Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know this time of year lots of questions arise regarding the breeding of these guys, hence I have one. Let me note that this is my first time breeding these guys.

My N. Pines hooked up for the first time last Sat. I separated them on Sunday fed the female and attempted to feed the male. He still won't feed, even after breeding. Is this normal? I know it is typical of them to go off feed when they are ready to breed but I figured he would eat once he has done the deed. However, he has begun crawling around like a maniac again and I think I am going to put him back in with her tomorrow just to see if they go at it again. Is this normal behavior? Do you all recommend putting them together, then separating them, then putting them back together or do you normally just leave them together for awhile? Any suggestions as I would like to ensure she is ovulating when he breeds with her.

Thanks

Also, how do you post pics? Is there a forum on this? I've had trouble and am using photobucket.

First off, you need the code for your image from your image hosting site (Photobucket). Just copy and paste it in.

I have been breeding pyromelana this spring(still a colubrid although different species). My male bred with his two females during March and part of April, and did not eat at all. Fortunately he had eaten after brumation and before the mating season started. After I took away both females I put him in a separate cage that had all clean litter, so as to get rid of the pheromone smells from the females. After about a week he ate a small meal. I brained the pink and poked his nose in it, a thing I usually only do with baby snakes. That got him eating and he is eating on a regular basis now. I house my pyros together except when feeding and during the gravid period, when both females are in separate maternity cages.

I think my Pacific gopher snakes have bred even though I have not seen them do it. My male has not eaten since March 5, although his mate has eaten like a pig. They both look very healthy so I am not worried. I expect he will start eating again in late May when the breeding season winds down. I house them together all the time. If she becomes gravid she will go into a maternity cage until she lays her clutch.

So anyway, I think the males will start eating again once the breeding season begins to wain. Not to worry.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

My male leucistic southern pine has been off feed since Feb 10, yet he is crazy nuts in his cage almost 24/7 just cruising about. Every week I offer but he never takes a meal. I decided to get a backup snake to eat the meals he keeps skipping out on. My yearling male rosy has also been refusing food since March 4th. I am hoping it's for the same reason and that these guys will start pounding food again asap!
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~Markus

The very existence of flamethrowers means that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves..."You know, I really want to set those people over there on fire...but I'm just not close enough to get the job done."

My other male Pacific gopher, a little 09 male, ate several meals early in the season after coming out of brumation, but since the start of March has not wanted to eat. He just likes to hole up in his sphagnum moss hide, though, not cruising around acting horny or restless. He was in the same tank as his mate, but she has been eating so much and got so big I got a little worried she might see him as h'orderves instead as her mate, so he is in a separate cage now. I offer food, but also have backup snakes to eat what is refused. Talk about a great excuse to get an indigo! They are eating machines!
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Haha yes indeed! He eats all the fuzzzies that our rosy and ksb refuse which is pretty much all of it lately! The kenyan went off feed in November and finally ate 2 weeks ago but refused again last night. So it is gooooood to have an indigo to handle business for me now

I got a cheap adult northern pine to back up my southern, and so far so good until the indigo gets big enough to take the bigger prey and then I will need a small back up again for the boa's.
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~Markus

The very existence of flamethrowers means that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves..."You know, I really want to set those people over there on fire...but I'm just not close enough to get the job done."

So another indigo is in your future? LOL!
I checked on my little 09 Pacific gopher and now he is in blue buried at the bottom of his moist sphagnum moss tub. How he can be in blue when he hasn't eaten anything for a month and a half is beyond me, but he looks healthy. Maybe after this shed cycle he will begin eating again.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Waha

Yeah my pine just recently shed too after not having any food for almost 2 months. I was like, how in the heck! He did this last year though so I am confident he will snap out of it.
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~Markus

The very existence of flamethrowers means that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves..."You know, I really want to set those people over there on fire...but I'm just not close enough to get the job done."

Thanks for the input. I've put him in with the female again and they have bred again, which is awesome. I've continually tried to feed him, but he still shows no interest. I'm not to concerned though. One last question, is there a way to tell when females are ovulating?

Her follicles will swell and you should be able to feel them by letting the snake crawl through your hand, with your fingers tips lightly under her belly. She will have as many follicles as eggs. So like if she has five ripe follicles she will make 5 eggs.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.