Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Sorry for posting here but I know some of you guys have serious experience. I did post in the boa forum so hopefully I can get some really good answers.

I aquired a couple of red tails as a rescue a few months back and took them to the vet for checkups and sexed them while there. They came up both female????? I had thought that one was male but i took my specialists word (Yes he is a reptile and exotic specialist) Lately one has, what I believe, been trying to copulate. Strectched out together and rubbing their tails together and spurring. My wife found the two "ladies" in a tail tango this morning and she opened the cage to see what was up she saw they were locked together. I have never been witness to breeding behavior as I do not normally house my snakes together except as I said this was a surprise rescue and I have not built there permanent home. Now that I know one "lady" is really a "man" what can I expect from this encounter.

How will I know if she is prego.
Do I need to hurry and seperate.
Feeding etc.

Thank you for any and all help. I am experienced at snake husbandry and the lifestyle but havn't gotten the breeding bug. So I havn't researched before the SURPRISE.
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Chris, my wife Mary
a dog, two cats, two birds, six snakes
oh and three kids

First questions is do you want little snakes?

If the answer is yes then keep them together for about a week. I keep my breeding pairs together for about a week then I seperate them for a week then put them back together. The breck gives them a breather so you don't burn out the male.

If the its no then seperate them assuming the one is a male he will try again till he tires.

If it was a male and she indeed got pregnant she will shed before ovulation this will be totally random. Due to the fact that the feale can store the seed. It will most likely occur in a few weeks but can be sooner or much later. Best bet is to record this date.

If it is indeed the preovulation shed she will soon swell during ovulation and will also not take food as willing which is ok.

Most likely 105 days after the preovulation shed the femal if pregnant will pop out the we ones although the date is not set in stone it will be around that time.

Keep the temps normal during this time and be prepared. Your story reminds me of how Jeff Ronne got started and look where he is today. There is also a lot of info on the net that will give you some help.

Good Luck
Jeremy
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"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Hypomelenistic Red Tailed Boas
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino Red Tailed Boas
0.1 Suriname Red Tailed Boa
0.1 Anerthrystic Red Tailed Boa
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse