Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my PRB. I have been looking at images online and my PRB looks like most pics posted as PRBs but it also looks a lot like most BRB pics. Is my PRB actually a PRB?

Luke

That's the crux of the reclassification, PRB's and BRB's are not significantly different. Visually, many look alike. Jeff can (and I hope will) chime in with scale row count numbers which is the only clear difference between the two.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

O ok, I knew that they had a different scale count but I didn't know that was the only way to tell the difference. I also don't know how many each has, or how to count them. Not yet anyways. I too hope Jeff chimes in lol. Thanks Dave

Luke Deer

Don't misunderstand me, there are visual differences, like bolder darker outlines, it's just that some PRB's look like BRB's and vice versa.

A general link on how to count scales, mid body scale count is what we're talking about.
http://www.seanthomas.net/oldsite/scount.html

PRB's are in the 41-43 range
BRB's are in the 45-51 range
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

PRB's are in the 41-43 range
BRB's are in the 47-51 range

Individuals with 44-46 are likely intergrades.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

The darker circles is what I heard at first so I assumed mine was Peruvian because of how dark his circles were, also the reptile guy at the store said he was a Peruvian. I just attempted to count his scales and that is almost impossible lol. I had no idea if i was starting in the right spot and he would not stop moving. I'll eventually get the hang of it.

Luke Deer

PRB's are BRB's collect out of Peru

ROFLOL.....

Wait till he sheds, sooooooooooooooo much easier to count on a static shed than a wriggling snake.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

BTW, I'm sure there are many really good exceptions but the majority of "reptile guys at the store" are glorified sales clerks with little to no real knowledge of the reptiles they sell.

I would not be surprised at all if the scale count went into the BRB range, or even between the two ranges.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (02/01/2010):
42.61 BRB
27.40 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Yea I know what you mean, but i didn't buy the snake off his word only lol I went home and looked them both up to be sure. I'm hoping my assumption on the dark black circles turns out to be correct lol.

Luke Deer

Luke,
...Your snake is an Epicrates cenchria. Common name Brazilian Rainbow Boa. There are no longer any recognized subspecies of this snake. If your snake has 41 to 43 scale rows at midbody it would have been classified as a Peruvian Rainbow Boa, Epicrates cenchria gaigei in the past when the Peruvians were a recognized subspecies. Before these snakes were reclassified there was loads of hype and misinformation going around about them. The reclassification makes it simpler but unfortunataly most of the hype and misinformation is still out there polluting the internet. I was faced with a problem when they got reclassified. I have a bunch of them and they are different enough than typical Brazilians with the larger scales and generally thicker and darker dark markings that I am not comfortable marketing them as typical Brazilian Rainbow Boas. My solution is to call them Peruvian locale Brazilian Rainbows. This is much like the people who use locale names for different appearing Cornsnakes, Grey Banded Kingsnakes, etc. I am not entirely comfortable with this but it is what is commonly done in the reptile hobby. BTW, scale counts on little snakes are near impossible. If you wait for a shed skin the counts are still difficult but a little easier. Just to complicate the subject further there are snakes out there (lots of them in fact) with intermediate scale counts as Dave mentioned. From your photo all I can say is nice looking Epicrates cenchria.
Jeff

I might sound like an idiot here but if I understood you right my snake is a Peruvian locale Brazilian Rainbow boa, that falls under the species Epicrates cenchria? That there are no longer a subspecies called Peruvian rainbow boa.

Luke Deer

Luke,
....Yes and no. Yes, there is no longer a recognized species or subspecies called Peruvian Rainbow Boa. No, I cannot tell from your photo whether your snake has the lower scale count that would have made it a Peruvian Rainbow Boa in the past or that would make it accurate to now say it is a Peruvian locale Brazilian Rainbow Boa.
Jeff

Ok I understand. Thanks for the information and your time.

Luke Deer