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HUGE finds...

tyflier

tyflier

[Insert Witty Commentary]
...but in a small package.

Another species which I have been seriously deesperate to find locally is the Rubber Boa. I know they exist in my area...it was just of matter of timing.

Last night, my girlfriend, my daughter, and I took a quick cruise around some back roads...again...and found 2 Rubber Boas, chillin' in the middle of the road, less than 20 feet from each other, heading in opposite directions. So...Kaylee(my GF) collected one for herself, and Zayne(my daughter) and I collected the other for her.

So here they are, in all their glory...one of my most favorite native species, Charina bottae...Rubber Boa:

KayleeRubber1.jpg

KayleeRubber2.jpg

Kaylee's sub-adult, at about 14" long, and still showing the faint pinkish tones of a juvenile.

ZayneRubber1.jpg

ZayneRubber2.jpg

Zayne's juvenile. This one is only about 8" long, and was probably born late last summer...around September or October. It still has an intense pink tone.

Thanks for Looking!
 
Very cool Chris!
I swear - the next time I make it out that way I desperately need to go herping with you guys!
 
Finally!! Have you determined what sex they are yet? Would you need a permit to breed them? They are beautiful! I think we need a Florida field trip to Chris and Kaylee's neck of the woods!
 
Suh-weeeet! I've been waiting for this update. Very cool finds. They look great. I know a lot of wild rubber boas are scarred up, but those look pretty unmarked. :)
 
WOW, what an incredible find!! HUGE congrats!
I have always wanted a pair but I have heard they are finicky feeders.
Please let us know how they do for you!
 
Nanci-
I believe they are a male and a female...but it doesn't really matter. I would need a propogation permit to breed them, and I don't plan on getting one very soon. They are also both young. Kaylee's is a sub-adult, and Zayne's is a young juvenile. That is why the color is particularly bright and pinkish, rather than shiny and grey.

I also found out a particularly interesting piece of information...apparently, Rubber Boas have been known to live for up to 40 years in the wild...

As for feeding...whose to say? What is "difficult"? You just have to be willing to provide what they want to eat. Rubbers are fond of rodents in the wild, so getting them to eat live or f/k mice shouldn't be too much of a stretch...
 
Roy Munson said:
Suh-weeeet! I've been waiting for this update. Very cool finds. They look great. I know a lot of wild rubber boas are scarred up, but those look pretty unmarked. :)
Click to expand...

Yea...I was pretty shocked at how clean and unscathed these two are. Let me tell you the story...

We were cruising up a road that is known locally for being a rubber boa "hotspot" at very specific times of night and year. We had been cruising for about an hour and hadn't seen anything.

This is a back mountain road...lots of twists and turns, steep drop offs on the right and a cliff wall on the left(as you head up). Out of nowhere, a car came flying up behind us. So we picked up speed to find a pullout and let him pass. Another car was coming down in the other lane, and out of nowhere..."Snake!". And Not 2 seconds later, at about 30mph..."Crap! Another one!".

Kaylee pulled over on a very narrow shoulder, edged by a huge, steep dropoff. If I had opened my door and stepped out, I would have fallen very far. We didn't think they would still be alive after us, the car behind us, and the car in the other lane...but we flipped around to look anyhow.

And there they were...both of them completely unscathed, about 15 feet apart, heading in opposite directions. I would have LOVED to let Zayne catch hers by herself, but it was a REALLY bad spot...blind corner, heading down a steep hill...so I just ran over and picked it up real fast, and immediately gave it to her to hold. Kaylee grabbed hers herself, and as soon as she got back in and closed the door, a car came up the hill in the same lane as the snakes, and another came down VERY quickly behind us. It was close...but we got them both...safely.

And those are the only two snakes we saw all night...not even a D.O.R. gophersnake...
 
I'd be wary of bragging about this find. I've looked into keeping them before and have found many states with laws prohibiting keeping, collecting or breeding them. California is one such state, unless they've loosened up. This is from www.rubberboas.com....

"As of the time of writing, CA allowed the capture of 2 boas with a current fishing license, except for southern Rubber Boas, and no sale of any sort...All states but WA and CA allow for some avenue of breeding native boas. Again -first check with your local F&G to be sure what the laws are before attempting to catch one, or sell any offspring you have as I could be mistaken."
 
I'd be wary of bragging about this find. I've looked into keeping them before and have found many states with laws prohibiting keeping, collecting or breeding them. California is one such state, unless they've loosened up. This is from www.rubberboas.com....

"As of the time of writing, CA allowed the capture of 2 boas with a current fishing license, except for southern Rubber Boas, and no sale of any sort...All states but WA and CA allow for some avenue of breeding native boas. Again -first check with your local F&G to be sure what the laws are before attempting to catch one, or sell any offspring you have as I could be mistaken."
Click to expand...

Chris has a fishing permit!
Click to expand...

Probably has his fishing lisence, no doubt.. Likely following the rules as close as he can.. *shrugs* When people start talking about holding native species inside a forum, thats usually the time F&G show up at your door. Pretty solid advice about not talking about the finds you have kept, no matter if your under bag limit or not.. Of course I am not all that keen on keeping WC animals for a few reasons..

Regards... Tim of T and J
 
Here in Washington, you can't even touch one on the ground, but you can technically own one of if was bred out of state. :shrugs: I'd love to own them, and I love the ones Chris found. The light colour is too cool.

I'm too paranoid about Big Brother to risk hunting for rubber boas in Washington, although I'd love to. Unfortunately, I know of someone else on another forum was reported to Fish and Game apparently by a disgruntled member of the same forum although she had done nothing wrong. She had to put up with them on her doorstep asking questions because someone reported her for accidentally catching a protected species in a humane trap intended to catch something else. It was scary to hear what happened.
 
All of my collections are perfectly legal. I am allowed to catch and keep, with a valid fishing license, 2 of each of the species that I plan on keeping...and I only plan on keeping one of each for my own collection. Kaylee also has a valid fishing license. Zayne doesn't need one.

As well...the Lt. for the DFG in my county is a friend. He knows he is welcome to knock on my door at anytime. I have nothing to hide with my collection in any way. I welcome the DFG with open arms.

In California, I would be in more trouble for ordering these snakes and having them shipped from another state, than for collecting them with a fishing license. Importation of native species is HEAVILY frowned upon...much more severe than field collecting...

Now...if this was a "For Sale" ad...I would have my propogation permit number proudly displayed in bold print right in the ad before I ever posted it...
 
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