Reptile & Amphibian Forums

One of the members asked if the female needs to mate again after laying the first clutch in order to get fertile eggs in a second clutch produced that season (double clutch). I can now state for certain that an Eastern Black Rat can produce fertile eggs in the second clutch even without mating after the second clutch. I am certain of this because my snake's second clutch has started to pip. I am not saying that your chances aren't better if the female is mated again after the first clutch, but I can now say for a fact that your female can produce fertile eggs without being reintroduced to the male.

Thanks, Elaphefan. At nine days after she laid, five look really good.

Did the second clutch take you by surprise, as mine did? Am I supposed to expect a second clutch everytime she breeds?

I know I've read a lot has to do with conditioning her after the first clutch, but she looked amazingly fit after the first clutch (not wiped out skinny). Does pre-first-clutch conditioning also determine a second?

Thanks!

Here is what I know.:

My female was well fed before I cooled her last winter.
She was cooled at a constant 59F for 10 weeks with a two degree per day warming and cooling cycle.
She was well fed after I warmed her.
The male was never cooled.
I wasn't expecting the second clutch.
The eggs were kept at 29C the whole time.
The offspring emerged after only 50 days.
The eggs did have to be treated for mold (with foot powder).
Many thanks to the person who posted that tip this summer. It worked great.

Here is what I think.:

I think that you increase your chances by having the female put on a little extra weight before cooling. Then I think you need to give her plenty of food after warming. I also think that it might help to introduce the male both early and late after the post warming shed.

Let us know how the second clutch does. Best of luck to you.

Rick