All posts by Jeff

Breeding the endangered Jamaican Boa, Chilabothrus subflavus

Boa, Captive breeding, Chilabothrus, Conservation, , , ,

Jamaican Boas have been bred as a measure of conservation since the 1970s.  Today the species is still listed as Vulnerable (VU) by IUCN and listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).  The species is currently kept by multiple zoos and aquaria as well as private breeders.  We sum up the annual breedings of this boa that we are aware of.  Westindianboas.org provided over the years several breeders with breeding stock animals in the US.  Unfortunately, restrictions make the export of this species unnecessarily difficult.  Considering the good breeding successes on both sides of the Atlantic, it should be in the interest of conservation to exchange genetic material and thus continue to maintain a diverse genetic foundation for conservation.

Several litters of the Jamaican Boa, Chilabothrus subflavus, were born this season in the US, the UK and the EU.  This particular litter, shown below, was born 9 September, 2021.  Produced by Rob Stone of the US, the litter numbered 17 live with no stillborn or unfertilized ovum.  Neonate weights ranged from 10.83 g to 13.93 g, with a mean of 12.98 g.  SVL of the neonates was 25.72 cm to 33.18 cm, with a mean of 30.13 cm.

Sire of the litter. Photo Rob Stone
Dam of the litter. Photo Rob Stone
Sea of subflavus. Photo Rob Stone

The Jamaican Boa is highly variable in color and pattern; the ontogenetic color change will take 18 – 24 months to complete.
The following litters were also produced during the 2021 season:

  • UK:  12 live, 2 stillborn and 7 unfertilized ova on 3 October, 2021.  Bred by Tom Middlebrook and Faye Da Costa.
  • US:  15 live, 1 unfertilized ovum on 27 September, 2021.  Bred by David Muth and Jared Rager.
  • US:  34 live, 3 stillborn and 3 or 4 unfertilized ova on 26 September, 2021.  Bred by Tom Crutchfield.
  • Germany:  9 live, 1 stillborn and 6 unfertilized ova on 14 September, 2021.  Bred by Sebastian Hölch.
UK litter of 12. Photo Tom Middlebrook and Faye Da Costa

Visit the chapter for the Jamaican Boa here for more in depth information and photos.

Corallus cookii; documenting its life cycle in captivity

Captive breeding, Conservation, Corallus, , , ,

A small litter of Corallus cookii, born September 26 at approximately 10:00 p.m., consisted of six live neonates, three small unfertilized ovum and no stillborn.  The neonates weighed 5.51 g to 14.09 g with an average weight of 11.86 g.  The female moved away from the heat source immediately after shedding on 16 September.  She also dropped a large quantity of pre-birth material in the bowel movement.

Litter of six C. cookii born September 26, 2021.

There is a variety of pattern and color between the neonates, though this polymorphism is not as pronounced as it is with C. hortunalus or C. grenadensis.

The iconic rhomboids found on C. cookii.

The female  boa, once finished with parturition,  consumed all three unfertilized ovum-possibly the first time this behavior has been documented in the species.

A total of three litters was produced in 2021:

  • US:  6 live and 3 unfertilized ovum on 26 September.  Smallest neonate weighed 5.51 g and the largest weighed 14 g with an average weight of 11.86 g.
  • US:  5 live, 1 stillborn and 6 unfertilized ovum on 8 October.  Smallest neonate weighed 7.96 g and the largest weighed 9.89 g with an average weight of 8.65 g.
  • US:  5 live, 1 stillborn and 2 unfertilized ovum on 8 October.  Smallest neonate weighed 7.4 g and the largest weighed 12.0 g with an average of 10.18 g.

For more photos and a complete overview of the species, view the C. cookii chapter.

 

Corallus grenadensis; documenting its life cycle in captivity

Captive breeding, Conservation, Corallus, Natural History

A small litter of seven live, 1 stillborn and six unfertilized ovum was laid on 28 August.  They will now be separated, individually set up and assist fed small anoles for the first 3 or 4 meals until they take anoles on their own.  They undergo the same ontogenetic color change as other boas in the genus-they will look entirely different as adults.  In the EU Johan Versluis had a litter of four live, two stillborn and several unfertilized ovum, born on 22 September.  The babies weighed 4.85g to 6.03g, with an average weight of

Two C. grenadensis born Aug 28, with anolis sagrei as first foods.
7 C. grenadensis born Aug 28, shed from Sep 10-12.
Two C. grenadensis, freshly shed on 10 Sep.

See the Chapter on Corallus grenadensis for more in depth information on the genus and species in particular.

Recommended Reading

Recommended reading, ,

In 1990 Dr. Richard Ross and Gerald Marzec published 10 years of data in what was to become the first book to provide detailed research on maintaining and breeding pythons and boas.  The West Indian Boas are included in depth-a first for the genus.  A must read for any serious student of Boidae.

USFWS to downgrade status of C. granti from Endangered to Threatened

Chilabothrus, Conservation

UPDATE:  Comments have been closed; now we wait for a decision based on your   feedback.

Per the USFWS:  This proposal is based on a thorough review of the best available scientific data, which indicate that the species’ status has improved such that it is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.  We are also proposing a rule under the authority of section 4(d) of the Act that provides measures that are necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of the Virgin Islands boa.  Further, we are correcting the List to change the scientific name of the Virgin Islands boa in the List from Epicrates monensis granti to Chilabothrus granti to reflect the currently accepted taxonomy.
This was posted on 30 September and your opportunity to comment closes on 30 November, 2020.  See the Federal Register Posting here.