Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My male boa has coupled up with all three of my adult females. I never observed actual penetration, so I don't 100% sure know if it was courting behavior or actual copulation. He shows no interest in 2 of the 3 now. Is there an easy way to tell if they are prego? What are the chances they are?

All are in the acceptible age/size range. Male is a 4.5ft '03, the females are 4-16 years old, 14-33lbs and range from 6ft to 8.5 ft.

I'm new to breeding these boas. Does anyone know a really good, highly technical fact sheet on breeding them? Everything I've found only gives generalities.

Thanks!

Travis

you can go to www.Boaphile.com and look at the article Jeff Ronne wrote for Reptile's Magazine about Breeding Boas.

Loooong time ago... but still very valuable information.

A few indications that she can be gravid:

Went through a 'pre-ovulation twist', and/or then an ovulatin swell, and/or then a post ovulation shed (POS). All terms you'll learn in the article mentioned above.

Sitting in heat reserve position, tightly coiled on herself..

Sitting on heat often.

Slightly higher body temperature than a non gravid boa.

In later stages, you'll notice the 'flat tire' look down towards the bottom half of the animal, and the top half narrows out more..

You can see scale seperation such as after having eaten a large meal.

She suddenly drinks lots more water.. crucial especially in the beginning of fetal development during gestation.

Refuses food.

After reading that boa breeding article, this will all make lots of sense...

Best wishes..
Joe
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Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin