Talk to me about tarahumaras

Hiya! PLEASE listen to the advice you’ve been givenso far. I can promise you…you won’t besorry.
I justrecently picked up a pure Tarahumara Boa, and it took me a couple months ofsolid research to make sure I did it right, the first time. I spoke to a lot of people, read a lot ofarticles/books, and went with a well known and well respected breeder oflocality Boas.
In my huntfor the right animal, it became clear that there are tons of folks who sellhybrids (crosses), and that can result in a not-so-dwarf Dwarf boa. The last thing I wanted was to wake up oneday and own an 8-foot Tarahumara…but with all the cross-breeding going on, itIS possible, if you’re not 100% sure of the lineage.
Vin Russo,Gus Rentfro, and Legacy Reptiles are a REAL good way to go.
GETONE!!!! YOU’LL LOVE IT!!! J
Good luck!
KD

For some reason...the spacing is off on my posts...but you get the idea.

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Originally Posted by Badgemash

I totally understand and agree with what you're saying, and no offense is registered whatsoever.;)

To be fair, it's not a typical local reptile store, but if he can't get me the appropriate documentation, I'm not doing it. I just have a fondness for obscure sorts of animals, so they caught my eye with their cute little heads.

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But how will you know that documentation actually goes with that particular snake??

I totally understand your fondness for obscure animals - I am the same way. But you CAN get TMs from reliable sources if you have your heart set on one. They are not one of the more expensive localities either so why NOT buy from a reputable breeder to be safe?? And if you really want one, then you want a good pure one from traceable bloodlines. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

But how will you know that documentation actually goes with that particular snake??

I totally understand your fondness for obscure animals - I am the same way. But you CAN get TMs from reliable sources if you have your heart set on one. They are not one of the more expensive localities either so why NOT buy from a reputable breeder to be safe?? And if you really want one, then you want a good pure one from traceable bloodlines. :gj:

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Exactly. Compared to what I spent on some of my BPs, my TM Boa was a steal of a deal...and as pure as you could ever possibly find. Vin Russo was great to deal with, and his reputation speaks for itself. I am thrilled with mine, and I have no doubt I got mine the right way. It just so happens that I was on the hunt for something different. Something that everyone else in town didn't already have...or have a variation of. I was sold on the TM Boas once I did all my homework, and I knew right away that I was going to get one from a top-tier breeder.

I promise I won't do anything silly guys, as far as I'm concerned "paperwork" needs to include photographs that I can confirm with the original breeder, who needs to be one of the reputable people listed earlier in the thread as well as an established chain of custody all the way back to them in order for me to move forward.

I honestly had no intention of getting more boas in the near future, but these little guys stood out to me for some reason. But I also learned my lesson about impulse buys and due dilligence as a twelve year old when I talked my mother into getting me a burmese. I like them, but if I have any qualms about their lineage, I'm okay with walking away too.

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

Pure Tarahumaras just do not show up in pet stores. Vin Russo, Gus Rentfro, and Joel and Orlando Diaz are the only breeders I am aware of who are working with pure TMs and their animals just do not end up in the retail market.

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Although I understand TMs need to be approached with a critical eye, there are others successfully working with these wonderful little boas. I haven't seen them in stores yet, but there are good folks breeding TMs from the RB line and there is no reason these can't hit the market.

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Originally Posted by danojeno

Although I understand TMs need to be approached with a critical eye, there are others successfully working with these wonderful little boas. I haven't seen them in stores yet, but there are good folks breeding TMs from the RB line and there is no reason these can't hit the market.

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Of course there are. BUT unless they can document the lineage all the way back to Cutting Edge, Rio Bravo, or Legacy, and/or unless that person is already a highly respected and well-known breeder, I would not trust that those animals are pure Tarahumara boas. And again, these are rare enough still that it is highly unlikely a pure TM will show up in a pet store - not impossible - just very unlikely.

Update: The previous owner didn't hold onto the paperwork, so I passed.