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I have an adult female california king snake. She just recently shed and is interested in breeding. My male albino stripe cal king wants nothing to do with her. Is there any reason why a male would not want to breed?

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**********Misty**********
I try to take one day at a time but sometimes several days attack me at once!

Timing, size, temperature. . .

Timing: try again in a few days . . . Don't give up yet.
Size: Is she (a lot) bigger than him?
Do you have temps in the low eighties during daytime & mid seventies at night?

Zee
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"I am an expert on everything, but I know so little and have so much to learn!" -Carsten "Zee" Zoldy-

One more: Did you introduce the male into the female's cage? (That IS the best method)

Zee
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"I am an expert on everything, but I know so little and have so much to learn!" -Carsten "Zee" Zoldy-

The temps are mid 80 during day, and not totally sure the temps at night. They are in the house, so I would say no colder than 65.
The female is larger than the male (its the only male of breeding sixe that I have) and I did introduce him to her, the second time (after she shed). The first time (before she shed) I just wanted to see how the would react to each other, she went in his cage. He immediately wrapped around her and then changed his mind or something. He just started throwing her away from him. He'd lift his body and push her away (hard to describe). I'll try again and see if they are "in the mood".
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**********Misty**********
I try to take one day at a time but sometimes several days attack me at once!

Sounds like you have 2 snakes of the same sex. I've never had a male cal king that wasn't interested in breeding.

Kerby...

If the known male is pushing and shoving the other snake, then it is either the same gender, or it has been in close proximity to a snake of the same gender as your male. If the "female" has been with another male or has been in the same cage with another male then she may smell like a male.

Of course it could also be that it is still pretty early in the season and he just doesn't have his game face on yet. Like Zee said, give him a little time and try again. Heck, my kings won't see each other until early April most likely.

Patience grasshopper.

Good luck.

Will

hes obviously gay, look at those red eyes
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1.0.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.0.0 Rosy Boa
1.0.0 Striped Python
1.0.0 Halloween Honduran Milksnake
0.0.1 Sunglow Motley Cornsnake
0.1.0 Reverse Striped California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Apricot Pueblan Milksnake
0.0.1 Florida Kingsnake (het for hypo)
1.0.0 Albino Pacman Frog
0.0.1 Pacman Frog
0.0.1 Ornate Horned Frog
0.1.0 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula
0.1.0 Pinktoe Tarantula
0.1.0 Brazilian Stripe Knee Tarantula
0.1.0 Cobalt Blue Tarantula
1.0.0 Texas Tan Tarantula
0.0.1 Emporer Scorpion

LOL Sometimes it takes awhile for them to breed. I had some ruthven's kingsnakes last year that came out of hibernation in febuary and didn't even attempt to breed untill June. It was a 1.2 adult hets. and they each shed four times before they bred. Talk about wanting to rip your hair out. LOL Just keep feeding and keep trying. Kevin Fisher

First, I wonder what my experienced friends are trying to tell you. I get the feeling, they may be very successful(out of habit) but do not "know" what there doing. I am not being rude, but a real explination is to be had.

First, a female, must cycle in order to become gravid. If not, all the breeding(copulation) in the world will not make her become gravid.

When a female is in the first stages of reproduction(cycling) she emitts pheromones that intices the male to become interested and copulate. ALso in the first stages of reproduction, the female produces ovum, that turn into eggs. To drop the ovum, releasing from the overies is to cycle. Without eggs to fertilize, there is no reproduction, again, even if there is copulation. This is basic biology.

It appears your female has not cycled, as she is not enlarged the rear third of her body. This most likely means, she is not ready and their is no reason for the male to breed her. Most males will not even attempt to copulate a female that has not cycled. Of course this varies because of the goofy ways we keep snakes.

Of course, breeding and behavior is entirely based on having both sexes. Of course there are many bad jokes that could be brought up here. So if you know one, think of it here.

No, the male does not have to be larger then the female. I was the very first to produce albino Cal kings. In fact, your male is very similar to the original male. The second season of breeding albino Calkings. I used an eight month old baby male as the breeder. He was about 18 inches(if he was stretched) and he bred full grown mature adult females.(this was over thirty years ago, so its old information)

Also, it makes no difference which cage you put what in. Not to the snakes, only to you. In most cases, if you put the female in the males cage, he will either eat or breed whatever new is introduced into the cage. If you put the male into the females cage, many times the males feel the need to investigate this new area first, then copulate or attempt to copulate later. The difference is, in the first, copulation occurs right away. And in the second, you may not be patient enough to see it occur.

About sheds, this may or may not mean a darn thing. Under consistant conditions. You will get consistant results. That is, the relationship from hibernation to cycling and breeding. But of course, all you have to do is change the conditions or time of hibernation and that will change the relationship to shedding. Or if you understand that kingsnakes actually do not hibernate(thats a manmade sort of deal) and that cycling, a biological condition, is related to shedding, also a biological condition, but not necessarily related to a particular shed.

That is why you will hear, they will breed two weeks after the first shed, or right before or after the second shed, or any number of sheds. THese answers may or may not apply to how your keeping your snakes.

The simplist way to "know" when you female is ready to breed is, to observe. That is, to watch her. She will start with an unnormal fat buildup, in the lower third of her body(fat buildup). This occurs as the ovum is developing. At this time, she will emit phermones and become receptive. The female behavior is called Cloacal gaping. She will lift her tail on open her cloaca, when a male attempts to copulate. Heck, you can get her to do that, simply by touching the female and mocking the males movements.

Or avoid the above nastiness and palpate the female. To palpate is to feel for enlarged ovum or eggs. This is very very easy with kingsnakes(not easy with all snakes) Just let the female crawl between your fingers. Hold your fingers about a third less then the diameter of the snake and let her crawl thru on her own. To picture this, think of her crawling in a tight crack or hole(which they commonly do during their entire natural lifes) You will start by feeling a "string of pearls" which is the pea sized ovum that are a short distance from eachother.

When a female is fully gravid, it may be difficult to feel the seperations between the eggs. So the string of pearls is no longer detectable. At this time, you may only feel the seperations of only a few eggs.

As long as you are gentile, there will be no problems.

lastly their is a very very easy method to tell is she is ready and holding eggs. Pick up the female mid-body, and if she curls the lower third of her body, she is ready or gravid. This curling is the female protecting the eggs from moving out of place, She is using her body muscles to keep them in position.

I hope this helps and good luck, cheers

That was a lot of good info. After I posted here last night, I tried introducing them again. This time both were in the mood. The male slithered down the females body, the female lifted her tail, and after much clumsiness (it was his first time afterall), they finally paired up. One question that I have is the time. I have heard that once they are together, it could take from 10 minutes to an hour, maybe a little more. This guy was at it for over 2.5 hours. The female was even moving away from him at the end, and he was still locked in. She kinda dragged him around a bit. I did not witness the actual release though. Is this time normal, or was there some thing wrong?
thanks again
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**********Misty**********
I try to take one day at a time but sometimes several days attack me at once!

I don't know who told you what, but your snakes just told you what Calkings do. Its normal for copulation to last for 1 1/2 to 3 hrs. This could and should last for several days. Then the male will lose interest(pheromones stop being produced)

I personally am a beliver in the snakes(i listen to people, but have no need to believe them) I leave my snakes together(you do understand they are together in nature) When they are together, you learn what they do, by their choice, not by what we allow them to do.

If your concerned about them eating eachother, of course that can happen. Consider, if that happens, its normally a sign your doing something terribly wrong. Like starving them.

Of course people will say this and that. But sadly, I have bred calkings since 1964, and have not had those problems. Oh unless I starved them into eating their mates. Sadly that has happened. So make sure they are fed.

How do you know they are fed? Well if they hunt, they are hungry. Its that simple. If you see them out looking for food, that means they are already very hungry. They do not feed on a schedule. They feed when they have a need. I will offer food on set days too, its not all one way or another. But if I see a hungry snake, that means feed it. How simple is that? Good luck

Good Post Frank.

By stating that she may not be ready yet, I implied that she may not be cycling yet, however I didn't come out and say it. That was why this keeper was advised to keep trying. Nice explanation.

Will