Reptile & Amphibian Forums

this will be my first attempt at breeding easterns. The male is considerably smaller than the female (he is just now big enough). Once my female sheds I am going to introduce them and hopefully she wont try to eat him. I will feed her heavily on f/t until then. Once copulation is observed should I still watch them carefully or will breeding take precedence over feeding for her?

Hey Wisema,

I recognise your name from the cornsnakes board! I haven't bred kingsnakes before but have just got a new juvenile male goini/brooksi hybrid that I hope to breed with my two year old female cali next year. I'm already wondering what the best way to do it is - in fact I logged on here to ask for advice and possible book recommendations. I guess if they're both in breeding mode then it's ok, but I worry about this too and was wondering if I ought to brumate mine next winter so they know what they're expected to do. I've never brumated my corns for breeding. Have you brumated your easterns?

I'm sure if it's early spring and they've been fed recently and shed recently also, they'll know what to do. I'll be interested in other people's answers to your questions.

Jessica

Oh, and I guess if you've observed them mating you could separate them once they've finished, but I know sometimes it can take hours for them to finish so I'll be interested to see what people recommend about this. I, too, would be nervous of leaving them together afterwards, but with my corns they seem to take hours to get round to even mating and I don't always have time to watch! I guess with kings you have to make time!

good to see you here Jessica. Mine are due to come out of brumation in 3 weeks. I am going to let them copulate numerous times and I also asked to same question to JETZEN over there as well. Check out the corn forum here also, it is the best one I've been on. You get some of the best advice I've ever read from the forums over here.

Yes, I like this site very much as the people are experienced in reptiles. I will look at the corns forum - I've used the Asian and European ratsnakes forum and also the venomous forum and they're very good. So will you put your two together on several different occasions rather than leaving them together?

It is probably wise to plan the copulation when you have time to observe. I am going to put them together and observe, no action=remove them and try again, action= get popcorn and beer and watch the show! Seriously, I have several pairs to try this year, so I will spend quite a few evenings in the herp room. Sounds like you have a good plan for feeding, continue to feed her, as she will likely be the eater if he is small, also she will need the nutrients if you are successful. Your male may go off feed if he is ready.
Todd Hughes

just leave them together and let nature take its course!

Thanks, that's good to know that it's ok to do that as it's a lot easier than waiting.

Problem is,nature may take its' course and you could be left with 1 very large well fed snake, pregnant or not! The male may eat the female as well, then you really do not get what you want. Some people leave them together and do fine, others don't fare so well, it's your choice, I choose to take the cautious route, as I want my snakes to live to possibly breed again! Just my .02!
Todd Hughes

Hmmm, back to being worried again! I won't be breeding till next year anyway, but I think I'll watch them when I do in that case. It's a horrible thought...