The Reptile World is collectively going to come to the realization that a breakthrough of “true designer” mutations in Boa Constrictors is upon us! This is… “The Boa Revolution”!
What The Boa Revolution is NOT: It is not about a single new mutation. It is not about any single individual. That being said, let me spread a little more fertilizer on what is… The Boa Revolution!
Selective breeding can improve almost any average “wild type” or genetic mutation-displaying Boa. However, selective breeding has its limits. Mutations increase what can be done with Boas. The right kinds of mutations can and will multiply what can be done with Boas exponentially! Come on Boa Revolution!
Variability among the same subspecies of Boa is generally much greater than among the Ball Python. Even within a single litter of Boas, one can often see widely varied appearances. This is not nearly as common with Heterozygous co-dominant (more accurately, “Incomplete Dominant”) Ball Pythons. The differences between the Het form of most of the co-dominant Ball mutations and the “wild type” are so subtle that many Boa people just shrug their shoulders and fail to notice them. For instance, imagine a Zebra born with horizontal rather than vertical stripes; it would stand out because normal Zebras have such a predictable appearance. I believe that so many mutations have been identified in Ball Pythons due to a similar consistency of appearance of “wild type” Ball Pythons. Anything “unusual” (like horizontal Zebra stripes), even if it is subtle, is obvious to a discerning eye.
I believe that heritable mutations are no less common in Boa Constrictors than in Ball Pythons and similar tiny deviations from the “wild type” often go completely unnoticed in Boas because individual appearance is so varied among Boas sharing the same genetics. If Zebras had seventy-five commonly occurring patterns instead of one, subtle differences would easily go unnoticed.
Also, it is a natural temptation for many Boa breeders to focus on mass production, putting genes together to make the largest number of marketable offspring possible. One advantage of having a larger, more diverse group of animals is the luxury to think outside that box and go beyond the biggest number game to invest in projects that may make something special. This means some of us can take the time to raise up and breed babies that showed subtle differences and perhaps make genetic discoveries that would, otherwise, get lost in the production race.
For many Boa people the significance of what I am about to say may take a while to sink in because of “Boa Constrictor Mutation Tunnel Vision.” However, those who are familiar with the many and varied Ball Python and Reticulated Python mutations will grasp what I am about to describe much more quickly.
I have been a student of Ball Mutations for some time. I have thought long and hard about how those mutations could translate into Boas and how experiences with Ball breeding could help me to short cut the path to inconceivable Boas. This past December, I began thinking through the various “types” of mutations in the Ball World that might possibly have crossover applications in the Boa World. There are several “types” that I considered and as part of that thought process I put them into several categories:
1. The Simple Recessive Mutations. We are very familiar with this type of mutation in Boas, as seen in albinos, anerys, etc. The simple recessives (even when combined with other recessives or co-dominant mutations like hypomelanism) typically transform the color of the animal, or perhaps a specific aspect of pattern. There are other subtle changes that can accompany simple recessive mutations, but essentially, a simple recessive gene affects a simple change like removing black or red. This is more or less consistent within the Ball World. There are exceptions in both Worlds, Leopard Boas for instance. Though there is no question in my mind that if all “wild type” Boas looked alike, that particular mutation would be considered co-dominant.
2. Dominant and co-dominant or more accurately, “Incomplete Dominant”. We are also familiar with these in the Boa breeding world. These primarily tweak other characteristics but mostly not in the same insane way we see in some Ball Python combinations. These special mutations in the Ball World are what I concentrated on in regard to how it would play out in the Boa World. Next are what I call the “Game-Changer” mutations.
3. The “Game-Changer” mutations.
A. The “White” Ball Pythons. There are several co-dominant mutations in the Ball World that make an all white or virtually all white Ball Python. The Heterozygous form of these mutations, in combination with other mutations can create true designer Ball Pythons.
B. The “Unicolor” Ball Pythons. The “Special/Super Special” and the “Mystic/Super Mystic” are examples of this type of mutation. When the Heterozygous form is combined with other Heterozygous forms, the results are spectacular designer Ball Pythons which look like neither of the Heterozygous or homozygous forms involved. Insane Combos!
C. The “Patternless” Ball Pythons. The “Cinny/Super Cinny” and the “Black Pastel/Super Black Pastel” are examples of Ball mutations the Heterozygous forms of which are combined with other mutations to create designer Ball Pythons with a distinct and often entirely unexpected appearance.
I believe we already have several of the “Game-Changer” mutations stirring quietly in the Boa World. These are not yet very common, and at least one is semi-secret. The months and most likely year ahead will bring us evidence of some of those “Game-Changer” combinations that will shake the proverbial head of the entire Reptile World, making it reconsider … the Boa Constrictor. While I use an abundance of innuendo, the reality will be incontrovertible soon. I personally have been jumping out of my skin thinking about some of the potential combinations that I might be able to try to see what marvels await.
Jeremy Stone's Princess Diamond project is solid evidence for my thesis about what is possible with Boas. You do not have to be a selective breeding genius to see the insane beauty of the Hets that Jeremy's all white screamer has produced! PLEASE NOTE: None of the known “White Snakes” in Boid World produce a Het that is not visual. In case you missed that, every single type of “White Python” has visually identifiable Hets. There is NO reason to think that would not also be the case with white Boas. So it should come as no surprise that Jeremy’s Hets are beautiful and stand out from “wild type” Boas! I just wish we could see more. But I am certain there will be more good Boa news on the horizon.
I have been saying for years that Boa people need to use a more discerning eye when deciding what to do with special offspring they produce. The widely varied appearance of Boas only makes it more difficult to identify and reproduce special mutations in our Boas. A few have taken this to heart while many have scoffed. That’s fine. It certainly is not nearly as easy to follow up on a possible outcome in Boas like it is with Balls. “Dinker” projects, as they are called with Ball Pythons, are relatively inexpensive and short term due to Ball Pythons productivity.
The fact that male Ball Pythons can become fathers before they are a year of age, and that they can and will routinely breed multiple females make them most prolific of all Boids. They are the virtual colubrid of the Boid group, if you will.
The ease of identifying Ball mutations and the ability to breed them in such a short time with little difficulty are the reasons soooooooooo many crazy Ball mutations exist and spread so quickly. I have been astounded by what I have seen from Ball Python breeders. While it is true that Boas have much larger litters, they are not bred by just anyone with the predictability of the sun rising in the East and setting in the West like Ball Pythons. Two or three years after the introduction of a new cool co-dominant Ball mutation, you can see scores of breeders reproducing them. Two or three years into a brand new co-dominant Boa mutation, you would be lucky to see two or three Boa guys making the same new mutation. This gives the new Boa breeding expansion legs if you will.
Back in the day… I mean back in 1990-2003 or so, a trip to the big snake party in Orlando and later in Daytona, clearly showed that the strongest species in the Worldwide Reptile Market was, by far, the Boa Constrictor. Easily over half the tables at any show included Boas and probably 25% had nothing but Boas on their table. That first and rightful place has been supplanted by the accelerated propagation of crazy and easily identifiable mutations in the Ball World. There is no question that the visuals created in the Ball Python World are generations ahead of Boas and have (temporarily) overtaken us.
Why were Boas so popular? Simple. They are majestic harmless Boids that do not get large enough to eat Buffalo. They have personalities that are interesting. They are handleable and not virtual inanimate objects. They are not the easiest Boid on the block to breed, making them an attainable challenge for the committed keeper. The Boa Constrictor has the widest “wild type” visual appearance of any Boid with numerous localities and dramatically varied appearances even within individual localities. These traits earned the Boa Constrictor its rightful place as King of the Reptile Hill. These are the precise reasons why the Reptile World is about to turn its eyes back to its roots- that is, its Boa roots.
The dawning of a new age of Boa mutations is upon us. Ready or not… believe it is or not… it is coming! The fact that breeding Boas requires greater diligence and commitment of both time and space plays directly into our future return as holders of the FIRST place in the Reptile Breeding World. Slow and steady wins the race. We are making quantum strides in Boa morph combos, and with the advent of the true “designer mutations’ in Boas… You ain't seen nothing yet!
Look CAREFULLY at those babies you produce. You may be a key part of this Revolution.
Again, hang on! This is going to be a great ride!
The Boa Revolution is upon us!
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Jeff Ronne Sr
The Boaphile
Director USARK
Originator of Boaphile Plastics
The Boaphile Boa Site
