Updated Boa Sticky Brainstorming

[WrongPython]

Good list thus far.

With "Average Age of Maturity" - I'd like to know life expectancy. We hear crazy numbers about how boas can live to be ~40, but what is the actual expectancy on average? Also, when do they become considered "seniors" and does their care need to change in any meaningful way? Is there a difference in these things by locality?

I like how you plan to call out Boa Sigma separately or indicate where it fits in the BCC or BCI grouping. Selfishly, I'd also like to know where Boa Amarali fits or gets broken out separately as well (I just got one).


Other ideas:
How to find and/or evaluate a good vet.
Probably group with "Handling", but I'm curious what others do with their boas. Is it simply handling or do they have perches, climbing apparatus, or other enrichment items/exercises for when they're out of the enclosure?

Good ideas!

Forgot about life expectancy -- that's one we'd definitely want in there. The general average life expectancy I see quoted is 20-30 years, with the occasional individual beyond that (ie. the boas that live to be 40-ish). It'll be interesting to see if this changes over time, though. As reptile husbandry and research advances, we're finding that more and more reptiles live longer than we thought. Boas are long-haul pets, that's for sure.

A basic overview of Boa taxonomy also sounds like a good idea. We could potentially merge it with an overview of localities and/or their average sizes. So, based on the current research, the taxonomy list would look something like:

• Boa constrictor (BC)
  
  • Venezuela*
    
    • *Rio Orinoco
    • *Tamatama
    
    
  • Suriname
    
    • Pokigron
    
    
  • Guyana
  • Brazil
    
    • North Brazil
    • Belem
    
    
  • Peru
    
    • Pucallpa
    • Iquitos
    
    
  • Boa constrictor amarali (BCA; short-tailed boa)
    
    • South Brazil
    • Bolivia
    
    
  • Boa constrictor occidentalis (BCO; Argentine boa)
  
  
• Boa imperator (BI)
  
  • Colombia
    
    • Barranquilla
    
    
  • Venezuela*
    
    • *Paraguanera locale
    
    
  • Peru*
    
    • *Boa imperator longicauda (BIL; Peruvian long-tailed boa, Tumbes boa)
    
    
  • Panama
    
    • Boa imperator sabogae (BIS; Pearl Island boa)
    
    
  • Costa Rica
  • Nicaragua
    
    • Corn Island boa
    
    
  • Honduras
    
    • Hog Island/Cayos de los Cochinos boa
    
    
  • El Salvador
  • Belize
    
    • Crawl Cay
    • Caulkers Cay
    • West Snake Cay
    • Lagoon Cay
    
    
  • Mexico*
    
    • *Cancun
    • *Tamaulipas
  
  
• Boa sigma (BS)
  
  • Sonoran desert
  • Tarahumara

I'm fairly certain there's a "how to find a good vet" thread in the "General Herp" forum. Perhaps that's something we could call out.

It sounds like "handling" and "enrichment" sections (or some merged section of them) may be a good idea. I bet new keepers would probably appreciate a list of in-enclosure enrichment ideas, such as DIY perches, hides, and the like. Handling and out-of-enclosure time do count as a for of enrichment as well, but they're not something you want to overdo, particularly if you have a nervous/shy/bashful boa or your dwelling is too cold or dry.

...now that I think of it, a boa enrichment discussion thread sounds like a good idea.