Reptile & Amphibian Forums

very long time breeders of hondurans and other milksnakes. At what "ripe old age" for an adult male snake and and adult female snake do you think it is time to NOT TO BREED THEM ANYMORE and just make them wonderful pets for yourself or for other people?

I guess what I am trying to determine from experiences of long time breeders is at what age do captive milksnakes experience a decline in breeding successfully in terms of number of successful rate of eggs laid or babies hatched.

Some nature books stated that snakes in the wild will experience a sharp decline in breeding after 10 years. I wonder about captive breeding since they tend to live longer than their counterparts in the wild.

Appreciate any real feedback (since guesses are as good as mine).

Thanks,

Ray
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RAY - "Laziness is nothing more than a habit of resting before getting tired!"

Ray, at least with males I have actually never seen a decline in males.I have three males that are 23 years old and as productive as ever. My oldest milk female is only 13 so its hard to say but most females I have noticed a decline in about 7-8 years.

L8r Shannon

With N.A. milks, my experience has been that females come into prime production around 10 years with larger eggs, larger clutches and more predictable breeding.
I have a couple N.A. males that are at least 15 years old and still give the girls a run.
I feel it's a myth that females are prime breeders only in the 4-7 year range. Maybe some are worn out and stressed, but that's a different matter.

Jeff

I love the shape of the mask on that hondo, and the markings overall are unique.
Link

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-Jake

1.1 juvie mexican milks
1.0 adult california kingsnake
0.1 mexican double yellowheaded amazon parrot

Shannon, that ghost is absolutely stunning. I'll be breeding an anery het hypo male that I got from you to a aberrant anery het hypo female. Maybe I'll end up with something that looks half that nice!

My female:

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1.1.0 Hondurans Het Amel
1.1.0 Hondurans Anery, Het Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo
0.2.0 Pueblans
1.0.0 Thayeri MSP
0.0.1 GBK Blair's Phase
1.0.0 California King
0.0.1 Speckled King WC
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet
0.1.0 Ball, Normal
0.0.1 Sulcata
0.1.0 Girlfriend, Caucasius Mexicana, Fiancee Phase

thanks, yes I am sure you will get a suprise here or there.Good luck,
Shannon

this hypo is a sibling to the ghost.

that is frickin awesome with just black and prange. its exactly what i want. awesome snake just awesome. you need to try and line breed it for sure.
adam
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" a.k.a. farfrumugen "
hybrid breeders association
1.1 puebladurans
1.1 sinacorns
1.1 hypo corns
1.1 kenyan sand boas
1.1 mbk
1.1 albino corns
1.1 childrens python
1.2 ghost corns
2.2 butter(both females motley)
2.2 pyroxgreerixruthvenixalternaxcampbellixholbrooki
0.1 hypo pyroxgreerixruthvenixalternaxcampbellixholbrooki
1.0 snow corns
1.0 jurassic milk
1.0 house snake
1.0 crimson corns
0.2 albino pueblacorns
0.1 striped ghosts
0.1 anery pueblacorn
0.1 bloodred
0.1 striped albino corn
0.1 albino nelsons
0.1 anery motley
0.1 normal corn het hypo,anery
0.1 hypo tang hondo
0.1 rosy boa

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" a.k.a. farfrumugen "
hybrid breeders association
1.1 puebladurans
1.1 sinacorns
1.1 hypo corns
1.1 kenyan sand boas
1.1 mbk
1.1 albino corns
1.1 childrens python
1.2 ghost corns
2.2 butter(both females motley)
2.2 pyroxgreerixruthvenixalternaxcampbellixholbrooki
0.1 hypo pyroxgreerixruthvenixalternaxcampbellixholbrooki
1.0 snow corns
1.0 jurassic milk
1.0 house snake
1.0 crimson corns
0.2 albino pueblacorns
0.1 striped ghosts
0.1 anery pueblacorn
0.1 bloodred
0.1 striped albino corn
0.1 albino nelsons
0.1 anery motley
0.1 normal corn het hypo,anery
0.1 hypo tang hondo
0.1 rosy boa

>>Some nature books stated that snakes in the wild will experience a sharp decline in breeding after 10 years. I wonder about captive breeding since they tend to live longer than their counterparts in the wild.
>>

Don't buy the 10-year thing as fact. Everything has a lifespan, sure, but alot of those facts in books are based on what is seen in captivity. If it is one thing we know, it is that captivity comes up short compared to the wild in terms of reptile nutrition and the ability to reproduce.

In the wild, they breed until they physically cannot anymore for whatever reason, or until they die. Some adult snakes may not breed for lack of available or willing mates. I would assume your approach for captives can be the same. Let them breed until they can't or until they do not do so effectively. That time span may be different for different individuals. Would you stop breeding a prize animal at 10 years old because of what a book said? I don't think you would.
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Mark

That's right, I fully agree, I won't intentionally wear breeders out, but I certainly wouldn't stop breeding something special unless I saw(or thought) there might be some signs of some sort of decline to whatever degree. Good common sense judgement is what I trust. Like you said, there is no exact time-line for this, it ALL depends on the individual snakes involved on a one-on-one basis.

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"