Hi Terry,



I don't think Norm Damm does posts, but he's always had the opinion that Hondurans (like Sinoaloans and Nelson's milks) are "late breeders."



I have found this to be true as well. It also seems that Hondurans are less tied to a shed cycle than other milksnakes. Sometimes I'll put a female that has had her second or third shed in with a male and the male won't start courting her until a week or more later.



I've always had good Honduran fertility and Norm has had Hondurans hatch as late as Halloween and in one case, Christmas (these were of course double clutches). So I'd say there seems to be a correlation between late breeding and good fertility.



Several years ago, while vacationing in Las Vegas, Tad Fitzgerald was kind enough to let me come over and see his excellent reptile collection. He had mentioned that with mountain kings that the males developed sperm that was more fertile later in the year (I believe he was looking at samples under a microscope).



So my "educated guess" would be that in at least some cases it is better to wait until later (usually May) in the year before putting Hondurans togather.



Tim

[ Show Entire Thread ]