Kingsnake.com
Jeff Ronne
Boas
March 2, 2007
PHFaust: On behalf of Jeff Barringer and all of us at kingsnake.com,
I'm very pleased to welcome Jeff Ronne to our Ninth Annual Chat Week.
PHFaust: From the mouth of The Boaphile himself: "I have
been breeding Boa Constrictors since long before Boas were cool. I have
bred and produced babies every year since 1986. In fact in the late
80's and early 90's Boas were near the bottom of nearly all herpers'
lists of animals that were cool to work with. Anyhow, I hung in there
and NOW Boas are among the most popular of all herps kept today! I didn't
get into this to get rich. I began breeding Boas because I have always
been fascinated with them. I wanted to specialize in one thing and really
loved the Boas. In case a visit to my site didn't make you realize it...I
don't take myself too seriously. I do take my animals seriously though.
I love these kids!
boaphile: It's my pleasure to be here tonight. These chats are
great fun and a good opportunity for me to sort of babble about Boas.
What can be better than that right?
PHFaust: Thank you so much for joining us, Jeff, and welcome!
TSUSnakeGuy: Do you think that boas will ever become like ball
pythons? I mean in a way where there are so many morphs and begin to
cost so much? I think that their size alone will help save them from
getting treated like that but what do you think?
boaphile: Good question. I think it will take much much longer
due to the fact that Ball are so much more prolific. But we are working
on that.
TSUSnakeGuy: Well I just don't want them to get to a point where
people treat them as dollar signs also like balls are treated. I love
boas to death but I don't want to get to a point where they are going
for $30,000 for one that looks slightly different.
boaphile: I think, or I should say I hope, most of the Boa people
who are not in it for the love of the animals have already left for
the Balls. The Boa whackos that don't have and Balls like me you can
be sure are glutons for the humbling experiences that sometimes breeding
Boas can be.
DemonFrog: What is a good comfortable size cage for a boa constrictor?
What size do you use?
boaphile: I once had a Boa called the Demon Snake!
boaphile: I have about half 421D or 4' x 2'x 11.5" tall
cages. This works well for Boas up to 8'
gapnda7: Jeff can you share any info on the Lucy boa project?
Is there really one out there?
boaphile: Lucy was a female Pastel I bred for the first time
in 1989. She is the producer of the original East Bay Vivarium Red Group
animals. I still have many Lucy bloodline animals and het for Albinos
from her bloodline as well. A really nice reddish Pastel bloodline.
boaphile: Oh, Lucy as in an all white snake? No comment.
Maximilian: Jeff I read on you web site about a colombian being
bcc not bci. I was curious anatomically and physiologically what is
the difference between a boa and a python?
boaphile: Boas are cool. Pythons are not. LOL
Maximilian: llmao too
boaphile: Boas give live birth and are primarily New World snakes.
Pythons lay eggs. There are exceptions to these rules but that is the
basic diff.
UnikHerps_CA_nr: What was your most rewarding experience while
you breeding boas? Is there any new information about the Scortia Boa?
Will you have any het sharp albinos boas available this year?
boaphile: The litter I had from this
girl two years ago. I still have ALL her babies! They are so red!
boaphile: No Sharps I don't think.
UnikHerps_CA_nr: do you plan on working with the Scortia boa
in the future?
boaphile: No Scoria for me. No plans to acquire any any time
soon. Very cool looking animals though. I am the only one I believe
to see all of them in the flesh by the way about a month after the last
litter was born.
evertech11: I've heard a lot of numbers being thrown around,
how big do Colombian red-tailed boas really get?
boaphile: Very few get over 9'. I have several that are past
that length but most are not. I try to keep females under 8' and males
under 5' for sure. A 6' female may be the perfect size for breeding.
DemonFrog: Sorry if I should know this, but do you work with
other boa species? Things like Kenyans and rough scale sand boas?
Atrayu: Jeff are you ever gonna start working with T+'s and
start producing some T+ Motleys,T+ Jungles etc?
boaphile: Just Boa Constrictors of various subspecies and morphs.
That's all, oh and rats! GA
DemonFrog: You said no comment on the Lucy, this leads me to
believe that you are trying to keep something secret, naturally I need
to pry, are you breeding him/her? Is it inheritable?
boaphile: If, and I mean, if I did know something about one,
or more, and that was a secret, I would not be a very good secret keeper
if I said something here would I? Then again, I could very well just
be doing a little shtick. You know having a little fun... LOL GA
TSUSnakeGuy: How large is your collection? Have you ever thought
about maybe contacting dirty jobs on discovery channel to come out and
spend a day cleaning cages, feeding and maybe see some births or something
like that?
boaphile: The collection is too large. The only "Dirty
jobs" we have are cleaning rats. Everything else is pure pleasure
especially cleaning up fresh baby goo!!!
Maximilian: A friend of mine adopted a boa from a local breeder
it was born with no eyes also no red what causes this?
boaphile: I am not sure. I think sometimes a blockage in an
eye duct but I am not a Vet. Just speculation.
Kamps: When do you decide to pull your males from the females
? All my males are still aggressively courting, but the females don't
seem to be cooperating after five months.
boaphile: As long as courtship is aggressive I leave them in
generally. Also a factor is if the female appears to be thicker than
normal. It is subjective and tricky to be sure. At some point you have
to pull those boys and start back to regular feeding.
Sunshine: If you would/could rate the top 3 Hog Island breeders
by the most credible to straight from the bland. You would they Be?
boaphile: I really would not want to leave anyone out. So I
am afraid I better not say. I am not as closely connected with the Hogg
as I once was either. Sorry for the non-answer.
ChristianC: How is the Boaphile DVD coming along?
boaphile: The DVD is on the back burner. I wish I had more hours
in the day. I think about it all the time but can't seem to get people
to quit ordering our cages and racks. Keeps me out of trouble I guess.
nickstone: What's the best advice or suggestions you could give
to somebody whos about to attempt to breed boas for the first time?
boaphile: Good quesiton. I think the right set up is the most
important thing. That can be accomplished with many different cages
or tanks. But taking shortcuts or trying to breed in a 60 degree room
is not the wisest thing you can do. Good solid husbandry and a great
cage are very very important.
nickstone: thanks
boaphile: Something
cool to look at while we wait for a question
Atrayu: Are you ever gonna start working with T+ Columbians
and maybe start producing some T+ Motleys, Jungles, and may be some
T+ Pearlescents?
boaphile: Maybe. It isn't a top priority for me with the Paradigm
project now in full swing here. But those are things I would like to
make some of one day. One step at a time.
Maximilian: Ok so i tried to count the scale rows on my young
colombian red tail about 3 feet anyway halfway down I got dizzy and
passed out how do you count them or I just wait till he is bigger?
boaphile: You might get cross eyed doing it. I recommend you
do it before your close up vision goes like mine did a few years ago.
evertech11: Did you have any specialized education before you
entered herpetoculture? What advice do you have to give to young people
who want to end up building their life off of reptiles?
boaphile: Though some say I needed it, I did not take any "special
ed" as a kid. No, seriously just the school of hard knocks and
a genuine obsession drove me to learn all I could. I made a really nuesance
of myself in those early years. Good stuff.
marksherps: Hi Jeff, do you have any plans to write another
article for reptiles magazine?
boaphile: Go with what you are genuily intersted in. Going after
the dollar for most will result in failure. GA
boaphile: Article? I wish I had more time. I would like to write
more as I love to babble Boas and have lots to say as many know. I do
not have a specific plan for the next article. Perhaps when those first
Lucys pop out I'll need to write another one... Hmmm.
TSUSnakeGuy: How hard is it to probe a 7 foot female, is it
possible without pissing her off to much? Also What is the best way
to induce breeding? Do you have to cool them down? One more, what is
the smallest size a female can be safely bred?
boaphile: That's four questions. If you can have an extra set
of hands to restrain the head that's best. I hope someone is spell checking
this stuff.
Reptidude_nr: Jeff, Im sorry I made it late this evening..Ive
always been a big fan of your pearls, but I was wondering what it took
to discover something of this nature? Also, how did you get your start
with breeding boas? Also do you make caging for Tarantulas?
boaphile: Feed em and breed em. No cooling is nessesary. I would
not try to breed any female less that 5'.
boaphile: We had the first one born in 2000. Just popped up.
A very happy day for me but not as happy as when he proved genetic.
Started breeding Boas a very long time ago in 1985. I had a BOa and
thought it would be cool to make some babies. I didn't know anyone else
that had done it and there was no intenet. I sought out a male and the
rest is history I suppose. I do have an Aracnid cage. Not on the site
yet though. Will be soon.
boaphile: Something
else to look at while we wait.
loconorc: Have you ever kept boas in natural or semi-natural
set ups? Any tips on that? Also, how long is your biggest boa?
boaphile: No I have not. I talked with a fellow that did so
outside in Georgia! That would be great fun but unfortunatly it takes
up a whole lot more space. The largest Boa I have ever owned as a female
Peruvian Red Tail named Christina. She grew to 11'.
reidness: Jeff, hey its DR. reidness in VA. just wanted to say
i love you MAN!! you do remember im your long lost son? I love your
cages and i hope your back is holding up!
Kamps: Newspaper vs. aspen in 421d's? less mold with aspen?
I remember reading that you brought your garden hose in the basement
and really soaked your cages down
bboa: Jeff it looks like you stayed away from the glue fumes
today. HOW DO YOU BREED BOAS?
boaphile: LOL to bboa. I use Aspen. The major soaking was a
bit of a problem. Too much moisture and my guy who cleans cages almost
quite over it. Didn't do that again.
McBrayerReptiles: I have a 10 foot albino female 50 pounds, my male
albino has just started courting her, how many babys do you think she
could have? this will be her third litter? thanks , LOVE YOUR WORK!
ChristianC: Your photography on the forums is AWESOME! You do
a great job of capturing those amazing boas of yours. What gear are
you using?
boaphile: I am using a two year old Olympus. WOrks perfectly
well for me. Was top of the line in it's time. Not any more though.
I also use Photoshop CS2. Thanks very much for the kudos! GA
Combs Reptiles: Have you ever had 2 boas together, never saw
anything signifigant take place and still get babies? also, are you
a vikings fan, and if so, will they ever make it back to the super bowl
in our lifetime?
boaphile: Dr. Combs! I have not had that experience with Boas.
I have heard of it but I always seem to see plenty of courship. I have
several pairs this year that I wish would give me that experience this
year though! LOL The Vikings are too disapointing to follow. No they
will never win the World Series but then, what do I know about hockey!
LOL GA
PHFaust: On behalf of Kingsnake.com, Jeff B, and myself, I want
to take a moment to thank Jeff Ronne for being part of our chat week.
Jeff, thanks for taking the time out to chat with us on Boas.
boaphile: Thank you very much! It's been great to participate
again and talk shop. Tell Jeff B. Thanks as well. I have to go make
my rounds now and see if anyone has ovulated today! Good night all!
