RTB breeders?

So I've been looking at RTBs lately, but I'm having a harder time finding breeders for them than I did for balls. I wouldn't be able to get one any time soon (or even in the next year) but I really like them, and would like to start learning more about the different localities and such. When I first started posting on here I was starting to lean towards a RTB, but then I realized how big they got! :O haha Not something you can sneak into a 12x14 dorm room (like my ball) :D Anyways, I'm just kinda looking for sites with some good information, and some reputable breeders that I can pester with questions until I am able to get one ^_^ Also, does anyone have pictures of their adult RTBs? I'd like to find some pictures of someone holding them, or with a good size referance, b/c I haven't been able to see one in person, and I'm trying to get a good idea of what a 7-10 foot snake looks like :D Thanks!! ^_^

I was freaked out by hearing they get 8 feet. I went to a expo, then saw a 8 foot albino one, and it didn't look very big... kinda like a 6 foot ball python honestly. It didn't look 8 feet long, and wasn't as fat as you think. I saw 5 year olds holding it

I got mine from select captive bred, he pretty much specializes in boas. His name is Nate, but he doesn't update his site very much. I got mine for 75$. His email is nposwald@selectcaptivebred.com if you wanna shoot questions, hes really nice and told me to email him if I have any questions, and threw in a free boa manual.

yeah, and yours seems to be underfed and stunted, and it seems you were told wrong info... awesome, I'll shop there.

Why not check out one of our members, Jimi Reed jimisnakes.com, he's around on this forum quite a bit too, and many other member say he's a great guy

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Originally Posted by whyteboi

I was freaked out by hearing they get 8 feet. I went to a expo, then saw a 8 foot albino one, and it didn't look very big... kinda like a 6 foot ball python honestly.

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I am not trying to attack you, but this quite hard to believe. A healthy 6' ball python is about 5 lbs, give or take. A healthy 8' boa is about 30 lbs, give or take. How do they look alike? I have no idea.

For the original poster. I would recommend just looking through yahoo and google images, as well as the photo gallery section of kingsnake.com. There should be more than enough photos there, and some should include objects for size reference. ;)

I've got Jimi's site already and a few others, I was just curious as to what the ppl here knew about the RTB world. I'm really hoping to hold one, or at least see on in person at Daytona, but until then, I've just been looking at the breeders pages, and trying to find out all that I can. ^_^

*Edit* I have a hard time with some of the google images b/c you never know how they take care of their snake...if it's over or underfed, how old, etc. I know I have seen a few posts of members RTBs, and was thinking someone might like to show thiers off :D

if you want to see nice pics of very well cared for snakes go look at either Vin Russo at Cutting Edge Herp (just wrote a great new boa book) or Gus Rentfro at RioBravo Reptiles. They breed mainly insular locales, but they have great info and great pics. A good morph breeder to check out is Jeremy Stone. Or go look at VPI or Snake Keeper.
All breed boas, all know what they're doing.


Pics of my boas would be misleading because I have all dwarf boas. I keep only Nicaraguans, I have both normals and Bluefields locales. All of my boas, except for 1 candoia, and two of my rainbows are under 3 feet.

Ah, thanks!! I had found RioBravo, but I didn't have the Russo site yet. ^_^

So the Nicaraguans stay pretty small then? You could still put your pics up, they would be kinda neat to see :P

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Originally Posted by tweets_4611

Ah, thanks!! I had found RioBravo, but I didn't have the Russo site yet. ^_^

So the Nicaraguans stay pretty small then? You could still put your pics up, they would be kinda neat to see :P

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yes they stay smaller then Colombians for the most part. Buts nics tend to be more nervous or aggressive.

Not saying that is true for all nics, but that tends be the generalization versus Colombians.

I haven't gotten so much as a hiss from my nic female.
Nics stay smaller than a lot of boas. Females can give birth at 3' and still have healthy litters. I am all for the slow raising of dwarf boas. A lot of female nics won't even pass up 6' and almost none unless overfed will pass up 7'. Male nics usually are breedable at under 3' and will max out at about 5' with the rare 6' male being overfed, or atleast what I and many dwarf keepers would agree on. I have personally talked to some nic breeders that have 10+ year old males that are barely 4', a true dwarf boa if you ask me.
Here is my baby nic female, I have seen baby boas that weigh 2-3X this girls 1.3 ounce body weight.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...Picture002.jpg

my normal nics are not at all aggressive, but some are, just like some of any other snakes are.

real quick size comparison pics

2 month old Nic
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...5/DSC01378.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...5/DSC01380.jpg

2 year old bluefields
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...s/DSC01382.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...s/DSC01381.jpg

like I said I just snapped them off real quick, sorry for the quality.

Wow!! Thanks for the pictures!! I wouldn't mind having a regular size boa, but I just don't have the space (or money) yet, but it's cool to see the dwarf boas too ^_^ And thanks for the compairison shots!! That's a crazy difference.... So are the nics all 'dwarfs', or is there a line of dwarf and a larger, more normal size as well?

All nics are dwarf to the best of my knowledge. Most boas collected from Central America seem to be smaller as adults if fed the same amount. I prefer to keep all of my boas on a conservative meal. A meal that most of you would consider a little too small every week is what I usually call a decent meal with boas. Feed em enough to keep their body shape in check without getting too skinny. My first girl, bless her was fat at one point. I thought that all boas should be huge without realizing that boas raised slower usually live longer and are healthier. I consider her to be at a decent weight now but she could still thin out a bit but nothing drastic now.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...y/DSC00047.jpg
Here I go rattling on about feeding lol

If you want to compare BP and RTB sizes, here's a nice shot:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...2/000_0781.jpg

This is an adult female RTB and an adult female BP. I took this pic a some time ago with my two girls to show someone else a size comparison, what they would be getting going from a three, three and a half foot BP to a six foot, ten pound RTB. Just look at their heads...

I commented on your other thread, but that girl is nice!! :D I really like the look of her ^_^

And thanks Lady! I hadn't ever seen a compairison like that....there is such a big differnce in their heads. It's really cool to see that. It helps that they are both nice looking snakes :D

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Originally Posted by qiksilver

my normal nics are not at all aggressive, but some are, just like some of any other snakes are.

real quick size comparison pics

2 month old Nic
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...5/DSC01378.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...5/DSC01380.jpg

2 year old bluefields
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...s/DSC01382.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...s/DSC01381.jpg

like I said I just snapped them off real quick, sorry for the quality.

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That bluefield is nice, arent they around the $ 1,000+ mark? I'd deff. consider one though.

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Originally Posted by chris B

That bluefield is nice, arent they around the $ 1,000+ mark? I'd deff. consider one though.

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No, they are ranging from 200 to 300, I believe.

Wow...that isn't as bad as I thought...but I haven't really looked at prices yet. haha If I pretend they are way too expensive, it makes it easier than just knowing I don't have the room. :P I've got such a huge wish list now.... ^_^

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tweets_4611

I commented on your other thread, but that girl is nice!! :D I really like the look of her ^_^

And thanks Lady! I hadn't ever seen a compairison like that....there is such a big differnce in their heads. It's really cool to see that. It helps that they are both nice looking snakes :D

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Hey thanks :) The BP has now found another wonderful home with a forum member here, but I still have the boa. She's awesome!

Some boas are going to be bigger or smaller---same with BPs---but that pic shows a nice difference in the averages.

My adult Colombian is ~~6' (maybe 6.5) and weighs in at 18.5 pounds. She's breeding weight, but my males weren't quite big enough and with moving, I'm waiting until next season to breed her.


I've got one of Jimi's Colombian het albino babies, and he's the kindest, gentlest boa in my collection. Never once has Petey tried to hiss or bite. (I think that's weird, but.....;) hee hee ) He's growing very nicely and has beautiful coloring.

This is my advice, go with a male because most likely he wont get 8ft.
and I have a great breeder to let you know about! I buy all my snakes of him! pm me if you would like to know what breeder!

i rescued this one from my college. some joe had him in his dorm room then decided he did want to take it home for summer, so he left it. 2 months later he was luckily found by a janitor.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_1926.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...8/IMG_1930.jpg


i would recommend not getting a boa till you are out the the dorms and have a apartment/house of your own. alot of people say they are going to wait a year, a couple months, whatever. then the next show or expo that rolls around BAM!, they're showing it off on here.

He's a hottie!!! :D And no...I'm going to actually wait. I have no desire to end up with a snake I can't take care of. I have had the chance to get other balls and I *sadly* turned it down b/c I know I can't house another snake right now. Once I find out how cool the RA is I may be able to get another ball, but I'm not going to risk it until I know I will be able to keep it. A RTB is *at least* a year off....I'm on campus this upcoming year, and I know a potentally 8+ foot snake isn't going to work well in my 12x14 dorm room :P It's going to take all I've got to not get one at Daytona, but I think I should be good if I can at least handle some.... :D