Part XIX
Superfamily : Booidae
Family : Boidae
Subfamily : Boinae
Genus : Boa - 5 species
Boa constrictor - Red-tailed boa - 4 subspecies :
- Boa constrictor constrictor - Red-tailed boa
- Boa constrictor longicauda - Long-tailed boa
- Boa constrictor occidentalis - Argentine boa
- Boa constrictor ortonii - Orton's boa
- General info : Boa constrictor
Probably the best-known snake-species worldwide and also in captivity one of the most commonly kept species. None-subspecific Red-tails are kept in Europe in 194 EU-zoos and ZTL list another 108 public collections in none-EU countries. In North America and Asia I guess also a large number of zoos are keeping Red-tailed boas. Also in the private trade huge numbers of Red-tails are kept and bred and numberous morphs are already known.
Nominate B. c. constrictors are also commonly kept but ZTL lists 'only' 27 public collections keeping pure animals. In North America and Asia I guess the situation is the same althrough a large number of the none-subspecific animals are most probably also this subspecies.
Breeding-results both in public and private collections are numberous like this one from a private Dutch breeder :
https://www.snakesociety.nl/jaargangen/2000e/Litteratura Serpentium 20-4 112-115 vdBerg, Breeding report Boa constrictor.pdf
Subspecies B.c. longicauda - the Long-tailed boa - is much more rarer and ZTL gives only 1 current holding for Europe : Zoopark Na Hradecku - Czech Republic. In the private trade I've never seen ( knowingly ) this subspecies.
Subspecies B. c. occidentalis, the Argentine boa, is also very rare at zoos and ZTL list only 3 zoos. In the USA the subspecies is kept at least at one public collection ( Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo. In the private trade the subspecies is kept and bred in small numbers and I myself had the pleasure to keep and breed this subspecies years ago at a private collection.
Subspecies B. c. ortonii is not kept currently in any European zoo and for North America I only found that the Dallas World Aquarium and the Beardsley Zoo are keeping it. In the private hobby the subspecies is offered now and then but only in small numbers.
In our Gallery there are a load of photo's of none-subspecific animals and also a number of photo's of the nominate subspecies like this one, made by @RatioTile :
B. c. longicauda is missing but from B. c. occidentalis there are 2 photo's, one of them made by @Javan Rhino :
From B. c. ortonii I was able to find only one photo, made by @ThylacineAlive at the Beardsley Zoo :
To be continued ...
I've taken a better photo of ortonii since then. I'll have to locate and upload after work today!
~Thylo
