Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click here for Dragon Serpents
Click for ZooMed
Click here to visit Classifieds

How to identify hypo nics?

Kevin Saunders Oct 14, 2006 11:15 PM

I just recently went into a crappy chain pet store and as I glanced through the herps I noticed one Central American BCI that really stood out to me. I could only see a small part of it, but it had such clean pattern and color that I asked someone to move it so I could get a better look. As far as my taste goes, this snake was phenomenal-my ideal Nicaraguan if I've ever seen one. The trouble is, it was priced unreasonably high like most of their herps. I'm still considering trying to get it just because I like it so much and I'd hate for it to waste away under their crappy conditions. I tried to get a good look at the tail on this one because it seemed so unusually bright and lacking dark pigment.

The trouble is, I don't really know what to look for in identifying a hypo (if I could allow myself to believe there's a chance they might actually have one). I'd like to know for future reference regardless-I was thinking it was most evident by looking at the amount of black pigment on the tail saddles? I checked online for some pictures but saw a wide variety of boas labelled as hypos, but I'm questioning the validity of some.

Anyway, if someone can answer this for me I'd be much obliged. It would be much easier to justify paying the hefty price for this boa if it actually was a hypo, but I do realize that is pretty unlikely. Thanks in advance for any help, and I'd really appreciate speedy replies because after tomorrow I'll be out of town and unable to get back to the store for a while.

Replies (8)

johnberry Oct 15, 2006 07:44 AM

Hypo NIC Bci _ possible super

Sub Adult male Hypo NIC Bci

cheers, John
-----
www.johnberryreptiles.com
www.designermorphs.com - the most complete guide to boa & python mutations, morphs and hybrids

graciascott Oct 15, 2006 11:55 PM

Check out Tom and Amanda Burke's site, they have some GREAT animals! www.burkereptiles.com/

Here is one of their Hypo Het Type II's (poss Super)that I got from them.

Vin Russo (Cutting Edge Herpstological, Inc.) was nice enough to deliver it to me at the NARBC in Tinley Park. Thanks again, Vin! Check out his sight also, he has a ton of BEAUTIFUL dwarf localities including Hypo Nics. www.cuttingedgeherp.com/

My gut would say that if it's in a petstore it probably is not a Hypo. Too many "eyes" would have looked over it for it to have been missed. After all, there is a HUGE price difference between a normal Nic and a Hypo. But then again, you never know!

If it's a good looking/healthy animal, and you are that hyped about it, pick it up, I'm sure you will be thrilled with it.

Take Care,
Scott Dixon
Heartland Herps
Link

amiemac9 Oct 16, 2006 06:00 AM

Here are some pictures of mine. This one is a farmed female, if the one at the pet store looks like this one than it may very well be a hypo that they are trying to sell.
Link

amiemac9 Oct 16, 2006 06:01 AM

The top one is the female posted above. And the nic on the bottom would be a typical colored dark one.
Link

amiemac9 Oct 16, 2006 06:06 AM

He is CB from Tom Burke and is a little more refined in colors than the female.

Amie
Link

Kevin Saunders Oct 16, 2006 11:19 AM

I appreciate the input, but it looks like I can't get the boa now. I tried to work out something with the owner and even had a friend who owns her own pet store offer to trade her another boa for it, but this lady was a real jerk and I guess I have no shot at getting it now. I will be keeping an eye out for more though, not hypos specifically just any Nic I like as much as the one I saw.

Amie, what size boaphile are yours in? I may be getting one in a trade soon and was wondering how it would compare to yours in size. Thanks.

Kevin Saunders Oct 16, 2006 11:21 AM

After looking again I'm not sure that is a boaphile, but I would still like to know the dimensions if it's not too much trouble.

amiemac9 Oct 17, 2006 06:08 AM

Hi Kevin,

Good eye! Those are Boaphiles. They are the 421D models. I believe they are 48"x 24"x12" The snakes are about 4 feet long.

Amie

Site Tools