Confused about BCC and BCI

[interloc]

Hello. I'm brand new to boas and i have some questions. I held a boa the other week and was immediately hooked. Now i want one but don't know the difference between bcc and bci. I love the red tail and I think I heard that one of the 2 species holds the red better than the other. Is this correct? Also is a aquarium that has a 48" x 18" floor space big enough for a boa? Should I get a baby, or adopt off kijiji or something? I love handling snakes and I am worried that if i get a "used" one that it may be unpredictable. Like I said, I'm new to boas so any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Vypyrz]

For your first boa, I would suggest getting a young one. The reason is that they are nothing like a BP. They are alot more active and curious. It seems that they are almost attracted to movement. They can also be pretty persistant when they want to go one direction and you want them to go another. With a young boa, you can develope your handling techniques as they grow, instead of getting an adult first, and possibly being overwhelmed by trying to figure out how to handle it right away.

[Vypyrz]

And here is my big write-up on the differences between BCC and BCI. Hope it helps...

Red Tail Boas are classified as follows:

Boa Constrictor Constrictor (BCC)- These are the "true red tails." These are generally the largest in size and maintain their red tails into adulthood. The tail will normally have a distinct red color that ranges from bright red to a deeper, more blood red color. They come from:
Peru
Brazil
Venezuela
Suriname
Guyana

Boa Constrictor Imperator (BCI)- This is the largest group of boa constrictors. Their tail color normally ranges from a darker, more subdued red to a more common brown color. They include the boas from Central America:
Colombia
Panama
Costa Rica
Nicaraqua
Mexico: Tamaulipas, Tarahumara
and the insular islands:
Hogg Island
Caulker Cay
Crawl Cay
Corn Island

Boa Constrictor Amarali (BCA)- Bolivian boa constrictors

Boa Constrictor Longicauda (BCL)- These come from the Tumbes region of Peru. They are also known as the Peruvian Long-tail Boa, as they have a higher scale count from their vent to tail tip, than the Peruvian BCC.

Boa Constrictor Occidentalis (BCO)- Argentine boa constrictors.

Boa Constrictor Sabogae (BCS)- Pearl Island boa constrictors

As well as, some of the lesser known sub-species:

Boa Constrictor Nebulosa- Dominican Republic, Lesser Antilles
Boa Constrictor Orophias- St. Lucia
Boa Constrictor Melanogaster- Ecuador Black Belly

It is best to research each of these, as they have different sizes, colorings, and growth rates. Here are a few websites to help you get started, where the different sub-species of Boa Constrictor are discussed and described:

http://www.boa-constrictors.com/com/com.html

http://www.cuttingedgeherp.com/contactinformation/

http://www.riobravoreptiles.com/index.htm

Physical Differences:

-Saddle Shape: Generally the BCI saddles will have a rounder apearance, looking something like this: ( ) ( ) ( ), whereas the BCC saddles generally have an apex in the saddles, much like this: } { } { } { } . While this is a good marker, it is not always reliable.

-Head Shape: The head shape between BCC and BCI may be hard to detect in neonates, but from about 1 year in age, the differences become more apparent. The BCC generally have less pronounced jaw muscles, giving the head a more slender, longer, or uniformly tapered appearance, with a more pointed shaped nose. Also, the size of the head will appear larger in relation to the size of the body in the neck area. The BCI generally has more pronounced jaw muscles and a more blunt or broader looking nose, giving the head a shorter appearance. Also the BCI head will appear smaller in relation to the size of the body in the neck area.

Here is a photo of my Costa Rican BCI. In the photo, you can clearly see the rounded saddle pattern, as well as, the brown coloring on the tail saddles. You can also see that his jaw muscles are just starting to develope a more pronounced and rounder appearance, and in about a year, will be readily apparent.



And in the below photos, the difference in head shape is readily apparent:

My Colombian BCI Powder -



Peruvian BCC (looks kinda like Powder eh!?! That is interesting) -

-Scale Count: Scale count is another indicator of Boa type, however, since alot of the numbers overlap, it should not be relied on solely. Scale count + Head shape is the most accurate method of determining the type of Boa that you have. If you are looking for a specific locale of BCC or BCI, the easiest way to ensure that you are getting what you want is to buy from a reputable breeder who will guarantee the genetics.
Here is a chart that was posted on another forum with some basic scale and saddle counts. I left the authors name in the post so that he can recieve credit:

Here are the scale counts for you.

BCC
scale counts - 75 to 95 dorsal rows.
227 to 250 ventrals.
49 to 62 subcaudals.
Average 15 to 21 saddles.

BCI
scale counts - 56 to 79 dorsal rows.
225 to 253 ventrals.
47 to 65 subcaudals.
Average 22 to 30 saddles.

BCA ( Amaral Boa)
scale counts - 71 to 79 dorsal rows.
226 to 237 ventrals.
43 to 52 subcaudals.
Average 22 saddles.

BCL (Longicauada)
scale counts - 60 to 76 dorsal rows.
243 to 247 ventrals.
50 to 67 subcaudals.
Average 19 to 21 saddles.

BCO (Occidentalis)
scale counts - 65 to 87 dorsal rows.
242 to 251 ventrals.
45 subcaudals.
Average 22 to 30 saddles.


Take care
Tom

For those who are doing research or looking for care info, the following links are to the different sections of "The Ultimate Boa Constrictor Care Guide" by Clay English:

http://www.redtailboas.com/f110/part...ew-line-40589/
http://www.redtailboas.com/f110/part...-online-40590/
http://www.redtailboas.com/f110/part...-online-40591/
http://www.redtailboas.com/f110/emer...-online-40594/
http://www.redtailboas.com/f110/feed...ew-line-40593/
http://www.redtailboas.com/f110/inst...-online-40592/

You can also download the entire guide in PDF format free by going to this link and registering:

http://www.redtailboas.com/f110/down...ion-3-a-31312/

Also, here is a fairly in-depth article by Gus Rentfro, Rio Bravo Reptiles, on Boa Constrictor care:

http://www.redtailboa.net/forums/sna...tail-boas.html

Hopefully, all of these links and info will help those doing research, or the keeper who is just looking for some additional resources and info...

-Vypyrz-

[Daybreaker]

BCI: Colombians, Nics, CAs, Hogs +
BCC: "true" redtails such as Surinames and Peruvians. These are the ones with deep red tails.

BCCs do grow larger than BCIs so honestly I would start with a BCI. BCCs are known to be more sensitive to husbandry errors and regurging as well (that I've read). They will also be a lot more expensive than a normal Colombian.

I would get a baby to grow with the species and learn as you go. I wouldn't start out with a huge adult.

And I plan to house my boas in Boaphile/Vision type cages with radient heat panels. IMO adult boas do the best in these kind of setups: glass tanks are okay but I wouldn't recommend them (too hard to keep temps correct). My little ones are kept in tubs.

[Evenstar]

A 48" long aquarium would probably be ok for a SMALL MALE BCI but it would need to be a minimum of 18-20 inches wide. A female BCI or any BCC really should have closer to 6 feet long of cage space. There are some who might say that's excessive, but an 8-10 foot (or longer!) Snake really needs to stretch out.

I like the cages at www.pvccages.com and Boaphiles are awesome too. I also agree that you should start with a BCI and get a young one. They are wonderfully fun to raise as babies! I have two 8 month old youngsters and they both the sweetest, most curious snakes ever!

[xFenrir]

I would fourth on getting a baby, I got my girl as a sub-adult/adult and while wonderfully sweet, when she makes up her mind that she's gonna do what SHE wants, she can be a real pain in the butt. It took me a little bit longer to figure out the best ways to remove her when she grabs hold of something (or someone!) and how to get her in and out of her tank when her weight started getting measured in pounds, not grams. And trust me, they'll hit their "growth spurt" and grow FAST; from June to November Satin jumped from 3lbs to 5.5lbs and gained a foot and a half!