Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have bred many corns in the past, but have never tried (or had the oppurtunity) for a minimum size breeding record for males. I would like to know if I can breed an 18 month old, 24", male corn? How many of you have had success with this age/size? (I know this works, and has worked for some kingsnakes before.)

I am hoping to breed my largest male baby to the "Golden" corn (its' mother).
Thanks for any input,

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-

I myself would not breed less than two years old. Three is best. If you really wanted to, I would think it would put less stress on a male than if it were an 18 month female that has to produce the eggs. I am not sure if the fertility would be the greatest, though. I would wait untill next year, but thats just me. I am sure there are many people who breed the snakes at 18 months.
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**********Misty**********
I try to take one day at a time but sometimes several days attack me at once!

Other than stress can any other physical harm come from breeding to young. I have heard with my Leopard Geckos that breeding to young will shorten there life span as well as stunt there growth, Dose anything like this hold true with corn snakes? I would have to agree that waiting is the best bet But I did not see any harm mentioned other than being more stressfull.
My Research and Collection "New server"

I am definatelly no expert but.... What is the worst that could happen? You get an infertile clutch of eggs (if any) and you breed her to a different older male on the second clutch. I say, go for the "gold" The worst that can happen is you get another clutch of hets. The best that can happen is that you strike gold early!
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

only good can come from it, try all your males until one does it, if you stress him you have a whole year for him to get over it
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jake

my addiction:
2 normal ball pythons (lazlo and izzy)
1 amelenistic corn snake (zyklon)
0.1 blizzard corn (blizz)

I've done it. You should be fine. The fact of the matter is that at 24 inches male corns WANT to mate, so why shouldn't they? It would be reasonable to expect wild corns of this size to breed. I don't think this causes any more stress on a small snake than it does on a large one - it's the females that have to endure the stress of maintaining and laying eggs.

Tim

Third Eye

that explains why naaza isnt eating he cruises his cage but wont eat, he is hitting 3ft.....
degei has just went blue..... maybe after she sheds and eats ill see...

I will use larger males if they are available, but there have been several times when I had only a very small male of a particular type and hoped to produce that morph that year, so didn't have any choice. I never measured them, but some were definitely less than 24". A couple of times, I was almost sure they WOULDN'T produce, but usually I was pleasantly surprised. A couple of times, the little guy just wasn't interested. But most of the time the little males not only bred, but sired good, fertile clutches. I never noticed any problems during or after breeding season, either from the males that did breed, or those that did not.

I would have to agree that the only likely problem is an infertile clutch, or no clutch at all, so why not try? Of course, this applies only to males. I would never attempt to breed a young female at this size.

I would go for it! good luck!, jeff

What problems do you run into by breeding a young female of that size? Its it more of a size issue or a age isue when it comes to females? For example if I have a very young female but she has been fed very well and is a good size will I cause harm by breeding her to young? Sorry for the questions I am just learning here to and asking questions that were not otherwize covered. Thanks
My Research and Collection "New server"

You've helped me decide: I will cool off my largest (het) male for a few weeks and give it a go . . . Maybe I'll have success -maybe I won't . . .But I will never know if I DON'T try . . .
Just measured my largest male: He is currently 25". THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE who responded!

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-