Help me decide

[SilentHill]

OK. So i have a "fineline" morph BCI that was a total impulse buy but he has turned into one of my favorite snakes. he is so chill and really good looking. i'd like a second one but really don't know where to begin. i know that i like the look of the sunglows, husband would prefer a snow. That is about as far as I have gotten. What are some other options maybe? I've seen some really dark ones that I like but I assume they are $$$$. I'd like a smaller boa that's docile like my current BCI.

Thoughts/suggestions?

Or post up a pic of yours and maybe a price if you don't mind so I can get a better idea of the market.

[richardhind1972]

Boas are really great as you know.
There’s some amazing sunglow out there now a days and the img sunglow are serious money but normal sunglows can be brought at a fraction of the cost and as you say the snows and the moon glow boas are big dollars too, so depends on budget
Here’s my sunglow
The darker boas are pretty cool too I love my img but they are serous money there’s some great dark motley’s boas too, here’s my Male they can brought relatively cheep in comparison but you can get img motley too which are serious money. There’s some nice dark leopard boas and there are also some nice Peruvian longtail boas (Bcl)that can be pretty dark, pure locality here’s my Male hes 3 in April hope this gives a better idea


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[SilentHill]

can you tell me more about IMG's? i have seen they ARE serious money but just curious why and what they're made from....

[dakski]

IMG = Increased Melanism Gene.

It increases black pigment as the animal ages. As I understand it, it's basically the opposite of hypomelanistic, which reduces black pigment.

I've also heard, but early to see too many adults, that in Albinos and Sunglows, etc. it heighten the reds.

I also wanted to suggest a Venezuelan BCC/True Red Tail. They are a true dwarf species, but apparently have amazing temperaments. My guy, Feliz, sure does. He's a total sweetie. He's also stunning.

I got him from Tommy Carpenter at TC Reptiles.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ighlight=feliz

http://tcreptile.com

https://www.facebook.com/TCReptile/

I highly recommend Tommy and Venezulean BCC's. Be careful though, some are not this species from Venezuelan. These are rare and Tommy and one other breeder in the US, I believe, breeds them.

Not all dwarf species are as friendly as a BCI, or so I've heard. Feliz is, and I have heard his species is, but it can be hit or miss with many others.

[WhompingWillow]

I'm going to preface this by saying I know absolutely nothing about boa morphs apart from most morphs = BCI (or BI), so completely ignore this post if you wish lol.

As my interest in snakes has grown, I've realized how much I enjoy boas and carpets. With boas, I'm specifically interested in localities because I think they are phenomenal. Personally I have almost 0 interest in boa morphs, I enjoy wild type more. Part of the fun for me is not really knowing how the snakes will change over time, and some go through some crazy changes. (I had a nice chat with Vin Russo at Tinley about this and he seemed to appreciate that stance, lol. I guess some people want to try to figure out exactly what a neonate will look like as an adult vs. enjoying the journey and being pleasantly surprised at what you end up with.)

I currently have a Dumeril's, Peruvian Long Tail/BCL, and just picked up an Argentine/BCO. I obviously like how all of these boas look, but I also aim for snakes I can handle and work with. Dumeril's are considered the puppy dogs of the snake world. Mine has developed quite a bit of pink and is a sweetheart. My BCL is super inquisitive. The BCO is so new he's barely been handled but seems to be my first hisser lol. I can't wait to see how those two change over the next several years. I've included some photos.

The only snakes remaining on my wish list are boas and will likely be the last snakes I acquire.

Whatever you decide make sure to post plenty of pictures! Maybe I'll learn a bit about the morphs.

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[artgecko]

Can't get to any pics right now (at work) but I'd suggest looking into motley Central American boas. CAs stay smaller and leaner than the common BI and the motley gene in them makes for an even darker snake than most common BI motleys.

I have a male CA motley that is very dark. I've had him for about 3 years now and he was 1.5 when I got him. He is about the size of an adult corn snake. My CA is very docile and easy going, but some CA boas can take some time to tame down, so if you go this route, I'd advise talking to the breeder and asking them to pick out a baby that is calmer.

I paid $200 for my CA motley and thought that a very fair price. There are other smaller boa locality morphs out there that can get dark like leopards, but those are a little pricier. Terrahumara boas (from Mexico) get pretty dark and are very small.

I also agree with the BCL suggestion. There are some lines of BCL that have been selectively bred to be hypermelanistic and anery. If you can get an anery from one of those lines, you should be set for a dark look. They are more pricey (around $400-$800). I just got a pair of russo yellow line BCL and am looking forward to watching them develop. BCL dont' look great as babies and go through a huge color change as they age. To know what you're getting, you need to look at parent pics.

For sunglows, look for lipstick line which tend to keep their contrast better as they age. Know that nothing is really guaranteed with them though, as sunglows can look very different than their parents when they become adults. I would also note that you should look at adult pics of the albino morphs before you decide on getting one. Adults often loose their contrast and develop a yellowish background color (on both suns and moons). Albino morphs can also have many eye issues when they are born, so make sure you purchase from a reputable breeder and see pics of the baby from both sides (to show there are no pop-eye issues).

With any of these, I'd advise going to a private breeder with a good reputation vs. a chain store or buying from a larger outfit (i.e. backwater, LLL, etc.). With localities, you want to make sure you are actually getting that locality and re-sellers have been known to mislable animals.

[67temp]

Have you considered a caulker cay? Those appear to be pretty small and darker than most others.

[SilentHill]

i like this one a lot

https://www.morphmarket.com/us/c/rep...rictors/170338

[richardhind1972]

Looks really nice, my CA motley is so nice and so is my Nicaraguans, don't grow big and girthy either, good luck with your choice

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