Reptile & Amphibian Forums

...the Round Island Boa

Lets see the head. So you story is that you just picked up this rare and endangered boa for $150, from some dude that didn't know anything about it? Was he able to tell you where he got it or the sex or anything? Are you gonna find someone who is breeding them and donate it to them? Seems like a big deal to me?! Im baffled.

With so much farse going on here it was meant as a light hearted post. Unfortunately, and I guess it's a sign of the times, not one person here could ID that boa!

It's a sad day when people are more interested in albino/salmon/jungle this or that (not a dig at anyone I should stress!!!) than learning about our planet's spectacular boids. People who do try and teach people about the benefits of not cross breeding, the beauty of insular species etc. are constantly slated here! It's a sad situation.

Here was a picture of an incredibly rare boid that ONLY occurs on an island of 151 ha in size, and nobody even blinked!

I'm baffled too!

I blinked several times! Beautiful animal and I always enjoy the pictures you share w/ us of the rare species we'd otherwise never see or hear about! Thanks and feel free to educate us anytime! Jonathan
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Jonathan Brady
"Sarcasm is angers ugly cousin" -Dr. Buddy Rydell (Jack Nicholson) in "Anger Management".

Well it's nice to see someone likes the pictures!

The last photo was a wild adult, photographed on Round Island. This one is a captive adult, part of Jersey Zoo's (UK) breeding program. You may have seen this pic before?

I know it may seem surprising that some of us cannot fly over to Great Britain to see this snake at the Jersey Wildlife Preservation...the only facility in the world (as far as I have read) that has these animals. I can't imagine why no one could identify this snake. Must be a bunch of morons running around on this forum. Maybe if there were albinos of this snake for sale on reptibid we would be more interested, but since there are not any for sale, why would we even care. As far as I can tell, everyone on this forum is only interested in the snake with the "$" markings on them.

Why don't we post photos of Exiliboa placata, or Tropidophis paradalis, or Epicrates s. warreni to see who knows what they are. I guess if you don't know, you can go back to your albinos and jungles knowing that you REALLY don't care enough about other species in the wild. We should all be ashmed of ourselves. Derek (wholesaler of sarcasm and overexaggeration)
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Derek Roberts
Sonoran Reptile
sonoranreptile@earthlink.net

Yes, you make a great point!....What that is though, I doubt if anyone knows.

Unfortunately you took this post a little too seriously (despite your own brand of...uh-hum...humour / sarcasm), and I think way too personally - probably because you failed to ID the animal.

In future, might I suggest that you do learn about other Boids than the ones you always see here. They're very interesting you know! And there are plenty of photographs all over this great form of media they call the internet. Hey, you might even be able to save yourself that airfare!

ALSO, in the meantime, remember that not once did I actually attack say the morph market. I actually believe it plays a huge part in getting people interested in herps in the first place. And, yes, there are some morons here, but thankfully they are in the minority. Most people simply like to share photo's, ideas, points of view, etc..

Have a great day, and I hope you like this pic!

(Oh, and so you know, I am a professional herpetologist / conservationist, and I DO care about species in the wild!)

I guess what I was getting at is that you seemed very surprised that no one could identify a boa that is only found on such a small island, is only kept in one facility, and is VERY hard to find GOOD pictures of. I have yet to see a photo of Casarea dussumieri crawling on someone's hand until your photo, as I am sure that most people haven't. The fact is that a majority of these forums are perused by hobbyists and not "scientists" who work in the field with rare and obscure animals that may be very familiar to them but not to the general herp public.

Please also realize that us breeders/hobbyists do pick up a book or two and read about ALL species of boids, colubrids, or whatever we may interested in. Remeber that just because no one could ID one of the rarest animals in the world does not make us unaware of the world around us and what may lie within. Derek
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Derek Roberts
Sonoran Reptile
sonoranreptile@earthlink.net

By the way, that is Bolyeria multocarinata - not seen alive since 1975 unfortunately.

don't take the fact that nobody id'd that snake so personally.

I've read about them (believed extinct in the wild, if I remember correctly) but I've never seen one. Beautiful animal.

Raven

Still looks like a bibroni australis to me.

Horridus

I totally agree. Though in 'real life' they are much heavier bodied. The neonates are bright red too - simply stunning - let me scan some slides.

When you look at this species and the Candoia's it certainly makes you think about their evolution and inter-generic relationships.

pretty snakes. The Round Is. Boa kind of reminds me of my insulars. Speaking of, any news on the DR?

Jay W.

Actually, I think that both of those snakes pictured in this thread are real beauties. I really like the simplicity of basically solid toned snakes. Yeah, I like the normal Bci and all the morphs, too, but even the so-called 'plain' snakes are still just gorgeous.

Raven

much on the "eye candy" phases, but to each their own.

Jay W.

Mostly I have normal color phases of my animals, and they hold the nearest and dearest place in my heart, but I also appreciate the animals that are different than what nature's pallette made. I can't help but be awed by the beauty of some of the color and pattern morphs. Not every morph leaves me wanting a little more cash and room for just 'one more cage' but there are a few. Just sign me up for Boas Anonymous.

Not yet - still trying! Keep in touch

,,