Reptile & Amphibian Forums

never heard of or seen is the Hispanolan Vine Boa [Epicrates gracilis]. I only have one pair and possibly the ONLY ones in the U.S. This morning she has finally began to give birth. So far I have 3 live and one dead neonate but she likely will have 2-3 more before she is through. Back in the day I bred these to f-3 generations. I believe these to be the strangest Boa on the planet and sadly most herpers do not even know they exist. The adult is my male and he is fully grown. They max out at about 3' in length....Thanks for looking

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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

Very cool Tom. Are they rodent feeders?
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Randy Whittington

Man these do look neat Tom. How big are the babies compared to let's say a t. m. melanurus?

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If con is the opposite of pro, does that mean congress is the opposite of progress??

They are actually larger than T. melanurus. Where did you get that orange one from? I imported about 50-60 of those back in the day and haven't seen them since. I'd love to get my hands on some more. If you check my website I have pics of Red ones and YELLOW ones I had. I've never been able to get more. The Vine Boas pretty much eat Anoles their entire life. It's possible to get them on rodents but they do better on ectothermic prey....As those T. melanurus mature they get redder with age!!!!!

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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

Did you get that one Jam boa from Bill? If so, he picked it up from me in 99' I believe and the pair were a solid year old.
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If con is the opposite of pro, does that mean congress is the opposite of progress??

All the Jamaicans Bill had I have aquired and they were ALL produced by me back in the day anyway. Likely the one you had I bred. Slowly I've been buying back all mine I can find here. There my favorites and I've been breeding them for 30 years now....

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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

Congratulations Tom. That is great news. Do these slough soon after birth, similar to hognoses for example. They look like they are in their blue phase already.

Where did they all go. You mentioned breeding them through to F3. I am sure the numbers were not huge, but I would have thought some would have made it through. Are these that gave birth from your original breedings?

Warren
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Dr Warren Booth / Director USARK
North Carolina State University
Department of Entomology

Actually at one time I had over 20 adults I had bred and raised. These are from those days and I have been trying to find the others for several years now. The female is actually on loan to me from a friend who bought a group from me but over time he lost his other two snakes. At least now we have a few more to work with....Anyone who has any of these could contact me if they wish...
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

bug eyed little suckers aren't they

What is the disposition like on the Hispanolan Vine Boa?

BTW, thanks for posting these, really cool.

they look like tiny anacondas!

Congrats on your success with them. Do you also work with the 'banana boas' (Ungaliophis panamensis)?
-April
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'There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."' -Rainshadow

I used to breed U. continentalis but have no Ungaliophis presently but wish I did...thanks
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

Congrats Tom. That's very, very cool.

Its pretty cool to see one alive. I am from the Dominican republic and to tell you the truth i have never seen one alive. I have found numerous dead ones but that the fault of the people around here who kill them befor i can get to them. Its sad that they kill them because of there fears of snakes being demonic and superstition nonsense.

Insular Epicrates are indeed very cool. Hope to have some one of these days.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer