How to sex

[Marica]

As for the original question of how to sex your snakes, I would recommend taking them to a reputable herp vet or breeder to have them probed as they appear to be too old to be popped. Popping and probing are useful skills for a breeder to learn so that they can sell their offspring sexed correctly. There are also some visual indicators that are unreliable such as the size or visibility of spurs, the length/shape of the tail, etc. Also, I've heard of males attempting to dominate each other, so them entwining may not necessarily confirm opposing sexes.

Any and all new reptiles should be placed in quarantine for at least 3 months if not more prior to being introduced in to the same room where another reptile is housed. I believe viruses such as Crypto and Paramyxo are slower to affect and show symptoms in boas compared to pythons, so a quarantine period of up to 6 months is often recommended. Making sure you have healthy animals and that they are being giving the correct care should be confirmed prior to even considering breeding.

With regards to breeding, boatloads of research should be done prior to attempting a pairing. Just because there aren't many Dumeril's available in your area does not mean that there aren't breeders out their working with them. They are a protected species and exporting them from their natural habitat is illegal and transporting them between other countries very difficult, so the ones in captivity are pretty much all we have to work with. Care should be taken to breed healthy, unrelated specimens (though inbreeding does not always lead to immediate complications in reptiles and has helped with providing new morphs, it is best to be avoided if possible). There are many complications that can occur during breeding and having available vet care and/or the knowledge/experience to deal with any issues that arise can mean life or death for your snakes. Since [most] boas are livebearers, with a Dumeril's you will be looking at taking care of a gravid female for about 8 months. This can be quite strenuous on their bodies and therefore they need to be of adequate size (neither over or underweight) prior to breeding to ensure minimal risk of complications. From my research Dumeril's are slower to sexually mature than other comparable boas, and often require an additional year to reach breeding size. Size and overall health are primary factors as opposed to age when it comes to determining breeding maturity. There is also the issue of being prepared to care for the young, housing however many you end up with, dealing with non-feeders, finding good homes for them and caring for ones that may not sell.

There's a wealth of information out there, though some is incorrect, the more research you do and communication you have with other experienced breeders/keepers the better chance your snakes have of successfully breeding and leading healthy lives. If you ever get an aggressive response it is most likely because you have said or done something to upset someone who is extremely passionate about responsible care. There are too many animals out there not receiving adequate care to the point of neglect and/or abuse. So it is best to consider their advice whether you like the tone or not, which in this medium of text is quite often open to interpretation.