The Living Boas
A complete guide to the Boas of the world

John Skillcorn

Author: Jerry G. Walls
Publisher: TFH Publications, Inc.
ISBN: 0-7938-0470-1
Price: £24.95

About the book
I must be getting soft in my dotage as I have bought several TFH books recently.  I have always, in the main, regarded them as wonderful picture books with no great amount of really useful information in them, and not to be taken too seriously.

Sadly, most people would regard Jewels of the Rainforest as one such volume.

However, I have to say that this is one of the exceptions.  Although perhaps not destined to be the reference book of the Boid world, it does contain a fair amount of data that I, as a fairly inexperienced keeper, would find useful as well as plenty of information to interest even the most experienced keeper.  It would make a good partner for another TFH book Boas and Pythons.

Sixty-three species are illustrated and discussed and (naturally for TFH) a fair smattering of good quality photographs spruces up this well-produced volume.

A very useful twist is the use of scale patterns of each species, together with plan- and side-views of the head.  This is especially useful when dealing with the many subspecies of, for example, the Rainbow Boa Epicrates cenchria.  Identification is further aided by scale counts, which apparently are useful guides when trying to differentiate between subspecies.

These, together with range maps, prove a useful source of data for these animals.

There are detailed accounts of breeding each species (where appropriate - some species are little-known), together with notes on their husbandry and any details about temperament etc. that might prove useful to the prospective keeper.

Contents include:

Introduction
Boa families and genera
Boa structure and a checklist
The true boas: Boidae
The burrowing boas: Erycinidae
The dwarf boas: Tropidophiidae
Boa care
Breeding boas
Further reading
Index

I think I can recommend this book to anyone who is considering starting with these animals, as well as to anyone who is experienced in their general culture.