Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Yep, just like it sounds. I have a male that has quite a few breeding hours under his belt this year and it looks like he has devised a birth control method. I find sperm plugs laying around. Its like he is "pulling out." Lets hope his method is not a success.

Just thought I would share this fun observation

I find sperm plugs laying around.

Huh???? They don't inject the sperm plugs and impregnate with them. 9 times out of 10, the sperm plugs (dried up crumples of sperm) are discarded. Its not like they are usable in breeding. I mean, the whole name..."SPERM PLUG".....it is what it means....

the male basically pops the sperm plug like a zit into the female??? I personally have NEVER seen a sperm plug in my tubs even after numerous breedings and sheds

They should have been IN the female. I should not find three laying in a tub after a breeding. Makes it seem like he is "pulling out."

Actually - no sperm plugs do not go into the female and therefore should not be found in the female. What is likely happening is that when he inverts his hemipenes for breeding he is pushing the plugs out - you shouldn't see any difference in his ability to reproduce.
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Tosha

From what I understand sperm plugs to be, they are not sperm at all, but used to block the female so another male can't lock up with her and fertilize the eggs. The plugs eventually fall out but the ideal is to give the first male's sperm time to fertilize the female before another male can do it.

I know this is the case with many mammals, not sure if this is so with reptiles.
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PHLdyPayne

From what I understand sperm plugs to be, they are not sperm at all, but used to block the female so another male can't lock up with her and fertilize the eggs

Those are CLOACAL plugs, and it hasn't been proven in Pythons, only some colubrids (hence the ability to have multiple fathers in a BP clutch). You are confusing two VERY different things.

Back to topic, as Tosha said, the sperm plugs are "lost" when the male everts to start breeding the female. They are NOT injected into the female. No cause for worry, no cause for panic.

ok, I stand corrected I wasn't even sure if snakes would have that kind of 'plug' at all, though interesting to know colurbids have them.
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PHLdyPayne

I found some info on it being recorded in BLOOD Pythons! Crazy eh? I'll see if I can get you that info.

I have 2 beautiful children as a result of these same tactics.lol