Reptile & Amphibian Forums

New to this forum but not new to snakes I currently have 0.1 2011 Snow Stripe that I purchased from a reptile expo a couple of weeks ago, and have kept corns and ball pythons in the past. I have loved Rubber Boas since I found one on a trail when I was young living in Montana and I have always wanted one, but they are mighty hard to come by! I currently live in Southern Idaho and have been trying to find any info about collecting a specimen from the foothills but have had no luck, and I would REALLY rather purchase a captive born/bred boa...I would feel guilty taking one from the wild, even though it sounds like they adapt just fine. Does anyone have any info/advice they would be willing to share? Thank you in advance!

Howdy!

So, I also got hit with rubber boa lust: about a year ago, I found one laying across a path at a cousin's wedding reception in Washington state. Since then, it's been a torturous time of trying to glean info at my local (and awesome) Vivarium, asking fellow rubber boas aficionadoes on this forum, and many fruitless searches on my own. I am not sure what laws Montana has but for me, living in California meant I had to get a 2012 fish and game permit--which is currently useless as I have no rubber boa.

First off, good luck in your own search. Secondly, I think that finding one is more likely than buying one, if they are present in your state, due to their secretive nature and the understandable reluctance of knowing collectors to share their herping places. Your best bet is probably to get to know someone in your area who has already found one/some and hope they are either willing to tell/take you to the site or bring you back one from their next herping adventure. Otherwise, even if the law is on your side, finding a breeder is nigh impossible. Of course, you could also be in the same frustrated boat I'm in: looking in likely areas in (hopefully) likely times, and doing a lot of both finger crossing and fruitless searching.

Just watch out: when I posted a similar pleading request for help finding these lovely, wonderful snakes, it was suggested that I was a fish n game officer trolling for illegal deals. Sucks to be us.

Again, good luck, and I will prolly lurk to see what other people say!

HoggyMomma:
My tentative plans are to be in the Bay Area on May 4th. If you are free on that day, we could arrange for a time to meet at Tilden Regional Park and I can take you to the area in Contra Costa county where the species occurs. That way you would know the type of habitat in which to make searches. And who knows, we might even encounter a specimen.

Contact me at charinabottae@earthlink,net should you be interested.

Richard F. Hoyer

Sinnamongirl:
The distribution of the Rubber Boa covers much of Idaho. If they do not occur right around where you reside, the species likely occurs not all that far away regardless of where you reside in Idaho. I have traveled to and from Utah a number of times and about 20 -25 miles from the Utah border along I-84, I have found the species at rock outcrops on both sides of the freeway in grassland / sage / bitter brush habitat at near 5000 feet elevation. There even is some species of cactus in the area. So if you have similar habitat at similar elevation near where you live, the species should be present.

Without the presence of artificial cover objects under which to make searches, then the only other two ways I know of finding the species with reasonable frequency is either night driving or turning natural cover objects mainly in the form of rocks. Does your area have the type of habitat I describe above and at around 4500 feet or above and with some rock outcrops? Then that is a place to do your searching but be prepared to turn tons of rock. And you enhance your chance of finding the species by going out at the right time of year, late winter (mid March) and during the spring months, and with the right amount of sunlight and suitable temperature conditions.

My son in Utah has observed boas at a den site along a road at the outskirts of Salt Lake City during the month of February even with snow in the vicinity. But you need sunshine for a few days prior to making searches plus temperatures near or better yet, above 50 degrees F. in order to have a decent chance of boas emerging at this time of year. Later in mid March and thereafter with temperatures in the mid 50's or above and again with several preceding days of sunshine to warm surface temperatures, the chances of finding the species increases.

And Hoggymomma, have you established tracts of artificial cover object in known boa habitat in the hills of Contra Costa County? Or have you found junky spots with trash that can be turned in boa habitat? It seems to me the area near Santa Rosa was not prime boa habitat but it has been some time since the exchange of posts so I could be mistaken.

Two years ago, I met some herpers from the Bay Area that took me to a couple of sites in the Santa Cruz Mts. south of San Francisco. Both sites contained numerous pieces of discarded plywood, roofing tins, boards, and other trash. I believe the date was April 23 and conditions were clearly choice as we encountered 16 boas in about 1 1/2 hours. I remained at the site until about 5 PM, after the others had left, in order to complete recording data on each specimens so they could be release where found. The key is being able to turn a large quantity of cover objects, be it artificial or natural cover.

Richard F. Hoyer (Corvallis, Oregon)

Thank you for the replies! I can assure you that I am NOT a F&G warden lol...I'm a vet tech that lives in Boise, ID Not looking for specific places, I can understand wanting to keep secrets safe, just curious as to general location, etc.

We have areas that sound promising from your description here Richard, not all that far from town. I think a trek to the foothills this spring will be in order

Hoggymomma, feel free to lurk!

Sinnamongirl:
Boise is at about 2700 feet and not far to the north, NE. and East are shallow mountains that rise above the plateau. Looking at my atlas, I would say the Boise is only about 6 - 8 miles from elevations of 5000 feet.

A good number of years ago either on this forum or another herp forum was a gentlemen that mentioned he found Rubber Boas by night driving back dirt roads in sagebrush county somewhere near Boise. It would be my guess that the locality of his finds were NE and east of Boise proper.

Remember that in order to increase your chances of finding the species during your hiking, you need to find rock outcrops and / or talus in order to search beneath those rocks.

If you send me a private message, I can tell you exactly where I found the species along I-84 but it is a considerable distance from Boise.

Richard F. Hoyer charinabottae@earthlink.net

Mr. Hoyer,
No, I have not had success with laying down artifical cover--when I did so myself (placing it), it was removed by the next week. And searching the reservoirs shows that the East Bay Parks employees are fastidious in their upkeep of the areas. Apparently, people are taking better care of their unused land and what used to be junky areas.

I am certainly flipping over any and all things I come across, manmade or otherwise. If I can lift it, I flip it--and then put it back.

I've found numerous slender salamanders, banana slugs, beetles, centipedes/milipedes, etc., but no boas. I take pictures of the salamanders (and kestrels or other raptors if possible), but still feel frustrated.

I am constrained by my available time--as a working mother of 2 youngish kids (9 and 3), my time to go herping is Tuesday, from 9am to about 1pm. I know no one else to go with, and although I am set to go to the local herp meeting, that doesn't take place until April. My husband is willing to stay with the kids some weekend days, but again, it's a matter of hours, and my ability to go farther to search more likely areas is constrained. Not an excuse, merely an explanation.

I bring up the solitary herping because as a petite woman, I am (understandably) wary of my location, and try to make sure there is little opportunity for me to come to harm, either from another human, or due to a mishap in an environment.

I am frustrated, but still keeping on truckin'.

To give myself more of a chance of feeling somewhat successful, I've added some more species to my lifer list: Cal king, Western toad, rosy boa, and tiger salamander.
Anyway, my searching has certainly expanded my knowledge of my local area, and given me much more exercise--two pretty greqt things.

HoggyMomma:
I now better understand your plight. Besides the 'critters you mention, in the Bay Area have you come across a number of garter snakes, ringneck snakes, racers, sharp-tailed snakes, gopher snakes, fence lizards, and alligator lizards when you have been turning cover objects? If you have not been encountering most if not all of those species, then something is not quite right.

I was born and raised in Oakland until I was 15. So during my childhood days, I encountered all of those species when making searches. I never did observe a boa as my searches were not in boa habitat somewhat higher up in the Oakland / Berkeley hills.

At the present time, a survey at higher elevations on the Tejon Ranch property (between Bakersfield and L.A.), is planned for May 6th and I am scheduled to attend. The last two years were washed-out due to inclement weather conditions. My tentative plans were to leave Corvallis on May 3rd and conduct searches in S. Calif. on the 4th and 5th before attending the Tejon Ranch outing where it is hope that the boa can be documented on that property. But I can change my plans to some degree

If you and your husband are free for half a day on Saturday the 5th (or possibly Tuesday the 9th.), we could meet somewhere in the East Bay Area and I could take you to boa habitat. On the 5th, I have to leave early enough to make it down to my destination in S. Calif. that evening where I plan to stay over night in order to be ready for the Tejon excursion the morning of the 6th.

Instead of discussing plans on this forum, I urge you contact me privately as did Sinnamongirl in Idaho. If you are uncomfortable about sending an email message to a stranger, then good luck.

Richard F. Hoyer (charinabottae@earthlink.net)

Last year I saw a few rubber boas for sell on internet but not recently