See... they should have that picture next to all the tanks at pet shops that sell these things. The Pet supply store I go to has a critter ruler on the wall that shows the average lengths of adults in many different species, it has one for a reticulated python that runs down the wall and turns the corner, those things are huge. I read somewhere that the red-tails can get to be up to 16ft I have never seen one, but I was curious it that could conceivably happen.

__________________
“The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka!’ (I found it!) but ‘That’s funny…'"
- Isaac Asimov



TKE:TT:118

Red tails are beautiful. If I as going to get a large snake, that would definitely be in my top choices. But I totally agree with you. They get big, and people don't understand. They should definitely have comparison charts at pet stores. The size of an average human compared to the size of an average red tail boa, or burmese python, or whatever.

__________________
"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

My understanding was that the longest reported redtail was a touch over 18 ft. And it was killed in Trinidad. However, the snake in question was later determined to be an anaconda.
I hear stories about 12-14 ft but 7-10 ft seems about the average.

__________________
Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

How do you confuse an anaconda with a red tail boa? They look nothing alike.

__________________
"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

It was probally a long time ago and they didn`t know the diffrence, All they saw was a cattle eater.

well you would be surprised at some of the mis identified snakes that have come up! some really bizarre!

__________________
Don't be jealous the voices only speak to me...

www.swaziwildlifevolunteers.com

I'm sure I would. Who typically identify snakes like this? Just local people, or do experts come in? I would have thought they'd need someone to verify the 18 foot length on the snake to record it.

__________________
"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

This was in World War II. And to many people at that time ALL big snakes were boa constrictors since that was the one species that was most known.

The markers that, to us, plainly indicate what species is what, mean nothing to many non herpers.
I have had several people that thought my red cornsnakes were copperheads. And my ruthvens King just had to be a coral snake!

__________________
Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

The time plays a big part in this. If it was 80 years ago, an expert didn`t come in and classify it. The people just knew boas and said 18ft boa. If it was 20 years ago maby they killed it, measured it and figured it was a boa and word got out the killed an 18ft boa. Then someone with knowledge on the subject saw the snake and decided it wasn`t a boa it was an anaconda. But who knows, I sure don`t.

posted at same time as my last post... So it seems I had an idea of the confusion.