Breeding emerald tree boas (Corallus caninus), although challenging, is an extremely rewarding and gratifying experience. Emerald tree boas live to between 20 and 30 years of age and reach sexual maturity in captivity between 3 and 4 years. Specifically, males can be bred as early as 3 years of age and 800g body weight; females do better at a minimum of 4 years of age and at least 1,500g body weight. Females should only be bred once every two years because they need a recovery period from their long gestation. They will typically give birth to four to 12 babies, although litters of up to 25 have been documented.
The key to successfully breeding emerald tree boas is having well-adjusted animals in a stable environment. We temperature-cycle our adult Amazon Basin emerald tree boas in Colorado starting in October, maintaining them at a daytime ambient temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit with a nighttime drop between 78 and 72 degrees. The 6-degree nighttime drop is dependent on outside weather conditions, because the only heat source in our breeding room is from the cage heat panels. So, if the outdoor temperature drops to freezing or below, our snake room will drop to a nighttime low of 66 degrees and our cages will hit a nighttime low of 72 degrees. We also reduce the snakes’ photoperiod from 12 hours on/12 hours off to 11 hours on/13 hours off from October through March. We introduce male emerald tree boas to females in November, using the females’ cages as the breeding sites. Pairing animals is best done during daylight hours so as to avoid any accidental bites due to a feeding response. Males will normally court and copulate with females that are properly conditioned shortly after dark. Pairs may remain joined for several hours and even into the next morning. Introduce one male to a female. Introducing multiple males can result in fights with disastrous results. Upon introduction, a male emerald tree boa will cruise the cage, tongue-flick the female, and become defensive. Initially, it is important to watch the female for potential fighting. It is rare, but females have been known to become combative. We separate the pairs after a week or so, for a break and feeding should it be time for a meal. One male can comfortably breed two females in a season. If you are uncertain whether or not breeding activity took place, a second “backup” male can be cycled into the rotation. We use Internet cameras with infrared capabilities to observe and record nighttime breeding behavior. Juvenile emerald tree boas tend to be coral colored. Photo by Steve Volk Enclosures for juvenile emerald tree boas. Photo by Steve Volk Adult emerald tree boa enclosures. Males are introduced into females’ enclosures for breeding. Photo by Steve Volk The key to successfully breeding emerald tree boas is having well-adjusted animals in a stable environment. This is a male black Amazon Basin emerald tree boa. Photo by Steve VolkAfter successful copulations over several weeks, the female will begin ovulating and develop a large mid-body swelling, resembling an excessively large meal. This swelling typically lasts 12 to 24 hours. A post-ovulation shed occurs approximately 30 days after ovulation. Once ovulation is confirmed, the male can be separated, and nighttime temperatures should be returned to normal settings.
It is essential to provide the female with a basking site during gestation. A 40-watt heat panel can achieve basking temperatures in the low 90s. A successful pregnancy lasts 130 to 180 days from the post-ovulation shed, depending on temperature. Most females do not eat during this period. Hydration is critical to prevent retained or adhered ovum during birth. In addition to fresh water in a bowl mounted near the perch, placing the gravid female in a rain chamber with temperature-controlled water for 20 minutes or more helps ensure proper hydration. Emerald tree boas are ovoviviparous and give birth to live young. First-time mothers usually have 4 to 8 babies, while mature females can have up to 18 or more. Neonates are brown and take up to six months to turn green through ontogenetic color change. Healthy newborns measure 12 to 14 inches and weigh up to 50g. Newborns are housed individually in Habitat Systems racks using 5-gallon Rubbermaid polycarbonate tubs (18x12x9 inches) with internal perches. Perches should be positioned for easy access to the bottom for drinking or striking prey. Getting newborns to eat can be challenging, especially for Amazon Basin emerald tree boas. Food is offered after the first shed within two weeks of birth, once most yolk is absorbed. Frozen/thawed (F/T) rat pinkies are heated over a hot vapor humidifier and offered with tweezers. Typically, half of the litter accepts F/T rat pinkies as a first meal. Those that refuse are offered a live dwarf hamster or hopper mouse in a deli cup overnight. About half of these snakes take live prey, leaving 25% of the litter to be assist-fed with a rat-tail or mouse hopper.Eventually, the entire litter will come around and become aggressive feeders. The objective is to get neonates eating F/T rat pinkies as soon as possible; as soon as this is accomplished, your snakes will become easy and consistent feeders for life.
Rico Walder lives in Signal Mountain, Tenn., and has been keeping and breeding reptiles since 1979. He worked in several AZA (Association of Zoos & Aquariums) facilities for 20 years before committing to his company, Signal Herpetoculture (www.signalherp.com), full time in 2007. He is internationally known and considered one of the top green tree python breeders in the world. Steve Volk lives in Boulder, Colo., with his wife, Golden Retriever and about 65 Amazon Basin emerald tree boas. He has bred various boas and pythons over the last 30 years, and for the past eight has focused on the Amazon Basin emerald, with the objective of producing high-white, deep emerald green animals as well as the ultra-rare, naturally occurring “black” or melanistic Amazon Basin emerald. He has a BS in Zoology from Duke University and a Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Missouri.