Most have you may have seen this guy pumping out amazing content into our Boas category lately, Matt Cook (@mattcookreptiles ) has agreed to take part in a forum Q&A, where he will chose his favourite questions posted below and answer them to the best of his ability.
Your questions can be about anything as long as they are clean and inoffensive.
I too, want to say thank you, @mattcookreptiles for doing this! You have added much flare to our boa category, especially with the Sterlings and that Img vpi Suntec! So here are my questions…
How many years have you been breeding boas?
What is your favorite co-dominant gene in boas? And also how about recessive and co-dominant combo?
What is the best knowledge you have learned breeding boas?
How would you recommend one gets started on the road to breeding?
What is your mindset about investing into breeding stock?
I got my first baby pair to try to make some sunglows in 2009! I went through alot of trial and error and finally got my first litter in 2016.
What is your favorite co-dominant gene in boas?
The right hypo really makes a difference!
And also how about recessive and co-dominant combo?
I love sunglows, and img t+ boas
Sterling I’ll be adding img and vpi to… thats my next big speciality project.
What is the best knowledge you have learned breeding boas?
Raise your boas up from babies! Usually when you get older animals, you’re getting someone else’s problems. Raise them slow too, they can’t handle alot of food. 4 years + for breeding is ideal.
How would you recommend one gets started on the road to breeding?
Get the best equipment you can, and buy the best quality you can. It takes 4 or 5 years to raise a female Boa, its nice to be able to love looking at it! Boas give what you put in, so don’t buy cheap and expect to make amazing animals. Plus your odds will be so much better if you invest in a visual recessive or a nice combo. Stay away from possible hets for the same reason, if you can. Nothings worse than waiting almost 5 years for a possible het to not prove out or a litter where one 1 or 2 are visuals of what you want, especially if you have a small scale operation.
What is your mindset about investing into breeding stock?
A few females a year adds up! Just don’t forget to get your males later down the line too A few boas can make a ton of babies so dont think quantity matters, worry more about your genetic odds instead… mentioned above always look into odds and maybe save up a littttle more and get a killer quality.
Ivs kept Red eared sliders, paint turtles, tarantulas, ball pythons, king snakes, bearded dragons, iguanas, Savanah monitors, Herman’s tortoises, and they all have their epic quality,
But it’s awesome to have a species that comes in so many different morphs, grows to an impressive yet manageable size, and you only have the feed them once or twice a month and they poop just as often
What is the greatest experience you have had since keeping reptiles?
Watching holdbacks grow! Not only knowing you got the best of the litter (since you made it :p) but like YOU made it! Everything you love about it was all your creation!
What is the worst experience you have had since keeping reptiles?
Boas can be heart breakers. It sucks losing any animals . You put so much work into them and have so much passion losing one hurts deep.