Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Now this seems kinda silly, but I'll ask anyway. A friend of mine said that the saddles on my hog island should not touch or have any connecting pattern, but my male has two saddles that connect. He also said that this is a possible sign that my male is a cross? Is this true? Does anyone know if it is fine that his saddles touch? Now i know it sounds weird, but I just want to be sure I have a pure Hog Island. The female si fine. They are both beautiful I think, and very nice animals, I'm thrilled with them, but just curious about all this saddle stuff!!!

Thanks!

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1.1 Blue Beauty Ratsnakes
1.0 Texas Ratsnake
1.1 Hog Island Boas

"Information is the fuel upon which democracy runs, and unless it accurately reflects reality we are at a disadvantage as a society to make honorable and sensible decisions."
--Peter Howe

Not to be mean but i just wanted to make sure that your questions got answered... as far as i can tell and as far as i know your snake is as much Hogg as any of the other sold on the market.. The hog island line has been breed out by the Hypoxhogg projects and just people who would breed their Hogs to a normal Columbian due to lack of another breeding snake.... I think that the fact that your friend told you that the genetic background of your animal is based around the fact that two of the saddles are linked together is well... BS.... to say the least....There are very few traits in which you are able to tell the genetic make up of the animal simply by looking at the animal a Hypo is one of them as well as homozygous recessive traits (like an albino or an anery). If you purchase the animal as a Hogg Island Boa then you can say with as much security as anyone else that your animal is a Hogg… The blending of two tail saddles is a genetic characteristic of all boas. It is part of the diversity that makes these animals so great and unusual, and it doesn’t in anyway prove or disprove the blood line of your animal… Hope this puts your heart at rest and just know that you can’t tell the genetics of a hogg by looking at it…. All you can tell is that somewhere in the past of the animal was a hogg line parent….There are very few “TRUE” hogg lines left established in captivity and as far as research shows there haven’t been true wild caught hogg island boas from Cayos Cachinos Islands since 1988……. Good luck with your Boas and just enjoy them for the pleasure they give you….

Sincerely,
Rose HIpskind
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www.srsnakes.com

Thank you very much for the reply.

I suppose I shouldn’t have gotten so worked up about it, I knew it was a bit silly when I posted, but again, I am still learning about Boas, and the natural history of my Hogs. As for the genetics, I am at a loss, but your comments make complete sense!
I do adore the Hogs very much and am thrilled to have them. They both ate last night and are doing well.

Thank you, and I'm sorry to have posted such an unintelligent and silly question.
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"Information is the fuel upon which democracy runs, and unless it accurately reflects reality we are at a disadvantage as a society to make honorable and sensible decisions."
--Peter Howe

how you learn. Mom " where do baby hoggs come from"?
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Voices in the darkness... scream away my mental health. Can I.. ask a question.. to help save me from myself? Enemies fill up the pages, are they me?... Monday till Sunday in stages, set me free!!! " Diary of a Madman " Ozzy Osbourne