Posted by:
Kelly_Haller
at Sun Nov 13 11:55:31 2005 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Kelly_Haller ]
Both sexes have spurs, but with boa constrictors it is the structure of the spur that can be used to sex them with 100% accuracy if you know what to look for. Males have external spurs all the way to the base that are laterally compressed so they will lie flat against the body. They will show a definite curve to their shape out near the tip similar to a cat claw, and are usually longer than they are wide at the base. Female spurs are recessed into the body and at best only the tip shows externally. To see the entire female spur, you will need to spread the surrounding scales back out from around it. Once you can see all of it, the female spur shows a shorter, more conical structure with very little curve to it. It's cross-section is more round, and is not flattened or side compressed like that of the male spur. With practice, even very young boa constrictors can be accurately sexed using spur structure differences with the help of a magnification device.
Kelly
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It's not the presence or absence of spurs but rather their morphology...... - Kelly_Haller, Sun Nov 13 11:55:31 2005