. They have recognisable head features and lateral markings. Despite known husbandry difficulties we also rate these snakes as average to very good captives compared to other boas. This last comment on husbandry is included as a reminder that locality also carries a sub-set of (potentially) identifiable behavioural traits!
The above synopsis was nearly unanimously supported by respondents claiming ten or more years experience with the boas.
Survey Questions and Answers……
Of the known groups of true red-tail boas (Boa c. constrictor) how do you rank the Suriname snakes in overall desirability? (on a 1-10 scale, 10 being the best or highest ranking). 76 answers, total score 642. (1-1), (2-1), (6-2), (7-6), (8-19), (9-36), (10-11) Avg= 8.45
How do you rank them as captives compared to any other boa? (again, on a scale of 1-10)
Ans: 80 answers, total score 514. (1-1), (3-1), (4-26), (5-5), (6-5), (7-10), (8-19), (9-2), (10-11)
Avg= 6.43
What is the single most recognisable feature of a Suriname red-tail boa? This would be what, in your own mind, most easily helps you identify a red-tail as a 'Suriname'. 61 answers (Color-6), (saddle-shape-37), (Red tail-9), (Head features-5), (Price-1), (other?-3).
The second most recognizable feature? 78 answers (Color-11), (Saddle shape-19), (Saddle count-18), (Red tail-17), (Scale counts-4), (Head shape-6), (White on tail-3).
The ventral surface or belly of a good Suriname should be:
A) lightly speckled (24)
B) moderately patterned (32)
C) well-patterned (26)
82 answers
Whether or not you feel strongly about your answer to the above question do you feel that the appearance of a boa's belly can be used to help identify boa sub-species or localities?
83 answers (No-19), (Yes-66) 79% yes
True or False.. 'Suriname boas should have well-defined peaking, or 'widows peaks' in the saddles'
81 answers (True-59), (False-22)
How many dorsal saddles (EXACT NUMBER), counting only those from the head to the vent (S-V) should an ideal Suriname boa have?
76 answers. Top answer :18 saddles (23). The rest of the answers;(6-1), (7-1), (9-1), (10-2), (11-2), (12-7), (13-1), (14-4), (15-6), (16-5), (17-7), (19-12), (20-2), (22-1), (30-1).
What range of saddle counts (most and least) S-V, can a boa have and still be considered a Suriname boa?
80 answers, top 3 answers are 15-20(21), 15-19(14), 16-19(6). The rest of the answers: (Any-1), (0.18- 2), (0.20-4), (0.24-1), (1.40-1), (3.12-1), (6.13-1), (7.11-1), (8.12-1), (8.13-1), (9.13-1), (10.14-1), (10.16-1), (10.20-2), (11.16-2), (12.13-1), (12.17-2), (12.18-1), (12.20-2), (12.21-1), (13.15-1), (13.17-1), (14.16-1), (14.18-2), (14.19-1), (14.20-1), (16.21-2), (16.24-1), (18.26-1)
Whether or not you feel strongly about the above do you even think that saddle-counts are a tool for identifying boa sub-species or locality? (yes or no, please).
81 answers: Yes (59), No (22) 73% said yes.
True or false 'I don't like dark red-tails'
85 answers True (18) the other 67 respondents do like dark red tails.
Yes or no, the side-markings and patterns of a Suriname are different from those of:
A) other red-tails (64 responses)
Ans: Yes(35), No(29)
B) BCI localities (73 responses)
Ans: Yes(62), No(11)
Of all the boas, Surinames have heads that are:
A) somewhat larger than most, proportionate to body size (41)
B) somewhat smaller than most, proportionate to body size (9)
C) about the same size as any other boa of the same general size (26)
Whether or not you feel strongly about your answer to the previous question do you feel that comparative head-size and head morphology (how it looks) makes any difference at all when identifying boas?
Yes (55), No (29) 65% yes.
True or False 'Striping is a normal pattern-trait (seen in wild populations) of Suriname boas' 79 answers:
True (23), False (56)
Profile of respondents.
I am:
A)10-20 years old (12)
B)20-30 years old (39)
C)30 or more years old (35)
I have been keeping boas for:
A) less than 5 years (18)
B) less than 10 years (36)
C) more than 10 years (33)
All information is intended for the private, non-commercial use of the addressed recipient or other reader. All other uses and rights reserved under International Copyright.. Rio Bravo Reptiles, 2004 2005.
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Gus
A. Rentfro
RioBravoReptiles.com
www.riobravoreptiles.com
"Quality is not an accident. Perfectly healthy animals are a minimum requirement.. everything else is just salesmanship" gus
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 The specs on a Suriname Boa.. and THE SURVEY SAYS!...?????? - RioBravoReptiles, Wed Feb 23 06:47:43 2005
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