Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Was wondering how you all choose your holdbacks. Obviously color is the number one factor, but say you're dealing with a clutch of hets that all look pretty much the same. What's next on your list of criteria?
Size?
First born?
Last or middle born?
Etc.?

Thanks!

oddball looks sometimes...eager feeders get the nod too.
:Mark
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Surrender Dorothy!

crimsonking.piczo.com/

eager feeders then the oddballs, for me, in that order. I would rather have a snake that has no feeding issues and looks somewhat regular than a real looker that is a problem child. Fussy usually isn't a problem with me, they will come around.
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Todd Hughes

1. DESIRED TRAIT: although clutch mates probably have this geneticly but it might be heterozyxous so TRAIT first
2. SEX:your best male can service a few
3. VIGOR: fast growers can shave a year off next generation

To me this is just common thinking but anyhow? Enjoy....C

I've been going by pattern primarily - choosing the ones of the right sex who have the most half bands. I've just started as a breeder though, but a banded cal king without any complete bands is something I want.

Once my corn breeding starts, color and clean pattern is what I'll be after.

Another consideration is feeding. Unless it is spectacular, try to avoid the poor feeders.
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11.14 L. getula californiae (Cal. King)
2.3 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 L. getula floridana (Brooksi)
1.1 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
0.1 Heterodon nasicus nasicus (W Hognose)
4.2.14 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata - (Cal. Alligator Lizard)

personality. i don't hold back ultra snappy's or fraidies/dopes. i look for a little fight but but more for a willingness/determination to be an explorer.
daveb

This is probably going to sound ridiculous, but snakes bite right out the egg, right? I just hatched out twelve rat snakes, and while all were flighty, not a single one bit me.

>> not a single one bit me.

give them a chance to get comfortable! my only experience with rats was with a clutch of black rats. almost immediately they would pull back into that crazy double "s" and strike away...
daveb

Depends.

1 clutch of 5 cal kings - all rear back like cobras and strike repeatedly.
1 clutch of 11 cal kings - you'd think they were corn snakes. No biters, mellow as anything.
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11.14 L. getula californiae (Cal. King)
2.3 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 L. getula floridana (Brooksi)
1.1 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
0.1 Heterodon nasicus nasicus (W Hognose)
4.2.14 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata - (Cal. Alligator Lizard)