Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Read waspinator's post below, about the trouble he'd had w/ a few of his baby Cals and getting them started feeding. Was wondering if that was fairly common w/ them?

reako45

I have not found that to be common. It does occur, especially in certain "strains" such as some from the SW deserts which may be inclined to prefer lizards rather than rodents. However, most are easy feeders and a joy to keep, a real pleasure if you have a lot of hatchlings and have been "enslaved" by picky and tiny little milksnakes etc. Most cal kings in my experience have a zest for life and are easy keepers. A few are stubborn and fussy, but they come around if you know some tricks. That has been my experience anyway. What say the brethrin'? vic h.

BTW he is a she (waspinator)

>>I have not found that to be common. It does occur, especially in certain "strains" such as some from the SW deserts which may be inclined to prefer lizards rather than rodents. However, most are easy feeders and a joy to keep, a real pleasure if you have a lot of hatchlings and have been "enslaved" by picky and tiny little milksnakes etc. Most cal kings in my experience have a zest for life and are easy keepers. A few are stubborn and fussy, but they come around if you know some tricks. That has been my experience anyway. What say the brethrin'? vic h.
-----
=========================================================
Roberts Realm Of Reptile Research
=========================================================
Thanks,

I opened my mouth and out flowed a melody black.

I think it is more common with lines that have recent WC ancestors.
-----
I decided my old sig was too big.

that makes A LOT of sense. I agree...

This may be WAYYY out there, but I believe the parents have an ability to somehow pass on to their offspring what foods are available to them in their niche in nature or in our cases the captive environment and since it changes only over a few generations it is as an innate characteristic instead of hard wired into their DNA which could take quite some time to be passed on.

What would explain the ease of getting them to fed on a less then natural prey item in only a few generations of captive breeding's

Any opinions ???

Most scientists would not agree with this type of thinking because it is a Lamarckian type of thinking.
Lamarckism or Lamarckian evolution

-----
=========================================================
Roberts Realm Of Reptile Research
=========================================================
Thanks,

I opened my mouth and out flowed a melody black.

Lamarckian "like" type of thinking.

Since Innate is not from a learned experience.

Main Entry: in·nate
Pronunciation: i-ˈnât, ˈi-ˌ
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English innat, from Latin innatus, past participle of innasci to be born in, from in- + nasci to be born — more at nation
Date: 15th century
1 : existing in, belonging to, or determined by factors present in an individual from birth : native, inborn
2 : belonging to the essential nature of something : inherent
3 : originating in or derived from the mind or the constitution of the intellect rather than from experience
— in·nate·ly adverb
— in·nate·ness noun
-----
=========================================================
Roberts Realm Of Reptile Research
=========================================================
Thanks,

I opened my mouth and out flowed a melody black.

I think it's survival of the fittest.

In the wild, Cal Kings primarily feed upon reptiles, but are also opportunistic generalists. However, as neonates, the ones that prey upon rodent pinkies are more likely to be killed by the other rodents (particularly momma) in the colony, the ones that stay away from rodent scent until they are slightly bigger are more likely to survive.

In captivity, the opposite is true - breeders will tend to hold back the young that fed on rodents out of the egg, and some breeders will just euthanize the neonates that are not easily started, so in captivity, the neonates that are generalist out of the egg are more likely to pass on their genes.

That's my guess.
-----
I decided my old sig was too big.

and some breeders will just euthanasize the neonates that are not easily started

Patience is a virtue...

I guess killing them is the easy way OUT!!

They should pick up knitting instead (IMO).
-----
=========================================================
Roberts Realm Of Reptile Research
=========================================================
Thanks,

I opened my mouth and out flowed a melody black.