Linda,
...Really good question. When someone says "really good question" it usually means they do not know the answer. And, I do not know the answer. I have never seen or heard of anyone breeding BRBs where the male was really small compared to the female like some of those PICs you see on the Boa Forum. All of the BRB breedings here have been with males larger than 4 feet 9 inches. There must be some minimum size for a male BRB to successfully breed but I do not know what it is. I would guess that it must be somewhere around four and a half feet in length and that girth probably does not matter.
...I have never had a BRB younger than 2 years of age successfully breed. I know it has happened with other breeders but it is apparently not a common occurence. It does seem to be more common with Colombian Rainbows. Some of my BRBs breed at 2 and a half years of age and some do not breed until they are three and a half years old. If I had your two 03 males I would be planning to use them in my breeding program. If you do not observe any courtship behaviour in the first couple of weeks they are with the female I would let the larger male mate with her. My adult male BRBs have mostly ignored each other until the last few weeks when cooler weather and/or shorter days has got them pushing each other around. I think this male to male interaction is a good indicator of which males will be active breeders this coming breeding season.
Good luck,
Jeff
>>...I am under the impression that male boas need to be at least 18 months old to breed. What about size in BRB's? How much does it matter? I am beginning to start the process of 06's and have 3 males older than 18 months. The problem is (if it is a problem) that one male is a proven breeder with the other two young and inexperienced. Of the new ones I have 2-03's, one being significantly larger in girth than the other. I do not believe the larger to be fat. One just is smaller. The proven male is noticeably larger than his female whose has produced litters in 03 and 04. The upcoming males are both unrelated and are as long, but only about a third of the girth of the female soon to be ready to breed for a chance at a litter in 06. I see pics of BCI with males much smaller than the female, but with BRB's, I don't recall this situation in other's pics or posts. I am certain that the proven male I have that produced the last 3 years is bigger than average, but has always been so in relation to all of my others. Could you folks give me some feedback?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Linda
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