ALT:

Your female very well could be gravid as much of her mass is in the lower part of her body suggesting she may have already ovulated and entered the gestation period. Just a wild guess as 'long-range' observations (without being able to handle the specimen) are pretty iffy at best.



Another guess is that she could have originated from the central Sierras. Certainly she is not from the extreme southern Sierras (Southern Kern Plateau / southern Greenhorn Mts.) or further south in S. Calif. She is too large to have originated from those regions which contain a dwarf form of the species.



Then with extensive black pigment on her ventrals combined with the basic black eye coloration with bronze ring around the pupil is very similar to what I have observed in boas from the main Sierra Nevada Mts. However, there likely are other regions in the species' distribution with boas that possess the same characteristics of basic black eyes coupled with black mottling on the ventrals.



Fasting during gestation is a common trait for gravid female

rubber boas from some regions. But such fasting during the gestation period is not a hard and fast rule in the species as I have found many exceptions. However, if she continues to refuse offerings of prey, that may well indicate she is gravid and fasting during gestation. Should she produce a litter later in the summer, be sure to post that information.



Richard F. Hoyer

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