Things You'll Need
- Two juvenile boa constrictors (one male, one female, from different broods)
- Two adequate reptile habitats (at least 60 gallons each)
- Two standard heating pads
- Two thermostats
- Small heating rock
- Two reptile lights (one white, one black)
Instructions
Set up the habitats separately with bedding and accessories, and introduce each snake to his and her separate homes.
Put a heating pad underneath each habitat, to provide a source of warmth for the snakes. The necessary temperature for inducing the mating cycle of a boa is about 85 degrees F.
In the female boa's habitat, place the small heating rock in one of the warmer corners of the cage, to increase the temperature slightly in one part of the habitat. Make sure the rock is adequately wrapped in a fire retardant material and placed beneath at least an inch of bedding to prevent burns.
Place the habitats side by side, so that one end of each habitat touches the other. This is so the snakes can be introduced to one another gradually, with glass separating them so they don't fight.
Adjust the lamps to be about 2 feet above the habitats. The white light is to be used during the daytime hours, to give them "sunlight," and the black light is to be used at night to provide a moonlit effect as well as providing extra warmth.
Affix a thermostat onto each habitat to easily monitor the temperatures in each cage and keep conditions ideal for mating.
For the first six months, the boas must stay in their own habitats so they can grow accustomed to one another. Eventually you will notice that the snakes will begin to linger at the ends of the cages that touch, becoming almost social with one another.
Once the snakes are socialized to each other, you can introduce the male to the female's habitat. They should both be close to 2 years of age, and if the living conditions in each habitat are proper, they will be ready to breed.
Carefully separate the snakes by putting the male boa back into his habitat immediately after he breeds with the female.
Watch the female for tell-tale signs of pregnancy, and re-introduce the male to her habitat once every week to increase chances of successful breeding.