Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When is a normal just a normal? The normal boa seems to be becoming extinct, pretty soon we will no longer see normal boas in the classifieds. Do you guys remember about 1 to 2 years ago there was a discussion here about people using terms too lightly? We had tons of boas on the classifieds described as “jungle like” or “American jungles”? We had a discussion here as to how the term “jungle” should be used. What I am noticing is that EVERY single normal or albino that gets posted on the forums; there is ALWAYS someone that says that the boa “looks like a pastel” or “pastelish” or just anything “pastel” for normals and “coral” for albinos. I see these boas and they look like the other THOUSANDS of normal boas I have seen and wonder why the term “pastel” is used so loosely? I know there are many people like me that have high standards but it just seems like there’s too be many new people that are being introduced to the hobby that come here with questions and I think they get misled, and I think it leads new hobbyist or new generation of hobbyist not really having an understand on how terminology should be used. I understand that people are trying to be nice and make posters feel comfortable by complementing their animals but one of two things can be happening here, people want to complement an animal by actually lying or could it be that some people actually have very low standards on what a pastel boa or other boa is. Even in all the posts where albinos have been posted, there has always been a person that has to respond with that albinos looks like a “coral/pastel” albino. So my question is when is a normal just a normal or when is an albino just an albino? For those that may still not get what I’m saying just type in “pastel boa” on a yahoo or google search and check out the pic. sections to see what kind of boas are labeled as “pastels”.

I understand what you are saying. Often people are using certain "terms" as a promotional point
When in fact the label is clearly incorrect.Just because a boa or Albino comes form a pastel breeding or maybe a Coral breeding doesn't automatically make that animal Pastel or Coral.
If they say Pastel or Coral Bloodline that's a completely different statement.
Although I do find that people also go to another extreme with the Pastel label.
My point is this the definition of Pastel is simple

A Pastel is this: A Boa that has an odd overall wash lacking the normal amount of black and a reduction in black pigmentation in particular throughout the pattern.
This is particularly apparent in babies, which have the same kind of washed out pattern as Hypos. The saddles as well as the side blotches have less black than " normal ".
In fact, often the side blotches have no black whatsoever. That's it, no more no less.
Pastel is a selectively bred polygenic trait.
Some People believe the Pastel trait has something to do with color. It really does not.
The Pastel trait removes black pigment allowing the color underneath to be seen.

So in my opinion there are varying degrees of Pastel in Boas.
You have some so so Pastel type Boas at the one end of the spectrum and then you have outrageous obvious top line Pastel Boas at the other end of the spectrum.
A Boa can be classified as "Pastel" because it fits the definition,but may not be the best example of a Pastel Boa
I do agree sometimes I see Boas labeled as something they obviously are not.
This is quite irritating often times. It does make you wonder if someone knows what they are talking about,
or if they are confused or just trying to mislead,for lack of a better word.

. . . Lar M

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Boas By Klevitz
Boas By Klevitz

I SO AGREE with you. I am a young guy (22) and I am glad that I
try to contact people that have a lot of respect in the industry
so I can get proper info. I also feel that people say those
phases to demand a higher price to the people that do not know
what is going on really. There is a HUGE spectrum of 'what is'
and 'what is not' in the Pastel realm. It is a GREAT IDEA to
have these talks on Forums because the people that honestly dont
know will look and get their knowledge from reading other people
threads.
Thanks for bringing this up again VFR
K.Bowman

Four or five years ago I bought some Pastel Boas. After I bought them I really started looking at a lot of the boas labeled as Pastels. I also talked to a lot of breeders at shows about the different lines of Pastels. After getting a lot of input from different people on the whole Pastel thing I sold my Pastel Boas because I think there is to much confusion in what is and what isn't a Pastel. I think the term PASTEL is being used very loosely. Like all morphs there are some lines that are better then others. But I also think some people are using the term now because they think they will get a few more bucks for it. I think everyone knows that a plain common boa is not really worth that much.

The Coral term for an Albino Boa I also believe is being used loosely. Normal Albino Boas are now a lot less expensive then ever before. So I think people are using the term Possible Coral so they can get a few more bucks. Some people say that the Coral is a Pastel Albino. I have seen some beautiful Coral or Pastel Albinos. Mr. Ronne has got some of the nicest examples you will ever see. Some of the Possible Coral Albinos for sale that I have seen have no more pink on them then a regular Albino. So if someone asked me what I thought about buying one of those, I would recommend buying one from someone who has a good reputation and go for a quality line. You will be much happier.

Great post.

We should have a 'say the truth day' so when people post there "pastels" we can reply and say thats a normal. Lol...
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Richard Ceniceros

It would be nice to have the whole boa community have a discussion and come to a mutual understanding as to what makes a pastel or coral albino or any other mutation, look or line someone might have questions about.

I know what you are talking about I see a lot of classifieds that are miss leading for lots of boas now a days not just the morphs either. I believe some are just labeled wrong because the seller does not really know what he or she is selling as they where told wrong when they bought the boa. Now there are some seller out there just to make a quick buck off of the naive buyer. I do try and help people at shows when I can even when they don't buy from me so they don't get ripped off.

Here are some pictures of my pastel boas.

This is the same pastel with a normal BCI boa.

This is a nice looking normal BCI that some people would try and sell as a pastel but it's not a pastel just the rare normal BCI boa. LOL This guys color is even more pink now.

Take care
Tom
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McCarthyBoas.com