Early introductions

[SublimeBoa]

Wondering what your ideas are one it?

I see it working with a lot of ssp, but what about those ones that are particular about the breeding times and environments? Is there truth to that? Or is this again, more ideas passed along from one mouth to the next?

Some say introducing the male early will stimulate the female, some say it don't work. What do you think?

On the subject, I just put my male Honduran in with my female Honduran devil TAZ. It was funny. I grabbed a few shots of him out doors, then put him in with her. I'll have to narrate for you on the introduction.






The not so little female giving me the eye as I open the cage door...




He headed straight for her...




Then turned around and left...



Here's where it gets funny. It's like a little light bulb clicked on. His eyes got big, and SCREECH, he slammed on the brakes like he realized, "hey, that smelled like lady snake"



So he U-turns again to go see. "yep, that smells like lady"...




But SHE says, "I'm gonna get you sucka" and decides to come after me. LOL Had to back up, but I got a picture of her body and tail somewhat. She's still got a meal in her, but she's a big ass Honduran. LOL




Anyway, haven't shared many pics lately, so thought I'd get a few in there. Would like to here your ideas on early introductions though. Just to see what others have to say.

Thanks for looking!
Rick

[TNK]

Them two are looking real good Rick,great pics and funny narration

Central BCI ssp are well understood as late(compared to Colombian) breeders.
Most litters confirm this some what with most being dropped July,August
regardless of geographical location.
Pretty convincing with such consistency,my personal experience also falls in that time frame.

BUT! with there being "no absolutes" so to speak,who's really to say?
My Hog Isle and Honduran (CA ssp) litters were both done the same,consistent
ambient temps 83-85*F(no cooling)with constant(conservative) feeding.
Full exposure to ambient light cycle(s)etc

Two of those already cut across the "breeding norm",I did nothing to manipulate or force reproduction.Both males were introduced to the females cages in Jan/Feb(if I recall correctly?)I'm not home to quote exacts right now,but its pretty close.

I had for sometime thought I would do early intros this coming season then realized
or should I say "forgot" one major factor.
Ambient Light cycles (far more influence then cooling will ever have IMO)

Unless I invested in the "trouble" of manipulating the light cycles to match the
photo periods of the season(s) I would likely come well short of success for my efforts.
Likely outcome would be two boa's sitting in one box still waiting for their instinctual trigger. . . .

So,IMO without proper light cycles I dont think CA Bci will do the deed,early.

I have 5 pairings I "could" do this coming season(1) Colombian and the rest CA ssp.
Still undecided as to when to start pairing them all up ???,maybe everyone in the pool come mid Nov?

[SublimeBoa]

I'm a believer in light cycles, and the effect it has on breeding in various animals, more so then the weather changes having an effect. So maybe there is something to that.

I'll do the introduction thing for a while. Removing him to feed, and putting him back after. We'll see what sort of effect it has, what his/her reactions are to the introductions, and if there is an increased reaction later in the season.

I just hope I can actually get them paired up this year without all the interruptions and life's obstacles messing it up this time.

[TNK]

Ever hear of "Study Long,Study Wrong"

I think people "THINK"(study) way to much sometimes,human rationalization is pretty hazardous once you take something simplistic like reptile instincts and put them in a neat "human package" so far removed from "simple" it ends up crosswise to natures design.

People do really stupid shit in order to override animal instinct in order to gain control.The easy way or more successful route is to follow "simple nature"
But be damned if you can put the truth in a package a human will understand and practice.

Just cause "So N So" does it doesn't make it correct,just cause "Joe Big Time" has done it . . . . . . . (blah,blah,blah)

[acutabovereptiles.com]

We use a little cooling but being in WA it is a lot cooler here. I think that is why we can breed almost year round here without too much manipulation. I am curious to hear what light cycles you guys use though. We usually start evacuation at the middle of Sept. By the near end of Oct. they are ready to cool for a couple weeks. We only drop their day time temps by about 8 degrees. Usually their hot spots are at 94-96. At this time we drop those down to 90. That seems to effect the ambient heat just enough to drop the cage just where we want it. Then after a couple weeks of cooling we raise the heat back up, feed both parties, then introduce and heavily mist and everything always seems to work out pretty good.

When do you guys do the light manipulation? During the cooling and evacuation process or during the breeding?

Matt and Zach
A Cut Above Reptiles.

[SublimeBoa]

He showed some interest that first week. Then he went into blue and just hid. Removed him for feeding and a shed, put him back, and he has had no interest ever since. I knew it was real early, or real late, however you want to look at it, but I just wanted to see.

As for light, whatever comes in through the window is what they get. I have yet to manipulate the light cycles myself. Or temps for that matter. This is actually the first year that I've even used the built in night drop on the Herpstats.

I'll start introducing that guy again a little more consistently after his next meal in a week or so. Usually I'll give him 3 weeks in, remove and feed and put back after a week of digesting for 3 more weeks in.

As long as I don't have to leave town again, that'll be the routine for me. Last attempt, I had to make a bunch of trips to Cali, and bringing my work home to stay ahead of the job, and I just lagged on getting the male back in with her enough to get the job done.

[acutabovereptiles.com]

IS that what you do too? We just have noticed that the males kind of get a little off track when you separate them to eat and digest so we just put them right back after their power pellet. (small food item for energy to breed)

[SublimeBoa]

Originally Posted by acutabovereptiles.com

IS that what you do too? We just have noticed that the males kind of get a little off track when you separate them to eat and digest so we just put them right back after their power pellet. (small food item for energy to breed)

Well, that's what I'm doing for now anyway. LOL A full 80% of my breeding is for direct hands on learning of that aspect about Boas, and some of the genetics involved. I plan on failing some too. I want to know what will work, and what just plain won't do it. Then I'll likely quit.

I work for a living anyway. I'm too stupid to try and run a full time breeding business. So for now, it just don't matter if I make any babies or not. I can afford to experiment some.

[dimperdoo]

We're considering introducing bugs to monarch and xeffect soon. And, I'm looking at timelines and thinking about the best time to start introductions.

What I have right now is bugs in a tub w/ monarch in the cage running "free." I believe they are "introduced." But, w/ a level of separation to avoid stressing them.

This should result in comparative results since Introduction w/ xeffect will happen around october/november for the purpose of (hopefully) a coupling.

We're in Washington state as well.

[SublimeBoa]

I would figure being locked in a tub while smelling a female would be stressful. LOL

Let me know how it works though. Interesting approach.

Good to see you pop in again Travis.