Chris,
Since I mimic natural conditions, I turn off all lights and heat sources near the middle or end of Oct. at which time my captive specimens enter brumation. Since males are found in the month of February locally, as you have done, I bring them out of brumation at that time--usually in mid to 3rd week in Feb. Females I usually leave in brumation until near the end of March or first of April. But this year, I had a batch of pinkly lab mice at just the right size in the second week of March so turned on the light / heat source at that time for the largest 6 females I am maintaining. Some took meals a day or so later.

As it stands, all of the adult females (12) I am maintaining have taken at least one meal thus far, the last two females taking meals this evening. I am maintaining 8 adult males and three have taken meals. It is not unusual for adult males to fasts until mid to late May or even early June.

The juveniles and subadults are generally the last to emerge from brumation. I have quite a few of those guys so have left them in their torpid state as it has been generally cool here in western Oregon this March. Soon as it begins to warm up outside and some of the small boas begin to stir, I will then begin offering them prey. I have two males born in 2002, both in excellent condition for their lengths, that are half the weight of your male.

Don't have any idea as to why your boas would cease taking prey beyond April. Perhaps it has something to do with the conditions under which you maintain the specimens. Do you turn off your heat source during the night time hours as occurs in the wild or do you maintain you specimens at higher than normal outside temperatures at night and during the night?

Richard F. Hoyer

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