Boa Constrictor Imperator (BCI)

Boa Constrictor Imperator (BCI) is usually considered "the common Boa" it's wide-ranging,  living in both Central America as well as the northern end of South America. This is why, the appearance of this sub-species varies greatly depending on the specific locality.

For example, the Hog Island Boa and the Central American Boa are significantly different. The Hog Island is a rusted orange with an orangish tail as apposed to the buck skin Columbian Boa which has a red tail. The Central American Boa while similar in color and pattern to the Columbian Boa, is a good amount smaller and is sometimes referred to as a dwarf Boa.

The Columbian Boa is by far the most popular Boa Constrictor within the pet trade. In fact, it was the pet trade that originally mis-labled the BCI, "Columbian Red Tail Boa". Truth is, it's BCC or Boa Constrictor Constrictor , that are the "True Red Tails". I'll let you call it, is this mis-conception a result of marketing, or mis-information?

The BCI has gained popularity over the last 20 years at a rather insane rate. In that time, there has been a huge development in color and pattern variety. Some mutations caught in the wild, then proven genetic in captivity and some designer morphs bred by Boa breeders and hobbyist.

The common Boa makes a great pet in my honest opinion. They get big enough to be impressive without getting so big that they need their own bedroom. The eat very well in captivity, and have an excellent temperament. Their calm, but no too calm. Their heavy bodied, but again not to heavy. I had a female that was about 8 feet and an easy 30lbs, but she was the biggest Boa I've ever seen with my own 2 eyes. She was also a breeder and fed very heavily.

I would say, a normal BCI, a full blooded BCI, on a normal diet, will rarely exceed 7 feet in length and 20lbs. My big girl was a monster in size, but she was one of the most laid back Boa's I've had (& I've Had A Lot), and she loved to come out and be handled.

In my next post I'll discuss what requirements you should consider before making a Boa your pet, and in the post after that, I'll cover some of the Morphs/Mutations on the market today. If you found this blog because you where searching for information on whether or not they make good pets, I'll answer your question outright. As long as the snake is not for a small child, 12 or younger then when asked:

Do Boa's make good pets?

I'd say...

You bet your ass they do...

And Now Thanks To The Wonderful WWW you can buy pet snakes online from reputable breeders as well as buy supplies all in one place...

Vinny Bock