Need help between BCI or BCC

[Johnny_300]

Your boa is a BCI: my best guess a Colombian BCI boa (which is what most people call "common" boas: the Colombians). Other BCI boas include Central Americans, Nics, Mexican dwarf boas, Hog Islands, etc (just some examples) but yours looks like a Colombian "common" BCI boa to me.

would he be considered Colombian Red Tail?

[Daybreaker]

would he be considered Colombian Red Tail?

I think the term "Red Tail" is incorrect for BCI boas because the "true red tails" are the BCC boas such as the Peruvians, Guyanas, Surinames, etc

I see many call their Colombians and BCI boas "red tails" and see it commonly in pet stores too but I personally think it's incorrect. I call my Colombians "Colombian BCI boas"

[Evenstar]

would he be considered Colombian Red Tail?

I think the term "Red Tail" is incorrect for BCI boas because the "true red tails" are the BCC boas such as the Peruvians, Guyanas, Surinames, etc

I see many call their Colombians and BCI boas "red tails" and see it commonly in pet stores too but I personally think it's incorrect. I call my Colombians "Colombian BCI boas"

I agree with Daybreaker. Your boa is a BCI and most likely a Colombian. The "true Red Tail" boas are the BCC she mentioned above. I also call my Colombians "Colombian boas" or "common BCI".


Here is some additional info that may help you. The following was originally posted by our own Vypyrz....


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.