The Crawl Cay, Belize Boa (Boa constrictor Imperator)

These are another of the insular island varieties of Boa constrictor inhabiting the barrier islands and coral atolls of the Caribbean Sea. Crawl Cay, Belize is one of the northernmost cays in the Turneffe Islands archipelago located east and slightly north of Belize city, a modest boat trip from Caulker Cay, home of yet another insular Boa. There are other islands referred to as Crawl Cay, notably in the Bay of Chiriqui among the archipelago of Bocas del Toro on the northeastern coast of Panama. It is possible boas from Panama or other islands locally called Crawl cay or Key have made their way into herpetoculture, here or elsewhere. This could explain the unusual diversity between some captive colonies of these rare snakes, in the United States and abroad.

Crawl Cay, Belize boas are considered among the smaller Boa localities, usually less than 1.8 meters in length and adults are somewhat stocky, solid-feeling snakes. Neonate Crawl Cay boas are not eye-catching, patterning is indistinct and unremarkable. Tail blotches may be a dull yellow or orange. Mature adult Crawls are more interesting, they have a lower-than-average saddle count (21-23 S-V) for central American constrictor and the pattern is faded and reduced, both dorsally and laterally, revealing a silvery-grey or coppery-pink boa with large scattered jet speckles, prominent eyes and a heavily black-pigmented tail with just a hint of yellow, orange or silver showing through. The way in which the black pigment is distributed inside of and between the scales on Crawl Cay boas may be somewhat unique and identifiable.

Unlike the Caulker Cay boas, of which only a handful were brought to the United Sates, according to knowledgeable sources many Crawl Cay boas were imported, mostly in the 1970's. These boas were brought by tourists, fishermen, divers and university groups, many of who presented the snakes to reptile dealers, perhaps as a way of offsetting their expenses. One such group of snakes was captured and imported to the U.S. by a Texan, Bob Sears, who kept and bred them. Where all the imported Crawl Cay boas eventually went and whether or not they were bred and bred true to the locality is not known. Thankfully, a group of Bob's boas ended up with Tim Meade, who did also breed them in the 1990's. This lineage is all that is left of the (verifiable) boas of Crawl Cay, Belize in culture.

Adult Crawl Cay boas are very good cage and display snakes, typically laying still in classic ambush posture, their unusual colors and markings are surprisingly effective camouflage, but their temperament is not the best. They are easily scared and will frequently stiffen and strike if startled or handled roughly. Baby Crawl cay boas have been known to be reluctant feeders on standard neonate boa fare.

Whether or not these island boas yet survive in numbers on Crawl Cay (Belize) is not known. In any event the entire Turneffe Islands archipelago is now a national reserve of Belize and it is very unlikely any additional Boa of that locale will be brought to herpetoculture. Serious herpetoculturists everywhere should agree to work to safeguard the Crawl Cay line, in nature and in culture.