Pure Hog Island Breeders

Since I am now starting to rebuild my boa collection Hog Island boas are at the top of my list. I hope to add one in the next couple of months. Can anyone point me in the direction of some breeders that produce some nice PURE Hog Islands. I am not interested in crosses that way if I do decide to breed them in the future I will be working with pure bloodlines.

I can't recommend Chad Duggin enough: got my pure girl from him and she's one of the nicest I've seen.

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

I can't recommend Chad Duggin enough: got my pure girl from him and she's one of the nicest I've seen.

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Thank you Angelica. I was hoping that you would be one of the replies. I was looking through some older posts and saw yours and it was amazing. Does he have a website?

I recommend Vin Russo, he literally wrote the book and boas and localities. His website is cuttingedgeherp.com.

I've also heard good things about legacy reptiles, I believe they focus on boa localities as well.

Gus at Rio Bravo was another good source for localities, but last I checked he took his website down and took a break from breeding. Not sure of his collection though.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by notmyfault

Gus at Rio Bravo was another good source for localities, but last I checked he took his website down and took a break from breeding. Not sure of his collection though.

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Thank you. I guess you were right I couldn't find any website for Rio Bravo.

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

I can't recommend Chad Duggin enough: got my pure girl from him and she's one of the nicest I've seen.

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Chad would also be my first choice for Hog Islands. He is amazing! I bought my Angolan python pair from him and was very very pleased with the transaction. He is very kind, informative, and professional. His website: http://cdreptiles.com/ But be aware that not everything he has is listed there, so if you're looking for Hogs, email or call him.

Vin Russo is also fantastic, but I am not sure he's working with the insular localities any more. But I purchased a pure Sao Paulo BCA from him in the fall and there is NO ONE better to work with!

Legacy Reptiles is another good resource, but like Vin, I am not sure if they have the insular localities.

Gus Rentfro's website is down now because he has taken a sabbatical from the boa business for personal reasons. He was always helpful and had some excellent pure localities, but he is no longer breeding. You will probably have the quickest turnaround with Chad Duggin. :gj:

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Originally Posted by jtipton

Thank you Angelica. I was hoping that you would be one of the replies. I was looking through some older posts and saw yours and it was amazing. Does he have a website?

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Thank you for the kind words :) Evenstar just listed his website: another I would recommend is Jimi Snakes (not sure what he has cooking this year) but I've gotten my Argentine pair from him and he produces amazing animals as well (including Hogs).

Legacy and Vin Russo were recommended by Gus when he closed his doors. Vin and Gus have been friends for years. Legacy has a great deal of the Rio Bravo collection.

https://www.facebook.com/legacyreptileslocalityboas

Thanks Gio. They have some amazing looking locality boas. It really has me thinking about some different localities. I have owned BCI ( Columbian and Hog Island ) boas before but never any BCC or BCL. Are there many differences other than size between BCI, BCC, And BCL such as temperament, husbandry, etc.

BCL are very much like BCI. They tend to not get quite as large as most mainland BCI and are quite similar to many of the insular localities. BCA are very much like this as well. Temperament is generally also the same.

BCO and BCC are both usually larger than BCI, even the mainland localities. They can sometimes reach nearly 10ft in length.

BCO (Argentines) can be somewhat temperamental. I have a 1.1 pair of these and while they are usually pretty good and I've never been bitten by either one, I do use a touch more caution when handling these guys as compared to my Colombians.

BCC (Surinam, Guyana, etc) can be more sensitive to husbandry errors. They are not generally a good choice for first-time boa owners (I know you're not a first-time owner - I'm just pointing that out for others' reference).

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

BCL are very much like BCI. They tend to not get quite as large as most mainland BCI and are quite similar to many of the insular localities. BCA are very much like this as well. Temperament is generally also the same.

BCO and BCC are both usually larger than BCI, even the mainland localities. They can sometimes reach nearly 10ft in length.

BCO (Argentines) can be somewhat temperamental. I have a 1.1 pair of these and while they are usually pretty good and I've never been bitten by either one, I do use a touch more caution when handling these guys as compared to my Colombians.

BCC (Surinam, Guyana, etc) can be more sensitive to husbandry errors. They are not generally a good choice for first-time boa owners (I know you're not a first-time owner - I'm just pointing that out for others' reference).

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There are probably not that many members here that can give you the "low-down" like Kali, Daybreaker (and sorry some names escape me) like you just got.

IF you want a bigger BCC with easier husbandry than the other True Red Tails, the Peruvian boas are quite hardy. The temperament can be anything from excellent to totally unmanageable according to Gus Rentfro.

Tom McCarthy sells some beautiful BCA's and is one heck of a nice guy.

Thanks Kali. That helps a lot. The main one that caught my eye was the BCL and if they are very similar to BCI that puts my mind at ease as far as owning one. While the BCC are beautiful animals perhaps I should wait awhile on them.

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Originally Posted by Gio

There are probably not that many members here that can give you the "low-down" like Kali, Daybreaker (and sorry some names escape me) like you just got.

IF you want a bigger BCC with easier husbandry than the other True Red Tails, the Peruvian boas are quite hardy. The temperament can be anything from excellent to totally unmanageable according to Gus Rentfro.

Tom McCarthy sells some beautiful BCA's and is one heck of a nice guy.

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Thanks Gio. I would agree that Kali seems to really know her stuff about boas. As far as the Peruvians, that is great to know they happen to be my favorite BCC and if I were to get one they would be my top pick. I haven't looked into the BCA much might be worth checking into though. This is why I love this site so many well informed people helping fellow herpers.

^ Can't go wrong with BCLs: I'm growing up my little female and the color changes over even short amounts of time are so intense - they're really impressive. It took a while to get her going on feeding (not sure if this is common with the young ones) but after that it was smooth sailing. There's some debate over the aneryism in these animals since they take on that look anyway, but I've noticed that "het anery" (or normal) BCLs (like my girl) usually get a little more yellow-y tones to them over the "anery" BCLs.

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

^ Can't go wrong with BCLs: I'm growing up my little female and the color changes over even short amounts of time are so intense - they're really impressive. It took a while to get her going on feeding (not sure if this is common with the young ones) but after that it was smooth sailing. There's some debate over the aneryism in these animals since they take on that look anyway, but I've noticed that "het anery" (or normal) BCLs (like my girl) usually get a little more yellow-y tones to them over the "anery" BCLs.

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I had never paid much attention to BCL until Gio posted the link to Legacy Reptiles facebook page. The pics that they had posted of them on there made my jaw drop. The only ones I had ever seen were very young and kinda drab, nothing that ever caught my attention. I had no idea that they went through such an amazing color transformation.

Thanks Gio!! :gj:


Here is my wee baby BCA - he is a Sao Paulo and was purchased from Vin Russo. Vin has the MOST amazing BCA available and he is terrific to work with! My little guy is totally awesome. They have smoother-feeling skin than other boas and I love the charcoal and pink coloration. Even his eyes are pink!! I will be getting a female from Vin in late spring or so too.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6588cbb0.jpg


And here are my 1.1 pair of baby BCL. You all are the first to see these! I don't have them in hand yet - they will be shipped once the weather warms up a bit here is snowy MI. The male is hypermelanistic het anery and the female is a hypermelanistic anery. They will be nearly solid black as adults. Hypermelanistic anery BCLs are often referred to as the locality-lover's IMG. :D
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...ps83bee2db.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...psb22b512c.jpg

Beautiful snakes Kali. I've been looking at the BCA and think that they will be a great addition to my boa group. BCL has become an obsession in the last couple of days though. I've been trying to find everything that I can on them. So now my biggest dilemma is which one to get first BCL or Hog Island. Both are a definite. I just can't decide.:confusd:

This is where I got my BCL pair. Mike is really terrific and very professional. I'd buy from him again in a heartbeat. :gj:

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...d.php?t=444861

Thank you Kali. I've been looking everywhere. Can you tell me if the colors ( light or dark ) of the babies determine the adult colors or do they generally color up about the same?

Because of the octogenic color change, it is impossible to tell just what the babies will do as adults. However, all of these babies will look very much like their parents. Both parents are hypermelanistic so the babies most likely are too. And if you pick one that is anery and not just het, it should be exceptionally dark as an adult.

These babies are VERY well bred - the parents are perfect examples of what you'll get.

Here is a little more info on them....

Mike said, "My adults were produced by Micah Denton. They are Rosen, Lincoln, Meltzer, Meade bloodline. The adult female is a hypermel anery and the male is a hypermel het anery. You wouldn't know that he was not a visual anery, as he is so black. The hypermel is not linked to the anery gene, as far as I know. Although all of the hypermel I've seen are either anery or het anery. Last I spoke to Micah, he was unsure of the hypermel genes inheritance. It's genetic for sure. Also this line tends to throw animals with different grades of pattern abbarencies. Some more extreme than others.

Longicauda take a bit longer to mature than bci. 4-5 years is about average. They aren't as heavy bodied as bci either. Also they go through a color change. Their baby colors are not their adult colors. It's really hard to predict what their final color will be but by the end of their first year, you have a better idea."

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

Thanks Gio!! :gj:


Here is my wee baby BCA - he is a Sao Paulo and was purchased from Vin Russo. Vin has the MOST amazing BCA available and he is terrific to work with! My little guy is totally awesome. They have smoother-feeling skin than other boas and I love the charcoal and pink coloration. Even his eyes are pink!! I will be getting a female from Vin in late spring or so too.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6588cbb0.jpg


And here are my 1.1 pair of baby BCL. You all are the first to see these! I don't have them in hand yet - they will be shipped once the weather warms up a bit here is snowy MI. The male is hypermelanistic het anery and the female is a hypermelanistic anery. They will be nearly solid black as adults. Hypermelanistic anery BCLs are often referred to as the locality-lover's IMG. :D
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...ps83bee2db.jpg
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...psb22b512c.jpg

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Holy shiznat!! Those are beautiful Kali!!!

I just received an e-mail from Chad Duggin and he told me that he no longer works with Hog Island boas because they were getting to hard to sell.

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Originally Posted by jtipton

I just received an e-mail from Chad Duggin and he told me that he no longer works with Hog Island boas because they were getting to hard to sell.

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This is really sad to hear :(

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

This is really sad to hear :(

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I agree. Seeing the quality of his Hogs and all the praise that I've read from his customers, I was really looking forward to making a purchase from him. I hope that he's not getting out of the business on everything. This hobby needs all the good guys it can get.

I don't think Chad will leave the hobby altogether. He's too well respected and has some other nice stuff. Too bad about the Hogs though.


Guess you better shoot a message to Mike and get one of those BCLs......... :D

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

Guess you better shoot a message to Mike and get one of those BCLs......... :D

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I have been trying to figure out how I can move some things around to get the money every since you sent me that link. Right now it's looking like they'll probably be gone before I can work it out though.:tears: Oh well, there's another season just around the corner.

Message Mike. I put a small deposit down on my pair and he's holding them for more appropriate shipping weather. As I said, he's great to work with. He will help you make it work if you REALLY want one.

And there are still a few left. If you only want one, #2 (the first one pictured) is super nice - and a female.

I REALLY do want one hopefully a pair if I can swing it. I will message him and see if we can work something out. Thanks Kali

I got me 2 BCL females on hold :D:D:D. After I get them all I gotta do is find me a nice male to go with them. It's going to be a very long wait until weather is warm enough to ship. http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/a...psd4ed551e.jpg http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/a...psde313e4d.jpg

WOOHOOO!! Look at you go! Those are very nice! Congrats on your choices! Best piece of advice I can offer at this point is, BE PATIENT while searching for the right male! I've looked at dozens of BCLs over the last year and didn't buy until I found these. BCLs are not all created equal and finding one with the right genetics and quality takes time. These girls are fantastic and you'll want to do right by them in finding a male of equal quality!

I think you'll be really happy you went with the BCLs. Hogs are nice for sure, but there is something just really cool about a quality BCL.

I can't wait to get mine too! April is a long way off.... :P

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

WOOHOOO!! Look at you go! Those are very nice! Congrats on your choices! Best piece of advice I can offer at this point is, BE PATIENT while searching for the right male! I've looked at dozens of BCLs over the last year and didn't buy until I found these. BCLs are not all created equal and finding one with the right genetics and quality takes time. These girls are fantastic and you'll want to do right by them in finding a male of equal quality!

I think you'll be really happy you went with the BCLs. Hogs are nice for sure, but there is something just really cool about a quality BCL.

I can't wait to get mine too! April is a long way off.... :P

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Thanks Kali. You were right about Mike he seems to be a great guy to deal with. Great advice on being patient. It was hard not to get a male and female from him, but I would like to get an unrelated male to breed to these 2 beauties. I picked these two females because Mike said that in his experience with past litters that #3 was coloring up to have the best chance of looking like the sire, and #10 I picked because she looked totally different ( cleaner pattern and darker color ) than the other. I am very interested to see if this plays a factor in their adult colors.

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Originally Posted by jtipton

Thanks Kali. You were right about Mike he seems to be a great guy to deal with. Great advice on being patient. It was hard not to get a male and female from him, but I would like to get an unrelated male to breed to these 2 beauties. I picked these two females because Mike said that in his experience with past litters that #3 was coloring up to have the best chance of looking like the sire, and #10 I picked because she looked totally different ( cleaner pattern and darker color ) than the other. I am very interested to see if this plays a factor in their adult colors.

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Wise decision!! :gj:

I sure understand how hard it is to be patient though..... ;)



Btw, I picked the 2 I did because of their pattern. Mike agreed that they should both be very dark as adults, but I wanted the aberrant pattern too. :D

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

Wise decision!! :gj:

I sure understand how hard it is to be patient though..... ;)



Btw, I picked the 2 I did because of their pattern. Mike agreed that they should both be very dark as adults, but I wanted the aberrant pattern too. :D

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I'm sure that both of yours are going to be smoking as adults, especially the male. If he had another one with his colors I think that I would've had to scoop it up.

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Originally Posted by jtipton

I'm sure that both of yours are going to be smoking as adults, especially the male. If he had another one with his colors I think that I would've had to scoop it up.

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He reminds me a lot of his sire. :gj:

Yours are smoking hot too - all of these babies are super nice. It was a terrific litter. I hope Mike repeats it in the future.

How do I contact him?