My kids (yep, the homeschooled ones) are making very interesting observations about the snakes... We think the female is about to shed, and lately, the male has coiled around over her.. The kids have told me he's protecting her since she's about to shed.
Is there a site - kid friendly - about corn behavior? We have 4 corns, 2 are hatchlings and 2 are about 4 yrs old. The hatchlings act totally different, and the adults have quite a few differences.
Loving the lessons they are learning! We have one tank heated by bulbs, and 2 heated by under tank heaters. While the "room" temp is the same using either, the substrate is warmer on the under tank heaters. The kids have not noticed whether this makes a difference in where the snakes prefer to hide.
However, the 2 adult snakes come out every morning we first start school and "cruise" around the tank some. The kids think they are saying good morning. (they are 8, 9, 9)
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snake behavior for kids
Replies (2)
Ummm... the male be coiling about the female in an attempt to breed. Females usually become receptive after their first shed post-brumation/beginning of breeding season. Also, some corns will breed without being brumated/cooled due to receptors they pick up naturally, like day length changes and probably minute temp changes indoors we do not find as perceptible. So, the male may be waiting for the female to shed, release her phermones from her freshly shed skin, and give him indicators she is ovulating and ready to breed. If the male rubs himself over her back and both move spastically, could be breeding!! The male will entwine his tail with the females and insert one of his hemipenes in the females cloaca to fertilize. It can happen at any time and if they are housed together, you may not see them doing it. Keep an eye on the female. If she shows signs of being gravid in a few weeks, you will have to provide a nesting box.
We just purchased items to begin nesting box and prepare for eggs.
I love that the kids are being so observant of the snakes activities!
BTW - we had a shed last night! Complete shed, but in pieces. I'll be hooking up the microscope today, for kids to view differences between various parts of scales... (and still thanking God we haven't gotten deep enough into snakes for us to examine poo...)
OH! We're mating now! This guy moves fast! LOL
