Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So i'm thinking about starting to breed cornsnakes...i've been keeping corns for about 10 years, and i have always wanted to start breeding..i cant deny that i have aspirations of breeding lots of corns at some point, hopefully having my own business. Anyway, for starters im going to breed the two adults that i have, and go from there.

This forum has been a great resource for me in the past, and i appreciate all of the help you have all given me I have a few questions here to start...

1. Cooling period? I was reading in The Cornsnake Manual, and Kathy Love outlined a detailed process of cooling and rewarming her snakes...it sounds like a prety lengthy and involved process, and seemed to be A) to trigger the snakes into ovulation and also B) to make sure that all her breeding snakes were on the same cycle. My question is this...how many of you cool your corns? and if so, what process do you use? I have no problem doing the cool down, but im just wondering how big of a process it is for everyone? Also, if its more to just keep the snakes all ont he same cycle - is it necessary to do an extended and involved cool down for just the two snakes? Could i do more of an abbreviated cool down/warm up cycle? The one in the cornsnake manual sounds like it would take months and months to complete? Again, if its necessary, i will do it - i want whats best for my snakes...i just wanted some input? What has worked for others?

2. I think im going to have to invest in a small breeding rack...my house is already overrun with tanks and i want to be able to seperate all the hatchlings. Im going back and forth between buying and building a rack. Im wondering what most of you do? Buy or build? If you buy - from where? I looked at a few and they priced out in the 1,000$'s!!! I dont really have that kind of money to spend on a rack...well, i technically do, but i would rather not!

3. Heat tape? this is probably a really DUMB question - but i have never used heat tape...i've always used heat pads for each tank. Using heat tape in a breeding rack my questions are these...Do you put the heat tape onto the tubs themselves? Or onto the "floor" underneath them? Im thinking if you attach them to the tubs themselves you wouldnt be able to pull each one out. Also, do they run the risk of melting the plastic? And also, do you use a strip of heat tape on each shelf and connect each strip to a rheostat?

Thanks for all the help guys!!!
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1.1 Bearded Dragons
2.2 Leopard Geckos
1.0 Uromastyx (Mali)
1.1 Corn snakes
0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake
1.0 Rosy Boa
1.1 Green Anoles
1.1 House Geckos
0.0.2 Flying Geckos
0.0.1 Red Eye Tree Frog

how many of you cool your corns? and if so, what process do you use?

My cooling period is usually mid-late october for 2-3 weeks and then turn the heat off and sometimes open the windows to get the "feel" of the weather changes.. i Actually have a heated room (base board heat) and i turn it on low so if the temps get below 60s or 50s the heat comes on... the heater is right under the window so its pretty good at keeping the surprise freezing temps out... If it is supposed to get freezing i will close the window.... the reason for the cool down is to make sure the snake doesnt have any left over food in its belly which will start to go bad and eventually eat through the stomach wall and kill the snake... so i would definately do a 2-3 week waiting period, then a cooling period... i bring my snakes up early february and around mid february the snakes are usually shedding and breeding...This year i am going to do my brumation a lil later than usual so i can get hatchlings later in the year... my hatchlings are Very large and will be selling for more than usual at the local reptile expo since some are already eating fuzzies...

" I have no problem doing the cool down, but im just wondering how big of a process it is for everyone? "

I think it depends on how large of a collection you have.. i have over 100 snakes and yes, its a big process... moving the yearlings and hatchlings out of the room... along with other critters who cant tolerate the cool weather... only leaving the breeders..

"Also, if its more to just keep the snakes all ont he same cycle - is it necessary to do an extended and involved cool down for just the two snakes? "

if you have hatchlings you probably dont want to brumate them... some people do, but i dont. hatchlings are more sensitive and can be lost in the brumation process.

"Could i do more of an abbreviated cool down/warm up cycle? The one in the cornsnake manual sounds like it would take months and months to complete? "

some people dont brumate... but i do. it also helps the males with producing sperm for the upcoming year. so the smaller the brumation (if any) the smaller the possibility of clutch sizes, eggs, healthy hatchlings, etc... YOU be the judge

Breeding rack- i buy a huge "bakers rack" type thing from target and fill in the tubs. i find it cheaper... some people like the racks... but its just up to you... the rack itself from target is anywhere from $40-60 depending on the size... the tubs are $1 for the shoe box sized on up to around $5 depending on the style and size...

3. Heat tape?

I already told you i have a heated room... and it works for me so i cant really tell you.... BUT i have heard of people putting the under tank heaters on a cement or glass tile (like you use on floors and walls) that way if the tank breaks you dont have to worry about moving the UTH and risk the possibility of ruining it. just place the tile under the tank or plastic container... the larger the tile the larger the area of belly heat.... makes sense...

~kin
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Corns, Creamsicles, A Black Rat, A pair of Leucistic Black Rat X Leucistic Texas Rat Intergrades, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn, Ball Pythons, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, 2 Snapping Turtles, an Eastern Box Turtle, a Bearded Dragon, an Adult Rescue Iguana, and A Baby Iguana

So you cool-down period goes from mid oct -november all the way to feburary? How do you go about warming them at the end? Do you make the transisition from cold to warm gradually? So - if i get this right...what i could do is stop feeding my adults now then in 2-3 weeks start lowering their temps (they have dimmers on their heat pads so that would be easy, and i could move them to a cooler room of the house to, they are currently in the reptile room, which is warmer) to a consistant 60-65 degrees and leave them there through until january-feburary. Does that sound adequate?

Could you tell me a little more about the breeding system you've put together? Do you possibly have pics? We have a "bakers rack" in our kitchen - but im thinking maybe you are talking about something different because i dont see how you could turn what i have into a breeding rack...pictures would be great, if you can. I was thinking about maybe getting a bookcase and getting sterlite containers and fitting them on there?

Thanks SO much for your help :-D
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1.1 Bearded Dragons
2.2 Leopard Geckos
1.0 Uromastyx (Mali)
1.1 Corn snakes
0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake
1.0 Rosy Boa
1.1 Green Anoles
1.1 House Geckos
0.0.2 Flying Geckos
0.0.1 Red Eye Tree Frog

everything sounds right... as for warming them up.. do pretty much the same in reverse... up the temps a lil at a time i usually open the blinds when "spring" comes and i close the blinds when "winter comes" a lil bit of heat at a time and then feed. Just make sure they dont go back to sleep afterwards!! as for pics... i have pics of 2 of my racks... and the 3rd is a "floating rack" it houses whatever i need to house at that time...
heres 1 for breeders- turtle on the bottom

this is my floating rack... looks completely different now

Hatchling rack

Now- most of these racks have changed... some more breeders are on the floater rack now along with some keeper hatchlings, yearlings, etc.

~kin
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Corns, Creamsicles, A Black Rat, A pair of Leucistic Black Rat X Leucistic Texas Rat Intergrades, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn, Ball Pythons, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, 2 Snapping Turtles, an Eastern Box Turtle, a Bearded Dragon, an Adult Rescue Iguana, and A Baby Iguana

Great! Thank you so much this is extremely helpful - im getting tons of ideas!

Couple more questions...

1. How do you heat your tubs that are on the racks? Do you use heat for each tub or do you just control the heat of the room?

2. I've been sitting here contemplating the cooling process and i'm stumped by one challenge. I dont know if i actually will be able to cool my corns down to 60degrees in my current house. The house itself stays about 70, so even if i completely turn off their heating the tanks ambient day time temp will be around 70...closer to 65 in the morning but by the afternoon the house itself is just naturally warm - even with the heat turned off. I do have a small A/C, but i dont want to cool my whole reptile room as it also houses hatchlings and other animals i dont want to have brumating. The only alternative i can really come up with would be to put the snakes in the bedroom and use the AC...but then of course i have to sleep in a 60degree bedroom in the winter - BRR! The rest of the house is sort of "open" - the kitchen and living room open into eachother and it would be very impractical (and expensive) to cool the whole area. I have a small pantry area that is near an outside door and may get colder if i put them in there and close it off...theres no window in there so i couldnt run an AC. Sorry, im mostly just musing here - but if you have any suggestions on how to keep the temps down for the cooling process that would be great!

Thank you again and again!
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1.1 Bearded Dragons
2.2 Leopard Geckos
1.0 Uromastyx (Mali)
1.1 Corn snakes
0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake
1.0 Rosy Boa
1.1 Green Anoles
1.1 House Geckos
0.0.2 Flying Geckos
0.0.1 Red Eye Tree Frog

my whole room is heated so i dont deal with the problem of heating over 100 tubs... too much hassle when i can just heat the room..

as for the brumating... some people put the snakes in tubs and put in the pantry, attic, basement... i've seen 1 person actually have an old fridge and put all their snakes in the fridge (unplugged of course) and in a garage. JUST MAKE SURE THERE ARE BREATHING HOLES IN THE FRIDGE!! pretty much.. if corns are wild in your area.. it wont get too cold for them outside...
~kin
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Corns, Creamsicles, A Black Rat, A pair of Leucistic Black Rat X Leucistic Texas Rat Intergrades, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn, Ball Pythons, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, 2 Snapping Turtles, an Eastern Box Turtle, a Bearded Dragon, an Adult Rescue Iguana, and A Baby Iguana

Im thinking i will put them in the panty - im going to use a thermometer to see how cool it gets in there, i may have to wait till further into winter for it to get consistantly cool enough.

So putting them into a large tub would be sufficient, i dont have to move the whole cage? That would be easier! What should i put in the tub with them - or should i just put them in the tub and cover it up so its nice and dark?
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1.1 Bearded Dragons
2.2 Leopard Geckos
1.0 Uromastyx (Mali)
1.1 Corn snakes
0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake
1.0 Rosy Boa
1.1 Green Anoles
1.1 House Geckos
0.0.2 Flying Geckos
0.0.1 Red Eye Tree Frog

brumation tubs need water, bedding (i use aspen) and i usually throw in a few paper towels they can hide under. Just make sure they have enough water 24-7
~kin
-----
~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Corns, Creamsicles, A Black Rat, A pair of Leucistic Black Rat X Leucistic Texas Rat Intergrades, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn, Ball Pythons, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, 2 Snapping Turtles, an Eastern Box Turtle, a Bearded Dragon, an Adult Rescue Iguana, and A Baby Iguana

I use that same type of wire rack.
But yours is loaded. I run heat tape on the back of each shelf
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com

Do you run the heat tape in the back on the bottom (under the tubs) or in the back on the back wall of the tubs? I saw a design plan online that ran the heat tape along the back verticle wall...I would think it was more beneficial for the hatchlings to have the belly heat?

If controlled properly with a rheostat - the heat tape will not melt the plastic, correct?

Thanks again
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1.1 Bearded Dragons
2.2 Leopard Geckos
1.0 Uromastyx (Mali)
1.1 Corn snakes
0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake
1.0 Bairds Ratsnake
1.0 Rosy Boa
1.1 Green Anoles
1.1 House Geckos
0.0.2 Flying Geckos
0.0.1 Red Eye Tree Frog

I really need to rip a part of it apart. I get asked this a lot and a photo would explain it so easy.

I use 3" or 4" FW.

6" Aluminum flashing. Aluminum sheet metal that comes in a roll 6" wide.

And 6" fiberglass sill sealer. It's 1/4" thick and 6" wide in a roll.

NOW starting from the top and down:

1 layer flashing. Top Layer to protect the flexwatt.
1 layer Flewatt
1 layer Sill Sealer. It helps push heat upward.
1 layer flashing

I make a 4' long section of that. I use zip ties about every 6"-8" to hold all the layers together. The ties just go thru the edge of the flashing. NOT the flexwatt. Then zip tip it to the back of the shelf.

1 shelf I have lose. I would ot recomend that, but I like to move it where I need it.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com