Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi guys, just curious if you know a little about what area most the wild caught BT cribos are coming from? Thanks, Dan

From my understanding D. melanurus range from Central Mexico to Northern South America where they begin to "intergrade" with D. unicolor, witch becomes more predominant the further south you go. I have came to this assumption from the little info I can find on the net, in books and talking to other Dry keepers. The main thing that lead me to this conclusion is the importation laws as they have changed over the years. Granted there is no way of knowing where the snakes actually came from unless you collected them yourself or personally know the person who collected them.

On a side note I'm undecided if the two deserve full species status as my Female came from solid black tails and is loosing it every shed same as my male from completely different parent both with ink black tails...wierd? I plan to hold back all offspring for at least a year to see if some change and others don't. It would be funny if its just a small color variation and Uni's comand a much higher price, I personaly like a good looking BT better.

It makes it pretty hard for me seeing as the few snakes I keep are all from CA or SA and I actually started using this method to figure out Spilotes localities.

Male

Female

Nate

Thanks for your input Nate, thats the same local info I found. I wonder if it would hold true that the Cribos also get larger in size the farther south you go. Are the BT's in Mexico the same size as a specimen in Honduras? ..... By the way.. you guys will be seeing me around these parts now! I just tucked in my first Drys.. a lovely pair of CBB BT's. So nice to meet you all! Dan

I have heard different localities do reach different lengths some stay around 5' while others are capable of becoming 8' monsters. What localities I'm not sure of but I would venture to agree with your statement.
Dan Felice has a picture of a huge BT maybe he wants to put it up again?

It nice to get a little feedback.....the more the better! Dan

that melanurus & unicolor occur only in central america. they are separated by the many existing mountain ranges w/ the bt's on the caribbean side & the uni's on the pacific although there are apparently intergrade zones. they are replaced in s/america by yt's & other subs. a decent drymarchon range map does exist but i don't have it on file. here's that bt pic nate referred to that was sent to me some years ago by a friend out west. i saw one actually slightly bigger once at a show that was just a complete kitten!

I once caught a melanuras at the confluence of the Mopan River and Belize River in Cayo State in Belize a few inches OVER 10' long and I've seen many wild ones 8' plus....TC

O.T. a little bit but I saw numerous S. pullatus in Belize 7-8' and once caught one in Toledo State near Punta Gorda in an old thatch building over 10' long as well. It was in the thatch in the center of the roof....TC

and Dan.. I'd love to see that map if you find it!