Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What is your favorite redtail? I am still trying to figure out the major differences, anyone have a site or something where I can makea decent comparison?

Just post your favorite and why and if possible, a pic.

Thanks.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

Well in the case of a real red-tail, ie constrictor and amarali subspecies. I will say Bolivian amarali, of course they are also my favorite locale, subspecies, and phenotype all in one!

Beautiful, awesome choice. Would you suggest this one for a beginner to boas? I have been keeping Balls for years, but I am looking for something bigger and all the redtails cought my eye. My fiance said I can't have a retic or burm, so I have to find something smaller than that and bigger than my balls.... (OK That didn't sound right, LOL)

I have trouble telling alot of them apart, but just from browsing, I liked the Surinams.

What's a fake redtail? LOL I am only farmilliar with what I read about on KS and related sites, I hate going to petstores because even the ONE I found that is reliable only lists them as Redtails, although they actually have people at my shop who could tell you more about them.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

True Redtails have been commonly accepted to be Boa constrictors of the amarali and constrictor subspecies. A captive born and bred Surinam from a good breeder would be an excellent choice. They are a bit more requireing than Ball Pythons, but if you are willing to put in the initial investment for a good animal and cage with a necessities (proper heating, thrmostats, careful monitoring, keeping records, and attention to detail you will be very happy.

Try Barry Miller and Rob Tudehope, both are top breeders for Surinams. Be cautious to a dealer lying to you and takeing advantage of inexperience.

While constrictor are more needy than say imperator, with proper measures they can be kept and bred with the same relative requirements, differences are noted! The largest concern is feeding, besides maitaining proper gradients, BCC should be fed a smaller meal than could be fed to BCI.

For amarali the same circumstances take effect, but in much more detail. They are much more delicate, they should be fed small meals every 10-14 days, depending on age and individual metabolism. Temperatures must be kept optimum at all times, and they are more difficult to breed. However, if you can properly take care of one, and just want a pet they are an excellent choice. Try Kevin Barnett, and Barry Miller for top quality animals. It should also be noted that for a beautiful baby in either amarali or constrictor expect $400, you can get some of the less attractive, but no less in quality for $250-$350. They can also spike over $1100.

If this is your first boa, and you have only kept Ball Pythons, I would recomend a Colombian imperator, or a Nicaraguan. Once you feel comfortable and confident in your husbandry, and develope a likeness for the species, try something a little more difficult.

Thanks, that was some awesome info and it should help alot. I have dipped into breeding BPs before and I will be sticking with them and breeding when I can afford to do it right (waiting for the new female to grow anyway). My plan was more for a pet to begin with, but definite possibility of breeding down the road a ways. I like to make sure what I am getting into is right for me. I also like to make sure my animals are kept in optimal conditions, in fact, I had 1 BP before and still had a Helix hooked up just for him, it just scares me to not have that controll. Today I have spent half of my day trying to figure out why my humidity is spiking and trying to fix it, but him being in a rubbermaid with winter ending and spring beginning isn't helping, heck, the back yard is under 6" of water right now, I think I've got it though.

I don't have a problem with feeding proper sized prey, I breed rats and if I don't have the size I need handy, I trade my pet shop some of my bigger/smaller ones for ones that are the correct size. We are regulars there and they have a redtail, but I haven't asked about him yet because I can't afford him right now, and I know I would have gotten too attached, so I don't know what type he is yet, but half of these people breed the snakes, they don't get much of their reptile stock from dealers or anything, and I supply them with rats quite often.

When I move (IE: have more room) I plan on setting up some nice big rack type systems and also looking into breeding things other than rats, like gerbils and mice (again), and possibly even rabbits now and then. I have (give or take) 70 animals now (although that does include some fish) and I house them all in our bedroom, besides the dogs, they get the whole house and yard.

So as you can tell, I LOVE and care deeply for animals, and I would go to lenghts to make everything perfect. I just hope I can get enough money soon to get a smallish enclosure for temporary purposes while my dad, fiance, and I work on making a big coustom enclosure (working on an old dresser right now for my most prized BP) for the little (or big lol) one.

Thanks again for the advice, and reading my ramblings.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

Oooooo Thanks for the suggestions, I checked them out for a bit....

I now am TOTALLY sprung for the Surinames and the Peruvians from Miller, and so far I can't get ANY pics to work at Rob Tudehope's site.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

Send Rob an email, he will be glad to help out if he can. I haven't done business with him, but everyone speaks very highly of him. I know his animals are top of the line!

I have done business with Barry and couldn't be happier!

I'm under the impression that the original poster thinks an armali is a good boa to start with. I just want to make sure the poster read where a columbian was the best one to start with. They have more tolerence for mistakes. I think most people here would agrre you should start with the columbian and move up to the armali. do you guys and gals agree with me on this , just trying to keep someone from makeing a mistake and getting a bad taste for boids. Paul

I understand, this is why I am posting now, I can't afford one for a while and Iw ant to do everything right. I actually like the columbian is more my style appearance wise, but was asking about which would be the easiest to start with.

Thanks for making sure I understand, it means alot that the people here keep proving how much they care about the animals and fellow herpers.

OH! And by the way.... I don't have, nor ever will have, a bad taste for ANY snake! LOL Well.... maybe colubrids, I am more for the girthy big snakes, OH, and I have some hidden reason for not liking bloods, but not sure why. My point is, I am never going to dismiss any snake or type from bad experiences. Heck, I had NO CLUE what I was doing when I got my first BP at 15, that was a hell of an experience, and I had one when I was getting heavy into herps that was hell, she was a picky eater, never ate enough to get much bigger, pretty much just to survive, she struck every time you opened the drawer, didn't even have to put your hand over it, she was just waiting, all of my snakes have been good with sheds, up untill now, we bought one from a petstore because she was so pretty, but half dead, starved and had mites... LOL I have been through alot and it hasn't put me off yet, so I should be OK.

BUT this doesn't mean I am going to just get what apeals to me because I am faultless, I am far from flawless and I want to do it right, so I am just trying to learn.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

One more question... Where does the Surinam stand? Newbie worthy? Too advanced? That is what I really want, there so georgious. Like I said, I am REALLY not getting the differences on them, but I can see it in some of them and these guys STAND OUT!

Someone give me a list of the different types, with sizes, care level, and requirements.... PLEASE!
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

A Surinam from good bloodlines can be an excelent animal, when the care requirements are met. You just can't make as many mistakes as imperator tollorate.

So a Suri probably should be my second choice then?

I am pretty sure my shop has Columbians, so when I am ready I thinik I will get one of those, then after a good while I will look into my surinam, sound like a decent plan? I mean, it will be a while before I even get the Columbian, and then a wile after that for the surinam, since I am focusing on BPs, so I will probably be investing in the BPs more and more.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

Sound good, it is all up to you.

I am curious what does this pet store charge, some a very high, and others sell farm bred animals. I would contact a well known breeder, you can get a Colombian pretty cheap and these are the best quality.

And if you want a very nice Colombian talk to gus Rentfo. RioBravoReptiles.com His Colombian imperator are some of the most beautiful, and cost on average $125-$200

There asking $125, but I am sure I could get it for considerably less. I am a regular there because I trust them, the shop is 45 minutes from home, and we drive out there at least once a week. They don't get farmed animals, half of the staff breeds them, 90% of their reptiles are from the staff's personal breedings, the rest are from people I would buy from. The staff is all farmilliar with KS and they even work with B.H.B. one of them actually does breeding loans and things with Brian. This definitly somewhere I trust.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will have to check it out.
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

My favorite are Bolivian Amarali as well, between their color variance, manageable size and their powerful stature I am completely hooked!! Here's one of my little ones

Philip

Great little beauty Phillip. I am planning to add some silverbacks this year, and after seeing Barry's South Brazilians, maybe one or two of those as well.