questions....

[cb76]

hello every one. will here a.k.a. cb76, long time member- but i pop in and out from time to time....

i have been noticing a lot of this on a few threads here (and other places) and i wanted to ask:

do you think its right to give an answer to this question by simply looking at the picture posted

the question usually is something like: what boa is this? or what local/ subspecies is this?

i also find people misusing the term redtail boa to describe boas in general when they dont have redtails.... some use them to describe imperator, and some use them to describe what has become to known as the true redtails- the bcc's

so what do you guys think?

to let you know what i think- just looking at a boa- especially an imperator in todays market- (which is usually a cross from many locales)- cannot be an accurate description. logically when someone asks me that question i would answer: you have to know the breeder- and where the animals actually came (descend) from. i see people giving out answers that are readily accepted as concrete- when there can be no real answer given.

about the redtail term: redtail is a term used to describe a particular boas tail, regardless of subspecies or locality. that means any subspecies, any locality.

some use it to describe only colombians, some use it to describe imperator, some use it to describe the bcc's

all of which to me is wrong, because so far- none of these boas shown has a red tail.

now i'm not knocking anyones experiences, or how they do things, but when i go to purchase boas it increasingly becomes difficult because 99% of the people dont know what they have themselves

no offence to shane- becaue the site is called rtb! i love this place too....plus, there are all these pro breeders who are using the same terminology

these are just questions that have been bouncing around in my head since day one. when ever i get to answer a post like these i answer what i've stated above.

again- what do you think? from everyone, new keepers, old keepers, zoology students, etc....

	Boa Constrictor Constrictor Red Tail Boa Constrictor (Boa constictor constrictor). Refers to "true" red tail boas such as the Guyana and Suriname locales.

[schmelkdog]

I think I know enough to know that I don't know enough so I never answer when someone wants to know "exactly what kind of boa, etc... is this"
as far as the term redtail goes, I'm sure alot of folks are more anal about it but it's how I refer to almost all the boa's (like a nickname) if you want to get more detail you can call it a bcc or a bci, or it's exact scientific name.

	Boa Constrictor Constrictor Red Tail Boa Constrictor (Boa constictor constrictor). Refers to "true" red tail boas such as the Guyana and Suriname locales.

	Boa Constrictor Imperator Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor imperator). Most common is the Colombian Boa.

[cb76]

i see what you mean, but i wouldnt call it anal.... wouldnt it be "correct" to call somethig right? not only that, but you say you refer to almost all the boas as redtails- question- how many actually have redtails?

i see argetine redtails for sale. doesnt anyone think this is wrong?

how can i better explain it????

a lot of people dont even know there are boa subspecies, and that within those subspecies they can vary by locality. they see redtail everywhere and kinda just go with the flo so to speak. i see people buy nice looking nicaraguan labeled "redtails" at the reptile shows to breed with their colombian "redtails"- they just see "redtail" and assume they are the same.

when i got my first snake i got a very large (8+) female colombian who was anerythristic. when the guy gave her to me he said heres your "redtail"

logic came to play i guess and i said- "what redtail?"- she was completely gray and black. this has stayed with me more than the whole "keeping it pure thing". thats where i got into the whole boa study thing.
(where i because hardcore in locality breeding was when i bought a female guyana which i later found to be half colombian).

does anyone else have any opinions? does anyone see or share this point of view? if so, why? if not, why? i think this is interesting