Venezuela Redtail Boas
( Boa constrictor constrictor )

Boas in Venezuela are highly variable. Venezuela comprises a large area on the northern edge of the south American continent bordered on the west by Colombia and on the south and east by Brazil and Guyana. Boas from the Paraguanera peninsula of western Venezuela are very much like those of some localities in Central America.

In much of western Venezuela the imperator subspecies has a strong influence on the morphology of the boas. Boas from the central coast, including Caracas, and the Orinoco river drainage are more clearly allied with the true redtails. Much of Venezuela is virtually an unknown land from the perspective of the Boa enthusiast. In the 1990s a small group of redtails from eastern Venezuela were imported. Through the cooperation of their owner. Rio Bravo Reptiles was given a chance to work with them. In less than two years both adult females produced healthy litters. The very best of these two litters remained with us and they are now producing babies of their own. The results are remarkable.

Our Venezuela redtails are born rather small for BCC. And grow somewhat more slowly the first year or so. Females matured in 5 to 6 years at lengths of 1.5 to 1.7 meters and appear somewhat more bulky than other true redtails of similar size in our care. They also deliver more young than comparatively-sized constrictor of other localities. The longest of our 6 year-old adults is under 1.9 meters in length. Males are shorter and markedly less massive. Both sexes are marked with 17 to 19 blocky saddles, sometimes clearly linked in the classic redtail fashion. Some of the Venezuela boas display an interesting and beautiful range of color not seen in any of our other groups. Many are born with startling red and white tails but adult Venezuelan boas are not known for especially bright red tails.

All baby Venezuela boas raised here have readily accepted mice and rats. The temperament of these unique boas is anything from absolutely docile to somewhat touchy. We have not seen a really angry or defensive Venezuela boa. The ‘Suriname Syndrome’ of regurgitation and weight-loss illness has not occurred in our captive colony of pure Venezuela redtails.

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Venezuela Redtail Boa, female adult ( Boa constrictor c. )  

The strong colors and excellent high pattern density (HPD) of these redtails is unmatched by inbred pattern-morphs or pale mutations.

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Newborn Venezuela Redtail Boas ( Boa constrictor c. )  

Our Venezuela redtails have somewhat larger litters than comparatively sized females of Peru or Suriname. Babies are also noticeably smaller.

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Comparison of captive-produced to wild-collected ( Boa constrictor c. )  

This photo is a comparison of our captive-produced second-generation (F2) baby Venezuela boa (at left) with a small wild-collected boa from eastern Venezuela (at right). Note the similarity in detail of pattern. You can also see the health and quality that is our trademark compared to what you may expect from imported stock.

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Venezuela Boa ( Boa constrictor subspecies )  

Boas from the Paraguanera peninsula of western Venezuela appear to be more closely allied with those of some localities to the west.

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Brazil Redtail Boas
( Boa constrictor constrictor )

Brazil is the largest country in South America, comprising an area of 3,286,488 square miles. Aside from the familiar and vast Amazon basin there are also upland forests, grasslands, mountains and arid regions of Brazil. Brazil shares borders with nearly every country of the continent. Most of these border areas pose no barrier to the free intergradations of Boa sp. and other wildlife. In addition to these facts both B. constrictor c. and B. c. amarali are found in Brazil. Also, it has been noted that breedings of redtails from Brazil B.c.c. colonies has produced young which if only casually observed have the appearance of amarali. Perhaps these groups are more closely related than is accepted. In consideration of these realities it would likely be impossible for any but the most experienced observer of the Boas to say with any surety what are the overt attributes of a Boa from Brazil.

Some captive colonies of Boa ssp. from Brazil may be poorly defined and might not meet the expectations of locality purists. Due to import patterns most Brazil boas enter the hobby through established exporters in the Guianas, including Suriname. Some few have also been directly exported from Brazil. This relatively small sample of animals reasonably verifiable as Brazil boas along with a scant photographic record (and morphology records) has of necessity become the (imperfect) yardstick by which Boas are judged to be of Brazilian origin. Our Brazil boa colony is founded on animals directly imported by individuals from Belem on the Atlantic coast of Brazil.

The highlights of Belem redtails are clean, strong and moderately peaked patterns on a gold or (sometimes) bronze ground color. The dorsal pattern can be reddish or brick in tone, not simply black. Excellent head markings and well-defined ventral patterns are also the norm. Beautiful tail patterns, deep red in juveniles and red-orange in adults, are especially highly contrasted to the body. Belem redtails display an interesting array of secondary pattern elements consisting of dots, lines and spots between the dorsal saddles and on the sides. Pattern or saddle count on Belem boas we have seen is 17 to 20 snout to vent (S-V).

Our Belem adults are medium sized for the constrictor subspecies, 1.9 to 2.2 meters in length and not particularly massive. In our experience they are among the most calm of the true redtails. These beautiful boas responded immediately to our integrated breeding plan and first produced a large, perfect litter of vigorous young after less than a year in our care. Neonate Belem redtails can be bright silver, slightly pinkish or somewhere in between in overall tone.

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Adult Belem, Brazil Redtail ( Boa constrictor c. )  

Top-quality Belem redtails have it all, beautiful color, strong patterns and nice peaks, cryptic head-markings and velvet-red tails.

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Northern Brazil Redtail ( Boa constrictor c. )  

Northern brazil redtails in the hobby are from several sources, including the mountainous southern regions of Suriname.

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Newborn Belem, Brazil Redtail boas ( Boa constrictor c. )  

Neonate Belem redtails are well patterned and colored. At Rio Bravo Reptiles it is our practice to not intervene in the birth process. Mother and young are allowed to rest undisturbed until the babies begin to disperse. Female redtails will not only guard their litters but also carefully nudge them as if to encourage breathing or movement.

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