Thinking about this trade

I don't have any breeding plans involving my 1.1 het g stripes and would rather have a pet rtb for me and the wife. What should I check for when examining him before saying "sure" to the deal?


0.3 Normals (Coilette, Athena and Mary Jane)
1.1 Het Genetic Stripe (Bonnie and Clyde)
1.0 Pastel (De Sol)
1.0 Spider (Zeus)
1.0 Mojave (Prometheus)

0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Stella)

Just to make sure I'm understanding you, you are interested in trading a pair of BPs that are het for g-stripe for a red tail boa as a pet??

First off, is the boa a normal BCI? If so, I would say the genetic potential of 2 BPs het g-stripe is far more valuable, monetarily, than a BCI. If the boa you are considering is a unique morph - an albino or hypo, anery, etc - then the deal would be more equal. But even if you are just wanting a pet, you should consider the value of the animals involved in the trade. 2 BPs with genetic potential far outweigh 1 normal boa. You can find a normal BCI less than a year old for about $30-40 on kingsnake and an adult for around $80-100. Would you sell your pair of het g-stripes for that??

As far as examining him, make sure to check for any neurological signs. You can tell if there are any issues by noting if he "wobbles" at all or doesn't grip properly, and you can try to lay him on his back to make sure he readily rightens himself. Also observe body condition - a boa should be leaner than a BP, but he should still appear muscular and solid with a nice squarish look to him. He should be strong relative to his size, observant and curious. Lots of tonque flicking. Look at his enclosure to see how he's been kept (not what he's in necessarily, but how clean it is).

If you choose to take him, I would give him a rub-down with this mite spray no matter how he looks or whether or not you see mites at all. It's a great preventative. This is the best spray on the market - much safer than PAM and just as effective. You can spray it directly on the snake and the all the mites are dead within a few minutes.

Hope this is helpful! :gj: