Well I have read many people put females in the male cages but since my females are in the larger cages I put the males in with the females. If I do have other animals breeding in smaller containers I don't even pay much attention. I actually take into consideration if one cage needs cleaning or if a water bowl was spilled...things like that. I have not yet produced Hondos. I too got shot down last year.....a few slugs and one kinked baby I had to freeze. The pair was roughly 2 years old and that's what may have been the problem. I did not let it discourage me...I bought 5 more in 04 because I really love these Hondos. I brumate all my snakes, various colubrids....in my garage in central texas. I am very casual about this approach, I check temps daily but when it is warmer than I prefer I do not sweat it. I think for the most part temps are sufficient. In the case of egg binding...especially in Hondurans I honestly feel it happens to the best of us for reasons unknown. I have heard of the eggs coming out in many different sizes and shapes, which as far as other snakes go I honestly never hear of??? I think age is a factor, and the size of egg laying boxes too, as well as the size of the cage. As I mentioned I know some people who have great success working thier pairs inside small enclosures. Most people I speak too feel that age over length/weight is the most important issue in colubrids. Someone I really respect tells me he has seen some snakes that threw slugs for even 2 or 3 seasons suddenly produce perfect clutch after clutch with no change at all in the aspects of husbandry? Most of us would not try that,,,,,if a pair did not work out and had the female lay slugs we'd switch males. Even though mine failed the mission last year I am still going to breed the same pair. Another thing worth mentioning is that I had an additional female, she was just as large as the first. My male would go after female #1 instantly EVERY time they were introduced. However if I put him in with female #2 he would not do a damn thing. This leads back to my talk about how snakes will do what they want to do. We can do what we can to optimise conditions for them to be in the mood, but nature will tell each individual animal what's best for it. In other words if you saw how large and husky female #2 was you'd definitely have said....man she looks ready. Yet she decided it was not the case. Even the male somehow knew she was not down with breeding. I guess pheremones are truly released at the females will...and it just does not happen on its own? Not sure about that but it's my guess for now. I just think, when speaking in general about perfect conditions.....the extra space you offer the female will be appreciated and simply reduce stress. The Boaphiles are black, so they're dark. There's no light that gets in from above. I feel even that affects the stress level because sometimes a snake will retreat to the back corner when I reach in to change water and they're not half as defensive as when you lift the lid of a container or pull one out of a rack. Ever see a snake just ram full speed into the corner of a cage? Man when that nose hits I cringe. In closing I will say that some of my full grown males will be fine in a large container for thier entire lives, but seeing the females are the snakes who really have a "job" to do, they need...or better said can benefit from a few extra modifications like extra space, extra hides, and a set up leaving them feeling less exposed. I have seen a gravid snake bolt in a panic and throw its body from one side of a cage to another....Do I know anything bad happened? No I don't....but I much prefer them as relaxed as possible in hopes the eggs in her align properly for easy laying. Tom Stevens

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