Expo pickup

[Kokopelli]

Once he is settled, post a picture of his back and pattern, I will probably be able to help out on whether or not it's a BCI. Sure enough, I may miss if it's a cross of some sort.

 

[MtnMan]

I'm a newbie but what is BCI?

 

[Kokopelli]

Boa Constrictor Imperator, the most common, and smallest of the Boa Constrictor complex.

 

[CMLReptiles]

It def has BCI looks, so you'll probably get lucky and he'll stay on the shorter side...especially if it is actually a "he". I've always loved BCI's for that reason. not only length wise, but they tend to not get as much girth as their bcc cousins (had a 4-5 foot pastel that screamed bcc influence with it's bp-ish girth...capt bogart has her now). Good luck with him, hopefully he keeps eating properly for you. Boa's really are a great species to keep, and very rewarding!

 

[Jessicat]

Congrats on your pick up! I love his blushing. I think we both made outa there pretty satisfied, even if the expo was small.

Did you get him from the same place I got my Plasma? The one bad thing about them was one of the dudes vending really didn't know much about what he was selling.. at least as far as the corns go. There were other people around with him, perhaps he was just a friend or a husband (hehe). Also, to be fair, I didn't get over there until the very end of the show, and I'm assuming everyone was flustered and distracted at that point.

To their credit, all the Corns and Balls I saw were labeled correctly to my knowledge.

Did you post any of the other photos you took? I'm dying to upload mine but I'm still at my parents house, and therefore, don't have access to my computer yet! I had a nice little session with Vlad 2 this morning, and I can't wait to share the "Tortoise Fever" photo!

 

[Irish Eyes (Mrs.Z)]

Congrats on your pick up! I love his blushing. I think we both made outa there pretty satisfied, even if the expo was small.

Did you get him from the same place I got my Plasma? The one bad thing about them was one of the dudes vending really didn't know much about what he was selling.. at least as far as the corns go. There were other people around with him, perhaps he was just a friend or a husband (hehe). Also, to be fair, I didn't get over there until the very end of the show, and I'm assuming everyone was flustered and distracted at that point.

To their credit, all the Corns and Balls I saw were labeled correctly to my knowledge.

Did you post any of the other photos you took? I'm dying to upload mine but I'm still at my parents house, and therefore, don't have access to my computer yet! I had a nice little session with Vlad 2 this morning, and I can't wait to share the "Tortoise Fever" photo!

You were talking to someone who was just helping out, according to Z. He says it's the dark-haired woman who knew the most about the snakes at that booth. Your baby came from The Tropical Hut, a local pet store on SE Division Street.

My BCI baby came from The Serpent Dynamic (I believe they're from the Seattle area). Name of Joey and Allysen Dupler. Unfortunately, they don't have a website listed on their business card--just a phone number and an email address.

Kokopelli, I'll take him out of his viv/tub in about 5 days for his next feeding. I'll photograph him at that time. I don't want to disturb/stress him out for a few days, lest he upchuck that mouse.

He really is a cool little guy. I like him already .

 

[Irish Eyes (Mrs.Z)]

LOL! The tortoises were so funny. No shame, I tell ya! None whatsoever .

I haven't posted my pix, yet. I hope to, today.

 

[DeadMouse]

Congrats on the pick-up.

So, is the Hillsboro Expo pretty much irrelevant these days?

I quit going after last year's disappointing vendor turn out which is a shame because it was such an awesome show 4 years ago but it has slowly degenerated over the last couple of years. I knew when I no longer saw Bean Farm vending it that this was a sign of worse things to come for this show.

It's really weird that it has been dying out considering that just a few years ago the Expo used to be maxed out throughout the whole building with vendors and was just wall to wall with patrons. The reptile room alone was difficult to navigate through because there were so many vendors and people in there, much like the Wilsonville show is these days.

Obviously the wane of the Hillsboro Expo can't be because of the lack of interest in reptiles or lack of vendors considering how well the Wilsonville show has been doing. In fact, I think the Wilsonville show has pretty much outgrown it's residence at the Holiday Inn. They need a bigger venue. Heck, I decided not to go at all this year simply because I hate squeezing between people just to go from booth to booth.

 

[pinupgrl]

He is awesome! I love my BCI. He's 5/12 feet and 3 years old but so chill he's a dream to handle. Even my 7 year old niece loves holding him (with supervision of course). I think you will absolutely love him.

 

[Irish Eyes (Mrs.Z)]

DeadMouse, I remember how packed that expo would be just a few years ago. It totally blew me away to go this year and see so few vendors. I won't pay to go to it again. It was not worth the ride all the way across town (about 30 miles for us) to go to an expo with so very few people offering their wares. So, yeah, I think it's pretty much irrelevant nowadays! I wonder if it might have to do with what WACO fairgrounds charges to use their facilities? Or maybe people just can't afford or don't have the interest in exotic pets that they used to? Whatever it is, I was disappointed. Remembering the days when it was packed to the gills with people and vendors, and what it has become is just plain sad.

 

[Jessicat]

I couldn't believe they were charging $8 for that show!

One of the vendors was nice enough to give me an extra vending name tag. I was so late I was hoping I wouldn't need to pay the full price.. I just walked in like I owned the place. No one questioned me. The people taking money were busy arguing at the door with someone anyway.. I hope they weren't trying to make them pay the full 8 bucks with only 30 minutes left of that show..

 

[DeadMouse]

I wonder if it might have to do with what WACO fairgrounds charges to use their facilities?

Well, one thing I remember is being told a few years ago when it was busier that they charged over $200 a table for the weekend. Now I see on their web site that they offer $80 a day or $150 for the weekend. $80 for one day is priced pretty competitively now compared to Wilsonville's $75 for the day. But I don't think if they even dropped their prices lower that it would attract all of the old vendors back.

Or maybe people just can't afford or don't have the interest in exotic pets that they used to?

Maybe it's the money issue because I don't think interest has waned much if you consider how packed the Wilsonville show gets. But then again, the pet industry isn't what it used to be years ago either, at least here on the West Coast. The mom & pop pet stores are all but extinct while the big stores like Petsmart and Petco have a very limited stock of live reptiles. So maybe it is a lack of interest as well because people do have money if I'm to judge all of the people that go into Best Buy and walk out with an arm load of DVD's and Flat Screen TV's. I guess it's easier to just watch a show about exotic animals than it is to own and take care of them. Either way, it's a sad state of affairs all around for the future of the pet industry.

Whatever it is, I was disappointed. Remembering the days when it was packed to the gills with people and vendors, and what it has become is just plain sad.

I totally agree. When we went last year, as we walked into the reptile room, you could just hear the echos of the few vendors talking amongst themselves and lamenting how disappointing all of it was for them. I doubt anybody there that day made enough sales to even cover their costs for renting the booths. I felt totally bad for those few that really tried to stick it out and make something of it that year. I wonder how many of them even went back to vend this year.

I couldn't believe they were charging $8 for that show!

One of the vendors was nice enough to give me an extra vending name tag. I was so late I was hoping I wouldn't need to pay the full price.. I just walked in like I owned the place. No one questioned me. The people taking money were busy arguing at the door with someone anyway.. I hope they weren't trying to make them pay the full 8 bucks with only 30 minutes left of that show..

I agree, $8 is a lot of money to pay for going to a show that lacking anymore. Years ago it was worth the $8 because you couldn't walk out of there in less than 2-3 hours and see everything. Last year I think we spent less than 30 minutes looking around the entire place and that was at a casual pace.

One thing you have to remember though, regardless of when you arrive there or how much time you spend inside, their $8 admission has to be the same for everybody or else it isn't fair to all of those that paid that price before you. Plus they have to try and recoup their costs for renting out that entire building. I imagine with the low vendor turnout and patron turnout that they are hardly making a profit at all doing this show anymore like they used to. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if they were starting to lose money. Either way though, if I had gone there in the morning, paid $8 admission, walked around for 30 minutes (as if you need much more time to take everything in these days) and left, I think I would have been pissed and felt ripped off if I had learned that they offered cheaper admission prices for those that showed up at the last minute to go inside. It would severely undermine their credibility while pissing off the majority of their patrons. IMO, They have much more to lose offering cheap admission prices later than to please a few people who show up late. :shrugs:

 

[Irish Eyes (Mrs.Z)]

Kokopelli--pix from the top

Kokopelli et. al., here are a couple of pix I took this morning of the baby BCI. You mentioned that seeing a pic of the top of him would help you confirm whether he is, indeed, a BCI, as stated by the breeder.

This first pic is taken w/flash:

This second pic is w/out flash, with lighting coming in a north-facing window on a cloudy morning:

Can you confirm by his markings if he is, indeed, a BCI?

Also, note how skinny he is. Not surprising, considering he fed for the first time 2 days ago at a month old. How often is it safe to feed him? Every 5 days like a corn snake baby?

 

[Kokopelli]

He seems like a perfectly nice BCI to moi.

As for feeding- once per week, not more frequently than that. Colubrid regiment is a no no for boids

BTW, he is not -that- skinny. I assure you, I have nurtured back snakes far worse off than that.

 

[Irish Eyes (Mrs.Z)]

Woot! I am pleased as punch . Thanks for letting me know about the feeding regimen. I wouldn't want to stress him by overfeeding, that's for sure!

Will feed 1x/week, and rejoice that my little guy is a BCI, as stated by the breeder .

Thank you for your help and advice. It's truly appreciated!

 

[Kokopelli]

Most welcome
Once he hits the 300 grams marker, I suggest moving a once every two weeks regimen. If it's a male, you'll end up feeding once a month eventually.

 

[Irish Eyes (Mrs.Z)]

Ok! I guess that means I should weigh him then, huh? I'm guessing he only weighs maybe about 100 grams right now--but since I haven't weighed him, I don't really know. I'll get him on the scale when it's feeding time and track it from then on.

Once every 2 weeks--sounds like a long time, but I'll go with it. I don't want him turning into a monster snake! LOL!

 

[wstphal]

Or a fat snake. I gather obesity can be very dangerous for boa constrictors from some things Oren has mentioned. Or maybe it's just a high fat diet. Either way, better to have a slower growing but very healthy snake.

 

[Irish Eyes (Mrs.Z)]

I agree 100%.

 

[Kokopelli]

high fat diet is simply down-right lethal. Another friend of mine now has to face with the consequence of a fat toxication.

As for slow growth rate... HA, just wait... this is a Boa.