Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know that there's a ton of variability between "normal" phase rainbow boas and ball pythons, however does this hold true for boas as well? If so, can anyone give me some pictures as examples of the spectrum?

I saw this incredibly pink and light RTB at a pet store along with 2 pretty average looking ones. She looked sort of hypo however after looking at actual hypos I can see that she's not, since the black lines defining the red in her tail are still dark. Anyways I'll try to get a pic sometime. I'm thinking about getting her even though the origins of pet store boas is always sketchy and she probably would not be good for breeding, she's just really cool looking and I've been wanting one for a while.
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Danne
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1.0 '07 BRB "Monroe"
1.0 '08 BRB 66% het Anery "Ace"
1.0 '08 Pastel BP "Sebastian"
1.1 Leos "Bowser & Peach"
0.2 Dumbo (non-feeder) rats "Josie & Holly"

Email = dshoback@eden.rutgers.edu

Danne,
Boa constrictor is a far more diverse race in my opinion than both Epicrates cenchria or Python regius. Or at least, the differencies are far more noticeable than in case of other species.
As an example, I attached some pics. All the animals are "normal" littermates and as you can see, there are distinct differencies even in the same litter. Not to talk about different subspecies, localities, populations, etc...

Regards,
Adam

Boa constrictor

The previous poster answered the question pretty accurately, tons of variations in color, pattern, speckles, etc. in all normals, morphs, and locale boas. Folks pick up animals they like for a trait and breed to 'perfect' or intensify it.
As for a petstore animal, you may not know the origin, but I've picked up some nice animals from local pet stores even though I prefer folks that specialize in boas for their knowledge of care, etc. Just as long as the animal looks healthy (ie- no mucous, wounds, abscesses, infections, retained skin, etc.) and you keep quarantine standards, there is no reason not to purchase an animal you like, or even breed it later. Just be cautious, always, even when you are buying from a breeder... there will always be bad apples amongst us. Reputation definitely helps though.
Here are two het. albino sisters from the same litter from 2007... I took the picture when they were 5 or so months old, I love the contrast!


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Steph S.
Boas...
1.1 Albino boas (Loki & Hope)
1.4 07 Het. albino boas (Petty & Lady,Sierra,Madeline,Lola)
0.1 Reverse stripe poss. het albino (Cookie)
0.1 Salmon/hypo (Scarlet)
0.1 Anery poss. het snow (Missy)
1.0 Anery (Reno)
1.0 Probable Super Salmontine(Kahn)
0.1 Salmontine (Sonya)
1.1 DH Sunglow (Gabrielle and Bonnie)
0.0.1 Hypo het anery
1.1 07 Hypo pos. triple hets (Rico Suave & Pumpkin)
1.0.1 Het. Anery (Guy & ?)
0.3 Normals (Ophelia, Sasha, & Lulu)
1.0 Surinames (Solomon & Surreal(deceased)
1.3 Hog Isles (Mr.Orange & Peaches, Tang, Isis)
0.0.1 Central American (Sassy)
1.0 ATB (Satan... seriously!)
Pythons...
2.1 GTPs (B., Monty & Jewel)
0.0.3 BPs (MJ, Precious, Houdini)
1.2 Carpet Pythons (Jackson, Charlotte, & Cassandra)
0.1 Blood python (Akaia)
1.2 Children's Pythons
Misc.
1.1 Mandarin Ratsnakes (Jack & Jill)
1.0 Boxer/Pitt Mutt (Tyson)

Thanks so much, great looking snakes too! Even the normals look so pretty. Hopefully I'll be able to get the girl I saw as a late xmas present to myself, I'll try to post a pic of her with the two others sometime either way.
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Danne
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1.0 '07 BRB "Monroe"
1.0 '08 BRB 66% het Anery "Ace"
1.0 '08 Pastel BP "Sebastian"
1.1 Leos "Bowser & Peach"
0.2 Dumbo (non-feeder) rats "Josie & Holly"

Email = dshoback@eden.rutgers.edu