2021 0.1 Candoia paulsoni, Solomon Island ground boa, white phase - Inej

[Snagrio]

Only a 12 gram increase in roughly 2 months? Do they grow very slowly?

[Starscream]

She's a very nice-looking snake, & one we virtually never see around here otherwise, so I love your updates.

Thanks! I have to admit, the uniqueness of the species was definitely a factor when I chose her. If you'd like to see more, her breeder's pretty active on Instagram, @stygianexotics !

Only a 12 gram increase in roughly 2 months? Do they grow very slowly?

There's been a bit of a misunderstanding - Inej was 12 grams when I aquired her. I dont't know how much she weighed at birth, so can't attest to that. But for a baby snake to gain what is essentially a third of her weight in a month and a half isn't exactly slow growth. She's just a small species, is all. She may never even attain 3 feet long, though we'll just have to see on that one.

[Snagrio]

There's been a bit of a misunderstanding - Inej was 12 grams when I aquired her. I dont't know how much she weighed at birth, so can't attest to that. But for a baby snake to gain what is essentially a third of her weight in a month and a half isn't exactly slow growth. She's just a small species, is all. She may never even attain 3 feet long, though we'll just have to see on that one.

I see. For the record I wasn't accusing you of bad husbandry or anything, was just genuinely curious since my only experience is with a ball python where he's gained about 100 grams every month or two. That and I'm at the point where I hear "boa" and still tend to think a 5+ foot minimum animal. Still learning.

[Bogertophis]

... I'm at the point where I hear "boa" and still tend to think a 5+ foot minimum animal. Still learning.

Not all "pythons" are medium or large/giant size either. Look up the Antaresia family of snakes- they all stay quite small too. My 13 year old Spotted python is roughly the size of an adult corn snake now, but when she was hatched she was just a tiny thing too, maybe 10"- and spotted pythons are one of the larger pythons in this family. Actually, my spotted python wasn't much over 10" when I got her as a yearling because the breeder kept trying to force her to eat live pinkies & she wanted only f/t, so she didn't eat or grow much until she moved in with me. Anyway, most people picture "pythons" as big snakes too.

[Starscream]

I see. For the record I wasn't accusing you of bad husbandry or anything, was just genuinely curious since my only experience is with a ball python where he's gained about 100 grams every month or two. That and I'm at the point where I hear "boa" and still tend to think a 5+ foot minimum animal. Still learning.

I didn't think you were, sorry if my tone said otherwise. Something that's hard to get across via text. I appreciate your interest! And that's fair -- plenty of boas do get quite large. Not these guys. I like to stay a little on the small side so I can keep them in my standard of an adequately sized enclosure (aka too big according to most people lol).

Not all "pythons" are medium or large/giant size either. Look up the Antaresia family of snakes- they all stay quite small too. My 13 year old Spotted python is roughly the size of an adult corn snake now, but when she was hatched she was just a tiny thing too, maybe 10"- and spotted pythons are one of the larger pythons in this family. Actually, my spotted python wasn't much over 10" when I got her as a yearling because the breeder kept trying to force her to eat live pinkies & she wanted only f/t, so she didn't eat or grow much until she moved in with me. Anyway, most people picture "pythons" as big snakes too.

True! And while generally not as heavy, some colubrids can get pretty big, too. Vietnamese blue beauties can get 11+ feet. Now that's a lot of noodly, pretty snake!

[Snagrio]

Not all "pythons" are medium or large/giant size either. Look up the Antaresia family of snakes- they all stay quite small too. My 13 year old Spotted python is roughly the size of an adult corn snake now, but when she was hatched she was just a tiny thing too, maybe 10"- and spotted pythons are one of the larger pythons in this family. Actually, my spotted python wasn't much over 10" when I got her as a yearling because the breeder kept trying to force her to eat live pinkies & she wanted only f/t, so she didn't eat or grow much until she moved in with me. Anyway, most people picture "pythons" as big snakes too.

Oh believe me, I know all too well. I tell anybody I have a ball python and the immediate assumption is I have a 20 foot man-eater.

[Bogertophis]

Oh believe me, I know all too well. I tell anybody I have a ball python and the immediate assumption is I have a 20 foot man-eater.

So you should have known better than to assume boas are BIG sneks, lol. BTW, I have a rosy boa- she's a whopping 3.5' @ 18 years of age. Another yuge one!

[Snagrio]

So you should have known better than to assume boas are BIG sneks, lol. BTW, I have a rosy boa- she's a whopping 3.5' @ 18 years of age. Another yuge one!

...Ya know what, I'm just gonna take the L plain and simple on this one. I'm quite familiar with KSBs and I know they stay small. I know rosy and rubber boas aren't that big either. My best excuse is that SIGBs look superficially similar to a typical BCI/BCC at a glance and my brain forgot where the Solomon Islands were so I thought it was some offshoot subspecies/locality or something.

True! And while generally not as heavy, some colubrids can get pretty big, too. Vietnamese blue beauties can get 11+ feet. Now that's a lot of noodly, pretty snake!

11+? Most I've heard is 7-8, maybe 9 at the absolute most. A VBB is my dream snake so I've been researching them a lot.

[Bogertophis]

...11+? Most I've heard is 7-8, maybe 9 at the absolute most. A VBB is my dream snake so I've been researching them a lot.

That does sound like a more exceptional (max) length? I had the impression that Taiwan Beauty rat snakes get a little larger than the VBB, & sources said about 10' for max length, back when I kept some. I will say that mine quickly got to 7 1/2' in a few years though, so if they lived to their maximum lifespan of about 20, I don't think 10' would be a stretch at all. Also, since both are being captive-bred & well fed with few or no parasites (like wild snakes have to deal with), they tend to get more even more robust. Plan for the maximum size anyway, as they're active & restless.

Hey, we're getting off topic anyway- (sorry Starscream) Let's stick with Solomon Island ground boas...

[plateOfFlan]

Just bumping because I found this thread after searching Solomon Island ground boas after seeing several CBB listed on MM. There seem to be a few breeders active on there now, and the range of colors even in the same litter is really cool.
I'm not in the market right now but maybe someday, they seem like such cool little boas.