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The
birds, sea life, insects
and to a great extent
the plants associated
with small islands,
coral Cays and remnant
continental islands
of the Caribbean can
be quite similar. Because
of the difficulty most
animals that can’t
swim or fly have in
colonizing offshore
islands terrestrial
vertebrate life is,
on the other hand, often
quite unique. This is
certainly true of the
Boa sp..
By whatever method they
arrive once beached
on an island Boas must
reach into their genetic
heritage and find the
tools to survive in
a place most often very
different from their
mainland origins. Differences
in food species and
abundance, thermal cline,
solar exposure and other
important factors all
must be faced and overcome.
The results of these
adjustments are easily
observed among the small
group of insular island
imperator now
in the herpetocultural
hobby.
When considered that
the island boas have
had an extremely short
period of time, compared
to the overall evolution
of the Boas, to make
these adjustments and
changes the overt physical
differences are simply
astounding. They are
generally smaller and
more slender. The range
of color and tone seen
in individual island
populations is much
narrower than that expressed
in their mainland cousins.
Careful observers will
note these and many
other differences in
their island boas, in
appearance and behavior.
There are other subspecies
of Boa, quite rare and
unique, found on islands
of the lesser Antilles.
Currently we are working
only with insular imperator.
Without an unusual and
improbable series of
events these beautiful
and fascinating animals
would never have been
given a chance to exist.
It is important to recognize
the uniqueness and rarity
of the island boa populations
and work to preserve
them. In Nature and
in Culture.
Suggested reading: Dwarf Boa Size, Breeding and Conservation in Culture
– A. Rentfro,
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 About
the Isla de Maize boas
(Boa
c. imperator)
Islas del Maize or Corn
Islands are two small
islands of Nicaragua.
In 1997 a Florida reptile
enthusiast directly
imported 42 of these
unique boas. Rio Bravo
Reptiles acquired 6
of the group and currently
holds the largest and
most diverse colony
of Isla de Maize boas
and has produced offspring
yearly since 2000.
The dominant color of
these boas is soft green,
greenish-tan or olive.
The most eye-catching
examples can be almost
lime-colored (especially
at night) with a rose,
orange or coral wash
infusing the sides and
ventral surface, increasing
posteriorly. Isla de
Maize boas are strongly
metachroic and change
color and tone at least
as dramatically as the
Hog Is. animals.
Saddle counts (S-V)
average 23 and the last
several saddles just
above the vent can be
fused and misshapen.
Caudal saddles, (especially
in the young) are brightly
colored and contrasting,
yellow, orange and black.
The ventral surface
of a Corn Is. boa is
sparsely marked. The
anterior of the belly
is a plain, beautiful
cloudy greenish white
with white or rose hints
on the fore-body. Rose,
coral pink or hot-orange
coloration increases
towards the tail. Offset
dark spots are sometimes
found nearer the vent.
Dorsal speckling is
moderate. All babies
born here have been
lighter and less speckled
than any of the original
imports. Several babies
have been born virtually
without speckles. Black
pigmentation on many
of these boas is faded
and dispersed in a way
suggesting hypo-melanism.
Corn Is. boas are more
slender compared to
mainland imperator and
may be somewhat more
arboreal in habit. Both
neonates and adults
will use vertical cage
structure. These are
muscular, strong boas
and can be quite active
in captivity, especially
at night. Neonates are
somewhat smaller and
are markedly more slender
than most imperator
newborns and have prominent
eye orbits. Every one
of our Corn Is. boas
has readily fed on mice
or rats. Our females
produced their first
litters at just under
4’ in length. The
largest of our 6 to
7 year olds is now almost
6’ long and has
a tall, square body-morph
approximately one-half
as massive as that of
a common boa of the
same age and length.
It is unknown how large
one of these rare boas
might become if fed
aggressively over a
period of years. Isla
de Maize boas in our
care have done exceptionally
well on our conservative
feeding program.
These boas respond strongly
to seasonality in breeding.
Copulation resembles
that of arboreal taxa,
very knotted and prolonged
and normally occurs
upon temperature rise.
Litters of 9 to 14 have
been born as late as
about 150 days P.O.S..
Our Corn Island boas
are not aggressive and
rarely attempt to strike.
However, they do not
display the (apparent)
ease or calmness that
many other so-called
tame boas often will
when being held or restrained.
There are other observed,
apparently unique, behaviors.
–
A. Rentfro, RioBravoReptiles.com
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Reserved, International
Copyright © 2004
 Juvenile
Hypo-melanistic Corn Island
Boa
It is not known
if this trait in our colony
is true hypomelanism or
these examples are merely
very light and brightly
colored Isla de Maize
boas. Currently, we do
not have any plans to
attempt inbreeding for
this trait.
 About
the Caulker Cay boa
(
Boa
constrictor imperator )
Cay Caulker is an island
of the country of Belize
not far from the other
famous (to boa enthusiasts)
island, Crawl Cay. The
small coral island was
split in two parts by
hurricane Hattie in the
mid 1960s. The natural
range of these island
boas is among the smallest
of any known boa locality
and they are in real danger
of extinction due to development.
Unknown to the herpetocultural
community until quite
recently, these rather
small boas were first
imported (under CITES
permit) by a university
researcher in the ‘90s.
Rio Bravo Reptiles acquired
the entire group and has
produced F1 and F2 offspring.
All Caulker Cay boas in
culture have originated
from our efforts and we
are still the sole source
for F1 examples of these
animals which, even after
our very successful program
are among the most rare
boas in captivity. These
boas exhibit some unique
morphological attributes
including scale-definition,
a somewhat identifiable
ventral patterning and
a tendency towards anerythrism.
Cay Caulker boas can be
born small compared to
other Central American
boas, develop somewhat
slowly the first 12-16
months and should be fed
very conservatively. It
is likely they eat lizards,
birds, amphibians or even
invertebrates in nature
but do respond very well
to domestic rodents as
food. Recommended temperatures
are at the lower end of
those commonly used in
raising boas, 76 to 90
deg (f).
These boas can produce
young at age 3-4 years
at just over 40” in length. Our older
adult breeders are 4-1/2 to
5-1/2 feet in length.
The males especially have
slender muscular bodies.
Caulker Cay boas may grow
larger if heavily fed
over a period of years.
Ours have thrived on our
conservative feeding regimen.
Caulker Cay boas respond
very well to seasonality
in breeding and copulate
strongly upon temperature
rise. We have experienced
parturition as early as
107 days post-copulation.
19 has been the largest
litter. Some babies and
juveniles are fussy. All
of our adults have been
extraordinarily calm tempered.
– A.
Rentfro, RioBravoReptiles.com
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Reserved, International
Copyright © 2004
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Have Boa Available For Shipment
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 Adult
Male Wild-collected Caulker
CayBoa. (
Boa c. imperator
)
Very
likely the only one existing
in culture. This magnificent
boa is over 15 years in
age and only 1.4 meters
long. He also displays
all of the very best traits
of this unique island
population.
 Caulker
Cay boa scale detail
Note
the stippling or roughness
of the caudal scales of
an adult Caulker Cay boa.
The evolutionary advantages
of this texturing can
only be guessed at.
 Caulker
Cay boa ventral color
and pattern detail
The
ventral coloration and
patterning of Caulker
Cay Boas is also somewhat
unique.
 Hog
Island Boa
( Boa c. imperator )
Cayos
los Cochinos or Hog island
is two small cays off
the coast of Honduras.
Probably, few people would
recognize a wild-collected
Hog is. boa, if one could
be found. That is because
early on captive colonies
of these fascinating boas
began producing animals
more colorful and lighter
in overall tone than most
anything ever seen on
those humble islands.
Breeders and buyers have
focused on these traits
and the result is an animal
larger and more colorful
than what was likely ever
taken from the wild.
Unscrupulous or uncaring
breeders have also incorporated
the Hog island bloodline
into their other breeding
projects, producing new
Hoggs or other products.
The more spectacular of
these experiments are
sold for high-dollar Morphs
but inevitably the mundane
offspring end up in the
marketplace being offered
as real Hog is. boas.
This presents a problem
for the locality-oriented
keeper or breeder who
would like to work with
true Hog island boas.
Our Hog island colony
began with a direct-imported
group of boas from Cayos
los Cochinos, Honduras.
Since those early days
we have added animals
from the Dan Reed and
Bob Sears lines. We have
focused on breeding these
boas for improved color
and clarity but do also
keep speckled and well-patterned
individuals in the breeding
pool.
Hog island boas here are
4-1/2 to 6’ in length
as adults. Females are
more heavy-bodied than
males and have produced
litters of 11-21 slender
babies, usually in June.
These boas are considered
among the more docile
of the Central American
boas and are well adapted
to captive conditions.
Like most imperator,
Hog is. boas require less
seasonality for breeding
than the true redtails
and adults in proper condition
copulate well on temperature
rise.
Rio Bravo Reptiles has
produced and sold nearly
400 beautiful Hog Is.
boas.
– A.
Rentfro, RioBravoReptiles.com
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Reserved, International
Copyright © 2004
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Thumbnails are clickable.
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 Hog
Island Boa, reduced black,
high color phase.
This
is an F3 male Hog island
boa produced here at Rio
Bravo Reptiles.
Hog Island Boas being
born
We never tire of seeing
this!
About The Crawl Cay, Belize Boas (Boa c.
imperator)
These are another of the insular island varieties
of Boa constrictor inhabiting
the barrier islands and coral atolls of  the
Caribbean Sea. Crawl Cay, Belize is one of the northernmost cays
in the Turneffe Islands archipelago located east and slightly north
of Belize city, a modest boat trip from Caulker Cay, home of yet
another insular Boa.
There are other islands referred to as Crawl Cay, notably in the
Bay of Chiriqui among the archipelago of Bocas del Toro on the
northeastern coast of Panama. It is possible boas from Panama or
other islands locally called Crawl cay or Key have made their way
into herpetoculture, here or elsewhere. This could explain the
unusual diversity between some captive colonies of these rare snakes,
in the United States and abroad.
Crawl Cay, Belize boas are considered among
the smaller Boa localities, usually less than 1.8 meters in length
and adults are somewhat stocky, solid-feeling snakes. Neonate Crawl
Cay boas are not eye-catching, patterning is indistinct and unremarkable.
Tail blotches may be a dull yellow or orange. Mature adult Crawls
are more interesting, they have a lower-than-average saddle count
(21-23 S-V) for central American constrictor and the
pattern is faded and reduced, both dorsally and laterally, revealing
a silvery-grey or coppery-pink boa with large scattered jet speckles,
prominent eyes and a heavily black-pigmented tail with just a
hint of yellow, orange or silver showing through. The way in
which the black pigment is distributed inside of and between
the scales on Crawl Cay boas may be somewhat unique and identifiable.
Unlike the Caulker Cay boas, of which only
a handful were brought to the United Sates, according to knowledgeable
sources many Crawl Cay boas were imported, mostly in the 1970's.
These boas were brought by tourists, fishermen, divers and university
groups, many of who presented the snakes to reptile dealers, perhaps
as a way of offsetting their expenses. One such group of snakes
was captured and imported to the U.S. by a Texan, Bob Sears,
who kept and bred them. Where all the imported Crawl Cay boas
eventually went and whether or not they were bred and bred
true to the locality is not known. Thankfully, a group of Bob's
boas ended up with Tim Meade, who did also breed them in the 1990's.
This lineage is all that is left of the (verifiable) boas of
Crawl Cay, Belize in culture.
Adult Crawl Cay boas are very
good cage and display snakes, typically laying still in classic
ambush posture, their unusual colors and markings are surprisingly
effective camouflage, but their temperament is not the best.
They are easily scared and will frequently stiffen and strike if
startled or handled roughly. Baby Crawl cay boas have been known
to be reluctant feeders on standard neonate boa fare.
Whether or
not these island boas yet survive in numbers on Crawl Cay (Belize)
is not known. In any event the entire Turneffe Islands archipelago
is now a national reserve of Belize and it is very unlikely any
additional Boa of
that locale will be brought to herpetoculture. Serious
herpetoculturists everywhere should agree to work to safeguard
the Crawl Cay line, in nature and in culture. A. Rentfro,
RioBravoReptiles.com
All International Rights Reserved, International Copyright © 2004
All
Thumbnails are clickable.
We
Have Boa Available For Shipment
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Rio Bravo Reptiles about a Boa you
are looking for!
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 Crawl
Cay, Belize Boa, silver phase.
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