Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I want to share some observations with you and get some input.
Western hogs in general can go off feed sporadically or at least it seems that way. Most of my hogs have already laid there 2x clutches this year and most of the breeding season is over with or so I thought.
The past couple weeks my 2x snow female has missed her meals. She went from 20g or so when I got her from BHB to 300g or so in less than a year. She has never missed a meal LOL!! So being a little concerned I took her out and looked her over..I was about to put her back in when I noticed she was swollen..I felt her and to my surprise this female who has not even been brumated was ovulating. I have a proven 2xhet male and I threw her in and within seconds they were locked up!!

Here's a few theories I have on hognose husbandry and breeding.

1.) SIZE is the biggest determining factor until the animal becomes old.( MALES 65g AND UP FEMALES 250-300g AND UP)
2.) Fasting MAY preceed or even indicate ovulation (many will begin feeding after they become gravid)
3.) Ovulation can occur without brumation and virtually anytime on an adult female 250g and up (I suspect light cycles play a role)
4.)Short brumation is all that is needed for high fertility.(4-6 weeks @ 55-60'F)
5.)Hogs can retain sperm from year to year
6.)What are the temp ranges for fertility? This is a question that remains unanswered.

I have noticed that almost all my female hogs and even a good portion of males go off feed right after brumation. And that in the past I have notice slugs late in the year..thinking back some of those events were preceeded by long fasting.
Today I was about to pass up a breeding oppurtunity because I hadn't notice that this perfectly fine animal was ovulating. I would of probably found her in 4-8 weeks under the aspen wrapped around a clutch of duds.Hopefully now I will find her wrapped around a clutch of fertiles. I also reason to bet that many other breeders who experience late in the year fasts from there animals may mis-diagnose them as going off feed etc..
I think these elements makes breeding hogs a little easier and a little harder in many aspects. I seem to have found a good feeding rythem and breeding rythem that has been EXTREMELY sucessful, but on the other hand have experienced setbacks as well and all were related to one of the elements listed above. I'd like to get other breeders take on my observations.
Best Regards,
Justin Mitcham
ExtremeHogs.com

I don't know, I think that westerns are just unpredictable. Last year, my females went off feed for 4 months(may - sept) In Nov. during some cage cleaning, the male ended up with a female and they locked up. In Jan. I had a clutch of 6 fertile eggs......go figure.
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Jenea
Guardian Reptiles

"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" Author unknown

Justin wrote:
"I have noticed that almost all my female hogs and even a good portion of males go off feed right after brumation. And that in the past I have notice slugs late in the year..thinking back some of those events were preceeded by long fasting."

Justin, I've noticed the opposite-all my males go off feed immediately after brumation-I'm lucky if I can get a meal or two in them before they clam up! But generally my females feed wholeheartedly, or at least sporadically, until they ovulate. The failures I've experienced seem to be due to not removing males soon enough to get them to feed a few times before trying for that second clutch. My theory is that the males are just exhausted and aren't "getting the job done" in that second round of breeding-leaving me with an infertile second clutch! This doesn't always happen, just often enough to be disturbing.

Brad Chambers