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Greetings

Do Rainbow Boas have heatsensing pits ? The question, when asked, usually generates different answers... Some say they do, but the pits are very shallow. Others say they don't.

Mattias, Sweden

Mattias,
...Welcome to the forum. I have discussed this subject with a friend who has done post graduate research on heat sensing pits in Pit Vipers and Pythons. He seems to think that the labial scales on Rainbow Boas do have heat sensors.
Jeff

>>Greetings
>>
>>Do Rainbow Boas have heatsensing pits ? The question, when asked, usually generates different answers... Some say they do, but the pits are very shallow. Others say they don't.
>>
>>Mattias, Sweden
>>

Thanks Jeff
Further questions...
Is this true towards all of the Epicrates or just E. Cenchria ? Do any of the subspecies have more pronounced or more developed heat sensors than the other subspecies ?

Another question...
What's the official scalecounting figures on Epicrates C. Maurus ?

Appreciate it

Mattias, Sweden

Mattias,
...The labial scales of all the Epicrates look like they have some sort of arrangement that must be for the purpose of heat detecting. They have different degrees of convolutions to the shape of the scales which likely indicates more or less sensitive heat sensing ability among different species and subspecies. My guess is that they all have a high degree of heat sensing ability in comparison to we lowly mammals but less sensitve heat sensing than the pit vipers and pythons and boas with very distinct deep pits. E.c.maurus have 227 to 237 ventrals and 11 to 12 supralabials. I know I have seen more information about maurus scale counts somewhere but I cannot find it right now.
Jeff

>>Thanks Jeff
>>Further questions...
>>Is this true towards all of the Epicrates or just E. Cenchria ? Do any of the subspecies have more pronounced or more developed heat sensors than the other subspecies ?
>>
>>Another question...
>>What's the official scalecounting figures on Epicrates C. Maurus ?
>>
>>Appreciate it
>>
>>Mattias, Sweden

Ok, thanks a lot for clearing this matter up a bit.
Cheers

Mattias, Sweden

I have never heard of this dicussion, I thought it was a fact about rainbows having heatsensing pits, atleast thats is waht I have read in several books

I would have to say they do have heat sensing pits.
In my experience for over 1 year my BRB would only eat live and never a f/t mouse.
The only way I got my BRB to eat and switch frozen/thawed was to heat them up with warm water, if the mouse was room temperature my BRB would refuse them. Therefore, I definately do think BRB's have heat sensing pits and use them to feed in the wild and in my experience in the field also.
My 2 cents,
Uncloudy