Posted by:
markg
at Fri Nov 6 12:50:14 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by markg ]
What Brad saw - courtship over Winter - is what I saw when I brumated Cal kings together in a group, males and females. And one pair stayed off by themselves most of the time. They were the largest and oldest of the group, and she produced wonderfully each year. I believe there is bonding over Winter, at least with Cal kings.
For some reason, keepers in the US seem to think that snakes stay alone their entire lives, which is far from true. At least for kingsnakes, it is known that Winter often brings pairs together, and even includes other species. After all, in the wild they seek the same conditions, and it stands to reason that a suitable wintering area would be taken advantage by most in the area. It is a great opportunity to bond with a potential mate and avoid the hazards of chasing a female down later. My theory anyway.
I don't know about Hognose, since they seem so nomadic, but I guarantee that cooling a pair together will not harm anything and will probably ensure mating.
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Mark
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RE: brumating in pairs? - markg, Fri Nov 6 12:50:14 2009