Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Brought out my female western green, she ate a couple large meals and now is going to shed real soon.

Is it best to breed them after the fist shed, second shed or both?

Put her into the male's cage or put him into her cage, or something else?

This question applies to all rat snakes and any personal experiences are much appreciated.
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6.7 pituophis c. annectans
1.1 senticolis t. intermedia
1.1 rhinechis scalaris
1.2 lampropeltis m. thayeri
2.1 pantherophis g. guttatus
1.1 lampropeltis t. campbelli

1.1 turbo corns
1.1 jungle corns
1.1 thayeri hybrids (het albino)

One should always try to introduce them after the first post-brumation shed just to see how things go and how they respond to one another, because you don't want to miss when she is ovulating. Quite often the female will have nothing to do with the male yet, or even vice-versa, and quite often the female will thrash about wildly trying to escape while pulling her tail away if he is following her around wanting to breed. If this happens, after a good while of them doing this and it is very obvious she is not receptive to him, just try again in another week or two. Keep repeating this process as it can take the second, or even third shed for some to finally come around and be receptive. As long as you keep introducing them every week or two, you will hit the right time eventually and they should copulate.

Good luck!

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

my website -Serpentine Specialties

Thanks again Doug, that sounds like what happens with most of my other rat snakes so I guess senticolis aren't so different from pantherophis after all.

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6.7 pituophis c. annectans
1.1 senticolis t. intermedia
1.1 rhinechis scalaris
1.2 lampropeltis m. thayeri
2.1 pantherophis g. guttatus
1.1 lampropeltis t. campbelli

1.1 turbo corns
1.1 jungle corns
1.1 thayeri hybrids (het albino)

Nice looking green rats, Ryan!

Doug's advice is good - and I use the same approach. I did the same with my green rats, last year - and apparently it worked well, since I got two clutches from them. I never witnessed copulation - but every time I looked in on them, they were snuggled up together...

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-Toby Brock
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

Okay one last question, post shed, should I put him in her cage or her is his cage or do both and make up my own mind?

8/
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6.7 pituophis c. annectans
1.1 senticolis t. intermedia
1.1 rhinechis scalaris
1.2 lampropeltis m. thayeri
2.1 pantherophis g. guttatus
1.1 lampropeltis t. campbelli

1.1 turbo corns
1.1 jungle corns
1.1 thayeri hybrids (het albino)

I've done both, but usually I put the male in the female's cage. The theory on this is that males do more wandering - searching for mates, etc. Also, the mating which produced my second 2010 green rat clutch - took place in a bare, unoccupied tub, which I had placed them in (for maybe 20 - 30 minutes) while I was cleaning their tubs. I wasn't even thinking that they would breed so late in the season, and was not expecting it.

Bottom line is I don't think it matters much - if they are ready, they will mate...
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-Toby Brock
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research