Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just so you know I have done this before, I have included pics of the first cornsnakes I hatched. The female I had then successfully mated and laid eggs in 2004 and 2005. Neither she nor the two different male I used were brumated. All the eggs hatched.

This is my first attempt since then. I have a female 2008 striped hypo, which was NOT brumated, and a male 2008 lavendar which was brumated. He has been warmed and eating since the middle of January. She was kept warm all winter, and has eaten well, so she has good body weight and is well over 3.5 feet.

I have put them together twice, and both times he is very interested, with the typical jerky movements, and trying to follow her and align for mating. All she does is flee.

Is it too early, for her, and maybe they are out of sync? She just shed tonight, so I thought I'd put them together again (the second attempt). She at first seemed curious, but then when he really got interested, she would have none of it.

I think it would really stress her out to leave them together, so she is back in her cage, and he is still wondering where she went.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

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Kent

0.1 Hypomelanistic striped cornsnake
1.0 Lavender cornsnake
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase

You generally need a shed from both the male and the female in order to trigger breeding.

If both snakes have shed, I'd leave them together for three days and then seperate them for 2 or 3 days. I'd continue this cycle until the female is obviously gravid.

Corn snakes do not always instantly mate when you put them together (even if they're both ready). They also don't always mate when a person is watching. I've seen corns hooked up very late at night and very early in the morning.

Tim

Third Eye

Thanks for your reply, Tim. I guess my main concern with leaving them together is the fact that she was trying hard to get out of that cage, and away from him!!

Would you still recommend leaving them together if she doesn't calm down? When I reached in and took her out, she immediately was calm. Would it be better if I put him in her cage instead?

Thanks.

I will try to post some pics soon. I am real happy with the way the colors have developed in these as young adults.
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Kent

0.1 Hypomelanistic striped cornsnake
1.0 Lavender cornsnake
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase

It doesn't make any difference if you put the male in with the female or vice versa. While there may be an immediate "flee" reaction from the female, she will calm down. I'd speculate that you'd get a similar reaction from her if you took the male out and tried again later. The female needs to get used to the male's presence, and that might take a day or so.

Like Doug said in his post below, it's still very early in the season. It have yet to have any of my Corn Snakes breed in 2010, but I've had Garters, Russian Rats and Pine Snakes already bred this year.

Tim

Russian Rats breeding 12 days ago:

Third Eye

Never bred corns before.... I won a 5 lot of beautiful ones at an out-of-state Repticon US ARK auction. Bubblegum snow, oketee, cany cane... And regretfully had to sell them due to the fact I found out they are illegal Native Species in the state of Georgia .

In the next year or so I may relocate to Florida. Im interesting in trying to breed several High End corns.

Is this the procedure that they endure during breeding??? (biting the heads of eachother??). I am completly obvilious to their mating procedure, but I have many yrs. of experience of breeding beardies and I am aware that it is rough and vigourous.

Any Tips from the Corn Professionals???? Thanks!
www.AtlantaBeardedDragons.com

I don't know of any Corn Snakes that have done "head biting" while breeding, but it wouldn't surprise me if some did - lots of other snakes do it.

Tim

....but WOW! Those are some awesome looking corns, Tim. Very nice.

And now, back to your orignally posted thread.

Rob

Thanks Rob,

I'm selectively breeding Striped Ghosts in hopes of eventually making Patternless Ghosts.

Tim

Some of last year's babies from the pairing above:

Third Eye

I would simply introduce them every 5 days or so, don't worry, she will soon become receptive. It could even take another shed for her to come around, but she will quit the "hard-to-get" routine and settle down and lift her tail sometime soon. Mark my words. It is still VERY early in the season.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com

I guess its never too early for the males! If I remember correctly, it was April or May when I bred my corns in '04 and '05.

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Kent

0.1 Hypomelanistic striped cornsnake
1.0 Lavender cornsnake
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase

Males are generally ALWAYS the first one's to be willing to breed. I believe it is nature's way of making sure they don't miss the female's ovulation period.

Good luck with things!

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

my website -serpentinespecialties.webs.com