breeding questions

This is a great thread - I have been researching & considering breeding boa's for nearly 2 years now, while waiting on mine to grow up. I would like to add to the questions that have made this thread great.

Are there any advantages or disadvantages of housing a male and female - or multiple females with a male for an extended period of time? Is it possible to breed one male with multiple females in a season?

What size enclosure does everyone recommend for day to day housing of adult boa's? How about while a pair is courting?

I find it very interesting & encouraging that M.Dwight does not change the temperatures, this simplifies the project quite a bit.

Now, for a weird theory I have had for a while now - are there any advantages or disadvantages of maintaining a temperature in your enclosures that models that of the locale your animals are from?

Excellent info, keep it coming.

[quote=Carlito]
I find it very interesting & encouraging that M.Dwight does not change the temperatures, this simplifies the project quite a bit.[quote]
This is only for Colombian boas. If they are kept in proper housing at the proper temps where they can regulate their own body temperature they will do all the work for you....There is no need to purposely cool them.
Also, Col boas are VERY sensitive to climate changes even though they are kept indoors....they know when it's time to breed. Good boa breeders will introduce their boas through out the year to catch them when they are in the breeding mode.

It's also a good idea to have many males on hand because some males just don't like certain females or just don't want to breed certain years.....you have to mix and match sometimes to find out who wants to breed and who doesn't.
I like to raise the humidity in the winter too....I've found this helps to get first time breeders and young males going. The ONLY time I ever purposely cool a col boa is sometimes I cool very young small males. Cooling young males for a short time can prepare them for breeding and stimulates active sperm production.

Remember I'm only talking about Colombia boas here.

Oh yea...one other thing. The only light in my snake room (a small corner bedroom) is from a window....there is no artificial light. If I'm in the snake room after dark I use a flashlight.
I'm not a breeding expert and I learn new things as the years go by....but so far this method seems to be working pretty darn good.

Thanks for the additional replies M.Dwight. This really sheds some light on things I thought were much more complex. Now I just need to determine the locale of my snakes.

Perhaps using natural light on your snakes makes them respond to seasonal changes - even though their native seasons vary very little.

How about temperature? What do you keep your snakes at year around?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Carlito

Thanks for the additional replies M.Dwight. This really sheds some light on things I thought were much more complex. Now I just need to determine the locale of my snakes.

Perhaps using natural light on your snakes makes them respond to seasonal changes - even though their native seasons vary very little.

How about temperature? What do you keep your snakes at year around?

Thanks!

Do you have a copy of the Boa constrictor manual?
Do you have a copy of Clay English's ultamate care guide?
Have you read this....
http://www.redtailboas.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9754

Originally Posted by M.Dwight

Do you have a copy of the Boa constrictor manual?
Do you have a copy of Clay English's ultamate care guide?
Have you read this....
http://www.redtailboas.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9754

No to all of the above, thanks.

Here are my answers 4 years earlier. This post should be stickied.