Reproduction and Development
Boa constrictors are ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young. They will generally breed in the dry season—between April and August—and are polygynous, thus males may mate with multiple females. A half of all females will breed in a given year, and a larger percentage of males will actively attempt to locate a mate. However due to the polygynous nature of Boa constrictor many of these males will be unsuccessful. The reasoning being the fact that they are ovovivparous (i.e. eggs hatching inside the body). As such female boas without a good enough physical condition will be unlikely to attempt to mate, nor produce viable young if they do mate. In 2010, a boa constrictor was shown to have reproduced asexually via parthenogenesis.
During breeding season the female boa will emit a scent from her cloaca to attract males, who may then wrestle for the right to breed with her. During breeding the male will curl his tail around the female's and the hemipenes (or, male reproductive organs) will be inserted. Copulation can last from a few minutes to several hours, and may occur several times over a few week period. After this period ovulation may not occur immediately, however the female can hold the sperm inside her for up to one year. When the female ovulates, a mid-body swell can be noticed that appears similar to after the snake has eaten a large meal. The female will then shed two to three weeks after ovulation, with what is known as a post ovulation shed which will last another 2–3 weeks, which is longer than a normal shed. The gestation period, which is counted from the post ovulation shed, is approximately 100–120 days. The female will then give birth to young that average 15–20 inches (38–51 cm) in length. The litter size varies between females, but can be between 10 and 65 young with an average of 25, although some of the young may be still-borns or non-fertilised eggs known as "slugs". The young are independent at birth and will grow rapidly for the first few years, shedding regularly (once every one to two months). At between 3–4 years Boa constrictors become sexually mature and will have reached the adult size of between 6–10 ft, although they will continue to grow at a slow rate for the rest of their lives. At this point they will shed less frequently, approximately every 2–4 months.
Read more about this topic: Boa Constrictor
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