A little out of control maybe???

[Minus_1]

8) Here's one of those no right or wrong answers, just opinions type of questions for ya'll....

I look around, and with the recent 'explosion' of boa breeding, I see people trying for any possible color they can get..  All of a sudden, every single boa has a name for its "trait"..  It seems like anyone and everyone is trying to grasp a piece of the action...  Dont get me wrong, Im breeding for albinos right now...and plan on getting some pastels/fine lines.. and who knows where I'll go from their...  but it just seems to me that the gorgious boa, that sports its 'natural' color, has been forgotten or pushed aside..for the more "special".. "jingle-hopper-circle backed-fire nostril-splinter tailed-do hickey, color phase" boa..  To each his/her own, is my motto... as is judge not less ye be judged... I just think it might be getting a little out of hand... any comments???

Also, as I look at these "designer" boas, I notice things about them that arent natural..  bug eyes..  small size with no ability to gain weight... scale deformities..etc.  The list goes on..  Granted the "bigger" names seem to be above this, as well as the "smaller" ones that have been taught correctly..  Do yall notice a little extra in/linebreeding going on, for the sake of a color??  Im basicly against any line or inbreeding unless its crucial for the animals survival..  Im really uptight also tho.. Is the temptation of getting that special color, or design, possibly a little too strong for an impatient few, to wait a few extra generations for the sake of the animals well being?

Basicly to sum it up, I see what's been going on in the dog and cat breeding business, infecting the 'business' of reptiles...  am I the only one ???

[Acco_Asphyxia]

I agree 100% with you. I also have noticed the decline in common boas and "normal" boas and an increase in inbreeding. I know I am going to try to get albinos down the road but I also know I am going to breed more "normal" boas than albinos.
Just my opinion. I am not against breeding for special colors though. Just stating what I have noticed.

[Brandon]

hey there bro.
like u said.
TO EACH HIS OWN.
i suppose the only thing that we can do is to keep doing what we believe is right for us.
take care.

[EmsFather]

I did not know that there were so many different breeds of Boas until I found this great website. Growing up, I was really only aware of two types. Either you had a RTB or a "regular Boa". Owning a RTB was like having an elite Boa when I was a teen. I think it's awesome that there are so many different breeds now and hopefully more to come. Regular Boas, if there is such a term, will always be here. They have been on this earth for millions of years and no doubt will be here for millions more. I do not think that a handful of breeders in relationship to the entire Boa population are capable of doing damage to the domestic and wild Boa population. Just my opinion.

Best regards,
Bob

[EmsFather]

Why does the word doing any damage in my reply come out as profanity? Just curious

[EmsFather]

I did not know that there were so many different breeds of Boas until I found this great website. Growing up, I was really only aware of two types. Either you had a RTB or a "regular Boa". Owning a RTB was like having an elite Boa when I was a teen. I think it's awesome that there are so many different breeds now and hopefully more to come. Regular Boas, if there is such a term, will always be here. They have been on this earth for millions of years and no doubt will be here for millions more. I do not think that a handful of breeders in relationship to the entire Boa population are capable of doing harm to the domestic and wild Boa population. Just my opinion.

[Aztec_Fred]

::) ::)

MUTTS

That word evokes a lot of emotion in many people.
Soem prefer the word "Hybrid" because MUTTS isnt technically corect.

A lot of snakes these days are being hybridized.
Even by some of the so-called professional breeders, actually by a lot of them, because there is a market for them and thats what these folks are doing, trying to make money, makes sense right?

I am finding it more and more nowdays,and what is even nmore distrurbing is that people who are JUST ENTERING this hobby are already keen to "CREATE" soemthing new by crossing their Suriname with an albino BCI, or perhaps their Ball python with a blood python.
Keep in mind please that they may have NEVER bred any snake before...but their introduction to snake propagation is via the production of crosses.
This makes me ill, and part of the responsiblity has tio lie with those people that operate businesses at a higher level doing the same thing themselves and serving as an "example" of what can be doen and to do.

As far as line breeding, that definelty is occuring more frequently, and again...newcomers to the hobby are often inundated and enfatuated with these designer snakes with little to no idea of ther natural beauty of the original animals that started this. A few days ago I saw a post on kingsnake about a lad that had a black ratsnake, at first I just dismissed it, just a s a black rat, but then I realized the fascination that those things used to hold for me before I became so jaded.
I went out and got one last week...to remind me of why are started in this whole thing anyway..because I loved the animals involved, not to be popular, make a lot of money or get pats on the back, but becaue I liked the animals, evwen the so called plain ones.
I like that black ratsnake...it doesnt have to be anything else......................

Fred
(Aztec Reptiles)

[Minus_1]

8) Well put... It seems the "normal" snakes, are the oddities... Read the "Classifieds" in Reptiles magazine some time... it'll bring a tear to a glass eye..

[cb76]

about 90% of my personal collection is comprised of 100% AAA grade boa constrictor! i have a few contacts and am able to be various boa constrictor that are 100% in locale.

humans are multiplying like roaches and consuming what ever resource they can. wich means that alot of animals including the mighty boa constrictor WILL NOT BE AROUND FOR ANOTHER MILLION YEARS! sad to say but its true. the beautiful mid sized hogg island boa- plentiful here in captivity, cannot be found on its home island. the pearl island boa (possibly b c sabogae- but i dont think thats valid as per j ronne) are being killed every day by locals. if you go to the island you will not find a boa over 3 ft because they dont live that long to get any larger! i know a person in europe who collected a few for a zoo and they boas grow out to a normal size (7) so these are not a small boa like most think. they are just being killed.

i totally agree what is being said about the "morphs"- in alot of cases i use that term loosly.
i totally agree, i have met a few people over the yrs at reptile expos- 1 comes to mind, he was a new boa owner a few yrs ago ('99) and now has boas to sell at tables in the show. argentine crosses, guyana crosses, and various imperator crosses- i tried to tell him, but i think i made an enemy. he thinks i will take away from his "biz"- so yes, there are tons of people who are not even fully versed on proper husbandry, who are producing MUTT crap- and selling it as regular boa constrictor!!!

i have been really busy lately, but i am back on working on my personal site- there you will see a bunch of pure boas- you can easily see the difference from the "hobby" boa and what is pure.

dont get me wrong either- i absolutly love morphs, but over all i love this mighty snake!! thats why i feel every one should know or at least know a lil' to distinguish between subspecie- and do business with pros who keep things honest. pros who know what they are doing!! every one wants snakes, but what happens when they are all gone and all left are these "garbage boas"!

plus, i have a large collection just because i dont want to inbreed any of my snakes! i by multiples and search high and low for ideal mates- believe me it takes time- but like the ketchup commercial says- "the best things come to those who wait.."

alot of "morphs" are only around because of line or inbreeding. if you buy a "morph" and try to get some new blood in there you will lose that trait. the only way to keep and improve on these type of traits is to line or inbreed.

other morphs that are genetic in origin, like albino, anerythristic, hypo, and all the things that come when getting them together- you can improve by getting new blood in there.

remember- all of these "morphs" are genetic anomolies- meaning they are mistakes or messups!!! meaning mother nature subcontracted her work while she went to lunch and these came out. when you breed these animals together to bring out the trait or morph, you are also brining out "other" seen or unseen traits, like cancer, CNS diseases, snakes that have cronic resp infections, etc.... so beware. too much inbreeding is actually messing it up for some boas!!!

thats why when i get a morph, i buy similar animals from another breeder (asking of course about lineage) or start doing it on my own with new blood.

always look for the best genetics possible. in any snake, normal or morphed out.

big strong babies, with big bright eyes, healthy looking normal head (depending on what species or sub sprecies you have the heads may be different!!! and body shape too!!), normal looking body with no dents or out pushes by broken bones, nice looking clear scales, "normal patterning that is supposed to be on the boa you bought", and a nice strong grip!!! also, avoid animals with one or no eyes- a sign as sever inbreding wich i see for sale alot marked as "damaged at birth".


my 2 cents.

will

[slkrik00]

I see your response as a very well put one fits to topic to a tee great expressioning on all point bc76.......... :'(