Posted by:
FR
at Thu May 2 12:37:30 2013 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by FR ]
Hello
I would love to visit your country.
Many large breeders, use the least amount of effort, not the most, or normal. They do so, because they have lots and lots of animals.
what they do sort of works. I say sort of, because it does not address problems like your having. Scattering of eggs and eating of eggs.
Those are both signs that something is not right.
In nature, they do not scatter their eggs and they do not eat their eggs. That would not be very productive. They dig a nest, deposit their eggs arrange them as Gregg discribed, cover them so other animals cannot find them, then leave and even arrange the outside so it looks normal.
On average, colubrid nests are 12 to 18 inches deep, half a meter deep. They do so for many reasons, some of which are cultural. Which means, it may not be absolutely needed, but do so because its part of their culture(may have been important in the past and still works)
If you look at my picture and Greggs pictures, they look good. like the snake did something. and the female did do something. If you look at your pictures, what does it look like? The snake dropped the eggs and took no more care. And worse, ate some.
Greggs setup is great because it works in racks. I am not restricted by racks. So I use deeper, like they naturally do.
If your happy with your results, then don't change. My guess is, you have a fairly low hatch rate, that is some just do not hatch. Maybe you do not want all to hatch. Thats fine.
But if you do, then make the nests more like what they naturally use.
Also, by not having good nests, its stressful. Please, ask a pragnet women to have her baby in the street, or to hold that baby inside her another week or two longer then when shes ready. Then I suggest running as fast as you can.
You are forcing your gravid snakes to lay their eggs where they do not want to lay them and holding them longer then necessary. They eventually will HAVE to lay them there. but not be so happy about it.
Big time breeders, are not so concerned with the individual snake. Most are very good people, and if you ask them, is their method best. they normally tell the truth, no its not best, but it works for our goals.
In many cases, they cull females that do not work in their systems. Best wishes
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