Kenyan choices

Great point. That's exactly why I'm not offering them for sale at all at this point

You should make (this would take time) make a Tiger X Stripe to reduce the pattern as much as possible, then mix that with albino, and axanthic, stripe too. Have some killer looking morphs. But, I don't know how much the tiger would do to the stripe, might just be easier to go with stripe mixed into the morphs...

So the stripe and tiger are not pure kenyan? Am I reading it right, that they are a hybrid? Thanks
Mark

Actually, in reality, the name kenyan just refers to locality more than anything. Much like the rosy boas, they vary in how they look from spot to spot. Except for very rare instances, you would never find wild kenyans that look like the ones we have today in captivity because ours have been bred for their color for so many years, they are now much brighter. So, in some parts of that region, they look orange, in some parts, more yellow. You've heard of the flame race which is still a kenyan, but which has a naturally high orange which stays looking better into adulthood, and then you've got the rufescens which is just another natural morph from a different region. The rufescens are solid color, either a brown or black most of the time. These are all eastern african sand boas, which has been given the name Kenyan.

However, because the rufescens look very similar, at least to the snake catchers over there, like stilletos, which are very poisonous. There aren't many rufescens imported to the US. That is why when they are on Kingsnake, they go for around 2k for a pair.

These morphs aren't a naturally occuring variety that I know of, but they aren't hybrids. The best way to think about it would be breeding different localities in rosies. In fact, the kenyan you most often see is nearly always bright orange because it, too, was crossed with the flame race at some point through the generations.

Hope that clears it up.

Regards,
-Carraig Stanwyck

I think I get what your saying. It would be like breeding a miami phase corn snake to a okeetee corn, both are corn snakes just different localities, but not like breeding grey banded king to an AZ mountain king?
Mark

That was a good way of explaining it.
Kenyan Sand Boa is the trade name, but in reality "Kenyan" Sand Boas do occur in various locations in East Africa, not just Kenya. I think that name may be there because the most "normal" looking ones from what we are used to come from the Kenyan region.
You pretty much have it with the whole Miami x Okeetee deal too.
What Carraig has are simple recessive morphs, just like albino, or piebald, or axanthic, hypomelanistic all of those kind of things...

http://www.kingsnake.com/sandboa/colubrin.html

This page explains it really well, except that it's a little old. As of now, there is one breeder producing pure rufescens that I know of, and a few others who have aquired breeding stock to do the same (including me). This page just describes them as different phases as opposed to different localities, but still, basically the same thing. They are all e.colubrinus. This page also fails to mention the flame race sand boa phase. And, as the morphs I work with were created recently in captivity, they also aren't mentioned.

Enjoy,
Carraig Stanwyck

You should post some pics of your rufescens...

there are a lot of rufescens pics at the kingsnake forum, pics of them aren't nearly as rare.

Thank you for taking the time to explain it too me. Hopefully in the future I will be purchasing a few. Good luck with your breeding and keep up posted when you might be selling a few. I was wondering if you know if the paradox snow is compatible with a regular snow? I only have 2 right now but they are a fun and interesting boa. Thanks again
Mark