What makes columbians not "true"?

[tnj318]

I know this may be a stupid question but I'm farely new to the hobby and just noticed the description of this forum. I was just wondering what made Columbian red tails not true where as the others are? I just want to learn as much as possible. Thanks!

Well it is basically the distinction between the two main subspecies of boa constrictor. The common boa or colombian boa is Boa constrictor imperator. Wile the other subspecies Boa constrictor constrictor is called a true red tail so bascially your suriname's guyana's and so forth. This is where the terminology comes from...generally b.c.i tails are less bright then b.c.c so this is why ppl call b.c.c true red tails. Hope this help some what I tried to stay as general as possible.

[obz]

exactly... colombians (BCI) simply dont have red tails (in general, and especially once they mature) theyre much more often orange-brown. where as BCC from most all localities has a deffinate RED/brick/maroon tail.
(it varies in both cases, there are a few BCIs with tails to make a BCC hungry for red, but this is more the exception than the rule).

true simply means truely RED... redtails as described in the pet trade is a bit over used,... "redtail" makes it easier to sell babies, even if they dont have the slightest red in the tail.

hope tht helps

sean

[Steve_M.]

Or more simply put a Colombian crossed with ANY other type of Boa would not be a true Colombian.

Now her is where I'm gonna make things confusing :P There are Colombian B.c.c's & Colombian B.c.i's....Now IMO you should never cross B.c.c's with B.c.i's for that matter never cross any boa species with another.

[obz]

colombian bccs come from east of the andes and bci from the west.... ive never seen true colombian bccs up for sale, they seem pretty rare in captive collections. i wonder why.

[djg79]

Colombians boas (Bci) were given the name red tail by breeders and pet stores to make them appealling to the buyer. Red tails boas sounds more appealing than boa constrictors. Most of the Colombians do not have red tails and now breeders are selectively breeding Colombians to get the desired red tails. "True" red tails already display vivid red tails (mostly).

[Doug]

Hi,
Many of the terms used by some pet stores are to help justify the extra cost, I have 2 Guyana and they run about 100.00 more than the common boa's or some of the BCI. But I really think that the species in the wild could have and probably cross bred at times. many breeder's try and get wild caught and then label that offspring either suri or guyana based on the local but how honest is the exporter.
And as we breed for traits a common color pink (suri)or purple (guyana)will be the desired trait for that local,, then the breeder will sell off the plains and hold back the better looking snakes with his opinon of the desired color and then you'll see a clear trait start to surface with that breeder for his specific group and this becomes the common trait for that species in his breeding stock.. I ve seen alot of lighter suri's with really nice light pinks and such.Many breeders of guyana seem to go for darker reds and purples...
just and observation.. Who knows what they looked like in the jungles of the amazon.. >:(
doug