Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my first post here, so I will introduce myself.
My name is Josh and I have been keeping snake for about 8 years. My collection has grown over the years and I now have about 30 snakes (all Boa constrictor and Ball Pythons). I tried breeding last year for my first time with no success. This year has been a little different. I have done a lot of homework and a few of the local breeders have been great to answer ??? for me. Last week my big female Surinam ovulated and now I am just waiting for her POS. I crossed her to a nice Hypo Colombian. I know that not everyone agrees with the crosses, but I think that the Hypo Sur. X Col. will be a good looking snake. My question is I have two other Colombians that I have breed to another Hypo male and I have seen them locked over 20 times each. Also My pair of Amarali have been seen locked at least that many times. The breeding with all of them went great all through November and December and in January it stopped completly with all of them I haven't seen anything breeding since the first of January. I haven't seen any ovulations and haven't changed anything in my room. I have a natural light cycle in the room through a large window. Daytime ambiant Temp. is 80 degrees with belly heat of 85. Night drops to 73.9 with no belly heat. I think I am doing everything right I just don't know what else I can do to encourage breeding to continue. I hope to get the three girls down to a friends house to have an ultrasound this week, but other then that I am at a loss. Are the amarali spring breeders and would it be smart for me to start warming them or should I wait for ovulation?
Thanks for any feedback..
Josh Ketchum
Salt Lake, Utah

Hi Josh,

Normally I would read a post such as your and by the information you provided I would tell you that you do not currently have enough info to breed boas. However you did state that you have been keeping snakes for about 8 years so I will try to redirect you into the right direction, although, I have been accused of being a bit on the grumpy and sarcastic side of things......

First off your temps are way off and too low. Your daytime air temp is not too bad, but the belly heat hot spot needs to be closer to 95 degrees then 85 degrees, your air temps should be in the lower to mid 80’s with a night time air temp drop of about five degrees. Your night time temps of 73-74 degrees is dangerously low and will eventually result in an URI and intestinal infections. Also if the females did become gravid the babies will surely parish at these temps and the females will dump the babies off about 4-6 weeks prior to their expected due date.

Second, “locking up” and copulation are dramatically different things. I just saw a photo some one posted with the caption (copulation 100% confirmed). I have not had the time yet to read the entire thread to see all the info, but the photo on the post was not a copulation photo, it was a locking up photo. Locking is when the male is trying to get the female to let him breed with her. He will wrap his body over hers in small tight s curves while trying to continuously line up their vents. This is done with the male being on the top of the female and the males tail drastically dipping below the females. Copulation is more of a relaxed position for the male and normally has his tail more gradually going along side of the females. With copulation there is normal a small distance between the male’s tail and the female’s and the Hemi-penis will be visibly inserted into the female. Locking up is part of courtship and may be attempted repeatedly over very long periods of time.

The actual breeding process is not very difficult but does require some research, so to help you out I’m giving you some home work to do. Jeff Ronne has published a basic step by step breeding plan in both reptiles magazine and then again when he coauthored the Boa Constrictor Manuel. Below is a link to Jeff’s first article when he originally published it, read the six of seven pages there for more information. His information in the book is even more updated and complete and the book can be purchased at most pet shops for about $10.00 and will also provide you with all kinds of husbandry tips on temps, humidity, housing and all other aspects of keeping boas. Many of the different web sites, including mine below, provide basic FAQ pages for info on the basic keeping of boas so you can view that also.

Normally I would preach to you about how one needs to walk before they can run and how it is so important to get your husbandry perfected before you attempt any breedings. In your case however, you have already attempted the breeding and observed courtship, so now it is a matter of making sure the animal get the proper care for it’s own health. If by any chance your boas have indeed copulated and the breeding took, now the health of your boa is in jeopardy with the low temps and any additional husbandry issues. So all I ask is that you read up make sure your boas will be ok and if you have any specific questions let me know I will try to help you the best I can as long as the question is not. “can you tell me everything you ever knew about breeding boas because I don’t want to read any books” kind of question.
Good Luck
Jeff Ronne's Breeding article and info

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Jim Hopkins "Hoppy"
Hopkins Holesale Herps
Hopfam1@aol.com