2013 Labyrinth and Motley Labyrinth Boa Babies

[The_Boaphile]

The 2012 - 2013 Boa breeding season was insane from my perspective with many unexpectedly wonderful results and surprises. None were as heart pounding as the litter that brought the first Motley Labyrinth babies October 3rd. Here is the tale that I wish I had video taped including all the emotions I felt that day.

The most important animal for me to breed in this and the last season is my Labyrinth male. I had attempted five total "piggy back" breedings with the Labyrinth male in the 2011 - 2012 season. He was in the cage with five females last year when they ovulated. A piggy back breeding is when one male(s) does the lion’s share of the breeding and another male is brought in as the "closer", if you will, till ovulation occurs. In those five attempts, I only produced Labyrinth babies in a single litter, and with only seven babies, he probably did not sire all the offspring. So based upon those results, I determined NOT to try that again with such an important male.

This past season the Labyrinth started out courtship with a bang, then in early 2013 he stopped all courtship. Nothing. As my most important male I kept trying him on different females. Nothing for nearly three months. March 27th I noticed that one of my top Ghosts was really looking chunky. I had not placed any male with her at all this season. I placed "Carlos", that's my Labyrinth male, in with her and it was love at first sight. He did what male Boas do until she ovulated May 11th. She was perfect. Perfect ovulation. Perfect shed 20 days later. Perfect behavior throughout the entire gestation period. Perfectly massive half way through her gestation period. Perfect including making a nest at 115 days after ovulation. A tad bit early, but I had kept her a bit warmer than usual toward the end to ensure entirely cooked puppies. On September 3rd I observed her beginning contractions. My wife and I pulled up a couple chairs to watch the action. I taped a small LED flashlight to the cage door so we could watch the blessed event. The first product of reproduction was not what I wanted to see. I jokingly said, "that's not a good sign when the first one out is a slug". I know that is a true statement, but I was so confident this was going to be a great litter that I wasn't really worried. Well not until another slug seemed to make its way out sooo reluctantly. Then another and another... etc. It was a massive punch to the gut.

In the mean time I have many other Boas in breeding trials. Many other ovulations where already on the books. One of the other females I was hoping to breed was a Motley Het Sharp. I had introduced two Hypos Het Prodigy to her back in January. They didn't really do much for the first few weeks, but finally figured it out and worked like marathon runners through the end of April. They both went opaque and stopped all courtship. The female Motley was nice and chunky now and nearing an ovulation event. I did not want her to think breeding season was over because of the lack of courtship, so I placed a male Prodigy in with her that had just finished up his last detail. Back to work her went for 3-4 weeks. Then he too went opaque and coiled up in a corner. Bummer. Well, Carlos had been taking it easy with that Ghost that had ovulated and she was just about to shed. I decided then, just for yucks, to put Carlos in with the Motley Het Sharp. It couldn't hurt and on the outside chance I was blessed with a Labyrinth, that would be a good thing. Back to work he went. She ovulated five days later. Four months of courtship and breeding by three other males, then Carlos for 5 short days and boom! Le' football ovulation!

So now we fast forward 120 days. The Ghost had the horrible litter but this Motley looked just as perfect as the Ghost had. This Motley Het Sharp had a sister, a Hypo Motley Het Sharp that had produced the world's first Paradise Motleys and Paradise Sunglows just 17 days ealier.



I was really looking forward to seeing a few more Paradise Motleys, Paradise Sunglows and perhaps a Paradise Motley Sunglow or two. I had not forgotten that Carlos was in there for the last five days, but I really had no hope for a Labyrinth result. It could be because I was looking forward to the more likely Paradise combo result and the prospect of another first that I had mostly put any other result out of my mind.

So it's October 2nd. I have been checking on this Motley about ever 30-45 minutes all day. She has made not one, but two nests in opposite corners up on her shelf. I had to get to bed, though I really wanted to get photographs of those Paradise Motleys being born. The following morning, I am out of bed like a shot. It's still dark outside and I am pretty much still in a fog staggering to the Motleys cage half awake to see what I thought was the inevitable litter in the goo. I step up onto my step ladder as this is a top cage. Covering 90% of the LED flashlight lens, I allow a sliver of light past my fingers and into the cage on the shelf. I am going to scan for the puppies. I like to do this slowly as I really enjoy the anticipation of the moment. Looking into the right corner I see the nest still cleared but empty. I pass the light to the left and again find that nest is also empty. I have yet to see the Momma Motley. I actually do not know yet if she is a Momma or not as of yet. Now I move back to the right side of the cage under the shelf in that right corner. There she is! I see her looking in the corner. Still no babies. I pan the light sliver down her body until I get about 2/3 of the way down and realize in fact she is empty! She seemed to be as thin as her neck was the day before all the way down! Babies!!! Or is it slugs. I still do not know. This scanning and looking around the cage all happens in about ten seconds though it feels even longer. This is how I savor the experience. This is for my head and my heart an eternity as I still do not know the result. I still do not know what a Paradise Motley Sunglow looks like, but I am going to know any second now. My only thought as far as anticipating babies was Paradise and Paradise combos. I virtually had blinders on for any other result.

Finally, I scan to the left side of the cage. As I cross the 4' to the opposite side, I pass over her large blue water bowl. Then there they are. I am looking at this litter of several slugs, a normal Motley on top, some stripey Motleys too, but not a single Paradise baby in the litter. Not one. Once again I was crushed. I literally looked at the mess in that pile only long enough to scan from front to back and apparently only saw what I did not see. I probably did not look for more than a second or two when I just stepped off the step stool dejected. I thought to myself that the Motley must not have been Het Sharp after all. As I walked back upstairs to retrieve some sweater boxes for the babies and my camera, I was kicking the dirt on the ground in my mind. This was terrible. I have been telling my friends and hyping these potential Paradise Motley Sunglows, and now I didn't even produce a single stinking Paradise in the litter. I missed and I missed hitting that one big time. Now I have my sweater boxes and my camera together. My mind is a bit more awake than it was and it hits me... wait a minute... your moron! You might have Carlos babies instead! That didn't really make sense because nothing jumped out at me in the second and a half that I looked in at the goo. Now I am instantly trembling. My knees are weak as I make my way in the dark to that cage. First thing I have to get the Momma out. I hold the flashlight between my teeth. Grab my Styrofoam stick, touch the Momma on the head shielding her view of my other hand that will collect her and remove her to another cage. The walk to that empty cage seems like it was miles away, as I still have not taken the long look at my prizes. Back to the step stool I go and now I gaze upon the scene from a new perspective. Insane and cannot believe I did not recognize it right off the bat!



The Labyrinth Motleys have nothing on their sides or a blurred stripe of gray. The Labyrinths still have side medallions. The Labyrinth Motleys have more solid color within the stripes. The Labyrinths stripes are more akin to lacy ribbon than a single color. There are very very few Labyrinth Motleys, but at least so far they are all fully striped from stem to stern. While in the goo, they also have these two bright light spots on the head right between the eyes. Additionally these have a different head stripe than the Labyrinths.



They still have the crazy Labyrinth eyes. :-]



Insane right?







I like these close up shots too.





Labyrinths that this litter are mostly identical to their Daddy.



Finally a couple post-shed shots. Here is a Labyrinth Motley.



and one of each:



What a crazy 5-10 minutes I experienced that morning of October 3, 2013. I would not change anything about how I experienced this litter. I cannot wait to do that again.

[Neal]

Definitely love the babies.

[MootWorm]

Very cool story!! Those babies are smokin I'm not sure if it's my monitor, but are they all kind of purplish in person?

[The_Boaphile]

Very cool story!! Those babies are smokin I'm not sure if it's my monitor, but are they all kind of purplish in person?

Thank you!

The Labyrinths are pink leaning lavender but not quite there. They have killer color.

:-]

[MootWorm]

Awesome! Could you post a pic of Carlos if it's not too much trouble?

[The_Boaphile]

Awesome! Could you post a pic of Carlos if it's not too much trouble?

Carlos the Labyrinth and his sister Sophia, which we believe to be the Super form of the Labyrinth, or the Crystal Boa. Farm bred in Colombia.

[Evenstar]

I saw these at Tinley Jeff!! They blew my mind! They kept their color right out of the baby goo too - amazing. Big congrats to you! I would give my eye teeth for that Paradise Motley. Best animal I've seen in a loooong time.....

[AlexisFitzy]

Omgggg those are some supper cute babies!! I want a boa so bad!


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[Gio]

Who was it that was asking about high end morphs a few posts ago??

Well,,,,,,,,, There you have it!

Those are sensational!

[The_Boaphile]

Thank you one and all for the kudos. It's very exciting for me to watch as Boas are on the up swing and more and more excitement builds. If I can be some small part of that, then it's all good.

;-]







I love the up close and personal shots that enable me to see these kids in a way that I simply can't with the naked eye.





I look forward to the next season with this and many other projects as they continue to unfold.

:-]