How did you prove regurgitation syndrome is “genetic”? Please answer this question.



So let me get this straight, for the record, “madisonrecords”. If a baby is born with visible yolk, it should be euthanized? Maybe you could send us a picture from one of your litters showing what a “euthanizable” baby should look like. You’re the one who said it; I am just trying to determine how, by your standards, one would know if they should allow a boa to live or not.



I guess I have to repeat myself. I simply said I doubt premature birthing is nearly as common in the wild and that it is a result of the captive conditions that we do/don’t provide. Let’s for a minute believe you and assume, based on your expert and eyewitness accounts, that there are plenty of babies born in the wild with cumbersome yolks. You seem to infer they are delivered in the middle of an open, sunny field. Chances are, the mother boa WOULD find a hidden area to deposit those young and they may/may not have time to absorb such yolk and make off. I can’t believe I am actually spelling this out…good thing for me I am a fast typer and just about as fast of a thinker.



If you’ve ever produced any boas (another question you still haven’t answered), you’d notice the restlessness and strong preference of the mother boa to deposit her young in a box, under or paper, or in some way she often tries to hide them if the caging allows. At least that has been my experience thus far and what others whom I have learned from have told me as well. So preemies WILL have a chance BOTH in captivity and in the wild.



You assume that regurge syndrome actually exists in the wild AND that those animals die when in fact I STATED I felt regurgitation is INDUCED by improper captive conditions and probably DOESN’T EXIST in the wild with maybe some exceedingly rare, almost onetime exceptions. I needn’t “think long and hard” about anything; you have proved nothing Johnson other than you do not know how to read what I wrote in the first place.



IF YOU thought any further, you’d realize that if all “genetic rugurgitators” were to die off in the wild, then certainly if it is genetic, THERE WOULD BE NONE in captivity, since captive are indeed descendants of these same WC generations where regurgitators never make it to adulthood.



And to answer your question, even though you have not answered my questions asked more than once, my BCCs have produced two litters (not clutches as you said; I thought those were eggs?) since 2002. I am very pleased with what has come of those breedings and you can see them in my album as almost every picture in there has come from those litters. I am not here to “stick fight” w/you over who’s produced more, as quantity produced is not even a goal of mine, nor am I competing in that. I, and I am sure others, are just VERY curious what someone like you has produced to have so much knowledge on breeding, inherited traits, and genetic diversity.



I have made attempts to induce breeding in different boas, and each time I was successful in inducing courting and copulation. I have worked with Hoggs, Dumerils, and BCCs. Nothing but slugs came of my Hoggs, simply nothing came of the Dumerils because I sold the pair while they bred. This year I have had exceptionally warm weather, have some questionably mature new individuals, and have tried a different cycling technique so I am a bit worried on my outcomes. Time will tell.



I am always asking questions of myself and others. I can only say what has worked for me and what my intuitions say. What I try has worked for me and I have my mentors to thank for my success thus far.



So here, to keep it simple (KISS), I’ll concisely review the questions for John Johnson and see if he can answer them, or if he will just “tap dance” around them yet again:



1. How have you proved regurgitation a genetic trait? It would be nice to let us know so that we can selectively breed AWAY from it and never have gurging BCC boas anymore.

2. Since you’ve said we should, how does one know when they should be euthanizing a newborn boa considered to be premature? Please give us metrics, something we can measure to be sure. We all know not to keep animals w/kinked backs, etc, but what about the preemies? All you told us was that “it does not take a lot of common sense”.

3. Since genetic diversity goes “a heck of alot further than saddle configuration and color”, as you said John, tell us how you’d recommend we introduce such diversity into our breeding programs? Shall we flip coins, or pair them off by randomizing the GPS coordinates from where they were collected? I am just curious how you’d introduce this genetic diversity which you so staunchly advocate as you seem to speak from 17 years experience.

4. Last, for at least the 2nd or 3rd time, WHAT BOAS HAVE YOU PRODUCED AND WHEN?



Thanks.

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