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Boa breeding... long winded
The breeding season is coming up quickly and I find myself pondering over how and what I want to accomplish. I just thought I would post some of my thoughts on breeding boas. Maybe someone could shed more light on this subject for me.
My question is, why do boas often times have complete or partial litters of slugs. I don't think anyone can say with 100% certainty but here are some of my ideas...
I think much of it has to do with temperature. Anyone who has dealt with sperm for farming knows that it has to be maintained in a very narrow window of temperature. If a male boas body is not maintained in this window and is too hot or cool isn't it safe to say he would be temporarily sterile causing slugs if bred to a female. Does this play a part in why males breeding activity increases on temperature rise.
There are also theories that females can hold sperm for short periods until ovulation. In this instance keeping the female outside the correct temps would also kill the sperm inside her. If a boa lays directly on a heat source to maintin her heat couldn't this direct heat on her belly kill the stored sperm? If she wants her body at 88F her belly would be much hotter. Is this a factor?
Does this have anything to do with people having better luck cooling boas and returning heat after ovulation?
Also female boas can ovulate each ovary at different times. Is it possible that if a female ovulates one ovary that all sperm are "used up" and if the other ovary ovulates days later their may be no viable sperm left causing half the litter to be slugs like we often see?
In Iowa it can be difficult to maintain ambient temps in the winter. We have overcame this by heating the entire room. Lets say I am breeding several boas in one room as many often do. If one female ovulates and needs higher temps turning up the room temp up to 82F may interrupt the breeding of other boas closing there window of opportunity. On the other hand not giving the gravid boa warm enough ambient temps can also be problematic. I see radiant heat panels in each cage with seperate thermostats as a solution to this and many other dillemmas, but that would take a bunch of $$$$$$$$.
When incubating python eggs one would keep the eggs incubating at a steady temp of about 90F. Has anyone tried "incubating" an entire boa? Has this research been done? Have breeders maintained gravid boas at a constant temps during an entire pregnancy and documented the results? I think it would be interesting to read a study where a large group of female boas were bred and then kept at an exact room temp with a few boas kept at each temp. My guess is that boas would do very well if maintained at 86 to 90F just like python eggs. Females love to hug the heat when gravid. Again I see the direct belly heat as being a possible problem if it is too hot or to cool.
Do you think females need to be at different temps at each stage of development and she instinctually provides this? From what I have seen most gravid boas just lay right on the heat and don't move from hot to cool very often.
These are just some thouhts I have been kicking around and thought I would share since things have been a little slow here latey and I would love some intellectual conversation.
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