![]() ![]() These boas do not require conditions or temperatures much different from other small Boa constrictors. Find the right conditions for your boas so that they are calm and secure. I consider this last observation important, insecure Boa of various subspecies are often less likely to deliver the best litters in culture. These results are typical.Įxcept during the time when she is guarding and nursing her young she is entirely docile and a fine captive specimen in all ways as is her mate. In 4 litters she has dropped only one infertile egg and one non-viable baby and has maintained a near 50/50 male/female ratio in her offspring. This particular female (8-1/2 years of age at breeding) is 2.5 meters long with a mass of 12.9KG at the height of her pregnancy, this was her largest clutch to date, the 4th in 4 years, her first was the smallest, 19 babies. ![]() A litter in the 2004 season consisted of 37 neonates, 52 to 55cm in length and quite massive, there are 19 males and 18 females. Here’s a short description of my current occidentalis project.Īs of this writing the adults I have now are F1 and F2 of wild-collected animals and have been reliable breeders. These successive generations have in some cases become progressively more adapted to culture and somewhat less demanding to breed. In addition due to the very limited availability of new genetics from nature there are many 3rd or even 4th generation animals in the hobby population. Temperature manipulation may be a key factor in breeding. Due to the uniqueness of the Argentine subspecies and their rarity in nature I offer this detailed essay on the culture of the occidentalis.Ī guide to the keeping and breeding of Argentine boas.Īrgentine boa are considered to be easy to keep and of only moderate difficulty to breed at our latitudes here in the U.S. Carefully examine your motives before out-crossing or intergrading pure occidentalis with other subspecies of Boa. Inbreeding should be carefully monitored. It is left to the keepers and breeders who love these great Boa to work to keep them viable in captivity. In the minds of some breeders and dealers these unique snakes have been relegated to junk-commodity status and there is little incentive to preserve occidentalis in culture. So much so that the average price of a nice baby Argentine boa has plummeted in the last several years. Here in the United States breeding programs have been very successful. Major universities there are pioneering efforts to save these unique animals from extinction through captive reproduction and ultimate reintroduction as a last-ditch attempt to keep them from disappearing from the wild. The temperate forests and rocky slopes where they are still holding out are cut for fuel or materials and mined for hard-rock mineral deposits. The hissing and mock-attacks of small Argentine boas are quite entertaining and are virtually always overcome in a short time with patience and gentle handling.īoa constrictor occidentalis is critically endangered in nature due to habitat loss and degradation. In culture we see mostly charcoal-black or deep mocha colored occidentalis, with silver or gold residual saddle patterns visible to a greater or lesser extent. Adult breeding males can be well under 2 meters and females giving viable births may be only slightly larger. Average mature adults are more moderately proportioned. ![]() A 12 year old captive female specimen of 3 meters with a mass of 28KG is reliably reported. occidentalis )Īrgentine boas can be quite large, females especially are among the heaviest of the Boa. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |