How NOT to breed BCI's??

[AnniesMom]

This may seem odd, but I'm wondering what I can do, short of seperate cages, to prevent my BCI's from breeding? I have a male, 6feet and a female 7.5feet and they share a cage and have for a couple of years. However, this is their first breeding season being the only 2 snakes in the cage ( previous owner kept 2 BCI's and 2burms in one cage. Strange but happy snakes). The thing is, I don't want babies this year. Is it likely to happen spontaneously(sp) if I don't change their light or cool them? They often curl up together in their hidey hole, but I haven't seen anything that looks like breeding.

[NewLineReptile]

The only thing i can say is seperate cages to be safe.

Brandon

[BoidKeeper]

Seperate them for more reasons then just not wanting them to breed.
Trevor

[Jeff_Favelle]

They shouldn't be housed together anyways. For the $25 it costs to build a new cage, I would have done it 2 years ago.

[AnniesMom]

Boid keeper: What are the other reasons for seperating them? Just wondering,cause they seem to get along so well. I worry that the male might have separation anxiety, or a snake equivalent. He has been housed with other snakes his whole life.

Jeff: They should or shouldn't be housed together? I've only had them 2 months. The previous owner had the male from birth and the female about 2 years, I think.

[Jeff_Favelle]

Shouldn't. Should not. Snakes don't "get along". In fact, they don't "hate" each other either. They are just solitary animals that get together for breeding purposes brought on by circadian rythm, pheremones, and weather cycles. They don't have companionship. They don't have the mechanisms or concept of it. Another snake in the area means competition for food and resources. They may not show it (or you may not be experienced enough to see it) but its not a good idea. In fact, its bad husbandry.

[AnniesMom]

Oh, I mis-read your first post. I thought you wrote "should". There seems to be a lot of conflicting information out there on housing snakes together. What behavoirs would I see?

[Scales Zoo]

Jeff has a point, but many people, including ourselves, have kept boa constrictors together with success.

Separate them for feeding, check the water bowl daily (clean it when it is dirty).

If you don't want them to breed, I'd keep them apart.

We have a male boa that goes off feed if he isn't kept with our Alice (female boa). I don't know why, but he does - so he stays with her.

Ryan

[Jeff_Favelle]

Ha ha you did see "should". Typo that I went back and corrected!! LOL! Stupid fat fingers of mine.....


What behavoirs would I see?

Not to be mean, just trying to get you to think, but it might not be the behaviours that you see, more importantly, the behaviours that you don't see. :D

[boa]

i would recomand 2 cages as i do for all my boas i do know a few friends that have stores and in those stores are male and female together adults they have never had any problems just like shelia said feed them alone at all times but it still won't hurt to buy a cage for your male good luck with them and also i like how you don't care to breed your boas they make great house pets aswell keep us posted.

[BoidKeeper]

In my opinion, which I'm basing on things I've read and things that I know large breeders do, I feel that snakes should never be housed together. Here are some points that I keep in mind and reasons why I do not house snakes together.
1. The presence of another animal in their space represents competition, competition leads to stress.
2. Stress leads to loss of appetite and or disease.
3. If one sick gets sick they can both get sick.
4. How do you know who is defecating and who is not?
5. Snakes are not social animals so although captivity its self is not natural forcing two animals to live together is even more unnatural.
Now keeping two different species together can open up a whole new kettle of fish. Different species can be more susceptible to different diseases. Also they can differ in heat and humidity requirements.
Cheers,
Trevor

[AnniesMom]

Jeff: Don't worry, I don't take offence easily. Both boas *appear* to be acting normal, with the exception of the extra noise that the female makes.

Boa: While I'm not against breeding them in the future, I don't necessarily want to right now. Let my hubby get used to 2 boas before I foist 12 upon him! HEHE!

Scales Zoo: I ALWAYS separate them for feeding. The big girl gets fed in the big cage and the male gets fed in the smaller cage. Safer for them and me, I think. Their water bowl is emptied almost every night, sometimes twice a day.

Boid Keeper: All of your concerns are very valid. The major concern I have is as you said, who is pooping. I usually go by the size. Honey Bun's poops are HUGE! Jakes are more like cat sized. People have asked me if I will put my BP in the cage with the Boas and the answer is always a resounding NO! She is too small, and not at all used to being around other snakes. She is a little grumpy too.LOL!

[BoidKeeper]

And from a totally different part of the globe.
Trevor

[Jeff_Favelle]

AND has TOTALLY different habitat (cage) requirements!

[AnniesMom]

You know this and I know this, but most people around me are not snake lovers and their eyes start to glaze over when I start talking about cage humidity, basking temp etc. They like the short answer