Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,
I didnt get any replies last time but I have a new pic taken after her shed at my album...its the last pic in the album.
Here's the story again:
I have this female Columbian who I somewhat tried to breed by regulating temps and lights but didnt really expect it to work. At the time of the first introduction (Wyatt) my male was only 15 months old. After she ovulated (I think) I put him back in with her for a while. Neither time did I notice any breeding going on, or really courting. I noticed Wyatt kind of curling the end of his tail back and forth the second time and once I saw him doing it to her (maybe not purposely?) but she didnt seem to care or show any sign of interest.
Anyway, I'd like to know so I know if I should be feeding her or not. If she didnt go this year I'd like to try next year, but I want to be sure she's good and thick. I have heard of feeding while gravid hurting the babies or mom so I dont know what to do. She doesnt seem to really be getting thinner or fatter. When I took her out to clean her cage last time she seemed to be moving a little weird, like she was really touchy and when I set her in the chair she also acted weird, trying to get away but I had to have someone else watch her and hold her because she seemed like she was trying to get away but kept going over the edge/side of the chair and not being able to hold on and so she would have fallen to the floor. That's not like her, but I could be making a big deal out of nothing. She was also in shed so that could have something to do with it.
I dont know, but hopefully someone can help me.
Please visit this link and check out the dated pics there of Sheena. Her most recent record sheet is also there, as well as pics of her ovulating 5-31-03.
http://www.printroom.com/ViewAlbum.asp?userid=Coal&album_id=144721
i want to know if I should feed her.

Thank you for any help, opinions or guesses.
Nicole

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Coal's Cold-Blooded Creations
Cook Minnesota

BOAS:
Gavin, Lydia, Hailee, and Jade ~ Dumeril's
Wyatt, Sheena, Shaylee, and Mary Jane ~ Columbian
Desdemona ~ Peruvian
Madeline ~ Surinam
Avery ~ Bolivian

CORNS:
Kiana and Sierra ~ Amel
Casper and Kissa ~ Anery
Tripp and Scarlet ~ Bloodred
Aidan ~ Ghost
Skylar ~ Anery Hurricane
Ariel ~ Striped Amel
Lily ~ Blizzard
Ambur ~ Creamsicle
Neva ~ Snow
Sage ~ Normal

BEARDED DRAGONS:
Divine ~ Silver Pastel
Christopher ~ Sandfire Red x Sandfire Yellow
Baby ~ Snow

CAT:
Morgan ~ Calico Tabby

DOGS:
Maximillion Vasco von Katzel and Len-Mar-'s Lexed Leas ~ AKC German Shepherds

HORSES:
Mateo ~ Palomino Paint Quarter Gelding
Chic ~ 3/4 Quarter 1/4 Arabian Bay Mare
Rayna ~ 7/8 Quarter 1/8 Arabian Palomino Filly
Dallas ~ Palomino Quarter Gelding
Banner ~ Red Dun Quarter Mare
Chance ~ Buckskin Dun Quarter Stud Colt

I would try and feed her small meals and see how she does. My Gravid snakes mostly eat while the are gravid, but in less amounts. They will stop eating near time to give birth. I would advoid big meals until you are sure she has conceived, if not there is no sense in not feeding and non-gravid animal during their main feeding time, which brings me to the other point, you are fairly late in the breeding season, now if you are a Northern breeder, it would make sense, but if you are in a southern state and do not think she has bred until now, I would say that your planning was off by a few months. For the most part, following your natrual weather cycle, is your best bet for breeding, instead of trying to create your own with lights and timers.
Good Luck
Jim Hopkins

very much for the help.
I am in northern MN, quite close to Canada. I did try to go with the seasons here... hopefully it worked!!
I have never bred boas, only corn snakes (which you have bred some nice ones!) so I am not sure quite what to expect. I have read and studied a lot about breeding boas, especially Jeff Ronne's article, and many parts seem like she may be gravid. However, she does not look especially fat, but has not been eating much and is no smaller than she was months ago. With what I have read it seemed like she may have been ovulating at the end of May and beginning of June, but I'm not sure. IF she was, I have calculated a due date of Sept. 26. I got this from Ronne's article...the POS occurred 14 days after ovulation, which, according to him, is in the ballpark.
Anyway, thanks a lot for your help. I really appreciate it.
She was eating colossal rats and small rabbits, so do you think I could feed her now...large rats? Or smaller yet, medium rats or small rats?

Thanks again!
Take care,
Nicole
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Coal's Cold-Blooded Creations
Cook Minnesota

BOAS:
Gavin, Lydia, Hailee, and Jade ~ Dumeril's
Wyatt, Sheena, Shaylee, and Mary Jane ~ Columbian
Desdemona ~ Peruvian
Madeline ~ Surinam
Avery ~ Bolivian

CORNS:
Kiana and Sierra ~ Amel
Casper and Kissa ~ Anery
Tripp and Scarlet ~ Bloodred
Aidan ~ Ghost
Skylar ~ Anery Hurricane
Ariel ~ Striped Amel
Lily ~ Blizzard
Ambur ~ Creamsicle
Neva ~ Snow
Sage ~ Normal

BEARDED DRAGONS:
Divine ~ Silver Pastel
Christopher ~ Sandfire Red x Sandfire Yellow
Baby ~ Snow

CAT:
Morgan ~ Calico Tabby

DOGS:
Maximillion Vasco von Katzel and Len-Mar-'s Lexed Leas ~ AKC German Shepherds

HORSES:
Mateo ~ Palomino Paint Quarter Gelding
Chic ~ 3/4 Quarter 1/4 Arabian Bay Mare
Rayna ~ 7/8 Quarter 1/8 Arabian Palomino Filly
Dallas ~ Palomino Quarter Gelding
Banner ~ Red Dun Quarter Mare
Chance ~ Buckskin Dun Quarter Stud Colt

Well it sounds as if you have the info down on the breeding and ovulation end of it LOL, it is good to see you doing the research, I would also reccomend Jeff Ronne's video to you, it has alot of additional info and all you have to do is watch TV and look Jeff's beautiful Boas! Not a bad way to learn. My big female (9' 45 lbs) eats 1.5-2.lb guiennie pigs as her normal diet, while she was gravid, I fed her jumbo rats instead, which did not even make a lump in her belly. with this down size in feeding she had no complacations with her babies and was still a healthy size after she gave birth.
I would say that an animal have the normal size would be plenty safe to use during feeding for a gravid Boa
Good Luck
JIm Hopkins

Thanks again Hoppy for the info. I appreciate the help in determining this. I'll stick med-large rats...neither one would be visible in her tummy

Nicole
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Nicole Gustafson
Coal's Constrictors (formerly Coal's Cold-Blooded Creations - changed to simplify and there is another 'Cold Blooded Creations'...I'm not trying to hide from anyone or anything!
Cook Minnesota

BOAS:
Gavin, Lydia, Hailee, and Jade ~ Dumeril's
Wyatt, Sheena, Shaylee, and Mary Jane ~ Columbian
Desdemona ~ Peruvian
Madeline ~ Surinam
Avery ~ Bolivian

CORNS:
Kiana and Sierra ~ Amel
Casper and Kissa ~ Anery
Tripp and Scarlet ~ Bloodred
Aidan ~ Ghost
Skylar ~ Anery Hurricane
Ariel ~ Striped Amel
Lily ~ Blizzard
Ambur ~ Creamsicle
Neva ~ Snow
Sage ~ Normal

BEARDED DRAGONS:
Divine ~ Silver Pastel
Christopher ~ Sandfire Red x Sandfire Yellow
Baby ~ Snow

CAT:
Morgan ~ Calico Tabby

DOGS:
Maximillion Vasco von Katzel and Len-Mar-'s Lexed Leas ~ AKC German Shepherds

HORSES:
Mateo ~ Palomino Paint Quarter Gelding
Chic ~ 3/4 Quarter 1/4 Arabian Bay Mare
Rayna ~ 7/8 Quarter 1/8 Arabian Palomino Filly
Dallas ~ Palomino Quarter Gelding
Banner ~ Red Dun Quarter Mare
Chance ~ Buckskin Dun Quarter Stud Colt