Posted by:
JasonAyers
at Sun Oct 30 07:42:30 2011 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by JasonAyers ]
Thank you Vic for your input. I can understand everyones reluctancy to post, but in order to learn more about this species fellow breeders should be more willing to share their knowledge and experiences regarding this species.
In my opinion, it seems that weight would be more crucial to successful breeding than length simply because 6 foot females are not as common as six foot males. Two of my females are 4 years old and are only 5 feet and it may take another 2 or 3 years for them to reach 6 feet. Certainly in the wild males aren't discriminating against sub 6 feet females for fear of egg binding. With thst said, is there an ideal weight females should obtain before breeding?
Another factor that may lead to egg binding is the lack of cool temps during the warmer months. As most know, these snakes are often found in gopher tortoise burrows for protection and also to escape the heat. These burrows can be as much as 7-8 feet deep. Ground temps year round at that depth are roughly 55-56 degrees. How many breeders offer these temps during the warmer months? Maybe these snakes require year round cooler temps in order to properly thermoregulate themselves.
I encourage other experienced breeders to offer their knowledge on this subject. Thanks
Jason
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