Wish she was ready this year!

[Matt2979]

Had my big '08 female jungle het lipstick albino out last night and realized HOW badly I wish I could breed her this season. She's taking either 2 med's or 1 large (sometimes XL) every 5 days, with NO hesitation, but she's not gaining weight...well, she's not gaining any girth. She was like 4'3" just a few months ago and she seems to be racing to the 5 foot mark, while staying extremely lean. (She ate a large rat 2 days before these pics were taken.) She only turned 2 years old last month so I have another 18 months to fatten her up...after she quits "stretching out"!! lol

I can't wait to get my Matt Crabe Redline Albino ready for her...but he won't be ready until the 2011/12 season, either. I'll have pics of him on here very soon.

 

[TheFragginDragon]

Patience grasshoppa

I know how you feel though, my '08 Salmon DH Sunglow girl Callisto (which I got from Rick Carew) is getting close to 6' now even though I'm feeding her at a modest pace (every 10-14 days summer, about every 21 days winter), but she just doesn't have the muscle mass to breed yet (I've got an albino boy all ready for her). I'm sure she'll be ready for 2011/2012 though!

Nice looking girl you have there!

 

[Shadera]

I'm so excited for that pairing. It's gonna be amazing!

 

[Matt2979]

Patience grasshoppa

I know how you feel though, my '08 Salmon DH Sunglow girl Callisto (which I got from Rick Carew) is getting close to 6' now even though I'm feeding her at a modest pace (every 10-14 days summer, about every 21 days winter), but she just doesn't have the muscle mass to breed yet (I've got an albino boy all ready for her). I'm sure she'll be ready for 2011/2012 though!

Nice looking girl you have there!

Wow! And I thought this girl was long for an '08!! I went that last year with my '07 DH Sunglow from Jeremy Stone. She'll get her chance this year with a nice coral male that should also be ready by now. That girl's probably not any longer than this jungle, but she's putting on some nice girth.

But yeah, the jungle must wait 'til NEXT season (11/12).

 

[Matt2979]

I went through that last year....is what I meant!

 

[Matt2979]

I'm so excited for that pairing. It's gonna be amazing!

THANK YOU Shadi!!! And for everyone else, here's why we're BOTH so excited!! Jungle het lipstick albino female from John Martino x this gorgeous little guy produced by Matt Crabe, babied and raised by Shadera and now he's mine!!!

 

[brd7666]

I am sure you will get some smoken babies when the time is right. Patience is a virtue. Good luck.

 

[crotalusadamanteus]

Patience grasshoppa

I know how you feel though, my '08 Salmon DH Sunglow girl Callisto (which I got from Rick Carew) is getting close to 6' now

Are you serious? Her sisters are easily 4 foot, but I doubt 5 ft is even close yet. Sounds like she got the big gene. LOL

To the OP, not trying to give you a hard time, but your Boas will live a much healthier life if you stretch those meals out a bit. They need time to regenerate digestive enzymes through out the system for good GI health. % days isn't enough time, eventually, you'll have problems. Just an FYI.

She's a good looking girl though. And Matt Crabe has some real nice Albinos. Sure to be a nice pairing.

 

[Matt2979]

To the OP, not trying to give you a hard time, but your Boas will live a much healthier life if you stretch those meals out a bit. They need time to regenerate digestive enzymes through out the system for good GI health. % days isn't enough time, eventually, you'll have problems. Just an FYI.

She's a good looking girl though. And Matt Crabe has some real nice Albinos. Sure to be a nice pairing.

Thanks to everyone for your compliments!! I think they both look great, too! Because of how gorgeous I'm sure the offspring will be, of course I wish they would go this year, but I've never had any intentions of going forward until she's over 3 years old and MUCH fatter.

Richard, I wouldn't take your advice as giving me a hard time, at all. I appreciate, and listen to, good advice from someone that knows what he's doing.

I thought it was fine to feed heavily for a couple of months (just started doing so June 1), slow down for a few weeks or so and then feed heavily again until breeding season (even the girls that aren't ready/big enough to breed don't eat as much from Oct 1 thru Fed/March).

How do you feed yours? Once a week, every week? Or less? I certainly want to do what's best for my animals. Besides, breeding is NOT the only reason that I have my snakes.

Thanks again for the compliments and especially any good advice!!

 

[clsutt29]

She is a great looking jungle Matt. Can't wait to see the babies that she throws

 

[crotalusadamanteus]

I feed about every 3 weeks. I feed ONE item, but it's the right size. I've tossed in an extra week or two here and there just to get their appetite up or if they're looking fat. You have to factor in that they are laying around a cage most of the time, and fat build up is inevitable due to this. Too much fat in a Boa equals an early death in most cases. I'd rather have a healthy breed-able 15 year old then a burned out dying 10 yr old any day.

This is my opinion of course.

 

[Matt2979]

Thanks Chris!! I can only imagine what their "pick of the litter" would create if bred to one of your brightest salmon infernos!!

 

[Matt2979]

I feed about every 3 weeks. I feed ONE item, but it's the right size. I've tossed in an extra week or two here and there just to get their appetite up or if they're looking fat. You have to factor in that they are laying around a cage most of the time, and fat build up is inevitable due to this. Too much fat in a Boa equals an early death in most cases. I'd rather have a healthy breed-able 15 year old then a burned out dying 10 yr old any day.

This is my opinion of course.

(Got distracted while making my last post and missed this one.)

I totally agree with the not wanting to create a fat--or worse, obese--boa. I've been surprised at how lean this one has stayed. Even when I'm "fattening up" the ones that I want to breed, I definitely keep it in moderation, as fat reserves during breeding are healthy....but just plain FAT is never good.

 

[crotalusadamanteus]

We think a little differently I suspect. I don't fatten my girls up for breeding. They're either mature enough and healthy enough, or I don't breed them. But I don't change their diet for breeding at all. I've had them go off feed for 5 months, have a nice litter, and no problems getting them back to a healthy weight with regular feeding.

 

[Matt2979]

LOL...re-reading my posts, I guess I can see how you would think that...especially since we are "thinking differently". Guess I haven't really given it that much thought 'til now, but I didn't use to feed my boas quite so heavily....'til I got into BP's. Maybe I shouldn't feed them as heavily as I do either (the balls), but that's how I was taught by some ball breeders that got me into them.

Anyway, I guess I started thinking that once every 7-10 days should be a "minimum", the only exception being when they are in shed. I DO listen to good advice....sometimes it just takes an extra minute to "sink in"!!

 

[Shadera]

THANK YOU Shadi!!! And for everyone else, here's why we're BOTH so excited!! Jungle het lipstick albino female from John Martino x this gorgeous little guy produced by Matt Crabe, babied and raised by Shadera and now he's mine!!!

He's looking gorgeous as ever Matt! But I'm biased since I raised him from a wee wormling. I agree, it's gonna be a tough few years waiting for them to be ready, but I'd be daydreaming of that pick of the litter while I busied myself with other stuff.

 

[crotalusadamanteus]

Go to Rio Bravo Reptiles, I think Gus has, or had, a section on breeding that covered what some call a "fat ovulation". He may mention feeding and it's effects on fertility in his care sheets as well, it's been a while since I've read it. http://riobravoreptiles.com/index_care.htm

I point you to Gus because he's one of he few well known Boa breeders that actually has mature adult breed-able Boas that aren't on their last legs and dying early from being fed for "size" rather then longevity. And he's been around the breeding loop longer then me.

LOL...re-reading my posts, I guess I can see how you would think that...especially since we are "thinking differently". Guess I haven't really given it that much thought 'til now, but I didn't use to feed my boas quite so heavily....'til I got into BP's. Maybe I shouldn't feed them as heavily as I do either (the balls), but that's how I was taught by some ball breeders that got me into them.

Anyway, I guess I started thinking that once every 7-10 days should be a "minimum", the only exception being when they are in shed. I DO listen to good advice....sometimes it just takes an extra minute to "sink in"!!

 

[Matt2979]

Thanks Richard. I definitely appreciate that. I'll admit that it's been a few years since I did any "real reading" on the facts of what should be done, mainly because there are SO many different opinions of what to do and what not to do between "authors" (some people should not even be allowed to write), that sometimes you find a middle ground and sometimes you look at both and say, " what???!!".

After feeling like I had the basics down, I started just listening to the people that I actually see doing what they do, which can be just as confusing. What you said makes great sense and I sincerely always want to put my animal's health first. Guess I went overboard, not wanting to ever starve any of my snakes. As hard as my head is, this IS sinking in!!

 

[Matt2979]

He's looking gorgeous as ever Matt! But I'm biased since I raised him from a wee wormling. I agree, it's gonna be a tough few years waiting for them to be ready, but I'd be daydreaming of that pick of the litter while I busied myself with other stuff.

Looks like I'm staying consistent, answering posts out of order!

I've definitely got plenty of "other stuff" to keep me occupied, but yeah....those daydreams are NICE!! When that day FINALLY does get here, I'll make sure that you get some pics first....in case you still want anything to do with boas. Something tells me you might want one.

 

[Matt2979]

Go to Rio Bravo Reptiles, I think Gus has, or had, a section on breeding that covered what some call a "fat ovulation". He may mention feeding and it's effects on fertility in his care sheets as well, it's been a while since I've read it. http://riobravoreptiles.com/index_care.htm

I point you to Gus because he's one of he few well known Boa breeders that actually has mature adult breed-able Boas that aren't on their last legs and dying early from being fed for "size" rather then longevity. And he's been around the breeding loop longer then me.

WOW!!! I can see how some of my info got "mixed-up", but this should get me back on track. I had no idea HOW badly I've been over-feeding....even in the months when I THOUGHT I was "maintenance feeding"! And especially with the sub-adults.

Not only will I save enough money for some new, nicer enclosures that I've been wanting (fairly quickly), but more important is the fact that I will have some healthier boas in those cages for MANY more years now!! He's got some great advice that I'm looking forward to using this breeding season, too. I read a little last year that hinted towards using some of his plan of "cooling", but not in near so much detail.

Again, thanks for the great info! Anyone else seeking info to improve your husbandry skills, just click on the link. There are some awesome tips for everyone! I got my first boa in '93, but with all the mixed up, and just plain bad, info floating around, I'm still trying to find what works best.