Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I rarely see any posts about argentine (Boa constrictor occidentalis) here.

I've loved the argentine look for some time and finally bought a male baby this weekend (sorry don't have pictures yet-letting him settle and didn't have the camera out when I got him home). I am very attracted to the darker locality boas (why I also love the longicauda).

What's your views on the argentines??? Anyone have pics of thier favorite aregentines to share?

For those that have them, what's their temperments like? I have read that they are feisty youngin's but become good pets as they age. The boy I got is really docile...but I just got him so we'll see what happens after he's settled in for a while!

Thanks in advance to any that post comments!
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Pythons; Bci; Bcl
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

Argentines RULE! One of my favorite subs. I've found them to be a bit fiestier than other Boas, but they seem to relax a bit, especially if they are accustomed to human interaction.
Good luck with him!

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to raising him.
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Pythons; Bci; Bcl
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

I've always liked argentines ever since I was young, I have found them to be very handable and great pets. Here's a few recent pics of some of my argentines:
'03 Male:

'03 Female:

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www.ArabesqueBoa.com

Nice argentines Chad! Thanks for sharing.
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Pythons; Bci; Bcl
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

I've always wondered why we don't hear more about Occidentalis. A lot of people say that they are their favorites but it seems there is just no hype about them! I have been holding off getting a pair because quite honestly, the size puts me off. But I handle my all of my snakes enough so that they are all calm and handlable when out, and I know sometimes accidents occur, but I feel like I have enough sense and knowledge to know when to keep myself out of danger. I think I will finally break down and buy a pair for myself one of these days. Congrats on your new guy, and YES I love Longicauda as well (but you already knew that)
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1.2 Longicauda
2.2 Bolivian Amarali
0.3 S.B. Amarali
1.1 Centalians
1.0 Dumerils
2.2 Hog Isles

there isn't much hype because of the few numbers of morph that B.c.o. has (T pos and motley only)?
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Pythons; Bci; Bcl
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

But that's okay, not too much hype for our beloved Longicauda or Amarali either. I'm okay with that though... a lot of morphs come and go but there is nothing better than a classic pure animal in my eyes. Although I do plan on getting at least one T pos
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1.2 Longicauda
2.2 Bolivian Amarali
0.3 S.B. Amarali
1.1 Centalians
1.0 Dumerils
2.2 Hog Isles

The argentines really aren't too far out of the range of what you're already keeping. Handle them when they're young and don't let the big bluff hissing and carrying on fool you into closing the cage, and you shouldn't have any problems with them at all. Most of the time if you pick up a hissing baby it doesn't even bite. Keep letting that go on though, and you're setting some bad habits up for down the road. It is pretty cool though when you get an entire rack of argentines hissing at the same time, lol.

Hah, if I let a little hissing bother me, I probably wouldn't be into boas. I went to go pick up one of my babies today and he was hissing like crazy and zoning in on my hand but just watched me as I grabbed him out LOL. Crazy things snakes are

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1.2 Longicauda
2.2 Bolivian Amarali
0.3 S.B. Amarali
1.1 Centalians
1.0 Dumerils
2.2 Hog Isles

I love it! Great photo.
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Pythons; Bci; Bcl
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

Thanks! I don't think I'll end up with a rack of them , but I've definately gotten used to hissing babies.
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Pythons; Bci; Bcl
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

Mine's a sweethear. Pretty decent size too. Of course he's also at least 12 years old I'm at work, will try to post some photos of him in the tub when I get home. He's hard to photograph cause he moves a bit, and he's dark, but damn he's pretty. Easily one of my favorite snakes...if only they weren't Appendix I.

More: I think that the interstate commerece limits on them certainly hurt; needing pricey paperwork to sell a boa that doesn't bring over 300 bucks...well, I can see how that tamps down on the market.
I like my Argentine, but I'm not going to bred him because I'd only be able to sell the babies within Texas. I've grown up with Yoda--I got him as a juvy back when I was 12 years old, and I'm 25 now

Same here. I got mine specifically as my own pet. I have some breeding plans for my other boas in the future. I am also trying to be very selective with how many of the larger boas I will have...I am a shorter gal so the CA boas are very attractive to me for their size. We have a 7ft Bci and I sometimes need help getting her around
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Pythons; Bci; Bcl
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

Yes, please post a photo if you can. I love dark! Appendix I sure bottlenecked the gene flow for them. Very unfortunate.
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Pythons; Bci; Bcl
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

Unless there is a brand new law I'm not aware of no permit is needed to ship argentine boas from one state to another.

B. c. occidentalis is a CITES Appendix I animal now. So you have to have a CITES permit for interstate transportation and sells.

You will with out doubt enjoy your BCO, They are hissy babies much like the BCA and the BCC from Peru....but conditioning them to know that the hissing does not scare away the big bad hand, they will calm quickly.
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Joel Thomas

Don't tread on me!

in the cage:

in the bathtub. The tub is 5' long, just for size reference

putting Yoda back in the cage:

yoda's not a real photo friendly snake, he's very active and inquisitive. Plus the dark red on his tail is hard to make come out in photos.

I want out! :_)

Yoda's awesome...and I love his name! Thanks for posting photos.
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Python; Bci; Bcl; Bco
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

hey, I can call my snakes my babies right?

Hahahaha...I do. My husband laughs at me!
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Python; Bci; Bcl; Bco
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

GORGEOUS!!! I really love his unique pattern... and those colors! Wow!!
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2.3 Longicauda
2.2 Bolivian Amarali
0.3 S.B. Amarali
1.1 Centalians
1.0 Dumerils
2.2 Hog Isles
0.1 Woma Python

Beautiful!

He's in shed this month, and as he's gotten older the times on his cycle has really increased--it may be a couple of weeks from the first time I notice he looks in shed until he's shed.

We were promised pictures... I demand them now!
But seriously, I wanna see that gorgeous Argentine you picked up
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2.3 Longicauda
2.2 Bolivian Amarali
0.3 S.B. Amarali
1.1 Centalians
1.0 Dumerils
2.2 Hog Isles
1.0 Thayeri

Here are some I took this morning. I just fed him last night, so I couldn't take him out for light box photos, so sorry for the poor quality

With flash

Without flash

Hope you enjoyed! He's been great so far.
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Python; Bci; Bcl; Bco
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

Wow!!! He's gorgeous
Makes me want one even more!!
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2.3 Longicauda
2.2 Bolivian Amarali
0.3 S.B. Amarali
1.1 Centalians
1.0 Dumerils
2.2 Hog Isles
1.0 Thayeri

We just completed a trade for "Mosaic" with Marc Morris. We are trading him our Garnett's Greater Bush Baby for her as well as a pair of venezuelan boas. Here are a few pics of her that he took and you can bet that we will post pics of us holding her when she gets here next week. We are honored to be able to call her our own. She is special even if she might be just a non-genetic anomaly.

She is awesome! She looks as though she's been rolled in sugar. Big congrats, and please post pictures when you get her!
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Cheers,
Jessica Gibbs
Ball Pythons; Corn Snakes; Green Tree Python; Jungle Carpet Python; Bci; Bcl; Bco
3.0 Crazy Dogs and 2.0 cats
Some Tropical Fish
...........and growing!

She's AWESOME!! I'm jealous!
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2.3 Longicauda
2.2 Bolivian Amarali
0.3 S.B. Amarali
1.1 Centalians
1.0 Dumerils
2.2 Hog Isles
1.0 Thayeri