BCC breeding...

[Linds]

Well, they are still at it! I have no idea what to expect from any of this though. There is next to no information available online about breeding, it all seems to pertain to BCI :/ What are the average litter sizes you guys have experienced with the ssp.? Any tips? I've been cooling them down at nights to 65ish with heavy mistings, and giving them a shorter photoperiod (about 6 hours).

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/508/22tabi_x_poopypants2-med.jpg">

Don't mind my blurry snakes... the glass is pretty dirty :o

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Nice pairing Linds! Are those guyanas or surinams or what?

As for breeding info, they are not too much different from BCI. A now a few people that breed BCC using BCI guidlines so you should be ok. Im sick so im too lazy to go scrounge up some info;). Good luck with that!

Chris

[Jeff_Favelle]

A good feed or two might help that female push the follicles to the "other side" if you know what I mean.

Other than copulating, the increase in temps, humidity, photoperiod, and food are pretty much all the factors that will contribute to actual ovulation and all the build up prior.

[Stav.T]

I'll support what Jeff says. As for my experience the only thing that is different over bci is the time of the year they breed. ( this is true for imports until they get used to your personnal cycling ) Other than that breeding is the same thing as bci. I never play with photoperiod I have a window in their room and they naturally follow the outside photoperiod. For temperature I never drop under 80 ( except for cooling )and I also never use hot spots. If your female has enough fat she will ovulate dont worry;) You'll see actual penetration when pressure drops most of the time like before ,during and a bit after a storm. Dont separate them for feeding when you see breeding activity. You can feed them when they take a brake. Give her as much as she wants.

Hope this helps and my fingers are crossed. I hope you get lots of them.;)
Stav

[Linds]

Thanks for the info :)

Stav,
The reason I try to control the photoperiod is because they are in my bedroom, so they cannot have a natural photoperiod due to the fact that my bedroom light can sometimes be on very late. I don't know how much the photoperiod even has to to play with any of it, however I don't want to get too experimental on my first shot at breeding these guys :)

Jeff and Stav,
I haven't fed either of them yet since they were introduced. As long as they are banging I don't wanna bother them...lol :p Hopefully when the time comes the female does eat. She isn't a voracious feeder, she will only take one prey item per meal, and won't take a meal more than once or twice a month. She gets 5lb rabbits.

Chris,
Suris and Guyanas are the same thing, it's just an invisible manmand border that seperates Suriname from Guyana, the snakes certainly don't understand the difference. If you look at the map you will see what I mean ;) If you want to be technical about it, these were both sold to me as Guyanese...

Female
<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/508/22guyanese2-med.jpg">
<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/508/22satabria1.jpg">
<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/508/22satabriab01-med.jpg">

Male

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/508/22poopypants12_12_03-2-med.jpg">
<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/508/22poopypantsb01-med.jpg">

[Stav.T]

No problemo Linds;)

The reason I try to control the photoperiod is because they are in my bedroom,

I thought about something like that, thats why I specified I had windows;)

She isn't a voracious feeder,

If it can help...dont worry about that.
You'll see that if she does get gravid she will change and will feed alot more than usual . They do that most of the time. Sometimes they stop or sometimes they feed until parturition. Dont worry about it;)

Suris and Guyanas are the same thing, it's just an invisible manmand border that seperates Suriname from Guyana, the snakes certainly don't understand the difference. If you look at the map you will see what I mean If you want to be technical about it, these were both sold to me as Guyanese...

Linds you are absolutely right on that if you want my point of view. The difference has been established only on colour variations and patterns by breeders. There's no difference in scales counts etc...I've seen orders from surinam that had guyanas in them and guyana orders from guyana that had nice surinams to. Personnaly I dont mix both. Its just to keep the patterns separate. Ordering from surinam is more costly than guyana in general to, it might be another cause of mix shippings to who knows...

Good luck with those two;)
Stav.

[TheRedDragon]

Wow Linds! What a stunning pair! I especially love the pattern on the male, that is so neat! They're going to make some gorgeous babies. Good luck! :)

[Linds]

Thanks Erin! Hopefully they do end up producing a nice litter! :)

Originally posted by Stav.T
You'll see that if she does get gravid she will change and will feed alot more than usual . They do that most of the time.

Which brings me to another question. I've heard that mention that it isn't a good idea to offer large meals to gravid snakes, towards the end of their gestation period, is there any truth to this? She's not a large snake (7.5', ~20lbs), but she feeds on decent-sized meals (5 lb rabbits).

[scalawag]

Man, those are beautiful snakes, good luck.

[Stav.T]

Linds....
Which brings me to another question. I've heard that mention that it isn't a good idea to offer large meals to gravid snakes, towards the end of their gestation period, is there any truth to this? She's not a large snake (7.5', ~20lbs), but she feeds on decent-sized meals (5 lb rabbits).


Its true to some point Linds. I second that when it comes to smaller pythons in some extend. Ususally during the last month boas wont eat anyways. It really depends on individual animal. In this case a 5lb rabbit is ok for a 7.5' 20 lb snake. I find its enough. If she wants another one each time she completed digestion I would give her another one until she stops eating. Another thing that can be done is give the same amount of pounds but with smaller prey items. She will move them and place them in her in a more comfortable maner. ( note that i'm saying that based on my own experience and what other say may be true to... I'm not god and I dont pretend to know everything;) )

One important thing to remember is that boas need a hell lot of energy to bring the babies to term, and its a cause between many others that they produce an amount of sluggs. Its not like other boids that produce eggs. They not only produce ova but mature them into babies. Fat is very important for them and will in many cases make the difference between lots or less babies. Its ( frightning ) when you see how skiny they get after parturition when they had medium or low fat reserves during pregnancy.

Just my opinion;)
Stav

[Linds]

Originally posted by Stav.T
Another thing that can be done is give the same amount of pounds but with smaller prey items. She will move them and place them in her in a more comfortable maner.

Thanks for all the info, I'll keep it all in mind! The above unfortunately cannot be done with her. For some reason, it isn't the size of the meal that seems to matter to her, it is the quantity and frequency. Before I could secure a source for rabbits, she was only feeding on one rat every ~3 weeks :rolleyes: Now that her meals are 10x the weight, she still wants to eat them once every ~3 weeks. Sometimes I can get her to take a meal 2 weeks in between, but usually I have to wait at least 3. What a pain it was trying to get her up to a good breeding weight!

On another note, there wasn't any breeding activity yesterday, so I put the male back in his cage and gave them each a good feeding. I'm going to give them today to relax, and will put them back together either tomorrow or the next day :)

[Stav.T]

Cool Linds;)

The above unfortunately cannot be done with her. For some reason, it isn't the size of the meal that seems to matter to her, it is the quantity and frequency. Before I could secure a source for rabbits, she was only feeding on one rat every ~3 weeks

I understand you completely;) some boas are a real headache sometimes when it gets to food this is even more true with wc bcc. Did you try to leave the thawed pray all night? Sometimes they prefer eating when there is no activity around and no light.

On another note, there wasn't any breeding activity yesterday, so I put the male back in his cage and gave them each a good feeding. I'm going to give them today to relax, and will put them back together either tomorrow or the next day

Thats the way to go!;)

Good luck with them,
Stav

[Linds]

Originally posted by Stav.T
I understand you completely;) some boas are a real headache sometimes when it gets to food this is even more true with wc bcc. Did you try to leave the thawed pray all night? Sometimes they prefer eating when there is no activity around and no light.


LOL... I have to leave the thawed prey in the very early morning in an undisturbed room usually, sometimes she will take it at night, but I have experienced less losses this way. If there is any activity she will not eat, and doesn't matter how many I leave in there, she will only eat one :rolleyes: My male is a bit of a pain as well. Eats about as often as she does, but for over a year the only way I could get him to take any of it was if I killed the prey, let it sit overnight, then freeze it for a few days, then thaw it out and leave it in his cage overnight, with a blanket covering his cage :rolleyes: I've finally managed to get him to fresh-killed or fresh f/t prey, but he is still quite shy and needs his privacy at night to eat. My subadult bcc girl eats like a champ anytime of the day from tongs :D Both of my females were sold to me as being CBB, my male is LTC.

[Stav.T]

Cool;)

Stav

[MouseKilla]

Have these guys always been difficult feeders or is this something that is more common approaching sexual maturity? The reason I ask is that my male is starting to get to about the five foot mark and if anything his appetite is getting stronger! He seems to have that "feed me" look 5 or 6 days after a good meal. I feed him rats that are around 200g these days, every Sunday, and I am reluctant to give him any more but he seems to have the appetite of a young king snake.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

If you look at the map you will see what I mean

Thanks Linds,

Yes i know the map. There is guyana on the left, surinam in the middle, and french guyana on the right. Thanks.

Chris