Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have 2 males and 1 female tri-colored milks. They are 3 years old and about 30-36 inches long. I have followed all the brumation techniques. Why won't they breed? Are they not old enough or large enough? Please help. Thanks!

I take it you are refering to Hondurans? but its hard to say for sure by your post.
Anyway, They should breed at 3 years no problem but sometimes they take longer.Just like People they are all different. The biggest factor is weight on the female.You need to have her nice and fat (usually min of 300 grams) and then she will ovulate.

Good Luck,
Shannon

Yes, I am sorry for being unclear. They are tri-colored honduran milksnakes. Thanks for your help.

Shannon I just wondered if you meant to put 300 grams as that seems a little small for a female honduran to breed safely.
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Randy Whittington

This subject has been beaten so much, that the body doesn't even
closely resemble a horse anymore. If a female is not able to breed, she won't, healthy or otherwise. Like Shannon said, it usually has to do with her weight, and physical health. I have found 20" gravid Cal Kings. If a snake is not ready to bread, it won't, and if it is, she will produce follicles, with or without a male. I've heard all kinds of goofy theories. If you breed a snake to soon, you'll shorten her life span. Yet the people that say this have never kept a snake alive for 25 years, so how would they know? People have also said that you'll get smaller
less fertile clutches. Does anybody have any hard facts to prove this? Has anybody raised several females under the same conditions, with one group being introduced to cycled males
after there first brumation, and every season after? With one group being held until, say, their 4th year before breeding,
And another group not being bred at all? In my experience the non-bred females are the group that will suffer the highest casualties, usually from egg dystocia, from infertile eggs.
Donbird8 said that he cycled his female, but she did not breed, or at least produce follicles. The fact is that for some reason the female was not ready to breed. There are many variables that could have affected this seasons outcome, but there's always next season. Good luck!
-Phil
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Work is the curse
of the drinking class!

Do you feel better now Phil. lol
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Randy Whittington

I was just using 300 as a min number.I have had many milks (hondos,poly'z,andeans etc....) go at about 300.Even when I didn't plan to breed them the swell up and ovulate and so I go ahaed and do it.As a rule I like to wait till they are 3 years old and about 500 grams but it doesn't always work out that way.
I have a super nice tangerine female right now that is ovulating and I had no plans on breeding her this year.She is only 18 months old but she is just under 500 grams and about 36 inches long.I went ahaed and tossed her in with a male last night.

L8r Shannon

Nice tangerine albino. Do you know anywhere that still carries those hide/water bowls?
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Randy Whittington

Thanks,
Nope, I haven't seen them for sale in Years.I posted a want ad a few years ago and Matt Sayler e-mailed me and said he had about 60 of them.I took them all and I have never seen anymore since.

L8r

Sorry, I'm back to normal now. LOL!!! Thanks! I feel a lot better, now that you mention it.
-Phil
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Work is the curse
of the drinking class!