Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just obtained a male which I hope to breed in the spring; I currently have my females brumating. Question - since I just obtained him, is it necessary to brumate him for successful breeding or can I feed him to fatten him up and leave him in my snake room without providing any additional heat for the enclosure(temps fluctuate depending on the time of day,60-62 in evenings, 68-70 during day). I don't know if this matters, but he is probably going to shed within the next week or so.

Any advice is welcomed.

Thanks,
Jim

>>I just obtained a male which I hope to breed in the spring; I currently have my females brumating. Question - since I just obtained him, is it necessary to brumate him for successful breeding or can I feed him to fatten him up and leave him in my snake room without providing any additional heat for the enclosure(temps fluctuate depending on the time of day,60-62 in evenings, 68-70 during day). I don't know if this matters, but he is probably going to shed within the next week or so.
>>
>>Any advice is welcomed.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Jim

I think you either need to brumate or not....if you are going to feed him, you need to provide proper temps for digestion.
I guess either that or feed small meals at longer intervals.
I don't think I would try to fatten it up at low temps.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

_____

Jimmy - thanks for the reply. Will he still attempt to breed if he is not brumated and fed (at the right temps of course) right through 'til the spring?

Jim

I would keep him quarantined to ensure he's completely healthy and not a carrier for any diseases that could affect your other snakes.

There is also no need to brumate him to get him to breed. My corn snakes bred and produce clutches without brumating. Even had my female double clutch this past summer and I didn't reintroduce the male either. She decided on her own.
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PHLdyPayne

JMo, he probably will try to breed the females, but the issue of fertility may come up. Its possible lack of cooling may not allow him to be fertile and the females could throw all duds, or a higher percentage of duds. However, based on the temps you posted, he may actually be getting cooled enough to cause maturation of his sperm cells. Some who breed corns also do so without any "cooling" whatsoever. However, I think in that situation the animals are actually cooled to some degree due to changes in ambient temps and the fact their cool side is probably actually cooler than usual. I have not tried to breed corns without cooling. The five out of the past 10 years I have actually bred corns has produced very good fertility rates in the clutches. If he is not life threateningly thin, I would cool him for at least four to six weeks. Cant hurt. If you feel there is a health issue based on his weight, then it makes sense to keep him nice and warm and feed him up.

Thanks for the information. I think I may give him a few meals, let him void his system and possibly brumate him mid January-mid March. Mid March is when I planned on taking the females out of their brumation.

Jim

I don't brumate at all and the females i bred last year were clutches of 17 with 100% hatch rate.

Tom