Corallus caninus Nederland - website dedicated to the Emerald Tree Boa of South America

Breeding regime Corallus species

- separate males from females before cycling period.
- cycle the animals by decreasing night temperatures 20-22 degrees for a period of 6-8 weeks; maintain day temperatures of between 24-28 degrees (these would normally be 25-29 degrees) - the drop in night temperature together with higher humidity is more significant to inducing mating behaviour than a decrease in the day temperature).
- increase misting during the cooling or cycling period (mornings and evenings); humidity levels should be higher than normal (max. 90%).
- after 8 weeks, introduce the male to the female in the early morning and gradually raise the average daytime temperature (the introduction should be between February and end of March)
- decrease misting slightly and gradually resume normal temperatures and humidity levels.

Pairings should take place soon after the male is introduced. Gravidity and gestation takes from between 6.5 to 8.5 months [in C. caninus sometimes longer], so if pairings are observed in March, birth should follow 190-225 days after pairing, i.e. in October of the same year.

The above chart shows the average temperatures and precipitation within the regions of geographical distribution of the Corallus genera. Temperatures are at their highest in the months of July through to November. Rainfall is at it highest in the months May through to July (3 months of marked increases in rainfall) and again the month of December, the mating season. The average temperatures during the mating season do not seem to vary but are lower (29 degrees C) than in other months of the year. Temperatures begin to to rise again in April. The hottest months are September and October.

This would confirm that the mating season begins with a slight drop in temperature from December through to March, after which the temperatures rise again. Shortly after that period, the months of May, June and July are marked with heavy rainfall.