Calabar Burrowing Boa/Python

[WHS]

Hi,

Anyone else out there attempting to breed the Calabar Burrowing python (calabaria reinhardtii) (often classified as a type of sand boa)? I have a trio of long term captives and am wondering if anyone would like to chat about their specialized care, feeding, and breeding?

Lisa

[Stockwell]

Lisa there are only a few people in the world that have bred Calabars and successfully hatched eggs. I correspond with Dr. Rick Staub at Berkley, and he has bred them. I imported some of his Sunset Johnii last year, and would have got calabars but he had no babies for sale.They have small clutches of only 1 to 5 eggs
He has info and pics of eggs hatching on his site.
You'll see his site listed in the KS directory
under R&R reptiles

[WHS]

Roy,

I know they are very difficult and very few people breed them successfully. I have corresponded with Rick Staub and another in the US who has successfully bred them, but not hatched their eggs. I have a beautifully healthy trio...the first I got over three years ago. Also I have read My. Staub's article in Reptiles Magazine. I think it is a shame that so few people work with them or know of thier proper care because they are a wonderful and very docile snake. But, I figure since I have them, I might as well give it a try (breeding them). Keep your fingers crossed for me...LOL. I'll take a look at that site. Thanks for the info.

Lisa

[WHS]

Roy,

I know they are very difficult and very few people breed them successfully. I have corresponded with Rick Staub and another in the US who has successfully bred them, but not hatched their eggs. I have a beautifully healthy trio...the first I got over three years ago. Also I have read My. Staub's article in Reptiles Magazine. I think it is a shame that so few people work with them or know of thier proper care because they are a wonderful and very docile snake. But, I figure since I have them, I might as well give it a try (breeding them). Keep your fingers crossed for me...LOL. I'll take a look at that site. Thanks for the info.

Lisa

I am trying to post some pics of my trio, but I am sooo bad at internet stuff and I can't seem to shrink the pic down to the needed size....maybe soon....

[WHS]

Oops. fisr I post twice, then somehow I post a giant pic of one of my females.....this is how bad I am at internet stuff....sorry to take up so much space

[Linds]

Lisa,
Attachments only permit very small files (under 25k). You can post larger files (up to 250kb each) and several pics per post (whereas you can only post one per post with attachments) if you upload them to your free 1MB photohosting account with sSnakeSs ;) Check out the HOWTO Forum if you are having trouble uploading and posting, or any other site troubleshooting ;)

[Stockwell]

I agree, it would be very nice to see more people working with them.
The biggest problem seems to be the monetary one.
They are still fairly cheap imports, and they have very small clutches, so there seems to be little incentive by commercial breeders.
But ball pythons started that way..

Calabars, like the Erycine group in general are slowly gaining support by modern herpetoculturists.
Its only a matter of time before there is more domestic supply and demand.
I hope to work with Calabars some day..I have a full plate right now though.
If you were to breed yours, it would be quite an outstanding accomplishment.
Best of luck to you!!

[foman]

the problem with calabars is they are hard to get feeding consistanly

[reverendsterlin]

I remember Dave and Tracy Barker having those. I thought they were usually good feeders at all ages. I was under the impression that water at all times and slightly more humid conditions than other sand boas was the main care difference.

[WHS]

Hi, Thanks for the info about posting pics, I'll try that. And maybe post more soon. I am waiting for a freind to send me the pics we took of my trio of Calabars. Mine are picky feeders, one male and one female must be taken out of the enclosure and places in the smallest deli cups they will fit into and fed between 3-6 LIVE fuzzy mice or rat pups. My newest female I recently got shipped in from BC only eats if you leave a bowl of live rat pups in the enclosure over night. I hear it is possible to get them on frozen thawed, I've tried it with my first female, but not the others. So far, no luck. If I could get them eating f/t it would make my life a lot easier. Also, the tank I have them all in has about a foot or more of damp soil/peat mix for substrate. So when it's feeding time, I get dirty up to my elbows trying to dig them up. But it's the price I have to pay to keep them comfortable. I would love to get more females, and maybe another male too, but rumour has it that they are becoming extinct or endangered in Wast Africa...no idea how true that is, but with the clutch sizes, i could see it happening. Also, the Barkers were into Calibars, I think they bred them too, but I believe they got out of them for the reasons Mr. Stockwell stated. Cheap snakes with very small clutches. It is a shame though, they are a beautiful and fairly easy to keep snake that NEVER bites or shows any kind of agression. Of all my tiny pythons, these are definatley my favourite. I'll try to post those pics soonish.