Need thoughts on BCI breeding

Hey guys, it's been about 10 years since I last attempted the whole breeding process and it's amazing what information leaves your mind once you stop drawing upon it. A few quick questions for you:

1) I purchased a BCI that was supposedly gravid. She was bred about a month ago. Just before being sent to me she did refuse her first meal and shed. However, she has been with me for a week now and took a nice rat last night. I know this is not a tell tell sign of not being gravid but was curious as to your thoughts. She is normally a very thick boa so looking for swelling etc is very difficult.

2) Also, with regards to the above female, she is in a roughly 5 foot x 2 foot x 2 foot enclosure by herself. I am keeping the temp range from 82 - 100 in the hottest of spots. I have CHE on top and a UTH off to the side so that she can regulate more efficiently vs having the CHE directly over the UTH. What are your thoughts on the temps? Just right or do they need to come down a bit?

Here is a link to an article that Jeff Ronne (the Boaphile) wrote in 1996 and was published in reptiles magazine. It covers just about everything that you need to know to start with
[HTML]http://www.boaphile.com/article[/HTML]
I have boas the will feed through out the pregnacy while I have others that will not feed at all for several months during. I think you high end temp is a bit high by 5-8 degrees. Also I am not a big fan of a onetime copulation, thinking that it will produce babies. I will normally keep my males and females together for months at a time with small one week breaks every 3-4 weeks. Once you read the article, let me know if you have any more specific questions.
I hope this Helps
Hoppy
Hopfam1@aol.com
<A HREF = "http://hometown.aol.com/hopfam1/HopkinsHolesaleHerps.html">Hopkins Holesale Herps</A>

I appreciate the post as I had not yet read that article! Very informative indeed! What are your thoughts on the thickening? I realize it's difficult to tell from pics however I believe I am seeing a distinct thickening towards the bottom part of the picture and her latter half. If she was not gravid then I would agree that my temps are bit on the high side for the hot spot but my thoughts are by simply giving her a large enough cage in which she can more carefully moderate her own temps then I hope to reduce the amount of slugs. If she needs additional warmth then it's real easy to move closer to the CHE. If she needs additional belly warmth then the UTH is off to the side of the CHE allowing a median inbetween these two heat sources in which she can better moderate. To me that makes perfect sense but hence the reason why I am asking here. I don't want to overlook something. Anyways, thanks for the help and am certainly interested in others thoughts.

Griz

As far as the thickness at any part of the snake, I'm afriad I can't tell, the picture is so HUGE that I can only see a small section of the snake at one time and can't compare the entire body LOL. As far as the heat issue, the problem with 100 degrees is that it is not a natrual temp for a boa, at least most of them. Most live in rainforest that seldom go above 90 degrees (except for some of the Mexican Boas). I would assume that a boa would feel the body heat as a good thing and not realize that the eggs are being damaged inside at that temp, mush like a reptile sitting on a hot rock until the burn themselves, Just my thought on the temps. I have been keeping and breeding for a while now (about 25 years) and I would not allow that high of a temp any where near one of my gravid females.
good luck

Sorry about the pics. The address for the pic is http://www.fototime.com/%7BE1004862-...7D/picture.JPG which is much easier to see. Not sure why it appears so very large on this forum. I did raise my CHE to bring the temps down to 95 and will keep her at that.

Griz

She does seem to have an enlarged area that continues down toward the tail. It could be the Ovulation swell or the developing embreoys in her. Good luck with her and let us know how she does. Look for that swelling to spread out and start heading down towards the vent in a month or two.
Hope the babies deleiver for you
Hoppy

I appreciate the sentiments. I pulled the CHE altogether and my UTH is keeping a warm spot right at 93.5 degree's. That area only hit the 100 degree mark during the warmest of days and even then only for a period of 2-3 days. I don't imagine with the CHE pulled that I will see anything over 93.5 in that particular area. Crossing my fingers anyways that the 2-3 days did not due any harm. Anyways, I guess the waiting game begins!

Griz