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letting captive male indigos fight

53kw Dec 22, 2009 02:14 PM

I've wondered if putting a fresh shed skin from one male into a cage with another male would have the effect of making the real snake think a male was in his territory and urge him to more intense mating behavior. Some keepers report that using multiple male boa constrictors yields greater mating success than merely introducing one male to one female.

Are male snakes more aroused for the whole mating event if they think there is competition? Since captive Drys are so powerful, and since the defeated male would not be able to get out of the victor's territory until the keeper took him out of the cage, I don't think it's a good idea to put two males together just to trigger combat. Not to mention that federal regulations for keeping Endangered Species might not support deliberately risking harm to captive specimens of an Endangered Species.

What about introducing a shed skin? Take a shed from your B male and put it in the freezer while it's still fresh and moist. I wonder if you can take it out later during mating season and put it into your A male's cage, and trigger him to think another male was around, without risking actual combat. It may be more effort than necessary but an interesting question.

Replies (2)

VICtort Dec 23, 2009 01:42 AM

Male sheds? Well, I can see no harm although I have not found it to be necessary with my D. couperi. That technique is often used in other taxa, and might have the desired affect. However, my males seem to be aware and alert and get "anxious" when females in the same room are ready to breed, I am speculating they can scent the females and exciting times ahead... A variation on the theme is to place a females shed skin in with the males prior to breeding trials, I think it makes them "randy" and ready for the real thing. I have noticed breeding frequently during the female ecdysis, especially right after.

Good luck, Vic H.

Carmichael Dec 25, 2009 07:26 PM

I agree with Vic,

I've bred many indigos and I have never had a male that wouldn't breed with a female w/in a very short time after introduction. But it might be entertaining to watc.

>>Male sheds? Well, I can see no harm although I have not found it to be necessary with my D. couperi. That technique is often used in other taxa, and might have the desired affect. However, my males seem to be aware and alert and get "anxious" when females in the same room are ready to breed, I am speculating they can scent the females and exciting times ahead... A variation on the theme is to place a females shed skin in with the males prior to breeding trials, I think it makes them "randy" and ready for the real thing. I have noticed breeding frequently during the female ecdysis, especially right after.
>>
>>Good luck, Vic H.
-----
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

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