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Tom, I have this to say:
Many snakes do not breed annually. They don't recieve the nutrition necessary for annual breeding like they do in captivity. Availablility of food may be increased by rains or something like that, thus increasing snake production. Some years there is just better climate for snakes, like this year in southern California, but it has nothing to do with production, they are just more active and therefore seen more often. Same numbers though.
Also, I saw a boa on tv that, well I dont know what to call it, not egg bound as they are live-bearing, but the offspring didn't come out all the way and the snake died. They found her dead with offspring attempting to come out, also dead. So it can happen in the wild.
As for poor production years among keepers, Im not sure about that. My only hypothesis would be climatic, likely to be due to lower humidity on some years or something like that. Either way, if you are right and everyone has good and bad years together, it should be looked into. There is a whole world of discovery awaiting in reptiles, there is so little that we actually know.
Just my opinions....
Nick Puder
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