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So Confused - Surinam or Columbian??

herpspaz

herpspaz

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Hi everyone, I am so confused - I've had one Red Tail for 3 years, and she was sold to me as a Surinam Red Tail. I recently acquired another Red Tail, she is supposed to be a Columbian. They both look the same to me shape wise.

What distinguishes a Surinam from a Columbian? Is there any price difference between the two? I paid about the same for both.

Here are pictures: The Lighter colored snake is what I know as the Surinam, the Darker Snake is the Columbian.

thanks much guys!
Karin
 

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Um...those both look like Colombians to me.

What size were they when you acquired them?

A Surinam should cost more than a Colombian, atleast as far as I know. Are they both CB?

I want to ask what you paid for them, but it isn't any of my business.
 
The first picture of yours looks like a Columbian Boa Constrictor, Common Boa, or Redtail Boa. The second looks like a Central American Boa or Mexican Boa. The names are commonly used for each snake. A Surinam looks like the one I have here with a Columbian boa.

http://www.riobravoreptiles.com/

has better pictures and discriptions of each species.
 

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I should mention the first picture is one of my adult females.
 
Thanks very much guys, both the snakes were about a year old when I bought them.

So what is the distinction between the different varieties? Surinams are bigger - darker colored?

So if you think the first picture is a Columbian, and the second is a Central American Boa or Mexican Boa?? Now does that mean they are two entirely different Boas?

Sorry for all the newb questions, I've been into geckos, and everything else prior to this forever, but I just started with a Ball Python a few years back, so I'm very new to the snake world.
 
The big pink girl is the the Surinam. Her saddles are widow peaked at both sides which is the common trait of Surinam boas. The Surinams are also larger than average boas, females can reach 14 feet. I have noticed that Surinams have a longer nose and wider head, this Surinam is an early 05 baby and the Columbian is a late 05 baby. Surinam's carry a much deeper red tail with big orange blotches on the sides, and are also know for being skiddish, they are not as trusting as Columbians. This girl here hates cameras too. I was impressed she held still for these pictures I took for you. If you want more I can load more, but I think Gus Renfro has the better quality snakes and camera, you will be able to get a good idea from his website.

Surinam's do run a higher price, this little girl runs in the $300-500 range depending on who you buy from. The adult female sure cost me a lot, but I think she produces great babies.

So just a little info for you, sorry I used so many posts. This girl is bred for her pink, Gus' Surinam Boas are very light grey with awesome red tails
 
Thank you so much, but now I feel like a dumbass for not knowing or checking earlier!!

I am trying to sell off all my snakes to make room for other reptilians, and I have been trying to sell her as a Surinam - no wonder I had so many initial inquiries, and then they all stopped after i sent them that picture of her...

You really cleared things up for me, and taught me a huge lesson on not trusting every seller...

But I do have to say, Snakes in general are harder to indentify as far as morphs/colors, etc than geckos...

Thanks again
Karin
 
I am glad I was able to help you through all of that, my fingers are burning from typing, after this post I a getting a Dr Pepper. I must say I am stuck with the Geckos. They change colors as they grow so I have no idea what a baby will be, because a couple months later it looks very different. I own 3 Tokay's so that is enough for me.

I do hope you did not get ripped off think you were buying a real Surinam.
 
well, when i bought her, I didn't know there was a difference. i don't know, i guess i was under the impression that you couldn't tell the different Boas (columbian vs surinam - are these just locale differences or considered a whole subspecies difference or what's the relationship??) I thought that you only knew if the seller/breeder was able to tell you.

I don't think I got ripped off..I only paid $40 for her, not bad right? But i guess now that I'm more educated with snakes...that selling price right there should have told me otherwise, huh?
 
that site is amazing, i cannot believe there are so many different locales of red tails...

but, i don't know, maybe i just don't have the eye for snake business, but I mean, a few of those if i just saw them somewhere without knowing where they really came from, i would have just thought they were columbian red tails.

and now for another newb question - BCC - refers to what they call "true" boas? and then you have BCI, I can't remember what these are supposed to be referred to as, but what exactly is the biggest difference between the two subspecies?
 
BCC-Boa Constrictor Constrictor

BCI-Boa Constrictor Imperator

Boa constrictor Imperator (BCI) have 253 ventral scales (or less) and a midbody scale count of 55-79. 21 or more dorsal blotches (saddles). Adult BCI boas reach an average of 7 to 8 feet, with a length of around 10 feet being very unusual and very rare. General maximum weight 30 pounds.

BCI's are located West of the Andes Mountain Range. There are some in the trade that believe Colombians are in fact BCC, and still consider them BCC to this day. Arguments can be made for both sides of the fence. The majority of the herpetology industry still consider Colombians to be included in the BCI classification.




Boa Constrictor Constrictor

and Others Known as the “True” Red Tails

Boa constrictor constrictor's (BCC) have 234 to 250 ventral scales and a midbody scale count of 89-95. Less than 20 dorsal blotches. Adult boas may reach 12 to 14 feet in length, and these boas are the "giants" of the red tails. They can reach an average maximum weight 60 pounds although larger ones have been seen.

BCC's are located East of the Andes Mountain Range. It is this split of the mountain range that leads me to believe that Colombians are not part of the BCC species.

Taken form this website http://www.redtailboas.com/morphs/morphs.html
 
Now the only thing I found odd was my Columbians had a scale count of 82-85, which almost makes me believe that Columbian's are also BCCs. I do not own a Central American Boa so I have not counted scales on those.
 
ahhh...that makes it very clear...

thank you very much for enlightening me!
 
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