Posted by:
RioBravoReptiles
at Tue Apr 19 08:27:04 2005 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by RioBravoReptiles ]
Here's what I've seen.
If you have one of the more commonly-produced lines of common redtails (BCI) of Colombian and Central American (or ColombianXCentral American) origin and are maintaining the gravid female at near constant temperatures in the range most-frequently used you will see birth at 101-110 days (105 average) POS in a strong majority of cases, but not all.
In colonies of other Boa c. ssp and even in some insular imperator these rules are less constant, especially if you allow a sharper temperature gradient and a day-night thermal cline during incubation (gestation), which is the practice here.
Here we've gotten good litters without complication in as little as 97 days POS (in Caulker Cay BCI), 129 days POS (Tarahumara BCI), 157 days (B.C. occidentalis) and had Amazonian Peru redtails go over 250 days from last intromission (breeding) to delivery of a perfect litter.
In addition, mothers here may shed once, twice, three times and in at least two instances not at all between breeding, ovulation and birth.
If I had to make any conclusion from these varied observations they would be... a temperature gradient is a must and a day-night drop is very advantageous in many groups. And, within reasonable limits (involving normal litters), the longer the mother holds the young the much more likely you are to see the very best, healthy and vigorous babies that punch right out of their birth-sacs and go meet the world.
Good luck with your projects.
-----
Gus
A. Rentfro
RioBravoReptiles.com
www.riobravoreptiles.com
"Quality is not an accident. Perfectly healthy animals are a minimum requirement.. everything else is just salesmanship" gus
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RE: Is there a translator in the house? -more - RioBravoReptiles, Tue Apr 19 08:27:04 2005 