Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi!
I bought a wild caught female candoïa.
The guy said to me that it's a viper boa, but I don't think so, because she has a long tail and doesn't have the shape of a viper boa.
I read the text about candoia on kingsnake.com/candoia
and after check all the pics, I think that it's maybe an Halmahera.
What do you think about this?
Thank you

Bye

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1.0 Jungle carpet python
1.2 Amazon tree boa
1.3 Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Candoïa
1.0 Rough-scaled sand boa
1.0 Russian sand boa
1.0 Argentine B&W tegu

Second pic:

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1.0 Jungle carpet python
1.2 Amazon tree boa
1.3 Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Candoïa
1.0 Rough-scaled sand boa
1.0 Russian sand boa
1.0 Argentine B&W tegu

And the last pic,
one of her head.

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1.0 Jungle carpet python
1.2 Amazon tree boa
1.3 Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Candoïa
1.0 Rough-scaled sand boa
1.0 Russian sand boa
1.0 Argentine B&W tegu

Looks like Paulsoni to me.

Joe
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2.2 Solomen Island ground boas
0.1 Solomen Island tree boa
1.0 green tree python
1.0 jungle carpet python
1.0 coastal carpet python
1.0 Boa constrictor imperator
0.1 Borneo short-tailed (blood) python
1.0 CB sunbeam snake

Thank you
if you said that it's a paulsoni it's probably a paulsoni. Me, I don't know realy good candoia, it's my first.
Thank you very much

excuse my english it's not my first langage

bye
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1.0 Jungle carpet python
1.2 Amazon tree boa
1.3 Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Candoïa
1.0 Rough-scaled sand boa
1.0 Russian sand boa
1.0 Argentine B&W tegu

It's not a viper boa (C.aspera), but I'm pretty certain it's not a Halmahera either (C.p.tasmai).

Being wild caught, I doubt it is a standard Solomon Island Boa, as there is no export allowed from these islands any more. However, it could be another subspecies from a nearby island.

It is certainly Candoia paulsoni, but what subspecies I don't know. The only way of telling is to scale count it. If you count the ventrals, subcauduals, midbody and various head scales, I would be able to tell what what subspecies it is, and roughly the location where it comes from.
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Regards
Chris Jones
Chris Jones Reptiles
Sand Boa Forum

Ok,
I had post a message to Jerry Conway friday, He answered to me two minutes ago.
He said that it probably a gold phase halmahera boa.
?!? Hummmm....if you want I can check the scales?
Who has the good answers ?!?
Thanks for lot of informations

Bye
Spat
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1.0 Jungle carpet python
1.2 Amazon tree boa
1.3 Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Candoïa
1.0 Rough-scaled sand boa
1.0 Russian sand boa
1.0 Argentine B&W tegu

Hey,

Nope, its not a gold phase Halmahera. This is a gold phase Halmahera:

You can check more on the Halmahera Boas on my web site.

I'm not sure what exactly it is, but it does look very nice.
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Regards
Chris Jones
Chris Jones Reptiles
Sand Boa Forum

When I look the picture that you posted and my snake "live" I think that it's realy the same species of snake. What let you think that my snake is not a gold phase Halamhera?
Do you know the scales count difference of Halmahera and Paulsoni?
If you said that it's not an Halmahera because she is dark on the pics, in reality she is lighter.

Thanks
bye
Spate
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1.0 Jungle carpet python
1.2 Amazon tree boa
1.3 Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Candoïa
1.0 Rough-scaled sand boa
1.0 Russian sand boa
1.0 Argentine B&W tegu

Halmahera and 'paulsoni' are the same species.

Halmahera Island Ground Boa is Candoia paulsoni tasmai and the more common captive is the Solomon Island Ground Boa which is Candoia paulsoni paulsoni.

What you have I am sure is not the nominate form (C.p.paulsoni). It may well be from Halmahera, however, I do not believe it is the typical gold phase that I have, and have seen elsewhere.

It is however different, and a lovely one at that. It has a lighter background colour, and a light eye colour. This makes me think it could be a gold phase, but the ziz zag markings and the head markings, speckles etc... are not present in the Gold phase Halmahera's I have seen.

The only way you can find out exactly what it is, is to do a scale count.

The counts that you need to do are:

Ventrals
Subcaudals
Supralabials
Infralabials
Circumorbitals

I also need a total length in CM, and the length of the tail in CM.

If you can get that, I could tell you the subspecies, and a likely island it has come from. However, in terms of its colour or genetics, this can only be proved by you through breeding.
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Regards
Chris Jones
Chris Jones Reptiles
Sand Boa Forum

Hi!
Thanks for answers!
Ok
The counts that you need to do are:

Ventrals...... around 180 to 188 not sure exactly
Subcaudals ..... 42-43
Supralabials ..... 8
Infralabials ..... 11
Circumorbitals .... between 10 to 13 not sure exactly, scales coloration give me the task a little bit more difficult.

I also need a total length in CM, and the length of the tail in CM.
Total: around 86-88 cm
Tail: 11 cm

Excuse me for the not exacly number, but she is not tame....ouach!!!!!

Thanks a lot

ho... another question...nobody seem to have te same idea about species of candoia...have you somes great references (books or internet sites) to give me? Because somebody don't name the paulsoni: candoia paulsoni but candoia carinata paulsoni, and the Halmahera, in other internet site, is just name candoia sp. or candoia carinata ssp.

Thanks
bye
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1.0 Jungle carpet python
1.2 Amazon tree boa
1.3 Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Candoïa
1.0 Rough-scaled sand boa
1.0 Russian sand boa
1.0 Argentine B&W tegu

Hi there,

When it comes to scale counting snakes, getting exact numbers is quite very important. With the scale counts you have given me, I can certainly rule out a few possibilities, however giving you 100% accurate information is not really possible.

Having said that, I am very certain that you have Candoia paulsoni tasmai.

They occur on Halmahera, Morotai, Ternate and the Talaud Islands.

Nowadays, there is much more collecting going on in Halmahera than some of the other islands I just mentioned. It is therefore likely yours came from Halmahera.

The colour is something I haven't seen before, and you should really try to breed from it if possible.

Going by scale counts and measurements, I assume that it is also a female. If you could get hold of a male, it would really be worth trying to get them breeding.
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Regards
Chris Jones
Chris Jones Reptiles
Sand Boa Forum

I'm very happy to know finaly the specie that I have!
Thanks a lot
Yes, I want to breed her, but it's going to be really difficult to find an Halmahera male...this is not realy common!!
Thanks again for the time that you spend to reply at my questions.
bye
Spate
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1.0 Jungle carpet python
1.2 Amazon tree boa
1.3 Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Candoïa
1.0 Rough-scaled sand boa
1.0 Russian sand boa
1.0 Argentine B&W tegu

Hi Spate, A place you might want to try for Reptile's from Halmahera,is Ben Siegel Reptile's,Ben Import's alot of Reptile's from Halmahera,I think he would be the Man to talk to his e-mail ad. is siegelreptiles@cs.com
Have A Good One ! !
Kenneth

Thanks!!!
bye
Spate
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1.0 Jungle carpet python
1.2 Amazon tree boa
1.3 Kenyan sand boa
0.1 Candoïa
1.0 Rough-scaled sand boa
1.0 Russian sand boa
1.0 Argentine B&W tegu